Was it a poisonous snake - help please?

[cliveshep]

No pictures as I missed it with the machete denting the gate instead. About 60cm/2 feet long, not more than 6mm/1/4 inch diameter, predominantly green with yellow bits down whole length. Was sunning itself on top of our little side gate we use to keep the dog where we want her - at first I thought it was a fancy boot-lace but my eyes aren't that good. Looking closer, a snake, so ran off to get the machete to chop it but instead hit the bolt on the top bar of the 30 inch high gate.

 

Snake moved off very quickly onto the garden against the wall and vanished.

 

Can anyone advise what to put down to discourage it or it's mates returning - we have an English Cocker spaniel we brought from the UK who is like our child - she is noisy, nosy and crazy - we don't want to lose her to Thai wildlife.

 

And - would it have been a dangerous snake, with a poisonous bit even though so small? Presumably they grow bigger. We have farmland at the back of our house so we know from neighbours there are snakes, and we have had two quite large water-monitors in the garden already.

[Kwasaki]

Sounds like the common tree snake which are harmless,  and it ran away which it would do. 

[trainman34014]

Description matches a Golden Tree Snake, harmless and very good vermin catchers.   Don't kill snakes no matter what the locals tell you, just steer them on their way through and let them get on with their travels.

[AlQaholic]

Get big cat.

[Thaibluebear]

The description sounds like the Golden Tree snake which is basically harmless.

[akirasan]

Incidentally if anyone around the Surin area ever wants any snakes removed I'm happy to do it, just pay for my fuel to get there.  I used to do this in Australia and have training and a licence.  

[dotpoom]

What is this obsession some people have with slashing a creature to death just because it's sunning itself in your garden. . . even if it was poisoness? I live partially in the sticks and have seen a few snakes in my garden and even in my kitchen, I just love admiring them. If I leave them alone they just meander off on their way after they get bored having me around. 

I once heard it said that all life is a witness to God's existence. 

[isanbirder]

Just now, Kwasaki said:

Sounds like the common tree snake which are harmless,  and it ran away which it would do. 

 

How nice to see some sensible post about snakes so early in the thread.

 

Trainman's post as well.

[gandalf12]

I have had a few snakes near the house. Just give them space and guide them towards the exit and they will go, but don't kill them they are very useful in keeping vermin down.

[Crossy]

Does sound like a Golden Tree Snake, beautiful, fast, harmless.

 

THE website for Thailand snake info, download their free e-book

 

https://www.thailandsnakes.com/thailand-snake-notes/most-common-snakes/

 

 

[masuk]

Personally, I think people who come here to live should do a little study of the environment here.

If you did this in Australia, and it was a python or protected species, you'd be minus a bit of cash.

 

Think before you kill, and remember, most people who are bitten by snakes, is when they've trying to destroy them.

[silent]

I bet that snake thinks it's the guy that could hardly see it swinging the machete is the dangerous one. 

[NoshowJones]

41 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Does sound like a Golden Tree Snake, beautiful, fast, harmless.

 

THE website for Thailand snake info, download their free e-book

 

https://www.thailandsnakes.com/thailand-snake-notes/most-common-snakes/

 

 

I was enjoying your post, then I noticed the word beautiful.

[ronaldo0]

I suggest finding out which ones are venomous and even then if you leave them they will take off.

I have only killed cobras and that's because my dogs were throwing them around and had also been bitten by them.

Tree snakes, rat snakes and the bright green ones are usually after frogs or mice so no need to bother with them at all as they are keeping their numbers down.

[akirasan]

*venomous*  lol sorry everyone I've resisted typing this for a while.

 

Food is poisonous, animals are venomous.

Carry on..

[ronaldo0]

2 minutes ago, akirasan said:

*venomous*  lol sorry everyone I've resisted typing this for a while.

 

Food is poisonous, animals are venomous.

Carry on..

If you eat it and die would the snake poisonous or venomous ??

