|
Post by Carmela Balcazar on Apr 30, 2009 11:36:53 GMT
Growing up in the farm where encounters with snakes were and are still routine, we were taught as children to respect and give them a wide berth instead. I try to practice these wise words and after many close encounters, more often than not, if you give these reptiles a chance to escape, they will flee at the slightest chance.
I try to share these words of wisdom with my nieces and nephews who roam the fields and explore the gardens. So far, no bite encounters in the family for 4 generations now. I believe the advice is not only practical but sustainable as well. Imagine if we had to hunt all dem' critters down and kill them on the pretext that they might hurt the young'uns.
The best advice for survival and safety is awareness and education.
Just my snakeskin opinion.
Carmela
|
|
|
Post by eman campos on Apr 30, 2009 13:47:24 GMT
I agree with this practice. Anyway, their is a benefit from their existence in the ricefields. They help control the rat population.
Nonetheless, if one happens to find its way into your own home, then your family's safety takes precedence.
Case to case basis as well. If it's non-venomous like the reticulated python ("sawa") then you can ask the men from your community or household to catch it and turn it over to the Ninoy Aquino Wildlife Center in Quezon City (near QC Circle).
We caught one from our neighbor's house. It was clinging on the house's roofing frame and was already trying to escape when people started to gather. It's a 2-meter long juvenile. It took 3 men to catch it. I was among those who helped catch it. I advised the house owner to get a sack. Then i asked the one holding the python's head to carefully place the python into the sack that i was holding. Head first but still holding it until the whole body is inside the sack. Then right after the head is released, the sack's mouth is sealed. Some who caught a similar specimen taped the snake's mouth to prevent it from biting. The better way to catch the snake's head is to use a towel or shirt to grab the head with it.
The 2 guys who helped in catching the snake took it home. But I dont know what they did to the snake nonetheless.
In short, if there's a good reason to simply drive them away (like when your home is near a ricefield, farm or forest) then do so.
But when you're living in an urban area, then it is best to catch it if you can, or kill it before it kills someone.
Human life takes precedence in all cases.
If your confused, then when it is a Cobra, and it's your own home, ... you better kill it. Chances are, when the Cobra escapes and encounters another unsuspecting human, it may put that person's life to grave risk.
The rationale is, if the Cobra or other venomous snake DARED TO ENTER YOUR HOME or a populated area then it's behavior towards humans has degraded already.
Meaning, it is not scared of humans anymore. Also, their original source of food may have been depleted already or there's a dwindling supply. This may have forced the snake to brave entering populated areas.
YOU MAY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY DRIVEN IT AWAY AND LET IT LIVE BUT SINCE THERE ARE REASONS WHY THE ENCROAHMENT HAPPENED, THEN THERE IS A GREAT POSSIBILITY THAT IT WILL RETURN.
What if noone is able to sense its presence and one of your loved ones got near it and the Cobra reacts the way it knows how?
So, the rule should be, if you come across with it in a forest or ricefield then better walk away or drive it away.
But when the encounter happened right in your own home, think of your family's safety and the possibilities when you let it free.
Then again, this is just my own view on this. Mine is just a suggestion. I am not claiming that it is the best strategy nor the best thing to do.
If you understand the snake's behavior well and know some tricks to save it without putting your family's life at risk then do so.
|
|
|
Post by eman campos on Apr 30, 2009 14:40:17 GMT
By the way, just a simple reminder;
The "poisonous snake" is a bit inappropriate.
The better term is "venomous" snake.
Poisonous (poison) pertains to food or liquids that can harm you when taken in.
While "venomous" pertains to the qualities of some animals (like snake, spiders, insects) for secreting venom that can harm any victim that is injected with it.
In short, poisonous is for poisons. Like plants and animals that are not edible or chemicals that may cause death or injury when taken in.
Venomous is for venoms. Snakes, spiders and some insects secrete venom.
|
|
|
Post by Ding Carpio on May 1, 2009 20:20:13 GMT
Good advice, Eman. Like everyone here, killing any animal is a last resort for me.
The snakes that have entered my home, I think, were driven away by the grass-cutters. About 2 to 4 times a year, the subdivision developer hires a gang of grass-cutters to cut down the tall grass on all the unoccupied lots that would have grown beyond human height. So every time we see newly cut grass my whole family's vigilant.
|
|
|
Post by Toto Gamboa on May 22, 2011 19:09:11 GMT
I was suppose to delete some junk shots when I noticed something under the car. This shot was when I got stranded overnight in mud in Candaba a few weeks back (May 7 2011) when it suddenly rained to strong while I was there. For a few years of doing bird photography, I have yet to encounter a snake, seeing it and photographing it. I dunno what species is this if it's venomous or not (it looks like a baby python) but my camera got it when I took some docu shots of the car in the dark (7:55pm) stuck in the muddy dirt roads of Candaba wetlands. I even tried scraping some mud from the tires in that same scene. It had probably escaped my flashlight's beam. Checking the time stamps of the frames I have with the snake, it was like it was there for whole 2 minutes without moving. It must be attracted to the heat of the vehicle? I guess am lucky enough that it did not get near me when I was busy trying to ease up my non-cooperating stomach a few minutes before this shot ;D
|
|
|
Post by Brian Santos on Jul 10, 2012 6:35:47 GMT
You are 100% correct sir it's a Reticulated Python and it is not venomous. Sorry for bumping and old thread but I just love seeing snakes in the wild.
|
|