Rat Snake or Cobra?

[T_Dog]

Walking the dog in the rice field today I saw a snake in the water and walked up to take a photo. Suddenly it reared up and launched itself at me, coming up the side of small canal. I ran back, distracting the dog so it would not notice it. Was pretty sure it was Rat Snake but never saw one aggressive like this one, and now, looking at the photos, it looks more Cobra-like. Photos are not too good as I never had time to let the camera focus. Any opinions on what it is?

[neverdie]

Sorry I just can't make out the features from the photos.

However Tdog.

The Oriental Rat snake can be quite aggressive, it's a fast snake, it moves faster than a cobra and will strike at things much larger than itself. They become more aggressive at certain times of the year. They're non venomous but that doesn't stop them from biting.

This is probably one of the most common snakes in Thailand to be mistaken for a Cobra.

The Cobra really likes to flare it's hood when it's feeling aggressive or defensive. If there was no prominent 'hood' then it may have been a rat snake.

Glad you didn't kill it.

[simon43]

Definitely sounds like a rat snake. They can move surprisingly fast.

I have never known a Cobra to be aggressive (unless cornered).

[ATF]

It's pose is very viper like and it has an Ace of Spades head like a viper not a ratsnake or cobra dare I say.

[Crazy chef 1]

the only thing according to the pictures provided i can tell you: it is a snake and not an eel..

but always remember rule number one: treat every snake as a venomous one and let it alone...

[T_Dog]

I thought its behavior was also very viper-like but could not find anything quite like it in the snake literature. I have seen dozens of rat snakes here and that head definitely did not look like it, although I was rather, er, rushed! Have gotten too used to seeing snakes so have to turn up my caution level.

[Genericnic]

Let it bite you. You die = cobra. You live = rat snake.

David

[khunpa]

A cobra is actually quite slow and only reacts to nearby movement. Even then it is slow and quite non-agressive - unless of course you directly provoke it and get too close. The best thing you can do, if facing a cobra is just stand still and wait for it to go away. Move and it will strike.

I would put my money on a rat snake :-) They can be really fast and also stupidly agressive.

[cooked]

I once went outside at night in my bare feet for a wee wee and fortunately heard the hiss of a cobra which was in the classic posture near where I was going to do it. Sucking on the wound is no longer advised I believe.

[OZEMADE]

  On 11/27/2014 at 5:11 PM, cooked said:

I once went outside at night in my bare feet for a wee wee and fortunately heard the hiss of a cobra which was in the classic posture near where I was going to do it. Sucking on the wound is no longer advised I believe.

That's when the doctor told the nurse that is not advisable.

[LennyW]

Looks very much like a Malayan pit viper, difficult to really see the markings on the photo, but for sure a viper head - very dangerous if it is a viper.

[simon43]

  Quote

Sucking on the wound is no longer advised I believe.

Not unless you are a contortionist...

Best leave the sucking to the medics....

[neverdie]

  On 11/27/2014 at 12:26 PM, ATF said:

It's pose is very viper like and it has an Ace of Spades head like a viper not a ratsnake or cobra dare I say.

Possibly.

Next time OP, please stop and get a focused shot. Lol.

Good advice somewhere here was to leave all snakes alone and treat them all as venomous.

Most people get bitten by snakes when Trying to catch or kill them.

[Thongkorn]

  On 11/28/2014 at 4:37 AM, neverdie said:

  On 11/27/2014 at 12:26 PM, ATF said:

It's pose is very viper like and it has an Ace of Spades head like a viper not a ratsnake or cobra dare I say.

Possibly.

Next time OP, please stop and get a focused shot. Lol.

Good advice somewhere here was to leave all snakes alone and treat them all as venomous.

Most people get bitten by snakes when Trying to catch or kill them.

[Thongkorn]

I have lived in a few jungles, Even experts which I am not one of them.say leave all snakes alone. Most people are injured because of accidental contact. Or as post above .very little knowledge and overconfidence,

[Tawng]

It doesn't look like a pit viper to me. I think what people are seeing is the tightly coiled neck looking like the wide part of a viper's head - if it was the head of a viper then the eyes are in the wrong place! The long, thin tail also looks wrong for a viper. My guess would be rat snake but there are other possibilities, such as Racer, which can be aggressive, or Keelback, which likes hanging around waterways.

[T_Dog]

  On 11/28/2014 at 4:37 AM, neverdie said:

  On 11/27/2014 at 12:26 PM, ATF said:

It's pose is very viper like and it has an Ace of Spades head like a viper not a ratsnake or cobra dare I say.

Possibly.

Next time OP, please stop and get a focused shot. Lol.

Good advice somewhere here was to leave all snakes alone and treat them all as venomous.

Most people get bitten by snakes when Trying to catch or kill them.

Got that Neverdie, but only if you steady the tripod! In eight years of snake encounters in Thailand, this is the first one that really got my attention.

[neverdie]

  On 11/28/2014 at 9:39 AM, T_Dog said:

  On 11/28/2014 at 4:37 AM, neverdie said:

  On 11/27/2014 at 12:26 PM, ATF said:

It's pose is very viper like and it has an Ace of Spades head like a viper not a ratsnake or cobra dare I say.

Possibly.

Next time OP, please stop and get a focused shot. Lol.

Good advice somewhere here was to leave all snakes alone and treat them all as venomous.

Most people get bitten by snakes when Trying to catch or kill them.

Got that Neverdie, but only if you steady the tripod! In eight years of snake encounters in Thailand, this is the first one that really got my attention.

555555

I'm not allowed to play with snakes anymore. The wife got angry with me a few years ago when I picked up a,Cobra that a couple of Thais were trying to kill.....it nearly got the better of me too..... I was trying to protect it.

Any how's, I laughed when I saw ur shots and I could even imagine the girlie screams u were making as you got those action shots.

[T_Dog]

  On 11/28/2014 at 7:29 AM, Tawng said:

It doesn't look like a pit viper to me. I think what people are seeing is the tightly coiled neck looking like the wide part of a viper's head - if it was the head of a viper then the eyes are in the wrong place! The long, thin tail also looks wrong for a viper. My guess would be rat snake but there are other possibilities, such as Racer, which can be aggressive, or Keelback, which likes hanging around waterways.

Good to know that there are Keelbacks in the area, and this could very well have been it. Like all the threads I see on Thai Visa, the quality of the photo can either make or break a positive identification and mine is certainly insufficient. Thanks for the suggestions.

http://www.thailandsnakes.com/venomous/rear-fanged/red-necked-keelback-venomous-mildly-dangerous/

[johnharis]

look dear ! cobra snake is one of the most dangerous snake which is mainly find asia .and cobra having black colour.but is's colour is not black .so it might be rat snake..

[NeverSure]

  On 11/28/2014 at 11:01 AM, johnharis said:

look dear ! cobra snake is one of the most dangerous snake which is mainly find asia .and cobra having black colour.but is's colour is not black .so it might be rat snake..

Be careful. Cobra's come in a variety of types and colors.