Snakes in the house and garden

General chat about life in the Land Of Smiles. Discuss expat life, relationship issues and all things generally Thailand and Asia related.
Post Reply
User avatar
hhfarang
Hero
Hero
Posts: 11060
Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2004 1:27 am
Location: North Carolina

Snakes in the house and garden

Post by hhfarang »

As we have a large plot of land we see the occasional snake (about once a month), but lately there have been many more. The dogs have killed four in the last month including a 2 meter one in the driveway yesterday afternoon, a 1 meter one on the lawn earlier this morning and the missus just saw a 2 meter+ cobra traversing the back yard (gone before I could get out there).

What's the deal. Do they travel around looking for water during the dry season?

I watched the two dogs flush the smaller one out of a hedge row this morning with really good teamwork (one dog on each side of the bushes) and then dispatch him expertly without getting bitten even though he was trying hard. These soi dogs are amazing!

Here's a photo of the big one yesterday next to a standard meter and a half long mop handle. This was only part of the snake as I found six or seven smaller parts scattered around the driveway including the head (2nd photo) that would have made him about 2 meters total. The dogs really did a number on him.
P1010703 (Small).JPG
Snakehead.jpg
Snakehead.jpg (18.19 KiB) Viewed 34821 times
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
User avatar
Nereus
Hero
Hero
Posts: 10869
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:01 pm
Location: Hua Hin and Bangkok

Re: Snake season?

Post by Nereus »

Snakes as a species hibernate during winter, or the colder part of the year. I do not know how this affects Thai snakes, but "cold" is relative I suppose.
It is possible that as the weather starts to warm up they are on the move looking for both food and water.

I had one in Soi 6 last week. After I dispatched it I believe that it was a harmless "snail" snake. However, it was on my turf uninvited, and suffered the consequences.

You sure seem to get more than your fair share of them,hhf. :cheers:
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
User avatar
hhfarang
Hero
Hero
Posts: 11060
Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2004 1:27 am
Location: North Carolina

Re: Snake season?

Post by hhfarang »

You sure seem to get more than your fair share of them,hhf.
I think they enjoy our garden...
P1010707 (Small).JPG
...until they run into the dogs... :twisted:
P1010357 (Small).JPG
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
User avatar
Piesat42
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 154
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 1:18 pm
Location: Hua Hin

Re: Snake season?

Post by Piesat42 »

Love that garden!
My mind wandered and never came back :(
HAPPYGOLFER
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 119
Joined: Mon May 17, 2010 8:10 pm

Re: Snake season?

Post by HAPPYGOLFER »

Really nice garden and I,m impressed of your dogs,
User avatar
StevePIraq
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 3043
Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2008 1:21 pm
Location: Ting Tong Land

Snakes in the garden

Post by StevePIraq »

Anyone have any advice for keeping snakes out of garden, I know it will be pretty difficult especially with all the rain of late and with the frog population booming.

We don't have dogs which I understand would help,

We have had four snakes in the last few days.
1. Common green tree snake, no photo
2. Long brown one seen in Papaya tree wife said over one meter long jumped from tree over wall when she was getting papaya.
3. Brown one about one meter see photo 3
3.JPG
3.JPG (34.9 KiB) Viewed 35483 times
4. Black one around one meter just killed frog and when I walked close it pulled its head up and neck went wide see photo 2
2.JPG
2.JPG (31.17 KiB) Viewed 35483 times
I have been using this web site to try to identify the snakes but not much luck.
http://www.siam-info.de/english/snakes_poisonous.html
"Live everyday as if it were your last because someday you're going to be right." Muhammad Ali
User avatar
Big Boy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 44952
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:36 pm
Location: Bon Kai

Re: Snakes in the garden

Post by Big Boy »

Snake threads come up on here from time to time. Put snake into the search engine, and you'll find plenty of information amongst the irrelevant stuff.
Championship Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Preston NE :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Points 41; Position 18
User avatar
Big Boy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 44952
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:36 pm
Location: Bon Kai

Re: Snakes in the garden

Post by Big Boy »

Championship Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Preston NE :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Points 41; Position 18
User avatar
Dannie Boy
Hero
Hero
Posts: 12030
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2010 8:12 pm
Location: Closer to Cha Am than Hua Hin

Re: Snakes in the garden

Post by Dannie Boy »

StevePIraq wrote:Anyone have any advice for keeping snakes out of garden, I know it will be pretty difficult especially with all the rain of late and with the frog population booming.

