Snakes!

[deep_bang]

We had been to Suchipara falls in Wayanad, and saw this while returning back to the car parking. It is a trek of about 1 km, and my wife found this on the way - me and my son had actually passed this, without noticing. It probably was a baby snake, about 1.5 foot long.

Any idea what type of snake it was? Also, are baby snakes also possibly poisonous? We were within 1 foot of the snake, and it really looked harmless, but wondering if we should have been more alarmed than we were.

[Prabal]

I have a question for snake experts. How do snakes hibernate? Do all snakes go underground in the winter months when they hibernate (because apparently, it's warmer below the earth's surface), or is it possible to come across one resting amongst stuff stored away in a godown, or in the boot of a car for that matter, for example? And, during hibernation are snakes quiescent and less likely to strike, like wasps after dark for example? This question also pertains to a cold region, if that makes a difference - am at Delhi now.

Any other tips relevant to the thought would be really nice to know.

One request - I'll appreciate replies from people with first-hand knowledge, and not from Google-specialists!! Thanks in advance, Cheers!

[princezahed]

Originally Posted by Prabal

I have a question for snake experts. How do snakes hibernate? Do all snakes go underground in the winter months when they hibernate (because apparently, it's warmer below the earth's surface), or is it possible to come across one resting amongst stuff stored away in a godown, or in the boot of a car for that matter, for example? And, during hibernation are snakes quiescent and less likely to strike, like wasps after dark for example? This question also pertains to a cold region, if that makes a difference - am at Delhi now.

Any other tips relevant to the thought would be really nice to know.

One request - I'll appreciate replies from people with first-hand knowledge, and not from Google-specialists!! Thanks in advance, Cheers!

A few of us, myself included have encountered and handled snakes. but if you want someone like Gerry Martin or Dr Rom Whitaker to answer your query, then iam afraid you wont find them here. Best thing would be to google your query and you will find answers.

And your query is answered to an extent by yourself. Snakes do hole up in burrows underground to escape the cold. They also can be found in godowns, garages, cars etc. Basically any place that is warm and dry and dark.

[deep_bang]

Originally Posted by princezahed

A few of us, myself included have encountered and handled snakes.

I know several of you have experience handling snakes. Any thoughts on post 496? I am curious to know the type of snake.

[Prabal]

Originally Posted by princezahed

A few of us, myself included have encountered and handled snakes. but if you want someone like Gerry Martin or Dr Rom Whitaker to answer your query, then iam afraid you wont find them here. Best thing would be to google your query and you will find answers.

And your query is answered to an extent by yourself. Snakes do hole up in burrows underground to escape the cold. They also can be found in godowns, garages, cars etc. Basically any place that is warm and dry and dark.

Thanks princezahed, I want to hear from folks like you who have first-hand experience handling serpents; names like Gerry Martin or Dr Rom Whitaker are distant connects and not people I'm looking for an answer from (although I wouldn't mind running into Roger Whittaker singing his melodious songs!!). And, I have clearly eliminated Google-baba in my original post from helping me in my quest. So do share some more of your experiences. There are a few more people here on the forum (sorry I can't recollect the names offhand, but I'll spool back in the thread again and get them later) who are clearly involved in the field, so hopefully they'll chip in too! Do snakes strike less while in hibernation, if at all they do? Don't all of them go underground at this time?

[princezahed]

Originally Posted by deep_bang

We had been to Suchipara falls in Wayanad, and saw this while returning back to the car parking. It is a trek of about 1 km, and my wife found this on the way - me and my son had actually passed this, without noticing. It probably was a baby snake, about 1.5 foot long.

Any idea what type of snake it was? Also, are baby snakes also possibly poisonous? We were within 1 foot of the snake, and it really looked harmless, but wondering if we should have been more alarmed than we were.

That's one snake i have not come across personally.looks like a banded racer,which is not venomous. I may be wrong on the species,but surely it is a non venomous snake.

Originally Posted by saleem_k

I visited Thol bird sanctuary 3 weeks back. This is located 30 kms from Ahmedabad. We reached there early morning and just near the entrance was a small stream where my friend spotted this snake trying to attack a bird sitting near the stream. It was quite early in the morning and the light was further reduced due to the thick vegetation around and this is the best I could capture.

That snake my dear friend is a checkered keelback. Primarily a water snake. Harmless, but very aggressive.

[ajitkumarlb]

Originally Posted by Samurai

...
It also urinated near the tail. All the catchers were stinking after the effort.

Once up on a time long long ago, I used to handle Pythons & Boa's... this is actually a defense mechanism that they use so that you release them from your clutches.

