We had this uninvited guest in our kitchen today. It wasn't very aggressive despite being chased around by our dogs, and I had no idea what kind of snake it was until I tried shoving it into a bucket with a broom and it raised up and flattened its neck. I now assume that it's some kind of cobra (or do other species also have the flattened neck?), but which kind?

I estimate that the snake was a little more than 1 meter in length.

Luckily, despite the dogs being Bangkok street dogs and not very knowledgable about how to react to snakes none of them were bitten. The snake was pushed into one of the big black buckets for garbage and released in a nearby rice field.

Sophon

Looks like a common asian cobra, naja naja. Quite common where I live. Glad that you captured and released it.

Thank you for the reply. Naja Naja, that's the "spectacled" cobra, right? I didn't see any markings on the back of it's neck, but then when it was rasing up I made sure to be in front of it so they might have been there.

Thanks again.

Sophon

Googling Naja Naja says Indian Sub continent. My money is on Monocellate Cobra, they get to 2 metres, many hood variations as well as colour variation. Luckily not a spitter, but potentially deadly.

I would have said Indochinese rat snake. Why does everyone say cobra?

I would have said Indochinese rat snake. Why does everyone say cobra?

the raised up and flattened its neck part?

could be either or, but it looks very like a cobra in thee second shot, the first one not so much.

i know which side of caution i would err on.

I would have said Indochinese rat snake. Why does everyone say cobra?

the raised up and flattened its neck part?

could be either or, but it looks very like a cobra in thee second shot, the first one not so much.

i know which side of caution i would err on.

Yeah my bad, didn't read it very well.

Op: when you say flattened its neck, do you mean it stretched out a hood, or just flattened its neck? Some snakes can flatten there neck a bit when trying to be threatening..

Edited February 22, 201313 yr by canuckamuck

I would have said Indochinese rat snake. Why does everyone say cobra?

the raised up and flattened its neck part?

could be either or, but it looks very like a cobra in thee second shot, the first one not so much.

i know which side of caution i would err on.

Yeah my bad, didn't read it very well.

Op: when you say flattened its neck, do you mean it stretched out a hood, or just flattened its neck? Some snakes can flatten there neck a bit when trying to be threatening..

It didn't really present a full hood as I have seen in pictures, just flattened and expanded its neck a little (maybe 50%). It also didn't raise up that high, maybe only the first 20-25 cm or so of it's body. But as I said, it wasn't very aggressive and didn't try to strike at me, just raised up and hissed a little when I pushed it with the broom.

Sophon

Edited February 22, 201313 yr by Sophon

It didn't really present a full hood as I have seen in pictures, just flattened and expanded its neck a little (maybe 50%). It also didn't raise up that high, maybe only the first 20-25 cm or so of it's body. But as I said, it wasn't very aggressive and didn't try to strike at me, just raised up and hissed a little when I pushed it with the broom.

Sophon

Lots of snakes will do what you described there....so maybe not a cobra.....I would have said rat snake also based on first pic.

I checked the internet for pictures of Indo Chinese Rat snakes, and although very similar in colouring they seem to have bigger eyes than "my" snake and a more delicate/narrow face. From the descriptions they also seem to move and flee quicker.

But I appreciate that not all snakes of the same species looks or acts exactly the same, so it could possibly be a Indo Chinese Rat snake. I would sure prefer it to be, but if I encounter other similar snakes I will act as if though it's a venemous snake until proven otherwise.

Sophon

Edited February 22, 201313 yr by Sophon

It is a Cobra. This doesn't have the goggly eyes of a Ratsnake nor the large scales.

I would treat it as a cobra, but I am not certain. If the hood would have been fully displayed, that would have been conclusive.

I would treat it as a cobra, but I am not certain. If the hood would have been fully displayed, that would have been conclusive.

It's always better to err on the side of caution. In reality cobras seldom 'hood up'. That's just the image shown in the popular media. It is a real waste of their limited energy and most will just bolt off unless they're cornered.

If you really want rid of a snake, give it plenty of space and chance to get away and it will take it 100% of the time.

Similar to one that this forum suggested was a King Cobra a few weeks ago.

Does your snake have the bands along the side?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/614699-is-this-a-naja-kaouthi-monocled-cobra-either-way-its-dead/

Similar to one that this forum suggested was a King Cobra a few weeks ago.

