[PatchyBoy]

Originally Posted by princezahed

Which snake are we trying to identify?? If its the one posted by t18, it is a rat snake. Absolutely no doubt about it since I have caught a few of those myself.

These posts were moved from the accidents thread. The snake we are trying to identify is this -
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...ml#post3807686

[supremeBaleno]

@princezahed, the last few posts were moved here from another thread. But looks like the Mods forgot to move the original post that started the discussion - which was about a CBR650R biker dropping his bike while riding on seeing a snake pop up. That snake is the one folks are trying to identify.

EDIT: Ah, PatchyBoy beat me to it.

[breezydrive]

Originally Posted by sudev

Definitely not python. Scary to have such a travelling company.

I once had a lizard climb my arm on the back seat of a cab. That was scary enough.

Lizards! Very scary

An incident came to mind which happened about 20 years ago, when I used to ride a Bajaj Chetak. One morning, I was riding Chetak to my office in Greater Kailash; midway on a busy road, suddenly I saw a Lizard clinging on at the centre of speedometer/ headlight bulge. I felt the extreme urge to leave the handle, but it would have been disastrous, riding at around 60 kmph.

Holding my breath, lowered the helmet glass with right hand and managed to shift to the left lane holding the handle just at the LHS tip; getting-off the scooter was the toughest part!

[jayguar]

A rattle snake had entered my house compound today morning. My dad had spotted it. Usually one of dogs, a rottweiler barks differently when he sees a snake. Rat snakes and garden snakes are common in my compound with occasional cobras and a king cobra once, but this is the first time a rattle snake was spotted. I called up the forest office and so did our good neighbor and got a number of the snake catcher but was not useful. The snake catcher said, unless we block the snake and hold it in one place like a motor room or behind a bucket, he will not come and catch the snake. My dad was scared of going out anywhere near and that was the reason of calling the forest office in the first place. On either side of my compound, plots are empty and thorny bushes are a plenty. After hearing about the bushes, the snake catcher gave the most absurd (at least it sounded like one to me) reply. Call up the plot owners and tell them to clear the bushes after which he would come and catch the snake.

Is there anyone in Chennai who can be contacted in the future and who would come and search the area at least in my compound? I'm not even asking to look in the other areas. My dad was totally shaken today. We had even lost one of our dogs, a dalmation to a cobra in the process of trying to protect my dad a few years ago. My previous dogs would mostly kill of the snakes, but my current dogs just bark at them, alerting us and just let them off.

[VW2010]

Respect that dog. My dog is also very protective of family against snakes. And rattle snake in chennai is not possible. It has to be something else.

Potentially it could be a cotton mouth. A proper snake catcher would not be actually afraid about the situations you mentioned. I have friends who do this and their first step is to actually find where the snake is and they are actually fearless(When compared to us) as they know the technique and they know what to do when they approach the snake.

Reach out to crocodile park or Guindy park who can provide assistance.

Most importantly, keep the surroundings cleaner and remove the bushes and thorns. I have an empty plot next to my house, we converted it into a badminton ground which way eliminates bushes as well as provides a leisure option.

Dont expect the landlord to spend on cleaning the place. Thats not going to happen.

[jayguar]

Originally Posted by VW2010

Respect that dog. My dog is also very protective of family against snakes. And rattle snake in chennai is not possible. It has to be something else.

Potentially it could be a cotton mouth. A proper snake catcher would not be actually afraid about the situations you mentioned. I have friends who do this and their first step is to actually find where the snake is and they are actually fearless(When compared to us) as they know the technique and they know what to do when they approach the snake.

Reach out to crocodile park or Guindy park who can provide assistance.

Most importantly, keep the surroundings cleaner and remove the bushes and thorns. I have an empty plot next to my house, we converted it into a badminton ground which way eliminates bushes as well as provides a leisure option.

Dont expect the landlord to spend on cleaning the place. Thats not going to happen.

