Snake Season

[Old Croc]

Lately we, or should I say mainly the missus, have been noticing an increase in snake activity around the property.

Dark coloured tails disappearing under hedges or into long grass when people come close. I'm not talking about the green and gold tree snakes we commonly see draped around the plants, but the more sinister kind.

 

Yesterday, the Lady's piecing screams alerted to the fact that one had found it's way inside the house.

I was sitting in the sala chatting to a friend who had brought his dog in to play with my two, and after

much panic and shouting we managed to restrain the dogs, find the snake spear and begin the chase to get the culprit out from behind furniture.

 

The snake was unable to move very quickly on the tiles so was eventually pinned down, causing it to rear up and growl and hiss, until the missus hammered it in to oblivion with about 20 blows with a shovel. Measured, it was a little over 4' long. Far too big to be coming inside!

Later, as my friend was leaving, the dogs sniffed out something behind a pot plant near the door, and were greeted with another very cobra growl. This one was a little easier to root out and it too was killed. It was about 2 1/2' long.

Two cobras too many in the wrong place!

 

For the wildlife warriors out there I have a very simple rule for snakes, if they are highly venomous, come into my property and pose a threat to my animals or the people who live here they will be killed. Harmless snakes can go about their business

Edited November 6, 2016 by Old Croc

[LivinginKata]

Last week we had a long cobra slithering down our foot path. Must have been at least 5 foot + long. I was coming home and just waited for it to pass our gate, then I nipped into our house. Wifey reported it was still hanging about when she came home. Thought about phoning the snake catcher number but likley it would be far away in the forest area behid our house.

[madmax2]

Always snakes around, you see them more when there is a lot of rain and they are looking for a dry spot to hang out

We get tree snakes, rat snakes, king and normal monocled cobras and pythons

Usually leave them alone if not a threat to pets or people and they disappear usually

[beechbum]

They'l start mating soon, always more lively/adventurous now until around January'ish.

[Old Croc]

4 hours ago, madmax2 said:

Always snakes around, you see them more when there is a lot of rain and they are looking for a dry spot to hang out

We get tree snakes, rat snakes, king and normal monocled cobras and pythons

Usually leave them alone if not a threat to pets or people and they disappear usually

Where are you situated?

[JetsetBkk]

Plenty in Rawai:

 

 

 

 

Sometimes they're quite big... 

 

 

[federicoP]

Me too (Rawai area), I sometimes encounter a snake in my garden. Usually they go away without any problem.

 

In the case the snake enter inside the house and you cannot invite him to exit, which is the best contact to call ?

I know Kusoldharm Phuket Foundation at 076. 246301 or Ruamjai Kupai Foundation at 076-238364.

Does anybody know if these addresses are correct and updated ?

 

And in the unlikely event to be bitten by a scared snake, what is the best phone number to call or the best place to go, maybe not too far from Rawai area ?

 

Thanks

 

 

[KarenBravo]

So glad that my house is on stilts.....

[madmax2]

2 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

So glad that my house is on stilts.....

Seen them go up light poles so i do not think stilts are much of a protection

[LivinginKata]

25 minutes ago, madmax2 said:

Seen them go up light poles so i do not think stilts are much of a protection

 

That's why electric company installs snake nets on some electric posts. Have them on our road. 

[KarenBravo]

Can't get into the house via stilts.

[Old Croc]

13 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Where are you situated?

Don't bother answering, I've worked it out.

[KarenBravo]

Over the last 15 years, I've had two instances where Golden Tree snakes have got into the house. Both times climbing vegetation to drop on to the house.

As for the nasties, to get in they have to negotiate stairs and only when the door is left open.

Why would they bother when there is loads of jungle and a garden full of frogs and lizards?

Edited November 7, 2016 by KarenBravo

[madmax2]

In Kathu we had a tree snake come out from behind the washing machine in the kitchen

It came in thru the waste water pipe in the wall which you put the washing machine hose in

Must have travelled quite a distance thru the sewerage pipes to get there 

[Inepto Cracy]

Karin Bravo, hate to burst your bubble, but King Cobras and other can and will climb up stilts without any problem at all. In Vern Lovic's book, Keeping Snakes out of your house, there is a great picture of a King Cobra climbing up the front door of a house in Krabi. Snakes can even crawl up up your sewerage pipes and water pipes. Just take care and be aware. If your closed shoes are kept outside, check them first before putting your feet in them.