Does your snake have the bands along the side?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/614699-is-this-a-naja-kaouthi-monocled-cobra-either-way-its-dead/

I didn't notice any bands and examining the pictures I don't see any. Here is a third pic, but I don't think it shows anything the first two didn't.

Sophon

There is more evidence of patterning on the skin with this one which seems to indicate it's a cobra.

Apart from the eyes....maybe he was just born with tiny eyes...I would have to still say this one..

http://www.siam-info.com/assets/images/73.jpg

How to handle cobras => http://www.4cyc.com/play-YIMigVo1pyA

How to handle cobras => http://www.4cyc.com/play-YIMigVo1pyA

Thank you, but I think I will stick with my broom and bucket approach.

Sophon

is it just me, or do cobras appear to be somewhat more docile than many other venomous snakes ?

Unfortunately, the Thais around where I live prefer the "whack" method with a bamboo pole and have the "remains" for dinner! They often come back with a sack of the ones that did not survive the sugar cane burn the night before and have a feast.

I'd say you ran into a small male King Cobra. He has the right color and head shape. Young males have stripes along the sides of the body. Wrong shape for a rat snake. Females are more aggressive if defending the nest, males are not. Males are more interested in finding a female and eating the babies. Males will also kill the female. They actually will run from you rather than strike and very shy. They save their venom for prey.

http://ecologyasia.com/verts/snakes/king_cobra.htm

I'm still wondering why it decided to venture into our kitchen where three or four of our dogs almost always sleep during the day to get out of the heat. I would have thought that the presence (and smell) of dogs would have deterred it from coming in.

Sophon

King cobras eat snakes, so he probably smelled some at your house.

King cobras eat snakes, so he probably smelled some at your house.

I kind of doubt it. We rent in a typical moo-bahn where the houses are on very small plots (ours is about 100 TW), so not much for snakes to eat here. This is also the first snake our dogs have alerted us to, and given the number of dogs we have (eight) and the size of land, I am sure they would have stumbled upon other snakes before now if there were snakes living here. We also have neighbours on all sides and all have dogs.

But the moo-bahn is surrounded by rice fields, so maybe it just got lost.

Sophon

King cobras eat snakes, so he probably smelled some at your house.

I kind of doubt it. We rent in a typical moo-bahn where the houses are on very small plots (ours is about 100 TW), so not much for snakes to eat here. This is also the first snake our dogs have alerted us to, and given the number of dogs we have (eight) and the size of land, I am sure they would have stumbled upon other snakes before now if there were snakes living here. We also have neighbours on all sides and all have dogs.But the moo-bahn is surrounded by rice fields, so maybe it just got lost.Sophon

The head doesn't look like a cobra to me. Where was this?

King cobras eat snakes, so he probably smelled some at your house.

I kind of doubt it. We rent in a typical moo-bahn where the houses are on very small plots (ours is about 100 TW), so not much for snakes to eat here. This is also the first snake our dogs have alerted us to, and given the number of dogs we have (eight) and the size of land, I am sure they would have stumbled upon other snakes before now if there were snakes living here. We also have neighbours on all sides and all have dogs.But the moo-bahn is surrounded by rice fields, so maybe it just got lost.Sophon

The head doesn't look like a cobra to me. Where was this?

Ton Thong in Lamphun.

Sophon

the size and arrangement of the scales on the head & around the eye.. the body colour.. the lack of any (visible) markings on the back of the neck.. it's apparent length.. and the behaviour described, points towards this being a relatively young King Cobra. I'm 99% certain.

King cobras eat snakes, so he probably smelled some at your house.

I kind of doubt it. We rent in a typical moo-bahn where the houses are on very small plots (ours is about 100 TW), so not much for snakes to eat here. This is also the first snake our dogs have alerted us to, and given the number of dogs we have (eight) and the size of land, I am sure they would have stumbled upon other snakes before now if there were snakes living here. We also have neighbours on all sides and all have dogs.But the moo-bahn is surrounded by rice fields, so maybe it just got lost.Sophon

The head doesn't look like a cobra to me. Where was this?

A king cobra is quite a different snake to the familiar cobra. They aren't a 'true' cobra at all.