[princezahed]

Originally Posted by csentil

prince... "any snake found in the water, atleast in India should not cause you any damage". People can misinterpret it

All snakes are good swimmers, even the venomous ones. So if one is not knowledgeable about snakes I suggest that they keep away from them even if you find them in the water.

I guess I should rephrase that. All snakes are indeed good swimmers." Water snakes found in India should not be able to kill humans". I say should, and not will because a person may die of shock seeing a snake in front of him rather than of being bitten by it.

As always, if every person can safely identify the Big 4, along with the King then they would be good enough to stay away from trouble. But then again, a lot of snakes try and mimic the big 4, so unless your sure enough, dont try to fool around with snakes. I have made the mistake of being casual once with a cobra assuming it to be a rat snake.

[supremeBaleno]

I see many posts analysing the various snakes posted on this thread. But could not quite make out from the posts if you guys came to a conclusion about the one found at my home. Was it a venomous snake or a non-venemous one ?

[johnda]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Was it a venomous snake or a non-venemous one ?

Fundamental to clear the clog with SBaleno. What would would all this talk be if not for a conclusion. LOL
Important observation supreme!!

[princezahed]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

I see many posts analysing the various snakes posted on this thread. But could not quite make out from the posts if you guys came to a conclusion about the one found at my home. Was it a venomous snake or a non-venemous one ?

End result is it was a non venomous snake that was found at your house. The only difference of opinion is on the sub species of the snake. Pramod feels its a rat snake whereas I had asked the opinion of a few learned people who suggest it resembles a banded racer. If you could post some other pictures of the dead snake then maybe it would help come to a better conclusion.

[sj_koova]

As far as my experience goes, here is what have learned about the behavior of the common snakes seen in India. I know there are many experts here, but these words are mostly from my experience and few close encounters.
Rat snake - non-venomous - runs away even if the human encounter is with in one or two feet. Look alike of cobra, but usually bigger in size.
Fast moving like cobra.
Seen mostly in yellow and black. Don't bother to kill them.



Vipers - venomous- relatively slow moving. If you happen to a have close encounter (1-2meters), you can carefully walk away (relatively easy to kill also). If the encounter is more closer, vipers lift it's head with a loud hiss and stay where they are. In summer, usually the encounter becomes so close as it is difficult lo locate them in dry leaves. Most other snakes will run away before you reach them, but vipers may stay where they are. This can be dangerous if you didn't see them, especially in the night.


Kraits - venomous - Have seen only few. Easy to identify as it has the ring all through the body. Again, the first thing it does is run away. Never had a close encounter. So I am not sure how it will behave it you get very close.


Cobra - venomous - Very cunning and fast. Challenges you if the encounter is with in around 2 meters. If the distance is more, it tries to run away and you can mistake it for a rat snake (especially if it is a big cobra). They are mostly out during the night. If the encounter is close, and if you are bare handed, you can only stand there and pray. To my credit, I have killed two cobras so far (more than 15 years back). Both times, I had my dog with me and he kept the cobra busy until I could reach to stones and sticks. It was also easy to kill when the dog is around as he distracts the attention of snake from me. One thing I have noticed is that my dog did not touch or get too close to a cobra, but he used to kill all other type of snakes.
Seen mostly in black and brown (or I have seen only these two in my hometown)

[pramodkumar]

I went for a rescue this weekend. There was a snake terrorizing some villagers, Some say its a cobra(because of its size) some say its a big constrictor, End result we have a snake who is so elusive that no one has actually seen it, but have seen its tracks. Funny Villagers can actually get crazy!!



The combing operation lasted for two days, we could only manage to spot a checkered keelback, and that too dropped its tail when we caught it to show people around how to safely handle a snake.


Pramod

[princezahed]

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

I went for a rescue this weekend. There was a snake terrorizing some villagers, Some say its a cobra(because of its size) some say its a big constrictor, End result we have a snake who is so elusive that no one has actually seen it, but have seen its tracks. Funny Villagers can actually get crazy!!

