[clevermax]

Originally Posted by Vik0728

My Guess is
Make - Colubridae
Model - Yellow Rat Snake
Year -Not quite Sure!!
But gotta tell you Proxima, its just Gorgeous!!

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

Make: Common Rat Snake - Non venomous
Model: Can't be determined just by looking
Year: Not sure

Poor animal got killed for nothing. Didn't those workmen know that it was a ratsnake?

[Samurai]

Obviously rat snake. Why did they bother catching it? It will at least keep the rats in control.

[princezahed]

Originally Posted by zenx

Read through the whole thread! Fascinating, and a little scary. I'm still not sure I understand snakes :



Is that a viper ? Found it when we were dismantling the old house's mud walls in Coorg - this dude was resting in a cavity between the wooden beam and the wall.

Do all civil hospitals carry antivenom ?

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

Brown tree snake non venomous


Pramod

It is actually a Cat snake,more commonly called as the tree snake. It is actually mildly venomous and can strike repeatedly when provoked,however, the venom is not strong enough to do any damage to humans. The venom can just paralyze its prey. All district hospitals are supposed to have stock of antivenin.

I have some photographs of a snake that is not common and found only in the western ghats. The photos were taken from my mobile and not at all good else I would have posted them here.

[Vik0728]

Originally Posted by clevermax

Poor animal got killed for nothing. Didn't those workmen know that it was a ratsnake?

Max I'm quite sure it wasn't killed buddy!!
Coz if the snake was dead the body would not stay that stiff and neither would the head cross over the tail like that.
Those guys have just caught the Beauty to release it far.

Only Proxima can confirm the same and hopefully its what I think it is.

[Proxima]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Obviously rat snake. Why did they bother catching it? It will at least keep the rats in control.

Originally Posted by Vik0728

Max I'm quite sure it wasn't killed buddy!!
Coz if the snake was dead the body would not stay that stiff and neither would the head cross over the tail like that.
Those guys have just caught the Beauty to release it far.

Only Proxima can confirm the same and hopefully its what I think it is.

Originally Posted by clevermax

Poor animal got killed for nothing. Didn't those workmen know that it was a ratsnake?

It was unfortunately killed. Nobody could confirm if it was a venomous snake or not and we didn't want to take chances since there are little kids in the house.

We first called the wildlife warden but he gave us stories and was not willing to come. Unfortunately, we didnt have an option other than to kill the snake. The last thing we need is a 7 foot snake (venomous or non-venomous to be established) that was spotted in the garden a while back and is missing while we try to get a guy to catch it alive and/or to determine if it is venomous. How can we sleep at night?

[Vik0728]

I am really shocked to read that and feel really sorry for the snake.

Proxima I understand your concern regarding a Snake (possibly venomous) slithering around the garden with kids playing around and guess many would probably do the same !!
What I can never come to terms with is the fact that when it comes to Life, Humans always seem to Destroy the Problem without even thinking about a Solution!! :(

Proxima just one small request buddy from a fellow bhpian.. In future if at all you have like even a remote chance to relocate the snake or any other critter that invades your surroundings please give it a Shot.
Life is Universal, whether in the form of snake or a Human.
I am not even trying to blame you or your fellow people here, just a Request from an Animal Lover !!

[mallumowgli]

Saw an interesting incident at Walayar Check post area as I was crossing the area - few lorry drives/cleaners, who were waiting at the check post, were shooing something away across the road. As I approached closer, I found that it was a baby snake (looked like a viper from its head, but not sure). Had to brake hard since it jumped in front of my car from the median. It slithered away across the road and into the forest. Was happy to see them, lorry drivers, not killing the snake, but shooing it away

[princezahed]

For the knowledge of all here, I will post some pictures of some species of snakes that we generally do not find in our cities, harmless of course.

[princezahed]

The following is a Striped Keelback. It is common throughout India and is a very harmless, non venomous snake. Notice the 2 yellow stripes running across the entire length of the snake, hence the name. It is a very gentle snake and feels comfortable when handled, provided you do not rough it up. They never ever bite and feed mostly on small frogs and insects. This particular snake popped up in front of our portico in the estate and I made the most of it to capture some pictures and then let it go on its way. I use these gentle snakes as a way to educate guest's who visit our homestay about snakes, the myths and realities.

Next post will be that of another snake that is found exclusively in the western ghats.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by princezahed

The following is a Striped Keelback. It is common throughout India and is a very harmless, non venomous snake. Notice the 2 yellow stripes running across the entire length of the snake, hence the name. It is a very gentle snake and feels comfortable when handled, provided you do not rough it up. They never ever bite and feed mostly on small frogs and insects. This particular snake popped up in front of our portico in the estate and I made the most of it to capture some pictures and then let it go on its way. I use these gentle snakes as a way to educate guest's who visit our homestay about snakes, the myths and realities.

Gentle?? I thought all Keelbacks were aggressive in nature

Next post will be that of another snake that is found exclusively in the western ghats.

Ooh, I'm getting curious, post it soon

[zenx]

Thanks to this thread, I found myself immediately figuring out that the greenish-yellow slithering across the path as I was walking around our place in Coorg was non-venomous, and becoming curious instead of scared. Of course, did not have a camera or time for a picture, but feel more in control. Great thread - deserves the stars!

[princezahed]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

Gentle?? I thought all Keelbacks were aggressive in nature



Ooh, I'm getting curious, post it soon

Now is'nt that one myth that got cleared that all keelbacks are aggressive. It is the checkered keelback that is most aggressive in nature. Most other keelbacks can be handled, except the red necked keelback that is venomous and found only in the himalayan region.

I have had 3 types of keelbacks that I found or rescued and none of them has ever bit me.

Originally Posted by zenx

Thanks to this thread, I found myself immediately figuring out that the greenish-yellow slithering across the path as I was walking around our place in Coorg was non-venomous, and becoming curious instead of scared. Of course, did not have a camera or time for a picture, but feel more in control. Great thread - deserves the stars!

Hey zenx, where in Coorg do you stay buddy? I keep reading that you travel almost every weekend or so.

[princezahed]

Below is the Beddome's keelback. It is a part of the keelback family. This species is found exclusively in the western ghats in regions close to water. i.e close to ponds, streams, lakes. However, I have never actually found one in the water. Notice the black white black stripes just below the eyes. This is an easier way to identify this snake.

These are very gentle in nature as well and do not bite at all. This particular snake just popped up outside our main door very early in the morning and one of my guest's showed it to me. Imagine the shock on his face when I caught it in my hand and placed it in front of his face. The first thing he asked me was " is it a cobra? Is it poisonous" .

Will upload better pictures of another specimen that I caught a few days after this one.

The next specimen will be a snake that is often confused with the krait, which is a highly venomous snake. End result, the poor cousin gets killed due to mistaken identity.

[princezahed]

Some pictures of a beddome's keelback that just literally slithered onto my feet totally unknown to me. It is a male about 18 inches long.

[princezahed]

This is a Travencore wolf snake, often mistaken to be a Krait and hence killed. It is a small harmless snake that looks very much like a krait, except the bands which are yellow and not greyish as is common with the krait. The body color is pretty much the same as a krait.

This particular snake was out hunting at 2am in the morning and It was right there when I opened the door to go and switch off the generator. Beautiful specimen. Let it go after taking a few photographs.