[mints21]

During a recent visit to our farm house we spotted two shedded skins of the snakes. They were quite large in size. The moulting of the skin occurs regularly when old skin is outgrown and the snakes rub themselves against the rough surface to shed this skin.

Here are a couple of pictures that I took few months back.

[JASMEET MATTOO]

Me and my wife were out for a walk at night after dinner when we spotted a small snake about 14-15 inches. It was really dark and I just felt there is something moving in front of us trying to cross the small passage near the park. Usually we find big cockroaches and other insects. Finding a snake was really shocking. While my wife was really scared (not surprising, she gets scared of a cockroach or a rat too!), I realised that the little thing was probably running from us. It looked in a hurry to reach a small hole near the corner of the park and immediately disappeared. I think it must be a baby snake who would have come out to explore the world at night.

[Samurai]

Imagine walking towards your car, and a 8 foot long snake crawls from under the driver side door when you are 4 foot away. It is very rare I jump out of my skin for a snake, but this time I did. This is the spot where I park my car 3 times a day. I followed the snake just to ensure it was a harmless rat snake.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Imagine walking towards your car, and a 8 foot long snake crawls from under the driver side door when you are 4 foot away. It is very rare I jump out of my skin for a snake, but this time I did. This is the spot where I park my car 3 times a day. I followed the snake just to ensure it was a harmless rat snake.

Attachment 1241661

Attachment 1241662

Such a big drain pipe? Hope it's meshed on the inside!

[supremeBaleno]

Yesterday it was my chance to spot an 8-footer rat-snake.

Was driving to Changanachery yesterday when I spotted this big snake crossing the road. Park the Swift and get close to take a couple snaps. Was really a big one compared to the rat-snakes we usually see.



BTW, see the color difference between the one Samurai posted and this one. The Kerala rat snakes are yellow-black, while the ones in KA are black/white.

[bblost]

Found a video that is kind of appropriate here:

What happens when venom meets blood:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDNE-H7hA90

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Such a big drain pipe? Hope it's meshed on the inside!

Yes, it is a 4 inch storm drain pipe, we need it for the rains here. No, it is not meshed. The snakes can also enter via from gate if they want to, this is at my in-laws home. At my home, there is lots of wild vegetation during monsoon. I am sure there are quite a few snakes around. I just keep the area I use clean from grass and plants, that alone discourages snakes most of the time.

Originally Posted by bblost

What happens when venom meets blood

That's what russel's viper venom can do. That is one snake I don't want to encounter, ever.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

BTW, see the color difference between the one Samurai posted and this one. The Kerala rat snakes are yellow-black, while the ones in KA are black/white.

I believe I might be wrong with that underlined statement, because I remember also seeing the black-white rat-snakes in Kerala. So there are normal chera (rat-snake) and manja (yellow) chera in Kerala. Don't know if there are any other types too - snake-experts can pitch in.

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by bblost

What happens when venom meets blood

And this venom is milked from the snake to prepare the antivenom! Oh the irony.

[supremeBaleno]

Was out for a late-evening walk in the community I stay at Chennai, when I see 2 security guards hunched over a snake with a stick. They had already smashed its head, but the rest of the body was still twitching.

It was about 2 feet long and really thin and since lighting was poor (11:30PM), I wasn't sure if the snake was what I thought it was - a krait. Anyway, I take a snap with the flash on and looks like I was correct with the paired white bands all along the body.


And to think that so many kids play in the roads, parks etc of the community.

[Samurai]

Hmm, a banded Krait. It looks so similar banded Kukri. Since the thin bands are white, I suppose it is a Krait. One is venomous and the other is not. Only experts can really tell.

[joybhowmik]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

I wasn't sure if the snake was what I thought it was - a krait. Anyway, I take a snap with the flash on and looks like I was correct with the paired white bands all along the body.

Quite correct. It's the banded Krait. Highly venomous. Bite from a Krait can kill a man within 4-8 hours if not treated.

[Bump-Stop]

Indeed that looks like a banded krait.I remember living in an air force base in UP as a kid. quite a few years ago, which was surrounded by a forest. Snakes (cobras, kraits, pythons) did enter our lawns and habitat from time to time. You just learn to be extra careful, keep the premesis clean, gamaxine in garages and near gutters, and always walk carefully (and loudly) and always carry a torch at night! Surprisingly for all the years I lived there there were very few instances of snake bites. I guess you just learn to coexist together

[CliffHanger]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

And to think that so many kids play in the roads, parks etc of the community.

Ask your Community Head to send a mailer with the pic that you attached, to everyone in your community.

Very important to avoid any future mishaps.

[Samurai]

I sent the pic to my snake expert friend. He said it is wolf snake, the non-venomous kind. He was pretty sad it was killed.

PS: As I said, only experts can really tell.