The combing operation lasted for two days, we could only manage to spot a checkered keelback, and that too dropped its tail when we caught it to show people around how to safely handle a snake.


Pramod

That happens a lot in villages, doesnt it. Near our estate in Coorg people freak out thinking that there are king cobra's in the small woods around just because of some story someone made up. End result, there is no snake. Btw I had caught a checkered keelback at our estate. Gentle snake.

[pramodkumar]

Originally Posted by princezahed

Btw I had caught a checkered keelback at our estate. Gentle snake.

Dude you kidding me right? You are calling a checkered keeback gentle?. This snake bites like a dog without provocation, I just bites swimmers, people in the water of any sort who are in the biting range get bitten. Its gods grace that its non venomous, else it would have easily become the deadliest in India. Chances are you might have had a really exhausted snake, they are fast and they are aggressive period. My cousin simply plucked it out of the water from under a rock, If you ask me if i touch it, the answer is no. I can easily handle a Rat snake but not this one, it just gives me creeps when i remember its death roll.


Pramod

[princezahed]

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

Dude you kidding me right? You are calling a checkered keeback gentle?. This snake bites like a dog without provocation, I just bites swimmers, people in the water of any sort who are in the biting range get bitten. Its gods grace that its non venomous, else it would have easily become the deadliest in India. Chances are you might have had a really exhausted snake, they are fast and they are aggressive period. My cousin simply plucked it out of the water from under a rock, If you ask me if i touch it, the answer is no. I can easily handle a Rat snake but not this one, it just gives me creeps when i remember its death roll.


Pramod

There are 2 types of keelbacks- those living in water and those living in fields. The one I caught was in our estate. Water keelbacks are ferocious ones but field ones very gentle. They surely are fast though. It was hard to catch it, but once it came to hand it just settled down so nicely. I was actually carrying it around educating my neighbour's and servant about it and snakes in general.

Btw where in kerala do you stay? What happened to your plan of volunteering at ARRS?

[pramodkumar]

Originally Posted by princezahed

There are 2 types of keelbacks- those living in water and those living in fields.

Common Prince there is just one type of 'checkered keelback' there is no concept of field and water snakes, they are water snakes and they live in water >90% times they catch prey in water and survive only on them, I agree there are two colors (black and white) but being ferocious is a trait of the snake and that cannot change. The checkered keelback mimics a cobra by spreading its hood, they bite really bad.

Originally Posted by princezahed

The one I caught was in our estate. Water keelbacks are ferocious ones but field ones very gentle. They surely are fast though. It was hard to catch it, but once it came to hand it just settled down so nicely. I was actually carrying it around educating my neighbour's and servant about it and snakes in general.

Chances are that this particular snake might not be a checkered keelback or might be a really tired snake. The ones freshly caought are particularly very agressive.

Originally Posted by princezahed

Btw where in kerala do you stay? What happened to your plan of volunteering at ARRS?

I live in Trivandrum, Well about ARRS my bubble just broke, there are certain things which look great only during voccations, cant live that life forever, but i truly wish I could, but i am one of those people who have to work for a living .

Pramod

[princezahed]

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

Common Prince there is just one type of 'checkered keelback' there is no concept of field and water snakes, they are water snakes and they live in water >90% times they catch prey in water and survive only on them, I agree there are two colors (black and white) but being ferocious is a trait of the snake and that cannot change. The checkered keelback mimics a cobra by spreading its hood, they bite really bad.

Chances are that this particular snake might not be a checkered keelback or might be a really tired snake. The ones freshly caought are particularly very agressive.



I live in Trivandrum, Well about ARRS my bubble just broke, there are certain things which look great only during voccations, cant live that life forever, but i truly wish I could, but i am one of those people who have to work for a living .

Pramod

Well I know They are primarily water snakes but they are sometimes also found on land. this one I found was out of water and it was really gentle. Yes it had eaten and regurgitated a small frog after sometime but even then it was not violent.

Even I wanted to go volunteer at ARRS but my mom is the least bit supportive when it comes to me and snakes. She just fails to understand that not all snakes can kill.

