Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here is a picture of a specimen that was captured two houses away from mine. For the safety of the neighborhood, I will capture venomous snakes crawling around the neighborhood, keep them overnight and release the next day in a rural area. This picture was taken at the release site in Nakhon Pathom. Thought all of you would like the picture; this specimen is much more colorful than many I have seen from this subspecies.

Michael

Sounds like a fun place to live

Nice picture and animal!!

Thanks for saving it's and peoples lives by relocation.

Al
-----
"Snakes in Peru are not there for decoration, they really bite people."

Professor David Warrell, Omaha 10/21/05

Thanks Al. It is a great place to live, nearly 200 species of reptiles; 26 of which I have found within a few square km of my home. Even though it is considered a sin to kill any animal here (Buddhist precept), I don't think the little Daboia russellii siamensis would have lived very long if I someone else came across it. The problem with relocation is that the snake is not familiar with the territory and it is vulnerable until it is settled in, even though I try to find a suitable place for them.

Of all the snakes here in Thailand, this one is the last one I would want to be bitten by!

Cheers,

Michael

I agree Michael...D. russelli is very low on my list too. I loved Thailand when I was there on business. Hope to get back someday.

Al
-----
"Snakes in Peru are not there for decoration, they really bite people."

Professor David Warrell, Omaha 10/21/05

Good work. Great shot!

Bill Huseth
-----
Venomous snakes---best hobby on earth!
Bill Huseth

Bill,

If you are truely a King Cobra Fan, there is a place here that will interest you very much. North of Khon Kaen (NE Thailand), there is a village where many of the residents keep King Cobras in their house, nicknamed the "King Cobra Village."

They hold a show many times a day with completely tame King Cobras and wild King Cobras. At the end of the show, they ask if anyone wants to handle the King Cobras. I took them up on the offer both times. They allow handling of a close to 4 meter King Cobra that has been part of the show for years. Women dance with them and stick the end of their snout in their mouth. I figured gentle handling would be no danger after that. It is truely a wonder how gentle these snakes are.

They are not defanged and are integrated into the families. I talked at length to the leader of the show/village. Bites are very rare and the snakes are shown a great deal of respect. At the end of my long talk, I guess he figured that I knew snakes pretty well; I was offered one of the King Cobras, but declined.

There has been a National Geographic special about this place, but I believe it was regional and may not have been shown in the US. If you are ever interested in going there, let me know and I can give you the specifics.

Michael

>>Good work. Great shot!
>>
>>Bill Huseth
>>-----
>>Venomous snakes---best hobby on earth!
>>Bill Huseth

Michael, I'll put it to you this way: I concede that others may like kings as much as I, but nobody, and I mean NOBODY, likes them more. King Cobra Village sounds like just about the ultimate for a guy like me. I've never had the privelege of handling one, but rest assured I want to someday. Thanks for the invitation. Looks like it's time to start saving.

Bill
-----
Venomous snakes---best hobby on earth!
Bill Huseth

Michael,

I know of this village. What a cool place to live/visit. I was with the Senior Keeper at the Thai Red Cross Snake Farm in Bangkok and saw him handle a nearly 4M King the same way!! It was like we would handle and Indigo Snake. I almost had to be revived when he just went up to it, it reared and then realized who it was, relaxed then crawled up his arm for a visit! Very Cool!

Al
-----
"Snakes in Peru are not there for decoration, they really bite people."

Professor David Warrell, Omaha 10/21/05

Yup, been to that place (Ban Khok Sanga) before it became famous, in 1991 - every family seemed to have a king cobra in a box under their house - absolutely amazing.

Rather amusingly, I was at the time interested in getting hold of some totally harmless chequered keelbacks (Xenochrophis flavipunctatus, a very common rice field snake), and offered the locals a few baht to catch us some - they refused, saying they didn't like them because they bite. They catch king cobras but wouldn't touch a keelback - go figure...

Cheers,

WW
-----
WW Home

n/p
-----
"Snakes in Peru are not there for decoration, they really bite people."

Professor David Warrell, Omaha 10/21/05

Wolfgang,

It is still like that in the village, keeping King Cobras in the house. Unfortunately, there is little reference to the real name of Ban Kok Sa-Nga and it is mostly referred to now as Ban Ngu Chong Ang, which translated into English simply as King Cobra Village. If anyone is interested, I can send the map of area via e-mail.

Do not let them fool you too much. Only men, many with experience, go out to catch the wild King Cobras. The adults King Cobras kept in the village appear completely docile.

I have Xenochrophis flavipunctatus in my neighborhood. Is that now the valid name for that variant? Wirot Nutphund (just passed away in June) referred to it as Xenochophis piscator in his last publication. I know that it has been going back and forth, but keeping up on taxonomy is a never ending battle! They are one of the most aggressive snakes that I have worked with here! It is outdone in aggressiveness by the little Enhydris plumbea, which was the first snake to ever aggressively attack me, actually jumping off of the ground when striking! Little guy scared the hell out of me! It was pitch black outside, it was black and I was not sure what I was working with until after the grab.

Cheers,

Michael

>>Yup, been to that place (Ban Khok Sanga) before it became famous, in 1991 - every family seemed to have a king cobra in a box under their house - absolutely amazing.
>>
>>Rather amusingly, I was at the time interested in getting hold of some totally harmless chequered keelbacks (Xenochrophis flavipunctatus, a very common rice field snake), and offered the locals a few baht to catch us some - they refused, saying they didn't like them because they bite. They catch king cobras but wouldn't touch a keelback - go figure...
>>
>>Cheers,
>>
>>WW
>>-----
>> WW Home

The filming of the village was released over here in the U.S.A. as well. Very interesting piece..I believe it was a National Geographic special, run on a channel other than theirs.

Nice work with the russelli. ~~Greg~~