View allAll Photos Tagged SnakeHandling
I've uploaded video footage of this encounter here: youtu.be/6fiE4CYgBwU
Seen at Victoria Park, in Nova Scotia, Canada.
I've now seen every species of Snake this province has to offer! I was blessed to see not one, but two of these snakes on my walk today.
Spotted in Victoria Park, in Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada.
George and I got on pretty well, I actually took this photo while holding him! Very novel for me as there is not one single snake in New Zealand, not even in zoos. Not the best shot I got of him but I like his tongue flicking out in this one which was no easy feat to capture while juggling snake and camera! See below for how it was done...
I was idly watching a programme about the Island of Lewis by Paul Murton last night when he featured some early photos by an islander called Norman Morrison. There was one of a killed adder with her babies and then this one struck me, as it were, as it seems to show a very much alive adder being bare-handled by someone whom I presume is the local bobby. They evidently bred them tough in the Outer Hebrides back then...
I am not a fan of snakes, but I enjoy them for the interesting creatures that they are.
But nothing, nothing in this world, would get me to pick up this wriggling squirming serpent. Just the idea that it might crawl up my sleeve, leaves me quaking.
As a young kid, however, I used to play with the snakes we found around our farm.
(Shot at Gator Park, Everglades National Park, Florida. It was part of the snake show to have an audience member reach into a cloth bag, and pull out this snake. The handler in the background is only feigning distress. I really was distressed, but I wanted the shot.)
The bronze-back tree snake (♀) was taken by shock when it was pulled out of the tree and bit Kali (Irula Friend) many times on his wrist. Fortunately this is nonvenomous and therefore even though he bled a bit, he managed not to let it run away!
The bronze-back tree snake (♀) was trying desperately to run away and checks the air for possibilities.
The first defense mechanism of the vine snake is to open the jaws wide and show that they are larger than they actually are. This vine snake (♀) also displays the teeth in the lower jaw and the upper jaw as well.
Also note the perfect binocular vision that the snake has to capture its prey while watching it with both its eyes!
The bronze-back tree snake (♀) checks air for danger. Note that this one is too agitated that it has even opened its mouth, though the snakes are capable of getting their tongue out while not opening the mouth.
This agitated bronze-back tree snake (♀) was vicious to bite twice to the handler, after which she was checking the air particles.
The red sun that is rising above the horizon adds to the glow in the huge eyes of this vine snake (♀).
The striped keelback (♀) was so friendly and calm despite being handled and out of the water! This water snake never behaved like fish out of water even under hot sun, though it was released in nearby pool quickly.
This striped keelback (♀) shows the dangerous inter-scale skin which is red in color between her lateral scales. These are visible when she breathes deep, presumably a warning sign for her predators or a mating display to attract males.
The vine snake (♀) may be green throughout or will have scales interspersed with green, white and red colors on the first half of the body, though the second half would have green throughout!
Sripad was curious enough to handle all the snakes and shows expertise in allowing the snakes to flow over his body. Here he is seen handling a bronze-back tree snake (♀) with deft skills.
Though the scales of snakes appear to have only one or two shades, observing snakes in close quarters like this Striped Keelback (♀) indicates that scales, similar to feathers, also can display iridescence!
Selena is a corn snake that we inherited five years ago. She (and we're just guessing that she is actually a she) was the classroom pet in the kindergarten class of one of our sons. We took her home over Christmas break and she ended up being a permanent addition to our household when said teacher's husband forbade Selena entrance EVER into their home. She never did return to the classroom either because the teacher decided that a hamster would be a better classroom pet.
Anyway, she's been a nice low maintenance pet ever since. Our cat, Fondue, completely ignores her...except when it's time to feed. Then, Selena is the most interesting snake in the world!
115 Pictures in 2015 #72: Pet
Burmese Python
Python molurus bivittatus
Subspecies of Indian python, this is one of the largest kind of snakes. Though not as large as a reticulated python or an anaconda, this can grow upto 13 feet or so. This looks similar to reticulated python and its cousins Indian and African rock python. In fact, I had to ask Arun to confirm.
Being relatively docile, they are popular in the pet trade. Chinese and far eastern folk medicines and also the leather industry work against these snakes. They are listed as threatened.
While we all carried him individually, I could not get the snake's head sharp as he kept moving around. Only Arun managed to keep it relatively calm. I thought I was holding him gently but Arun kept telling me to be hold him light! I am sure everyone knows by now that snakes are not slimy.
We had a hilarious scene in this place. A lady wanted to hold the snake seeing all of us. But she made such a scene battling two equal desires - to keep away and also to hold him. The drama went on for some time. Finally Nila spoke to her and managed get her enough courage to try it. The lady's facial expression when she held the snake was priceless. I don't have a shot of that though.
One of my earlier posts on pythons generated a lively discussion on whether pythons can kill humans and how they do it and so on. In case you are interested...
Death adders are found throughout most of Australia. Three major species have been identified: the northern death adder (Acanthophis praelongus), which is found north of the Tropic of Capricorn, the desert death adder (A. pyrrhus), inhabiting desert regions of central and western Australia, and the southern death adder (A. antarcticus), distributed throughout the rest of Australia, except Victoria and Tasmania. Of the several species of New Guinea death adders, the range of one, A. laevis, extends into Australian territory in the Torres Strait. They are ambush predators, concealing themselves in leaves, sand or gravel and twitching the ends of their tails to attract prey. Prey consists of frogs, birds, lizards, mice and rats.