[jak2002003]

I am one of the rare people who actually like snakes.  I see a lot on my property... even banded krait, cobra, and huge pythons.  No problem... except the pythons ate my ducks.  I live with them.. no rats, mice or cats about. 

 

Had an occasional baby snake in the house... no problem.. just used a dustpan and broom to sweep them out the door.  

 

Just be sensible and don't walk about at night in the vegetation, and don't leave piles of garden waste or junk about for snakes to shelter under near your house. 

[Ireland32]

3 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

That's why electric company installs snake nets on some electric posts. Have them on our road. 

I thought those were for Rats

[LivinginKata]

31 minutes ago, Ireland32 said:

I thought those were for Rats

 

No ... for snakes. I have myself witnessed fried snakes that took out transformer fuses ... at least 3 times on our road, that's when they installed the inverted nets.

Edited November 7, 2016 by LivinginKata

[wpcoe]

If I had a house on stilts, I would definitely put some of those cone-shaped mesh things on them.

 

I read someplace the mathematics of the proper angle and length of a fence to put on a boundary wall to keep snakes out.

[Grubster]

7 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

Can't get into the house via stilts.

It takes them at least ten seconds longer.

[KarenBravo]

3 hours ago, Grubster said:

It takes them at least ten seconds longer.

 

Nope....they just run into a ceiling and they ain't geckos......

[Grubster]

5 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

 

Nope....they just run into a ceiling and they ain't geckos......

Very true I guess they will need to use the steps

[Yahooka]

Used to live in a forrested and quiet area of Rawai years ago and in that year I only saw 2 snakes around the property.................A pity because I like them .

[madmax2]

3 hours ago, Yahooka said:

Used to live in a forrested and quiet area of Rawai years ago and in that year I only saw 2 snakes around the property.................A pity because I like them .

You rarely see snakes in areas still covered by natural vegetation, you can walk within 30CM of them and it they do not move you wont see them, i actually stepped over one on the way to a waterfall on Ko Samui

With all the clearing of land here more snakes are ending up in developed areas especially when there are rats around for them to eat, which means most areas where rubbish is left around to attract them

[LivinginKata]

4 minutes ago, madmax2 said:

<snip>

With all the clearing of land here more snakes are ending up in developed areas especially when there are rats around for them to eat, which means most areas where rubbish is left around to attract them

 

I completely agree, so long as there is still neighbouring uncleared land. We see that in all our properties where we  have neighbouring undeveloped land in a forest of concrete. That's where the snakes come from to eat the mice and rats.  

Edited November 8, 2016 by LivinginKata
typo

[Old Croc]

I'm hearing another snake story this morning that may be disturbing for some.

There are several farms close to where we live, and one of the farmers, an older Thai man, raises ducks which are apparently tasty morsels for large pythons. The snake rescue people removed a large python from the farm a year or two ago, after it became entangled in netting around the duck pens.

Last night another snake ate two of his ducks, and finding it still there. he apparently drove a stick through the unfortunate reptiles head pinning it to the ground. He expected to find a dead snake when he returned this morning, but apparently it had extracted itself from it's impalement and disappeared.

If you spot a large python with a stick through it's head you now know the story.

 

[LivinginKata]

2 hours ago, Old Croc said:

<snip>

If you spot a large python with a stick through it's head you now know the story.

 

 

Ande likely an angry snake with a head ache ....

[jak2002003]

31 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Ande likely an angry snake with a head ache ....

poor snake. 

[jak2002003]

Here are some of the ones I have seen at my house...

 

Seem many other species including python, cobra, tree snakes, water snakes, rat snakes,, etc..  but never have camera ready! 

 

 

[dick dasterdly]

6 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

Here are some of the ones I have seen at my house...

 

Seem many other species including python, cobra, tree snakes, water snakes, rat snakes,, etc..  but never have camera ready! 

 

 

I haven't seen anything like that variety of snakes (!), but agree that when seeing a snake in the garden I'm too fascinated to think about taking a 'photo - and on the odd occasion a snake has come into the house, I'm concentrating on getting it out.....

 

I think someone mentioned about just sweeping out snakes that come into the house (but it could have been another thread).  Easier said than done as they hide in/under/the furniture within a couple of seconds, and even when they're in an obvious place between bamboo curtains and windows - its still hard to find an easy way to get them out back into the garden!

 

edit - particularly liked the 'photo of your dog pretending it hadn't noticed the snake .

Edited November 9, 2016 by dick dasterdly