Snakes in the house and garden

[Dannie Boy]

Pics too small, can hardly see it.

Dogs are usually a good snake deterrent.

Although we have two dogs, it doesn't stop snakes from entering the garden, however unless they are big ones, they don't often get out. Our oldest dog is about 3.1/2 years and is a fully fledged snake killer, however our young one is only 7-8 months and still learning the ropes, and more likely to be bitten by the snake, rather than the snake bitten by him. But the best thing is that big or small, our oldest dog nearly always manages to spot any snakes that come in (even at night) and barks incessantly to let us know we have an unwelcome guest.

[dtaai-maai]

^^ Yes, our lab has a special 'snake alert' bark, but she doesn't kill them, just waits for me or Mrs D-M then charges around getting in the way.
Unfortunately she's become rather indiscriminate, and on several occasions recently we've been woken up in the middle of the night because of a millipede - once even for a worm...

[Big Boy]

[dtaai-maai]

No need for that, BB, it was a very big worm.

[hhinner]

What kind of snake is this? I was told in Thai "Krapa". They said not deadly but dangerous but with children and a small dog better to be safe than sorry.How do I keep snakes away from the house and yard?

We get "kapa" (or Malayan Pit Vipers) in our garden quite frequently, too frequently in fact. FYI Malayan Pit Vipers are deadly and account for most snake bite deaths in Thailand. My advice would be that if you don't know, don't mess with it. Hua Hin Sawang foundation will come and dispose of any snake if you call them. In the case of pit vipers this is usually with extreme prejudice. Other snakes they will usually catch and release somewhere safe.

I don't think yours is one of said pit vipers, or any kind of viper. Vipers generally have a very distinctive diamond / arrow head shaped head. It's a bit hard to see in the pics.

I think your snake may be a keelback of some sort, but I'm no expert. You could do as Arlo suggested and check out Thailand snakes.com or email your pics to them at info@thailandsnakes.com with some description such as length, whether it acted aggressively, moved away from you, etc. The guys there usually reply very quickly.

Hua Hin Sawang is at tel number 032 514514.

Cheers.

[Norseman]

The snake in question is a so-called Pipe Snake.
Just as harmless as a rat or cockroach, but it's here because this is where it lives!
Demolish your house or just continue living with this countries normal inhabitants.
Why the heck are this beautiful and helpful creatures so feared??

[hhinner]

^ Why so feared? Because people tend not to be interested in learning which ones are dangerous and which are not. And then you get the "Aargh it's gnu kapa. Kill it! Kill it" reaction. Even if it's a harmless pipe snake, tree snake, kukri, keelback etc. People fear what they don't know. Me too, unless I've seen a particular kind of snake before, had it identified and know it's not dangerous. Dangerous snakes have to be disposed of one way or another. Especially if there are kids around.

[hhfarang]

Don't like snakes in the garden? Get yourself a rabbit...

[dtaai-maai]

The video's good, but the commentary is fantastic!! Go bunny!!

[Deep Blue]

Don't mess with any snakes in Thailand - they've got some real bad-asses here.

[Takiap]

The snake in question is a so-called Pipe Snake.
Just as harmless as a rat or cockroach, but it's here because this is where it lives!
Demolish your house or just continue living with this countries normal inhabitants.
Why the heck are this beautiful and helpful creatures so feared??

As has been said, most people fear snakes because the don't know whether they are dangerous or not. Most people are also taught from childhood that all snakes are "evil" creatures that can kill you.

Even cobras, contrary to what's been said on here, are not really aggressive unless they feel threatened by you. Let's put it this way, no snake is just going to sail up to you and then bite you. More often than not I just let them be, but I have killed a couple of vipers in our garden, and more recently allowed a krait to be killed. None of them would have been killed if it weren't for the fact that I have young kids.

The ironic thing is, many people are terrified of any snake even if you can guarantee that it's a harmless one. As a kid I kept a few harmless snakes, and I can still recall how my Mom become almost hysterical if she even saw them, and taking them in the house was totally out of the question.

[kendo]

Witnessed my first Cobra yesterday. Mine and Big Boys families had just left Had Sai Noi beach and were approaching the junction with the main Petchkasem road. A cobra, about four feet long was crossing the road Big Boy slowed down and the snake nearly got hit by a black truck coming the other way. The Cobra coiled back and made a strike at the truck then turned and done the same to Big Boys truck it then beat a retreat back to the same side of the road it had immerged from.
A real treat to see this awesome creature, and it lived to see another day.The food vendors also had a look of surprise on their faces so feel lucky to have seen it.

[Big Boy]

A cobra, about four feet long was crossing the road

4'? I'd have put it at 6-7', and Mrs BB reckons 3 Mtrs. He was a Big Boy

When it attacked the black truck, it was at least 3/4 the length of the truck, and I was more than a little uneasy as it lashed out at my truck. Do you think your son in the back noticed?

[kendo]

Yeah four feet bent probably six or seven strait but I'm not going to volunteer to measure it, to aggressive for me to get three truck lengths near it.As for my stepson he was sat with a t-shirt over his head and has barely noticed his little sister all week so I doubt he would have seen it.

[GLCQuantum]

^^
Pictures, or it didn't happen.