Large Snakes in and around house

[mmccown]

I live in Phuket Chalong (near the zoo as point of reference not that the snakes came from the zoo). Few questions

1. Does anyone know someone who can come and help rid my house and garden of the snakes? ie fill wholes in garden, identify potential living spots etc?
2. I was hoping someone could help me positively identify what type- If not poisonous the urgency goes down. Not sure if this is 1 or 2 snakes- same type or different.
   1. About 2 weeks ago was the first sighting attached 1 bad pic, this snake was in the house. I didn't see it personally but best guess this snake was 1 1/2 - 2 meters maybe 4-6 CM thick and spotted at night.
   2. Then today I spotted a snake skin against the back wall of the house outside. The total skin is over 3 meters. I'm thinking Naja kaouthia (Monocled Cobra) based off the pattern of the the pic below.
      1. The skin and the snake have the same pattern looking at the hood of the cobra.
      2. Also the skin is bigger on one end appears as where the hood would be.
3. If a Cobra as I suspect is it possible to get a venom kit just in case it is needed? Both for humans and my 3 dogs? I'm guessing the kit would be different.

[cooked]

Can't help you with your first question but I do know that hospitals are increasingly reluctant to apply anti venom, even if the snake is identified. The wrong anti venom can be worse than a snake bite and they try to avoid applying it unnecessarily.

[redfarang88]

I have just lost my wee Chilli (Jack Russell) to 2 mtr cobra. I was in the 24 hours vet in 10 minutes only to be told the have run out of antyvenum, I had a fast drive through the city (Suratthani) to by antyvenum at the private hospital. We administered 2 lots of antyvenum put my babby on life support machine her wee hart stopped 8 hours later.next day my own vet told me you need at least 4 or 5 lots of antyvenum and keep injecting it all the time. Most of the vets in Thailand are no good if the ones in Suratthani and Samui are anything to go by. I love my Chilli and miss her so much

[Katipo]

Poor snakes. We destroy their natural environment more and more, and yet somehow we view ourselves as the victims.

[almodeller]

Is it possible to buy a mongoose or similar snake killing animal here?

[Kayahammer]

I used to get cobras where I used to live. They only bite as a form of defense, so no doubt felt the dogs were a threat.

Very difficult to stop them coming. If you have other pets, or rats, the smell will attract them. Also a water feature is an attraction to frogs, which can be an attraction for snakes.

Lemon skins can help but whatever you do you'll get them.

[humqdpf]

No one is telling the forum starter how he can rid his property of snakes.

I am no special expert but I know that a mongoose will ensure that no snakes will stay in your yard. And they are indigenous to Thailand.

But keeping a mongoose as a pet is not so simple - you need not to have cats or other pets and you have to raise it from a young pup.

There is plenty of info on mongoose as pet on Thai Visa, esp on the following sub-forum:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/118075-mongoose-as-a-pet/

If you don't want to go through this process or at least want something for right now, I suggest you talk to the locals about snake abatement. Someone somewhere will have a way of keeping them at bay. They may know how to trap snakes or have something that snakes hate. Or they may be able to rent you a mongoose. You may also want to try to make your property snake-proof through proper fencing.

In some parts of Thailand, snake is a delicacy - you may get someone who sells snakes to snake restaurants who might be willing to trap them for you.

Good luck!

[catinthehat]

No one is telling the forum starter how he can rid his property of snakes.

I am no special expert but I know that a mongoose will ensure that no snakes will stay in your yard. And they are indigenous to Thailand.

But keeping a mongoose as a pet is not so simple - you need not to have cats or other pets and you have to raise it from a young pup.

There is plenty of info on mongoose as pet on Thai Visa, esp on the following sub-forum:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/118075-mongoose-as-a-pet/

If you don't want to go through this process or at least want something for right now, I suggest you talk to the locals about snake abatement. Someone somewhere will have a way of keeping them at bay. They may know how to trap snakes or have something that snakes hate. Or they may be able to rent you a mongoose. You may also want to try to make your property snake-proof through proper fencing.

In some parts of Thailand, snake is a delicacy - you may get someone who sells snakes to snake restaurants who might be willing to trap them for you.

Good luck!

As you've stated there ARE restaurants that favor them. there is a small Myanmar Restaurant near our home that buys all of the cobras he can and then once a month or so informs a certain group of Taiwanese businessmen who then have a snake feast. Last one had over 30 large cobras consumed

[nickcar]

When my house was being built there were many cobras in my very large garden. The builders managed to catch and eat some but i did some investigation as to how to get rid of them. I was recommended:

1 snake doctor from Ayuthya

2 goats

3 geese.

I chose geese becuase my family has a few when i was a kid to protect the fruit orchids

I started with 3 and often have to sell or eat them when there are to many. I once had as many as nineteen.

Point is there has never been a sign of cobras in my garden in the 5 years i have been living here with the geese.

The geese are a noisy lot but bearable, better than cobras hahahah

[2fishin2]

The snakes are there because of 2 reasons, food and habitat. Take them away and they will not stay.