My dad saw the rattle and that is why he said its a rattle snake. He also said it was brown in colour. He did not see its head, he just had a glimpse and was shaken. It was in the same place for around 15 to 20 minutes with my rottweiler barking and blocking it. This was by far the longest time, my dog had blocked/cornered a snake. Well! Its kind of strange my dad had spotted two snakes (a king cobra few years ago and now a rattle snake) which aren't a regular to the area and people find it hard to believe. My house is in Medavakkam, close proximity to the Nanmangalam reserve forest. I myself can't believe a rattle snake entering my compound. Response from the forest office in Velachery was instant, but it was the snake catcher who was giving the excuses. Is there a specific number to contact the right people at Crocodile Park?

[batterylow]

Originally Posted by VW2010

. And rattle snake in chennai is not possible. It has to be something else.

Potentially it could be a cotton mouth. .

Originally Posted by jayguar

My dad saw the rattle and that is why he said its a rattle snake. He also said it was brown in colour. He did not see its head, he just had a glimpse and was shaken.

I too feel that it cannot be a rattlesnake. Rattlesnakes (Genus Crotalus or Sistrurus) are not endemic to India.

Searching for the family Viperidae does not mention any rattlesnakes in India.

http://www.indiansnakes.org/snake-se...lue=All&page=1

[Samurai]

There are no rattle snakes or cotton mouths in India. Unless an expert identifies the snake, you really don't know. Please don't jump into conclusions, many harmless snakes are known to mimic venomous snakes to scare away predators. Just in the previous page we discussed how a wolf snake was killed in Chennai because it was IDed as banded krait.

[jayguar]

If its not a rattle snake, I'm a bit relieved, but still need to know what that snake could be. When my dad told the snake catcher that it was a viper and brown in colour, he said it would climb a tree and go off.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by jayguar

When my dad told the snake catcher that it was a viper and brown in colour, he said it would climb a tree and go off.

Climb a tree and go off where, to the sky? Eventually it will get down from the tree and you are back to square one.

Your snake catcher, who is he? Hobbyist snake catchers always do it out of interest and try their best to educate you about snakes. But the professional (sic) types who are trying to make a living out of it try to scare you with crazy stories.

[jayguar]

Originally Posted by jayguar

If its not a rattle snake, I'm a bit relieved, but still need to know what that snake could be. When my dad told the snake catcher that it was a viper and brown in colour, he said it would climb a tree and go off.

I asked my dad again and this is what he said. The floor was cemented one and no dry leaves, snake was brown in color, it kind of had something like black patches on the body and the tail was rattling. He did see the head as he was scared to go anywhere near it.

[XtremeTorque]

Last friday morning, I saw a Fiesta parked diagonally blocking the road near Elamkulam church, Kochi. First I thought the car broke down, but driving past the car I saw the bonnet open and few people poking inside the engine bay with sticks. Dont know the whereabouts as I had to continue journey but looks like a snake visit.

Is there something like a snake repellant to counteract this? Or some sort of engine cover or mesh to prevent snakes entering engine bay from bottom?

[klassics45]

Originally Posted by Samurai

There are no rattle snakes or cotton mouths in India. Unless an expert identifies the snake, you really don't know. Please don't jump into conclusions, many harmless snakes are known to mimic venomous snakes to scare away predators. Just in the previous page we discussed how a wolf snake was killed in Chennai because it was IDed as banded krait.

Originally Posted by jayguar

If its not a rattle snake, I'm a bit relieved, but still need to know what that snake could be. When my dad told the snake catcher that it was a viper and brown in colour, he said it would climb a tree and go off.

Russell vipers are in medavakkam area. I live in santhosapuram near medavakkam and have seen russell vipers.

[jayguar]

Originally Posted by klassics45

Russell vipers are in medavakkam area. I live in santhosapuram near medavakkam and have seen russell vipers.

That is really scary. I had an initial doubt about that too but my dad said he saw the tail rattle and that is confusing. However, the brown color plus the dark patches matches the russell vipers. Anyways, we have made arrangements to clean at least one of the plots which will be done this week hopefully.

I had even thought of going to the Nanmangalam forest sometime soon with my friends for bird photography, but now have to think again after knowing about Russells Viper here.

[klassics45]

Originally Posted by jayguar

I had even thought of going to the Nanmangalam forest sometime soon with my friends for bird photography, but now have to think again after knowing about Russells Viper here.

Here is the picture. Unfortunately I couldn't stop them from killing it.