Again, A Snake Id

[yussiesamui]

Just saw this beautiful snake today - picture is not that good tho' (Grey, with yellow ring and blue head)

This was probably just a baby, 30-40 cm. Any ID(eas)

BTW, this is in Laos

[Goshawk]

This was probably just a baby

correct..

it's a juvenile Red necked Keelback (Rhabdophis subminiatus).

Be careful around this species. It used to be regarded as a known mildly venomous, but fairly harmless, snake.. but was recently upgraded to 'dangerous' following new investigations of its toxicity after a some bite victims, of an adult snake, came close to death ( i believe at least one person did die)

no need to kill them though! it's not an aggressive snake (like most) & won't bother you at all if you just let it go on its way.

[steffi]

I think I remember reading a bite from these can cause renal failure.

[samsiam]

Isn't it the 'Rainbow snake' or some such name ??

I have caught several of these now and let them go elsewhere....

Tonight out the front of our house when turning into the driveway I saw a banded snake....black and yellow, but not straight bands...kind of on an angle......did not try to catch this one as was night time and rather tired, also had a few drinks earlier and nothing handy to catch him with or put into......so chased him off in opposite direction of our house.

[steffi]

I'm guessing Laotion Wolf Snake or possibly a Mangrove Snake. Hard to tell. Snake ID posts should always include location.

[Goshawk]

Isn't it the 'Rainbow snake' or some such name ??

no.. the rainbow snake is is an american species & looks nothing like a Red necked keelback. (which is what the OP's snake is - as i've already said )

[samsiam]

..

Edited June 3, 2012 by samsiam

[samsiam]

rainbow snake thailand......also called the other thingy

[Goshawk]

rainbow snake thailand......also called the other thingy

he's free to be confused & call it whatever, or give it any fond nickname, he wants.. but facts are facts. Sorry..

this is the Rainbow Snake Farancia erytrogramma.. not found in Thailand.

[samsiam]

Sorry...all those other sites must also be wrong when i first wanted to identify that snake when i first caught it a few years ago.....they all have a photo of the snake and call it 'Raindow'.....so its not me...its them....they are all out to get you..

Its a Rainbow snake...a Thai one....bloody yanks always wanting to claim the name for everything.

[steffi]

Some people call the Bronzeback's Rainbow snakes. Which site did you find them call it Rainbow snake then?

If you google you'll see people calling all kinds of snakes Rainbow snakes, such as Bronzebacks, Sunbeam snakes etc. In this forum we prefer to be less vague and see little point in referring to snakes with ambiguous names.

[Goshawk]

they all have a photo of the snake and call it 'Raindow'.....

link to these sites? they can call it bill, ben, betty or bob (even rainbow) if they like.. but only the ones calling it red necked keelback will be correct.

Its a Rainbow snake...a Thai one

sigh... no its not.

[samsiam]

sigh....to much beer just now....not going searching for a website to prove a point...but even the website i put up above calls it a rainbow...as well as the red neck one.....so perhaps it is a nick name.

Anyway....there was 2 or 3 sites that also called it rainbow....

More importanlty....I found the snake I saw out front last night....the one I decided notto play with cos I had had a few drinks already.....it was a banded krait..

[samsiam]

Caught this one a few weeks ago...

and this one...just a baby at our back door, 7yo girl nearly stepped on it...

[Goshawk]

In this forum we prefer to be less vague and see little point in referring to snakes with ambiguous names.

yes... precise identification using correct names is essential especially when dealing with potentially dangerous snakes..

[samsiam]

[steffi]

Caught this one a few weeks ago...

and this one...just a baby at our back door, 7yo girl nearly stepped on it...

The green one bit my wife's mother last year.

White lipped pit viper. Pretty common around Bangkok.

The second one looks like the large eyed variety.

Edited June 3, 2012 by steffi

[steffi]

sigh....to much beer just now....not going searching for a website to prove a point...but even the website i put up above calls it a rainbow...as well as the red neck one.....so perhaps it is a nick name.

Anyway....there was 2 or 3 sites that also called it rainbow....

More importanlty....I found the snake I saw out front last night....the one I decided notto play with cos I had had a few drinks already.....it was a banded krait..

Banded Krait will kill you and they are more active and less docile at night time.

Sounds like you're not in Bangkok if you're seeing Banded Kraits.

[samsiam]

sigh....to much beer just now....not going searching for a website to prove a point...but even the website i put up above calls it a rainbow...as well as the red neck one.....so perhaps it is a nick name.

Anyway....there was 2 or 3 sites that also called it rainbow....

More importanlty....I found the snake I saw out front last night....the one I decided notto play with cos I had had a few drinks already.....it was a banded krait..

Banded Krait will kill you and they are more active and less docile at night time.

Sounds like you're not in Bangkok if you're seeing Banded Kraits.

On the edge of Khao Yai NP.

Yes, I am aware of the kraits reputation......I am from Oz...we have Taipans and King Browns etc.

Any idea where to get a proper snake catching stick here for the right price ??

While I do not mind handling most snakes....a cobra or the krait I may reconsider and would prefer to use a stick, bag em and move em.....I know they are out there and we will never see them all....but the ones we do see I would like to move as we have kids and pets here.

[steffi]

Are you an experience handler? Have you handled a Coastal Taipan or a Eastern Brown snake before? If not I would leave the stick handling to the experts. Thailand is not the place you want to bit by a snake. The hospital stay will cost you an arm and a leg and they will stop giving you vials of anti-venom if they think you cannot pay the bill.

Edited June 4, 2012 by steffi

[samsiam]

Yeah.....when I see one...I'll call an expert then.

Thanks for the tip.