[ToddinChonburi]

I would go for the geese, they make good security also.

[weegee]

Hey...something simple...Buy a pump up sprayer (800 baht) and spray CHLORINE around your boundary fence....

They are gone...but be careful, so is your grass...

Do it evry couple of months...snakes cant stand the smell of chlorine....

[JDGRUEN]

Cats are very effective at killing snakes ... just google cats killing snakes -- even rattlesnakes in America... The large cobras might not be affected but cats can keep the snake population down as the smaller younger ones emerge. I recently saw an average sized cat back down a huge 2.5 meter very aggressive rat snake only a few weeks ago.

[Gandtee]

If it was 3m long then it wasn't a monocled cobra which only grow to about 1.5m. Most probably a Rat snake which do resemble a cobra and are non venomous. About fifteen years ago I was privileged to have a King Cobra in my garden. After it was killed by the locals it measures 3.25m. Yours could have been a King, but I doubt it. They like deep jungle I believe and are rarely seen. My neighbours told me to spray paraffin around the borders as snakes won't cross it? I wonder?

[Saan]

I have just lost my wee Chilli (Jack Russell) to 2 mtr cobra. I was in the 24 hours vet in 10 minutes only to be told the have run out of antyvenum, I had a fast drive through the city (Suratthani) to by antyvenum at the private hospital. We administered 2 lots of antyvenum put my babby on life support machine her wee hart stopped 8 hours later.next day my own vet told me you need at least 4 or 5 lots of antyvenum and keep injecting it all the time. Most of the vets in Thailand are no good if the ones in Suratthani and Samui are anything to go by. I love my Chilli and miss her so much

I feel greatly for you at the loss of your beloved dog. I too lost my best friend to a tiger snake in Australia many years ago but still remember the horror rush to the vet and then her death.

I like to think of a heaven that when I die all my dogs will be waiting to greet me and rush into my arms.

[redfarang88]

I have just lost my wee Chilli (Jack Russell) to 2 mtr cobra. I was in the 24 hours vet in 10 minutes only to be told the have run out of antyvenum, I had a fast drive through the city (Suratthani) to by antyvenum at the private hospital. We administered 2 lots of antyvenum put my babby on life support machine her wee hart stopped 8 hours later.next day my own vet told me you need at least 4 or 5 lots of antyvenum and keep injecting it all the time. Most of the vets in Thailand are no good if the ones in Suratthani and Samui are anything to go by. I love my Chilli and miss her so much

I feel greatly for you at the loss of your beloved dog. I too lost my best friend to a tiger snake in Australia many years ago but still remember the horror rush to the vet and then her death.

I like to think of a heaven that when I die all my dogs will be waiting to greet me and rush into my arms.[/quote

Thank you Saan for your kind words, I to pray their is a heaven and Chilli is there waiting for me with Soup my Golden Retriever who I lost 3years ago, They are both buried together in my garden.

[mmccown]

Thank you all for the replies. Sorry so many dogs have been lost. I'm trying to prevent this. When the snake was in the house the dogs didn't care at all. So that makes me feel a little better - less chance for the snake to be scared by them.

I took skin to the local Cobra Snake show and farm. Didn't know I live with in a few KM. Them and one other website I sent the pictures confirmed the skin was cobra. Not a king cobra but Naja family (20 different cobras in that family). Now is mating season which doesn't make me happy at all.

Unfortunately, a lot of jungle across the street is being converted into something. So I know why they are here. I have never seen anything but a garden snake before. The snake rescue organization is about 1 KM away so if and when I see them they will come capture.

I live behind a cement wall with few entry points. So from what I have been told- If I get rid of them- some snake fence across the 2 gates with big gaps- I don't even use. There is a good chance I won't be seeing them again.

[khaowong1]

The snakes are there because of 2 reasons, food and habitat. Take them away and they will not stay.

Finally, a good answer.. The snakes are not staying around because they like you... Food and Habitat.

[sabian]

Hi, just something that might help, I live near a big river and for years had two or more snakes a day in my garden, from 3 metre Pythons, Rat snakes, Pit Vipers, Fish Snake, etc. anyway I was told to by a goose or a pair of geese. Yes I scoffed at it too but I got a pair and since then I've had one small snake in my garden, and it been over a year. I got ducks and they were in at the ducks and the arrival of the Geese has totally got rid of them. Strange I know and I wouldn't of believed it if I had not seen it myself, apparently it's the smell or something which snakes cannot tolerate. Yes I know sounds crazy but true.

[Old Croc]

I note you now have a contact for a snake catcher, but for the benefit of others in Phuket with a problem, there are helpful numbers in this link.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phuket-local-finds-cobra-curled-in-bathroom/34909

[Privateer]

I like the idea of keeping a few geese. the native South Africans always surround their house with a wide band of gravel to deter snakes. Never saw vegetation against the house walls, not even cut grass. Don't know if that would work in Thailand? Overhanging trees might well provide a habitat bridge?

[2fishin2]

Do you think your neighbors would like the geese? Plenty of threads about noisy dogs and neighbors.....

