Snakes in the house and garden

[fach3003]

Hi !

3 snakes in 1 day....!!!

Taking the little one to school yesterday morning....tiny bright green snake crossed in front of me.
later in the afternoon....golden tree snake going along the wall outside the house.
9pm ish.. In the corner of the street coiled up...behind some plant pots...
A Malaysian Pit Viper........wonderful

Grabbed it with the snake tongs...as fast as you could say snake heaven...

Is it snake season or something ???????

Regards to all : )))))))))

[Big Boy]

We had our first on the driveway for about a year yesterday - neighbours have had plenty. As usual, our rottweiler dealt with the problem, but we think our latest canine addition ate some of it - at least, we haven't found the rest of it anywhere .

[PeteC]

They may be coming close to houses if water is scarce elsewhere.

[Big Boy]

We had our first on the driveway for about a year yesterday - neighbours have had plenty. As usual, our rottweiler dealt with the problem, but we think our latest canine addition ate some of it - at least, we haven't found the rest of it anywhere .

A bad smell (nothing to do with last night's curry) has been wafting around our front porch today. A bit of investigation revealed another part of the above snake decomposing, but we're still missing the head section. This beast is already 5 - 6 feet long, and at least one more section to find. Our Rottweiler is incredible, and I'm really pleased these things visit at night.

[Bristolian]

^^Are you sure that you have a pure Rottweiler? Sounds like you have a Rottweiler crossed with a mongoose

[Nereus]

Hospitals told to ready antivenins

http://www.bangkokpost.com/most-recent/ ... antivenins

The Public Health Ministry Wednesday ordered hospitals to stock up on seven kinds of snake antivenin for rainy season after a six-year-old Surin province boy died of snake bites earlier this week.

Permanent-secretary Narong Sahametapat said medical centres under the ministry's jurisdiction should stock serums for cobra, King cobra, Malayan krait, Russell's viper, Malayan pit viper, green pit viper and Bungaru flaviceps (Sam Liem) snakes during times of heavy flooding. Each year, around 7,000-8,000 people are bitten by snakes, half of them during floods, he said.


Provincial public-health offices also were told to disseminate information on prevention of snake bites and first-aid treatments to be employed before victims are hospitalised.

Anurak Amornphetsathaporn, director of the Emergency Public Health Office, said people bitten by a snake should wash the wound with clean water and hurry to a nearby hospital. They should remain as still as possible, particularly the bitten limb, so as to slow the spread of the poison in the bloodstream.

He said people should not widen or suck the wound, cover it with ice, herbs, or drinking alcohol; should not take aspirin nor use rope or fabric as a tourniquet, as it may cause tissue damage. Also, if possible, the snake should be brought to the hospital to help in identification and antivenin dosage, he said.

The announcement came after a boy in Surin's Muang district was bitten to death in his sleep by a black and white Malayan krait. He went to bed around 7pm, but the bites weren't discovered until two hours later when he developed a cough and severe stomach ache. Grandparents killed the snake, which was thought to have crawled in the warm bed to escape flood waters.

[Nereus]

^^^^^^^^

wash the wound with clean water and hurry to a nearby hospital. They should remain as still as possible,

if possible, the snake should be brought to the hospital to be interogated, after which it would be handed over to the NCPO.....

[kendo]

If I was going to try wrangling a snake with a set of those tongs I would keep my camera phone to hand and also a belt to use as a tourniquet just incase of an accident and getting bitten.
I don't agree with the above statement I would want to stem the flow of poison and take a photo of the snake rather than take it to the hospital.

Kendo.

[PeteC]

Whatever works concerning ID. I've found many Thais helpless in identifying any snake. They call all of them "sing" (I think) and it isn't. I think a sing is a rat snake?.....just guessing as not sure.

These guys in the field and poor folk don't have a camera with them, and usually if they don't kill it and take it, the hospital can only go on what the person says.

There was an article and photos a few years back of a Thai guy who gotten bitten by a cobra and got pissed off. Decided to fight with it and kill it and got bitten another half dozen times. He died on the spot.

Some thread long ago I mentioned there is no universal anti-venom, yet. I think that is still the case. Pete

[lomuamart]

Was playing golf today and was really lucky. Another step on the fairway and I would have trodden on a cobra.
Luckily, he was just out of range for a strike but I got a very angry hiss before he sloped off as I backed away.
I've never been that close before and it sure gave me a fright,

[richard]

Was playing golf today and was really lucky. Another step on the fairway and I would have trodden on a cobra.

Well there you go. Stay in the rough

[lomuamart]

I was in the rough quite a bit today - not a good game.
Needless to say, no snakes that I was aware of in there. This cobra was just enjoying the sun and obviously wasn't too happy with me disturbing his peace and quiet.

[hhfarang]

the snake should be brought to the hospital to be interogated

In my experience, even under heavy interogation and even with threat of torture they will not give up their identity...

[Nereus]

the snake should be brought to the hospital to be interogated

In my experience, even under heavy interogation and even with threat of torture they will not give up their identity...

The ones I encounter will be de-capitated before going anywhere, and hence will have nothing to say!

[J.J.B.]

I don't agree with the above statement I would want to stem the flow of poison and take a photo of the snake rather than take it to the hospital.

You're welcome to disagree although this is not an opinion, it's based on solid medical evidence. You are right that applying a tourniquet does restrict blood flow but it also keeps the venom all in one place and is dangerous for three main reasons:

1) Restricting blood flow for any length of time can cause low blood pressure and when someone is in shock, following a snake bit, for example, this can prove fatal since shock also physiologically lowers blood pressure.
2) Venom concentrated in one place will also cause significant swelling in the localised area that makes it much harder for any subsequently administered antivenin to penetrate the tissues and get to work.
3) The venom of many snakes contain enzymes that are designed to break down body tissues of their intended prey, which are almost always animals much smaller than humans. These enzymes do limited damage when distributed around the human body but pooled in one place cause significant and irreparable tissue damage, often resulting in amputation.

Other than that, take all the photos you like.