Found a unidentified snake skin on my 8th floor balcony

[witje78]

Hi to you all,

I'm not sure if this is the best place to post this but since the vent took place in Chiang Mai, I choose this sub-forum.

Anyway, when I watered my orchids this afternoon, I noticed something was stuck to the leaves of one of the plants. I removed it and when i inspected it, it seemed like a snake skin!

I have no clue about snakes but would like to know what i'm dealing with, so i took picteres of the found skin. I don't know if it's enough for identification but i can at least give it a try.

Thank you very much in advance for your thoughts!

[circusman]

R U N !

[worgeordie]

Its a baby one,shed its skin so its growing.

regards worgeordie

[Crossy]

I think it's more likely that a bird or the wind carried it up there.

No idea what sort of snake it's from.

[Briggsy]

Give it back to the people on the 9th floor.

[krisb]

Its a baby one,shed its skin so its growing.

regards worgeordie

That's no baby snake.

Look at the tape measure, it's over 16 foot long!

Looks like a cobra to me.

Edited October 4, 2014 by krisb

[witje78]

Its a baby one,shed its skin so its growing.

regards worgeordie

That's no baby snake.

Look at the tape measure, it's over 16 foot long!

Looks like a cobra to me.

Lol, if it had been 16 foot, i probably wouldn't be posting here but get the hell out of here!

I am aware snakes shed their skin multiple times during their life but was just very surprised to find a skin this high up (btw, no 9th floor to give it back to since I'm on the top floor).

It indeed might have just been blown in by the wind (at least i hope so) but i probably also clean out my balcony one of these days, just to be sure!

[krisb]

When it comes to venomous snakes, size doesn't matter mate.

I would be doing a full house search until convinced no snake here.

Edit to add, no way the wind just blew that up or a bird flew up and dropped it.

Edited October 4, 2014 by krisb

[pgrahmm]

Jackie Chan snake?????

I'd be searching too - especially if you have a screen and leave it open......any plants on the balcony?

[apetley]

I think it's more likely that a bird or the wind carried it up there.

No idea what sort of snake it's from.

I'd guess bird too. Found a few snake skins woven into the bird nests that keep getting made in our guttering.

[Puwa]

Have you brought in any new potted plants or potting soil or anything lately? Maybe you had a stowaway.

[witje78]

Thank you all very much for the useful replies.

Krisb, I know you're completely right in that size doesn't matter when it comes to venomous snakes and also absolutely don't see it as a joke, but I also didn’t wanted to overdramatize things, that's why I tried to keep things fairly light. For now I can't do much more than just be careful and not reach into places where I don't have a good visual.

To phragahm; I do have many plants (orchids) on the balcony, but as far as I remember, there haven’t been any new plants or new potting substrates etc. brought in on my balcony for more than a year, so it seems unlikely that a snake accidently hitchhiked his way in like that (though i can't completely exclude it either).

I do have weavers on my balcony though and they are continuously building nests for the last 4 or 5 years, so maybe apetly has a point as well, even though i noticed it never before.

At least i also have owls living on the roof of the condo who occasionally bring a visit to my balcony as well, so they might "protect " me as well again against unwanted guests.

And as last line of defense for inside, I always do have my cat living here with me who chases everything he sees moving!

Have a good night to all and thanks again!

[heybruce]

Thank you all very much for the useful replies.

Krisb, I know you're completely right in that size doesn't matter when it comes to venomous snakes and also absolutely don't see it as a joke, but I also didn’t wanted to overdramatize things, that's why I tried to keep things fairly light. For now I can't do much more than just be careful and not reach into places where I don't have a good visual.

To phragahm; I do have many plants (orchids) on the balcony, but as far as I remember, there haven’t been any new plants or new potting substrates etc. brought in on my balcony for more than a year, so it seems unlikely that a snake accidently hitchhiked his way in like that (though i can't completely exclude it either).

I do have weavers on my balcony though and they are continuously building nests for the last 4 or 5 years, so maybe apetly has a point as well, even though i noticed it never before.

At least i also have owls living on the roof of the condo who occasionally bring a visit to my balcony as well, so they might "protect " me as well again against unwanted guests.

And as last line of defense for inside, I always do have my cat living here with me who chases everything he sees moving!

Have a good night to all and thanks again!