Just cut the grass short, trim the bushes, and take care of your rat problem. In essence take care of your lawn.

[mmccown]

Do you think your neighbors would like the geese? Plenty of threads about noisy dogs and neighbors.....

Just cut the grass short, trim the bushes, and take care of your rat problem. In essence take care of your lawn.

Some rather rude assumptions you made. I don't have to care for the yard as the gardeners and pool guys come weekly. But i do spend about 45 minutes daily tending to my flowers and vegetable garden.

Who said anything about rats? The only rat is you. (that was my edited response- you don't want to know the assumptions I made about you.)

[2fishin2]

Do you think your neighbors would like the geese? Plenty of threads about noisy dogs and neighbors.....

Just cut the grass short, trim the bushes, and take care of your rat problem. In essence take care of your lawn.

Some rather rude assumptions you made. I don't have to care for the yard as the gardeners and pool guys come weekly. But i do spend about 45 minutes daily tending to my flowers and vegetable garden.

Who said anything about rats? The only rat is you. (that was my edited response- you don't want to know the assumptions I made about you.)

Look dude my advice is solid and based in fact. Dont want to take it and have your beloved pet fido get bitten or even eaten by a big king C, then up to you.

I actually dont care who tends to "your chores" (obvious you do as evidenced by you pointing out you have a pool guys and gardeners)

What do you think snakes eat, Butterflys? They eat rats, small animals, frogs, birds etc. you have them in force in your yard. That and coupled by the fact you have good habitat are the reason the snakes are there! Rats and I mean BIG rats are everywhere in Thailand. Maybe you dont think you have them but, 100% guaranteed you do. Dont believe me, go purchase a cheap video camera and set it up at night you'll see them for sure.

Nothing I said was rude. And your idea of having noisy geese is rude to your neighbors and would be to you also. Ever seen the mess ducks and geese leave when they poop everywhere to include your beloved pool? Its not like dog turds you can pick up and throw away. Its nasty, runny and stinks. It will be everywhere. Geese are NOISY!

Next time maybe hold your assumptions because they made an ass out of you. I made no assumptions in my statements.

[Gandtee]

We seem to be a bit tetchy this morning.

[Sophon]

If it was 3m long then it wasn't a monocled cobra which only grow to about 1.5m. Most probably a Rat snake which do resemble a cobra and are non venomous. About fifteen years ago I was privileged to have a King Cobra in my garden. After it was killed by the locals it measures 3.25m. Yours could have been a King, but I doubt it. They like deep jungle I believe and are rarely seen. My neighbours told me to spray paraffin around the borders as snakes won't cross it? I wonder?

The snake wasn't three meters, the discarded skin was. The skin goes around both the front and the back of each scale, so the discarded skin ends up being as much as twice the length of the original snake. So his snake could easily have been a monocled cobra (and it seems it was confirmed to be some kind of cobra).

Sophon

[Gandtee]

If it was 3m long then it wasn't a monocled cobra which only grow to about 1.5m. Most probably a Rat snake which do resemble a cobra and are non venomous. About fifteen years ago I was privileged to have a King Cobra in my garden. After it was killed by the locals it measures 3.25m. Yours could have been a King, but I doubt it. They like deep jungle I believe and are rarely seen. My neighbours told me to spray paraffin around the borders as snakes won't cross it? I wonder?

The snake wasn't three meters, the discarded skin was. The skin goes around both the front and the back of each scale, so the discarded skin ends up being as much as twice the length of the original snake. So his snake could easily have been a monocled cobra (and it seems it was confirmed to be some kind of cobra).

Sophon

I stand corrected.

[p_brownstone]

It's the Goose excrement that deters snakes - it's very painful to the snakes' skin, especially on the belly.

However as an earlier Poster pointed out Geese are VERY messy and the excrement will be everywhere in your garden and will be tracked into your house if you have children - or dogs which are allowed into your home.

Patrick

[mikiea]

Poor snakes. We destroy their natural environment more and more, and yet somehow we view ourselves as the victims.

yea know what you are saying , poor coack roaches, poor fleas , poor ants , poor dumb as a box of rocks posters. :-)

[nickcar]

It's the Goose excrement that deters snakes - it's very painful to the snakes' skin, especially on the belly.

However as an earlier Poster pointed out Geese are VERY messy and the excrement will be everywhere in your garden and will be tracked into your house if you have children - or dogs which are allowed into your home.

Patrick

I disagree. I have never had goose excrement tracked into the house or even onto the verandah, and i have 7 dogs. I keep the geese off the front lawn where i like to walk barefoot but anywhere else we wear shoes. And shoes are removed before entering the house or verandah. Dogs do come in the house but have never tracked the goose shit in.. Maybe they avoid it. I do have a very big garden ( 8 rai) and a klong for them to swim in, but there always is goose shit around they places they frequent. I have 9 geese at the moment but 3 is enough to do the job.

I always understood it was the noise that put of the cobras and i would be surprised if it was the goose shit as there are many rai without any.