Snakes give LOTS of people the shudders. After half a lifetime in Australia and nearly 19 years here in tropical Thailand, I have learned to develop a healthy respect for our serpent friends.
Have I ever been bitten? Sadly yes. Careless of me to rush out the back door here in Thailand in bare feet and a long sarong at almost dusk and startle him. Him? I'm sure a Her would have understood the need for a single mama to rush out and grab the laundry as the evening rains began to fall, and wouldn't have bitten. 😆🐍 He bit me twice, on the ankle. With an over-tired little girl finally napping upstairs, no one to drive me to the hospital and a fair knowledge of both snakes and high level first aid, I decided to treat myself, at home. A rough, sleepless night with an ankle twice it's normal size and a deep purple colour, but not life threatening. In the morning, when my then husband finally wandered home and finally drove me to the hospital, it was funny. "You not dead" said the Thai emergency doctor unceremoniously. "Not poison". 😆 It took 10 days for the swelling, deep bruising and pain to subside, and a herpetologist here was able to confirm the type of snake from the distinctive bite pattern & marks: an Oriental Ratsnake. Non-venomous (as in won't kill you) but can give a nasty bite. No kidding!!
Since then I'm careful to use the outside lights at night around the house, and to make a little noise on approach. But most importantly, I've learned that species identification MATTERS.
FFWD to a few weeks ago when I saw this beauty lying just a few feet from our Thai front door, one hot Sunday morning between rain showers:
I'd seen her several weeks earlier in the foliage around our porch. And my Thai business friend had suggested (a) getting a guy in to kill/remove her and (b) the possibility of snake curry.
He was bewildered by my No-Kill philosophy & my willingness to coexist with something that isn't furry. But, being a mama with snake bite experience, it was IMPORTANT to identify it as a non-venomous variety. I KNEW it wasn't a cobra (been there and relocated those safely in the past) but I had NO IDEA about this one.
And so I posted in a really helpful community group on Zuckerbook:
I was really pleased to learn that she's a Banded Kukri Snake - ชื่อวิทยาศาสตร์ : Oligodon fasciolatus. Non venomous, and a good hunter of frogs, rodents and the gerzillion tropical critters we share a garden with.
And so having identified her as a helpful friend who is welcome t hang close to our front door, we named her. Serena. The snake. Cos she's VERY chilled and relaxed.
We tell incoming guests about her so they won't be alarmed if she slithers close. Our cats have been telepathed the message that she's OK and frankly can't even be bothered sniffing and staring at her anymore.
When we leave the house I cheerfully tell her she's in charge, but to please not tell our two boy cats who think THEY are in charge. 🤣
Identification is everything and enables us to give respect, and to coexist.
Would YOU be OK with Serena close to YOUR front door?? 🐍
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