We don't have dogs which I understand would help,

We have had four snakes in the last few days.
1. Common green tree snake, no photo
2. Long brown one seen in Papaya tree wife said over one meter long jumped from tree over wall when she was getting papaya.
3. Brown one about one meter see photo 3
3.JPG
4. Black one around one meter just killed frog and when I walked close it pulled its head up and neck went wide see photo 2
2.JPG
I have been using this web site to try to identify the snakes but not much luck.
http://www.siam-info.de/english/snakes_poisonous.html
If you send an email to this person, he will almost certainly be able to get back to you with the identity of the snake - info@thailandsnakes.com
User avatar
StevePIraq
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 3043
Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2008 1:21 pm
Location: Ting Tong Land

Re: Snakes in the garden

Post by StevePIraq »

Just had a reply from the experts and it seems the following:

Brown snake in photo 3 is a Kukri snake which is relatively harmless.

Black snake in photo 2 is either a Monocled or spitting Cobra both extremely dangerous. Spitting Cobra can spit venom accurately up to 3m.
"Live everyday as if it were your last because someday you're going to be right." Muhammad Ali
User avatar
sandman67
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 4398
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:11 pm
Location: I thought you had the map?

Re: Snakes in the garden

Post by sandman67 »

I dont think dogs or cats are much use for keeping cobras at bay.

I dont know if there is a species of them here in Thailand, but when I backpacked around Sri Lanka a common "pet" kept in the south of the island was a mongoose. I actually had the luck to see a pair of them at one guesthouse take on a bloody big cobra that was sunning itself on a nearby roof and have it for lunch.

Despite living near the canal in 5 and a bit years Ive only had one smallish snake in the back garden. A dose of cold water from the hosepipe was enough to see it off.

Best advice with ALL snakes is stay back and douse em with cold water from a hose so they shag off. Don't forget that even constrictor snakes can deliver a very painful nip bite that will almost certainly, thanks to the orrible enzymes in their mucus and saw like teeth, turn infected as hell very quickly.

If you have a persistent visitor or inhabitant theres a local organization that comes round and gets them for you.... the number used to be in the free paper AWOL and on the HHAD info site.

:cheers:
"Science flew men to the moon. Religion flew men into buildings."

"To sin by silence makes cowards of men."
User avatar
Terry
Suspended
Suspended
Posts: 3047
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:53 pm
Location: At Hua Hin Fishing Lodge, Hin Lek Fai most of the time.......

Re: Snakes in the garden

Post by Terry »

We have a variant of the mongoose at the Lodge and I've seen them go for the snakes that we used to get in the early days.

We had a member of staff who used to snare and eat them (The mongoose). When I found out about it, he was sent packing.

I disagree about the dogs Sandman - some will go for snakes

We have 9 dogs at the lodge and one of them in particular has been an excellent snake wrangler for years. She did in fact kill a cobra several years ago.

Fortunately with the dogs, the mongoose and a lot more activity, snakes are very rare nowadays at the Lodge.

I agree about the cold water though - it does work.
User avatar
migrant
Addict
Addict
Posts: 5856
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 6:15 am
Location: California is now in the past hello Thailand!!

Re: Snakes in the garden

Post by migrant »

StevePIraq wrote: Black snake in photo 2 is either a Monocled or spitting Cobra both extremely dangerous. Spitting Cobra can spit venom accurately up to 3m.
I remember HHF posting about a spitting cobra getting some poison in his dogs eyes, and missing his due to his glasses.

Dogs turned out OK but be careful!
The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.
Takiap
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 3550
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2006 1:55 pm
Location: Bo Fai

Re: Snakes in the garden

Post by Takiap »

We've had several snakes come and visit, mostly Malaysian pit vipers, but also a few cobras. Our rottweiler is really an excellent snake detector. I'm not sure if she smells them or sees them, but even on the darkest of nights, she finds them and then kicks up a fuss. We had one cobra that reared up higher than her head and struck repeatedly, but thankfully our dog was quick enough to avoid being bitten.


The snake on that occasion was politely escorted off the property, but visiting vipers have not been so lucky, and neither have a few of the cobras. As much as I don't like killing snakes, I can't just let them be since we have three young kids. If it was just me here, I wouldn't care how many snakes there were because I find them quite fascinating, and besides, they keep toads and rats a bay.



:cheers:
Don't try to impress me with your manner of dress cos a monkey himself is a monkey no less - cold fact
User avatar
PeteC
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 29923
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:58 am
Location: All Blacks training camp

Re: Snakes in the garden

Post by PeteC »

Egg laying/nesting season is fast approaching. The worst time for us over here is always November to January because of that. Pete :cheers:
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Post Reply