[pramodkumar]

Originally Posted by princezahed

Yes it had eaten and regurgitated a small frog after sometime but even then it was not violent.

Prince not for the sake of argument but i hope you know why snakes regurgitate, Well in case you know, just for other readers, snakes are vulnerable after they are eaten, so finding a water snake out of its element after a meal is highly unlikely, even if you manage to catch one, they are lethargic before regurgitation but soon after that they tend to become so aggressive that, its difficult for people to handle it. They tend to flee, so they will try every possible stunt to get out of your grasp. Checkereds are small snakes, this one hardly grows above a meter and half, the females are longer than the males. Handling them at safe distance becomes difficult because of their small size and slender bodies, so an already aggressive snake will be horribly aggressive after regurgitation Please be careful. If you happen to catch a snake which regurgitates, let the snake go else it will put a seriously big fight.

Pramod

[abs]

As a novice trekker and member of The Chennai Trekking Club, I have done 2 treks in Nagalapuram and have lost count of the number of hatched snake egg shells I have spotted during the treks. We are having a workshop on snakes this saturday.

The main reason for conducting this workshop was that in a recently concluded trek a pretty specimen of the snake community was captured See Picasa Web Albums - pavan - OG - Ombattu ...

Though there were a few CTCians who had sufficient knowledge about snakes the need for a comprehensive knowledge among the community was strongly felt and hence the below workshop. Capacity is only 40 and is usually filled very fast. Interested folks can PM me for the webform URL, contact and workshop location information.

CTC Charmers - A Workshop on Snakes

Are you a parseltongue!!! Can you speak to snakes, even better – Identify them and relate to their lifestyle, social habitat & their little known venomous nature.

Yes Fellow CTCians – If you are an expert in the art of reading Snakes and their hiss of a lifestyle, We welcome you to share your experiences with us.

If not , There is nothing more important on the diary of a CTCian than attend this classroom session on understanding Snakes & their venomous nature.

The event will unfold on : Saturday , the 28th of November 2009 between 10 AM to 11:30 AM at XXXXXXXXXXXXXX.

Yes Ladies & Gentlemen, Welcome to the session on Understanding Snakes & most importantly, the Do’s and Don’ts after a Snake Bite...

Mr. Vimal raj from "Tree Foundation" & "The Nethaji Wild Life Save Group" with a diverse and rich knowledge and experience in snakes has kindly consented to address us on the topics detailed above.

This will be a slideshow presentation cum discussion on the various methods adopted on the field during a snake bite. Please bring your own stationery [pen & paper].

Since there is a limitation in terms of space available at XXXX's place, we are limiting the number of attendants to 40 and invitation is strictly on a first cum first serve basis.

Please do not register and drop out at the last minute as you shall hamper the chances of those interested and who could have taken your place instead. Kindly consider this as a very important step before you register.

I've invited you to fill out the form CTC Charmers - A Workshop on Snakes . To fill it out, visit: XXXXX


See ya all charmers on Saturday ...

hiss hiss !!!

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by princezahed

End result is it was a non venomous snake that was found at your house. The only difference of opinion is on the sub species of the snake. Pramod feels its a rat snake whereas I had asked the opinion of a few learned people who suggest it resembles a banded racer. If you could post some other pictures of the dead snake then maybe it would help come to a better conclusion.

Thanks, that helps. My parents just dismissed it off as a Chera (rat snake) that day itself. Lots of them in our area and people don't bother them. Those were the only pics I had.

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

You are calling a checkered keeback gentle?. This snake bites like a dog without provocation, I just bites swimmers, people in the water of any sort who are in the biting range get bitten. Its gods grace that its non venomous, else it would have easily become the deadliest in India.

Hey Pramod, what is the Mallu name for "keelback" ? I do a lot of swimming in the river near my home at Kerala and occasionally take my 2-year old son along - he loves water. And occasionally I have seen snakes in the river, swimming away. Would love to know more about this non-venomous danger lurking in the water.

[Rajachu]

SB,
i think its "neerkoli"?let pramod confirm.Anyways very interesting thered

Raj