Totally Boring Topic......

[theblether]

I was at the Sisters restaurant last night down on Changkhlan Road, listening to the music, enjoying the excellent food and watching the Ping meander past when I saw this 8 foot long ( and easily 8 foot ) snake swimming down the river.

I've got a sore knee, otherwise I would have jumped the fence and caught it, I'm sure the kitchen could have done something with it. That's the first snake I've seen in the wild in Thailand, and I won't be happy until I see a Cobra in the wild. I'll need to go looking for them.

So where's the best place locally to see a Cobra

[I Like Thai]

The Zoo

[theblether]

The Zoo

Wild Cobras in the zoo? what will they think of next.

[I Like Thai]

All Cobras are wild, they can't be domesticated, they can't be trained to fetch a newspaper or anything. useless creatures

Edited June 18, 2013 by I Like Thai

[theblether]

All Cobras are wild, they can't be domesticated, they can't be trained to fetch a newspaper or anything. useless creatures

They're not bad rat catchers, and some can even dance to flute music. Not bad really.

I'll need to remember to take a flute with me when I go hunting for them, might get a party going.

[Thighlander]

common king snakes can be 7 feet long, but those are "good snakes." Rats attract snakes, so there should be plenty. Ask a few thais in Hang Dong or some place similar. Snakes were a big bonus for those, who built "cobra swamp" airport.

[junglechef]

Seen some nice pythons in San Sai but only Cobras down south

[mad mary]

Have you (theblether) never seen snakes crossing over roads/dodging traffic in rural areas?

[MESmith]

Get cobras in my garden. Come in from the rice fields. Dogs kill 'em. Only saw them kill one once - cobra rearing up, hood spread, dogs attacking from all sides. Usually they just leave them dead, outside on the lawn.

[jackr]

Quite a few hanging around down the bottom of the mountain in the vicinity of Huay Tung Tao. Go there on sundown.

[itchybum]

Crikey...caught maybe 15 snakes here in 2 years, seen a few more.

Biggest I caught was 4m +

[cmsally]

My garden.

There's a huge one that lives somewhere in the bamboo. Just shed its skin again a few weeks ago.

[Somnambulist]

Get cobras in my garden. Come in from the rice fields. Dogs kill 'em. Only saw them kill one once - cobra rearing up, hood spread, dogs attacking from all sides. Usually they just leave them dead, outside on the lawn.

What kind of dogs do you have?

[MESmith]

Get cobras in my garden. Come in from the rice fields. Dogs kill 'em. Only saw them kill one once - cobra rearing up, hood spread, dogs attacking from all sides. Usually they just leave them dead, outside on the lawn.

What kind of dogs do you have?

Big ones. GSD & GSD mix. Our oldest bitch (more mix) is the best. Grabs them by the tail & gives them a flick. She got spat in the face by a spitting cobra once. Gave it a good rinse, she recovered after a day or two.

[theblether]

Have you (theblether) never seen snakes crossing over roads/dodging traffic in rural areas?

Not yet, and trust me, I'm looking for them. I would love to see one in the wild.

[theblether]

Get cobras in my garden. Come in from the rice fields. Dogs kill 'em. Only saw them kill one once - cobra rearing up, hood spread, dogs attacking from all sides. Usually they just leave them dead, outside on the lawn.

What kind of dogs do you have?

Big ones. GSD & GSD mix. Our oldest bitch (more mix) is the best. Grabs them by the tail & gives them a flick. She got spat in the face by a spitting cobra once. Gave it a good rinse, she recovered after a day or two.

I heard a story about a lady being back stabbed by a Cobra in the next village along from the new Promenada development, her dog was right on the scene and went nose to nose with the assailant, giving her a chance to get away. She ran screaming blue murder for the neighbours and came back convinced that the dog would be dead but the Cobra had done a runner.

I hear frequent stories of snakes in and around CM and I hadn't seen one until last night, I was quite delighted to see it.

[Bpuumike]

Death Wish II

[theblether]

Death Wish II

Eh?.....how many people do you know of that have died after a snake bite in CM this year? Stop being such a fearty cat, the best way to get into trouble with a snake is to fear it, it makes you freeze. Watching that snake swim down the river the other day was majestic.

I was telling my Thai pals last night that I wouldn't have minded going after it, they had a good laugh saying it was probably baiting me and it had a few massive pals hiding to jump me when I got in the water.

They were highly entertained at the idea of theblether getting done in by a gang of marauding snakes.