It is mainly active at night. Unlike most snakes, the death adder will not necessarily retreat from humans and may therefore be more easily trodden upon or disturbed by the unwary. They are said to be less likely to strike unless actually touched than other venomous snakes, but great caution is still advised.
Selena is a corn snake that we inherited five years ago. She (and we're just guessing that she is actually a she) was the classroom pet in the kindergarten class of one of our sons. We took her home over Christmas break and she ended up being a permanent addition to our household when said teacher's husband forbade Selena entrance EVER into their home. She never did reappear in the classroom because the teacher decided that a hamster would be a better classroom pet.
Anyway, she's been a nice low maintenance pet ever since. Our cat, Fondue, completely ignores her...except when it's time to feed. Then, Selena is the most interesting snake in the world!
North American Copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix and Timber Rattlesnake, Crotalus horridus
Who is ready for church?
“We’re fixin’ to have some real church. We’re gonna find out who’s a true believer and who’s jus’ a playin'.”
Death adders are found throughout most of Australia. Three major species have been identified: the northern death adder (Acanthophis praelongus), which is found north of the Tropic of Capricorn, the desert death adder (A. pyrrhus), inhabiting desert regions of central and western Australia, and the southern death adder (A. antarcticus), distributed throughout the rest of Australia, except Victoria and Tasmania. Of the several species of New Guinea death adders, the range of one, A. laevis, extends into Australian territory in the Torres Strait. They are ambush predators, concealing themselves in leaves, sand or gravel and twitching the ends of their tails to attract prey. Prey consists of frogs, birds, lizards, mice and rats.
It is mainly active at night. Unlike most snakes, the death adder will not necessarily retreat from humans and may therefore be more easily trodden upon or disturbed by the unwary. They are said to be less likely to strike unless actually touched than other venomous snakes, but great caution is still advised.
The interior of Marie Laveu's Bar just inside the entrance has a painted mural of costumed women handling snakes out on a bayou somewhere. (Probalby the shores of Lake Pontchartrain.)
Cuddle up to a snake at Drusillas by taking part in one of our new Close Encounter Animal Experiences!
I had the pleasure of meeting Jackie Bibby this afternoon at the Brownwood Rattlesnake Roundup. He's been handling rattlesnakes for 42 years. He's been bitten 9 times in his career. I met him while watching someone challenge his world record of being in a sleeping bag with 112 live rattlesnakes.
Check out his website: TexSnakeMan
And see his Guiness World Records:
Though the vine snake is venomous, they would not be in a position to hurt the humans. At the most this vine snake (♀) can make a child fall sick without posing danger to life or cause skin irritations for those who are allergic to even ant bites!
The Yellow Rat Snake (♀) was so beautiful and friendly, except for the first couple of minutes, where she did not like people messing up with her lovely tail!
The common sand boa is often assumed to be the baby python, though they both belong to the group of constrictors who kill their prey by hugging. Here is a closer look of the primary weapon of common sand boa (♀) the muscles.
The yellow rat snake (♀) was more than 6 feet in length and was initially in an agitated mood. Once it learnt people are not going to hurt it, it was such a cute and heavy doll! Note that the initial pictures she was flicking very quick while here she has calmed down and checks the environment slowly and does not flick often.
Snake's emotions can be identified by watching how they flick their tongue:
1. Quick flicks with the tongue sweeping whole area and rapidly returning to the mouth means that the ophidian is slightly stressed or afraid or is extra cautious --- it does this to grab as much scent particles from the air and to send them back to the Jacobson's organ on top of its palate inside mouth, which analyses the scent.
2. Slow and casual flicks with the tongue remaining for longer periods out of the mouth slowly grabbing the scent particles means that the snake is rest assured about its safety and is not agitated.
This bronze-back tree snake (♀) flicks tongue to check if love is there in the air! This is one of the fastest moving arboreal snakes.
This yellow rat snake (♀) was eager to check for dangers around it and it does it by flicking its tongue in the air picking the scent molecules that are beyond human comprehension!
This common sand boa (♀) was very smart to not move a muscle while being handled. Not one of the brightest of creatures caught, but she has her own looks of being handsome.
The same yellow rat snake (♀) as in the earlier picture was eager to ensure its security and kept flicking its tongue rapidly. Note that the snakes can pull out their tongues without the need to open their jaws!
This red sand boa (♂) was the only male snake caught out of the 8 snakes.
Note that the tail and head appear alike and when disturbed, the tail is moved just like head (on top of the body), while the head rests in the safety beneath the body.
There are even false eye-spots on the tail to complete the deception. No wonder superstitious people have spread the word that it changes heads every six months, wherein the head becomes tail and vice versa; but this is not true to any extent. The snake is good in reverse gear in disappearing by moving into sand or den with its tail ahead, which may have cause confusions. Just like any creature the head and tail stay exactly where they were born.
Moreover, this snake emits bad smell when disturbed along with a pungent liquid, which has given another myth that those who touch this snake get leprosy instantly! Nature save those who get such ridiculous ideas!