Snake

[haiku]

Hello All,

Some of my Thai friends and I were at Huay Kaew Falls, and came across this guy. My friend was getting ready to jump in the water to catch some kind of fish, and we spotted this snake just over where he would have been wadding. Can anybody identify it? Is it venomous?

Thanks

[Maejo Man]

Looks like a common green whip snake, and non venomous...

[Sir Burr]

Looks like a common green whip snake, and non venomous...

Not according to my excellent field guide book, A photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Peninsula Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

According to this guide, the snake is a Pope's Pit-Viper (Trimeresurus popeiorum).

Commonly found at elevations of 900 mtrs to 1,500 mtrs. Venemous and dangerous.

Very common.

[Maejo Man]

You are probably quite correct SB. On looking again, it's far too long, and not "green" enough. Whip snakes are not normally much longer than a couple of foot.

Looking back through some shots ot snakes that I have seen around the property over the years, I came across the attached, which looks very similar to the one in the OP??

[Sir Burr]

You are probably quite correct SB. On looking again, it's far too long, and not "green" enough. Whip snakes are not normally much longer than a couple of foot.

Looking back through some shots ot snakes that I have seen around the property over the years, I came across the attached, which looks very similar to the one in the OP??

Thank you, the red and white lateral stripe was the give-a-way.

Looking at my guide, your snake at first appearance looks like a Wall's Bronzeback (Dendrelaphis cyanochloris), but looking closer, the stripe under it's eye alsmost certainly makes it a Golden Tree Snake (Chrysopelea ornata), a very common snake where I live. Completely harmless.

Edited March 19, 2006 by Sir Burr

[Maejo Man]

Thanks for the feedback SB. Now I know where to come for all my snake IDs Believe me I get plenty of them around the house, and most I can identify, but there are still a lot I can't..Thanks

[Sir Burr]

Thanks for the feedback SB. Now I know where to come for all my snake IDs Believe me I get plenty of them around the house, and most I can identify, but there are still a lot I can't..Thanks

One knight should help another.

[Maejo Man]

One knight should help another.

but once a "night" is enough

[...Ken]

Looks like a common green whip snake, and non venomous...

Not according to my excellent field guide book, A photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Peninsula Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

According to this guide, the snake is a Pope's Pit-Viper (Trimeresurus popeiorum).

Commonly found at elevations of 900 mtrs to 1,500 mtrs. Venemous and dangerous.

Very common.

We had one in the shrubbery next to our front door that looked very similar. The wife quickly dispatched it. We took it to the father in law who called it "ngu sigh maa" (horse tail snake) because it can strike as fast as a horse can switch it's tail. Locally regarded as extremely dangerous.

...Ken (Esq.)

[up-country_sinclair]

Not according to my excellent field guide book, A photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Peninsula Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

is that available here in chiang mai?

Edited March 20, 2006 by up-country_sinclair

[Sir Burr]

Not according to my excellent field guide book, A photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Peninsula Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

is that available here in chiang mai?

I bought my copy in Singapore, but, have seen it for sale in Bangkok.

The ISBN is 1 85368 438 4.

I find it invaluable for identification of snakes and lizards.

[cmsally]

The second picture posted is definitely a Golden tree snake but the original post looks more like a Popes pit viper. I've never seen that kind of body colouring on a golden tree snake and the head looks too triangular, although its a bit difficult to see in the picture.

What do any of you guys think? I'd go for it being the viper as I've seen so many of the tree snakes but never that colouring.

The dry weather seems to be bringing a lot of snakes out at the moment. Saw a cobra last week near Hang Dong.

[Sir Burr]

The second picture posted is definitely a Golden tree snake but the original post looks more like a Popes pit viper. I've never seen that kind of body colouring on a golden tree snake and the head looks too triangular, although its a bit difficult to see in the picture.

What do any of you guys think? I'd go for it being the viper as I've seen so many of the tree snakes but never that colouring.

The dry weather seems to be bringing a lot of snakes out at the moment. Saw a cobra last week near Hang Dong.

I think that is what I stated.

[soic]

We have a few little snakes over here too! We don't see too many, but when we do, we kinda steer clear.

[Dustoff]

~

No question - the OP's snake is a Pope's Pit Viper. The vipers are not considered deadly poisonous but can give a really nasty poisonous bite.

No bodda it;

it no bodda you..

A beautiful snake..

[nonthaburial]

General rule of thumb is:- If a snake has a diamond shaped head (as in the op) then it should be considered as dangerous !!!!

[Dustoff]

General rule of thumb is:- If a snake has a diamond shaped head (as in the op) then it should be considered as dangerous !!!!

This is true as far as it goes but a far more dangerous "general rule" than the snakes themselves.

In America there is only one deadly poisonous snake and it has a very narrow head; it is called the Coral Snake. All of the other poisonous snakes are vipers and, while considered dangerous, are not deadly in their own right.

The same is true in this area of the world; that some of the most deadly snakes can be harmless-looking and not have the pronounced triangular or "diamond shaped head". Viper poisons are terrible and can cause death but usually only through a secondary response such as being bitten in the face or neck and suffocating due to swelling. Neurotoxic snakes however can deliver a fatal injection with FAR less than a drop of their venom and present the most challenging poisoning for health professionals to cure.

Just because it is small and lovely, has a narrow head design and nice big round eyes does NOT mean that it cannot kill you very quickly!

[Johpa]

I would agree that the OP's pic is indeed the green tree viper. A fairly dangerous snake whose venom may not kill, but it can destroy your muscle tissue, cause disfigurment, and cause a great deal of pain in the process. A few of the old folk in our village can show you the results of such a bite.