And if you do release, just pray that the snake is not the one with an attitude, if it bites though not poisonous it could very well rip of the flush with its rows of backward facing teeth and the bacteria there will need a lot of antibiotics.



Here is a small one that my 3 year old spotted in Yercaud near the hotel reception we stayed in, a few days back. I suppose its a rat snake:





Shivappa (998 085 5720) is a snake catcher in Sahakarnagar, Bangalore.



Had found this cobra in the middle of the road on my way back home on the NH7 around 12AM. Called this guy, he promptly responded and caught the snake (if not I am quite certain the snake would be dead under some vehicle).






Next day visited him at his "home/terrarium". From this container he take out:




Cobras that's ok... but a Russells Viper caught the day before about half KM from my home






Here is the tool he uses




He is recognized by forest department but they don't provide any support to him. He spends his own money to release the snakes. He has figured on may news papers. And he has caught several snakes for the namma metro project.




He doesn't take money. At least from me he did not take any... and he refused to take when I offered

I have offered to drive him to forest areas to release the snakes as transport is one of his major cost apart...

[princezahed]

Originally Posted by Prabal

Thanks princezahed, I want to hear from folks like you who have first-hand experience handling serpents; names like Gerry Martin or Dr Rom Whitaker are distant connects and not people I'm looking for an answer from (although I wouldn't mind running into Roger Whittaker singing his melodious songs!!). And, I have clearly eliminated Google-baba in my original post from helping me in my quest. So do share some more of your experiences. There are a few more people here on the forum (sorry I can't recollect the names offhand, but I'll spool back in the thread again and get them later) who are clearly involved in the field, so hopefully they'll chip in too! Do snakes strike less while in hibernation, if at all they do? Don't all of them go underground at this time?

A snake is a snake. It Will strike if threatened. What i have noticed though is that they are less aggressive when its colder since their body may not be heated to the optimum temperature needed.

I have never encountered a hibernating snake underground, but have found a snake coiled up under my jeep inside the wheel arches, inside my house and even in my neighbour's bathroom window etc, all during the winter season.

And for the record, am not involved in this field. Was not allowed to take it up as a career. Its just love for snakes which has continued over the years.

[Prabal]

Originally Posted by princezahed

A snake is a snake. It Will strike if threatened. What i have noticed though is that they are less aggressive when its colder since their body may not be heated to the optimum temperature needed...

Thanks for the reply princezahed,and sorry for my tardy acknowledgment; was away awhile!

[saleem_k]

spotted on about two weeks back! Sorry, the body was inside water so could capture only this much before it swam away! Any idea which one is this?

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by saleem_k

spotted on about two weeks back! Sorry, the body was inside water so could capture only this much before it swam away! Any idea which one is this?

That looks like rat snake.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by saleem_k

spotted on about two weeks back! Sorry, the body was inside water so could capture only this much before it swam away! Any idea which one is this?

It could be a keelback

[princezahed]

Originally Posted by Samurai

That looks like rat snake.

It is indeed a rat snake.

[saleem_k]

In one of the bird sanctuaries around Vadodara, Gujarat, I was actually out on a bird photography trip last Saturday and I found a Spectacled Cobra, just 5-6 ft away from me. Thankfully I was also looking on the ground and not just for the birds on the trees. It was a truly splendid experience for me!

Also came across some Checkered Keelbacks in the canals that were adjoining the lake located in the bird sanctuary.

[supremeBaleno]

^^^Nice snaps, saleem_k.

Was browsing through the Malayala Manorama paper today at Kerala and there was an article about how snake-bite deaths are on the rise in Kerala and the precautions to be taken to avoid getting bitten, the main poisonous snakes to be careful of, what to do if bitten etc.

Three interesting things I learnt from the article were :
1) Killing a snake (I guess it must be the rare ones) can mean a case under Wildlife act.
2) The wildlife dept gives a compensation of 1lakh for snake-bite deaths.
3) Bite marks can give an idea of whether the snake is poisonous or not. If it is a venomous snake, there will be 2 incisions, while for non-poisonous snakes, there will be marks in the form of the "Ra" character in Malayalam (shaped like a horseshoe).

There was also this snap alongside that article, of a Raja Vembala (King Cobra) caught from Chittaar being handled by "Vava Suresh" who is an expert in snake-handling.

Man, look at the size (length & thickness) of that snake.

EDIT : Was googling "Vava Suresh" and found this video where he gets bitten by a Cobra. Happens in a flash in a rare moment where his attention is elsewhere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTrAFA3xHR0