[mankondang]

1 hour ago, dotpoom said:

What  is this obsession some people have with slashing a creature to death just because it's sunning itself in your garden. . . even if it was poisoness? I live partially in the sticks and have seen a few snakes in my garden and even in my kitchen, I just love admiring them. If I leave them alone they just meander off on their way after they get bored having me around. 

I once heard it said that all life is a witness to God's existence. 

 

Usually driven by fear, fear of the unknown.

Akirisan #6, has some excelent advice and offer.

[p_brownstone]

1 hour ago, dotpoom said:

What is this obsession some people have with slashing a creature to death just because it's sunning itself in your garden. . . even if it was poisoness? I live partially in the sticks and have seen a few snakes in my garden and even in my kitchen, I just love admiring them. If I leave them alone they just meander off on their way after they get bored having me around. 

I once heard it said that all life is a witness to God's existence. 

 

You had me completely committed, and agreeing to your views ..... until the last sentence.

 

Patrick

 

 

[akirasan]

2 minutes ago, ronaldo0 said:

If you eat it and die would the snake poisonous or venomous ??

Hahaha!

ok you made me laugh but Ill simplify it a bit because this is one thing that does irk me..

If you bite it and you die it's poisonous.  If it bites you and you die, it's venomous.

[ronaldo0]

1 minute ago, akirasan said:

Hahaha!

ok you made me laugh but Ill simplify it a bit because this is one thing that does irk me..

If you bite it and you die it's poisonous.  If it bites you and you die, it's venomous.

Right that's sorted . I will remember to bite it before it bites me if I see one !!

[Saraburi121]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

Does sound like a Golden Tree Snake, beautiful, fast, harmless.

 

THE website for Thailand snake info, download their free e-book

 

https://www.thailandsnakes.com/thailand-snake-notes/most-common-snakes/

 

 

Excellent website mentioned by Crossy.  Took me a bit to learn all the snakes in the village, the one mentioned is not aggressive.  A bit scary when you walking about and one comes your way.  I just let them pass now and enjoy the encounter.  

[Generalchaos]

2 hours ago, dotpoom said:

What is this obsession some people have with slashing a creature to death just because it's sunning itself in your garden. . . even if it was poisoness? I live partially in the sticks and have seen a few snakes in my garden and even in my kitchen, I just love admiring them. If I leave them alone they just meander off on their way after they get bored having me around. 

I once heard it said that all life is a witness to God's existence. 

You must be a Mercin....with your God rubbish!

[madusa]

On 29/10/2016 at 3:36 AM, p_brownstone said:

 

You had me completely committed, and agreeing to your views ..... until the last sentence.

 

Patrick

 

 

God turned the walking stick of Moses into a snake didn't he? Moses was showing some supernatural power to the pharasees in the jewish temple (pharasees are jewish people during moses time). That turning of a tree stick into a snake is a trick many magician can do.

God loves snakes, if snake kill you then too bad, obviously God doesn't love you enough, simple minded thinking. You will be happy if you are simple minded, like loving God in the first place.

[MiKT]

39 minutes ago, ronaldo0 said:

I suggest finding out which ones are venomous and even then if you leave them they will take off.

I have only killed cobras and that's because my dogs were throwing them around and had also been bitten by them.

Tree snakes, rat snakes and the bright green ones are usually after frogs or mice so no need to bother with them at all as they are keeping their numbers down.

 

Send your dogs on holiday to mine in Buri Ram, they will teach them how to gang up on a cobra and kill it. We have a lot and try not to kill them but if the dogs get them its soon ready for dinner.

 

If you live next to fields you are going to get more snakes, the original poster should teach his dogs to leave them alone if they are just imported dogs. The Thai dogs are used to snakes, and either ignore them or kill them if they get aggressive.

 

Had a fun experience just this afternoon riding pillion with my niece on her motorbike when a very beautiful (yes Crossy and I agree on that) dead black, small (2m) King Cobra shot across the main road, faster than I have ever seen a snake move before; and nearly collided with the front wheel of the bike. Luckily it stopped short and reared up as if to strike whilst turning away and I had to get my leg out of the way sharpish. Not easy on the back of a small bike.