Do weavers use snake-skins for nest material? Just a thought.

I grew up in snake country, a cat with good instincts is a good defense, especially if she (for some reason the best hunters seem to be female) is a little hungry.

[Tokay]

Sleep tight.

[slipperylobster]

Sleep tight.

Small enough to hide just about anywhere...just waiting to get big enough to grab an ankle when the lights are out. Step lightly...

[ProThaiExpat]

I found a three foot long snake skin in a closet with a access hole into the attic. There was no other openings for the snake to gain access to that closet so surmised they can climb up walls. I did not clean out the closet of numerous boxes, buckets and what have you so if the snake is still in there he will surely starve to death in time.

[mdmayes]

Time to sell!

[Wat dee]

16th. floor???

[Aforek]

Why not a Golden tree snake ? they can live in appartments and climb walls very well; as for the skin, I have seen one like this a few days ago ( but in better shape ), and it was a golden tree snake' skin; I saw the snake the day after, it likes to live above my sliding window , because it's a very thin snake : mine is shy and not agressive

http://www.thailandsnakes.com/tag/golden-tree-snake/

[sfokevin]

Just one more reason not to live at Riverside Condo...

Edited October 6, 2014 by sfokevin

[chiangraifalang]

My experience is too, birds take the snake skin to build a nest.

[Xiled]

When it comes to venomous snakes, size doesn't matter mate.

I would be doing a full house search until convinced no snake here.

Edit to add, no way the wind just blew that up or a bird flew up and dropped it.

Thats what all the small snakes keep trying to tell the bigger snakes

OT: I would probably search the condo, just to be safe.

[Don Aleman]

Well "78" the SKIN" I'd say is the least of your problems !

[witje78]

Hi all,

I survived last night and slept great. And even today, when i went out watering my plants, i wasn't attacked by this "verocious creature"!

As far as I'm aware, we humans are way to big prey for them the attack us in a hunt (in which the snake is "hunting" you).

They can be dangerous ofcourse when they feel threatened e.g. by someone who disturbs their resting place or someone stepping on them.

Haven't been able to find any new traces, so maybe just an occasional intruder to my balcony who "controls" the geckos, birds and other willdife out there. Now just hoping i won't suddenly receive a bill for that.

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16th. floor???

I don't know here there additional 8 floors came from, or are you saying you have snakes at your 16th floor condo?

Why not a Golden tree snake ? they can live in appartments and climb walls very well; as for the skin, I have seen one like this a few days ago ( but in better shape ), and it was a golden tree snake' skin; I saw the snake the day after, it likes to live above my sliding window , because it's a very thin snake : mine is shy and not agressive

http://www.thailandsnakes.com/tag/golden-tree-snake/

Very well possible, .since there has just been a piece of land cleared, a lot of animals relocated. It's a shame the skin had too much damage to make a good determination, so i probably won't know for sure until i have a real encounter .

Just one more reason not to live at Riverside Condo... alt=coffee1.gif width=32 height=24>

Never been there in my life

My experience is too, birds take the snake skin to build a nest.

Yes, and i also inspected the nests that where vissible for me, but didn't found anything like it.

Also I found the skin stuck to the leaves of an orchid (could have beebn caused by the rain as well) and the birdsnests are on a different part of the balcony.

It might alway stay a mystery what happened over here, but if i find out anything new I'll let you know.

In case that a story pops up over the coming days/weeks about a young European guy being killed on 8th floor by snakebite, it might not all have been a set-up (sorry, my d arker sense of humour, but it's also past my bedtime).

Wish a good night to you all!

[mikiea]

looks like a large coackroach was makeing a snake skin schall for winter.

[Wat dee]

I mean maybe time to move to the 16th. fl.

Might not help thou.Friend bought bigger plant in a big pot.Days later 8 little cobras hatched and crawled out of the pot.

[arunsakda]

Its a baby one,shed its skin so its growing.

regards worgeordie

That's no baby snake.

Look at the tape measure, it's over 16 foot long!

Looks like a cobra to me.

Baby Snakes!

[wellred]

I mean maybe time to move to the 16th. fl.

Might not help thou.Friend bought bigger plant in a big pot.Days later 8 little cobras hatched and crawled out of the pot.

Oh my god are you serious? That would scare the shit out of me. Baby Cobras are supposed to be more dangerous too.