Sniff.

[junglechef]

my dogs like to each take one end and pull the snakes in 1/2, usually just the rat snakes we have so many of, but they can get pretty big.

The one pic of my dogs scoping one out but the little one-eyed white one has a bit of trouble - lol

[Billmont]

Seen quite a few large ones crossing roads, fortunately from the safety of my car. On a visit to CM quite a few years ago we saw a Cobra show on the road heading up to the mountain. Quite entertaining for a newcomer and they usually ask for one of the spectators to help. I am sure the CM locals on this site will inform if it is still there.

[David48]

All Cobras are wild, they can't be domesticated, they can't be trained to fetch a newspaper or anything. useless creatures

They're not bad rat catchers, and some can even dance to flute music. Not bad really.

I'll need to remember to take a flute with me when I go hunting for them, might get a party going.

I was caught between ...

or

[LawrenceN]

Get a bicycle and take a ride on some quiet country roads as early as you can in the morning. I see at least one live one nearly every day, and many dead ones flattened on the road.

[Anon999]

In my garden in Isaan had an 8 foot Cobra in it last year. Not local though!

[Baerboxer]

We get them in our garden. They are not easy to spot and keep out the way if left alone. I'm near Bangkok but have seen them in other parts of Thailand to. Small Cobras seem fairly common.

[winstonc]

my last pitbull caught a snake the snake died ten mins later so was the dog,,not sure what the snake was python/cobra,but was very upsetting,,,

[NoshowJones]

The Zoo

or, if you live in the sticks, some peoples kitchen.

All Cobras are wild, they can't be domesticated, they can't be trained to fetch a newspaper or anything. useless creatures

They're not bad rat catchers, and some can even dance to flute music. Not bad really.

I'll need to remember to take a flute with me when I go hunting for them, might get a party going.

I don't think I could have imagined you playing a flute Blether.

[NoshowJones]

Get cobras in my garden. Come in from the rice fields. Dogs kill 'em. Only saw them kill one once - cobra rearing up, hood spread, dogs attacking from all sides. Usually they just leave them dead, outside on the lawn.

What kind of dogs do you have?

Big ones. GSD & GSD mix. Our oldest bitch (more mix) is the best. Grabs them by the tail & gives them a flick. She got spat in the face by a spitting cobra once. Gave it a good rinse, she recovered after a day or two.

I heard a story about a lady being back stabbed by a Cobra in the next village along from the new Promenada development, her dog was right on the scene and went nose to nose with the assailant, giving her a chance to get away. She ran screaming blue murder for the neighbours and came back convinced that the dog would be dead but the Cobra had done a runner.

I hear frequent stories of snakes in and around CM and I hadn't seen one until last night, I was quite delighted to see it.

Delighted to see a snake???? My MIL was bitten by a snake in her kitchen and had to spend the night in hospital.

[maybefitz]

Just approaching Ban Pa Mai on the way to Phrao, the car in front suddenly screeched to a halt; the driver jumped out and was chasing an 8ft Python up the road. I asked my wife "what's he up to?" - she replied, "If he catches it, it will feed a village for a week".

[taotoo]

^^ Once saw some villagers chasing a massive snake (python?) down a road - swerved to avoid hitting it (it took up the whole lane width) and then pulled over. Villagers upset that we didn't run it over for them.

Also saw a cobra crossing a road between two paddy fields in Phitsanulok. We came to a halt, the cobra reared up, flared it's neck and looked straight at us. Then he thought better of it and u-turned back into the field he came from. Unforgettable sight.

Agree that you'll see loads of rat snakes etc. around fields/lakes at sunset. Have twice sat down on a bail/rock for a cigarette, only to stand up five minutes later and see there was a snake sitting next to me the whole time.

[amykat]

Why don't you just go to a snake show? I think they have them along Mae-Rim road? on the way to the elephant shows, monkey shows, dog shows, etc. Although I haven't actually been myself to any snake shows in CM. I have been (in 1985 or 1986) to one in BKK. But I think they are still the same shows. I realize this isn't the same as seeing them "in the wild" but that is a bit of a ridiculous request, isn't it?

I'm sure you can meet with the snake owner after, and ask to play with the snake, or have them let it go for a real experience, if that is what you need!

Or I once saw a show on TV about "snake charmers" in Thailand, which seemed to say that there are certain villages where this is the main way to make a living. Maybe you can find out where those are, and visit, and live for a while, like people who live with the elephants for a while ..I did that when I was new here.