 

Fortunately it was a King Cobra (big eyes, longer hood) and not a monocled spitting kind. The Kings are much to clever to strike unless they are really threatened and we were of course moving away quickly.

 

We are also on watch for a reputed large python seen hanging about recently, as a neighbours dog just had three small pups and we are looking after them until they get a bit bigger.

 

Its all fun every day in the country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Canuk23]

If you don't want your dog near Thai wildlife then move to another country,I love people like you who 

kill what they don't know or understand, or fear like a post erlier said give them space and they will 

go away they are more fearfull of us then we are of them.

[Skeptic7]

2 hours ago, dotpoom said:

What is this obsession some people have with slashing a creature to death just because it's sunning itself in your garden. . . even if it was poisoness? I live partially in the sticks and have seen a few snakes in my garden and even in my kitchen, I just love admiring them. If I leave them alone they just meander off on their way after they get bored having me around. 

I once heard it said that all life is a witness to God's existence. 

Loved your post and was just about to give it a "Like" UNTIL you had to go and ruin it with that last sentence. 

[DSJPC]

it sounds very much like a one-eyed trouser snake...can be very aggressive!!!

[jimmybkk]

I've had to deal with 5 Malaysian pit vipers over the years, and on one occasion I caught sight of one in my front yard at night, and it got away from me whilst i went to get a decent light. Sure enough, 2 days later it was in my front yard again, so it's not strictly true to say that they will always move on somewhere else if you just usher them off your property.

 

Agree with all the comments about not killing the harmless ones - most people have mobile phones and internet access - easy enough to do a search for what kind of snake it is before you decide to kill it. Personally I prefer not to leave one of those pit vipers alive if I find it around my house. They say that snakes will only attack if they are hunting for food or if they feel threatened... well, they reckon the pit viper is Thailand's deadliest snake and I feel threatened by those things so I feel that killing them is the sensible thing to do, rather than risk the lives of my family and pets.

 

From my experience I have found that the best tool for taking on a dangerous snake is a length of hose pipe around 3'-4' long, preferably filled with sand.

[cliveshep]

Thank you all for the advice. I know next to nothing about snakes, but I do love my wife (who is Thai) and our dog who is not a Thai dog and therefore unwise in the flora and fauna here. If I see that one again I'll try to let it bog-off somewhere else.

 

Most of you suggest learning which snakes are venomous (or poisonous) and leaving them to go on their way, I would say in response - and if they don't? I went for the machete because it was in easy reach, but we also have a gun, for snakes and anything else likely to harm us - or the dog. We do have pythons here - I've seen a biggish one on the uncultivated land, and also cobra according to our farmer friends, and others and I do confess to a primal fear of snakes.

 

It might be kinder to the snake to leave it alone, but we also have two rabbits in  cages in the garden, everything is netted but still....and also our dog. If it comes to the crunch chopping a snake to ensure (in my ignorance) our safety is a no-brainer. Waiting to see if it bites and if someone or our beloved dog dies or not would be a little late. Around here the other Brits live by the same rules as does my wife - kill snakes - end of. There are many houses and loads of young children playing in this village and I have seen the panic when someone sees a snake so the locals take it seriously.

 

So - back to part two of my original question - is there any chemical or other deterrent to persuade snakes to go play in someone else's garden?

[zd1]

We are in the process of moving back to Thailand from the UK and rightly or wrongly we are taking our dog and cat with us. Snakes are one of the issues we have as our animals aren't used to snakes and I was wondering if there is some sort of electric type snake thing we could buy that gives our animals a small shock when they touch it, so that they become wary of snakes. I think that this would be the best option as this would instil a fear of snakes in our animals so that they then avoid them, rather than to try and eradicate all the snakes in the vicinity of where we will be living. I don't know if such a device is available but I will be looking for one if they are.