Snakes and kids

darlogeoff

Seems we have a new resident in the garden, I've seen a few lizards knocking around even a couple of big monitors so I got rid of the fish pond as they always went straight for it I guess it was fast food for them. anyway the gardener has found two fairly big snake skins in the last month, having googled it it seems they can shed 12 times a year so hopefully its the same one, the gardener reckons it's a king cobra but then every skin ever found is. I'll need to call someone to find it and give it a new home. P.S. Tried to attache pic several times!

harryopal

Most snake deaths usually are associated with people trying to kill the snake. I understood that King Cobras spit poison aiming at the eyes. Is that the case with the cobras here too? Call in the snake handlers. Snakes also help keep down vermin like rats and mice but a worry when there is one in the house somewhere.

Foamcrest

This not a snake issue but along similar lines, does anyone know how to deter Porcupines from eating various plants etc in the garden. I looked on line and there was some spray thing in America but not worth the effort to try and get it to Bali. So is it chillies, garlic, ginger or a something yet to be devised. The room boy wants to set a trap and kill it as they, apparently, make excellent sate!! I suppose I could put do the chillie, garlic and ginger which would save having to marinate it!

Mark

My landscape contractor recommends spraying the insecticide Decis around the perimeter of your property. Not only deals with troublesome insects, it also apparently repels snakes.

mugwump

darlogeoff wrote Seems we have a new resident in the garden, I've seen a few lizards knocking around even a couple of big monitors so I got rid of the fish pond as they always went straight for it I guess it was fast food for them. anyway the gardener has found two fairly big snake skins in the last month, having googled it it seems they can shed 12 times a year so hopefully its the same one, the gardener reckons it's a king cobra but then every skin ever found is. I'll need to call someone to find it and give it a new home. P.S. Tried to attache pic several times!

Cant quite determine if you are asking a question, but if you are the answer about Cobra's in Bali is correct. Depending upon location of course, but during wet periods they may try getting in your house. To deter that try plugging open areas in the floor and use Wipol disinfectant to kill them and pore in open holes on the ground floor. Wipol is available at most super markets.

Markit

darlogeoff wrote Seems we have a new resident in the garden, I've seen a few lizards knocking around even a couple of big monitors so I got rid of the fish pond as they always went straight for it I guess it was fast food for them. anyway the gardener has found two fairly big snake skins in the last month, having googled it it seems they can shed 12 times a year so hopefully its the same one, the gardener reckons it's a king cobra but then every skin ever found is. I'll need to call someone to find it and give it a new home. P.S. Tried to attache pic several times!

I live in an area where there are snakes and so do you. Snakes are very territorial and if you do succeed in moving the snake(s) you have then others will move in to take up the free space. I'm not aware of any way to get rid of them permanently other than concreting your entire yard, and even then I'm not sure that would work. Your best option is get a dog that will run around and scare the snake into hiding and/or possibly attack the snake. That might mean you will need a new dog soon but that's better than a new family member. Mostly the snakes are looking for food, usually frogs so you've made a good start getting rid of the pond. That will keep the frog numbers down. Best advice is to go slowly and during dark always have a light to walk with. And find a stick to move them along with if you or your gardener see/find one. See picture - I have one of those always hand and anyone on the property that sees a snake is advised to stay there watching the snake and call Ular/snake loudly for anyone else to bring the grabber and move mister snake gently away to a jungle or overgrown area near you. DO NOT KILL THEM they are very valuable members of the ecology. ALSO CAN'T POST A PICTURE!!!

darlogeoff

Markit wrote I live in an area where there are snakes and so do you. Snakes are very territorial and if you do succeed in moving the snake(s) you have then others will move in to take up the free space. I'm not aware of any way to get rid of them permanently other than concreting your entire yard, and even then I'm not sure that would work. Your best option is get a dog that will run around and scare the snake into hiding and/or possibly attack the snake. That might mean you will need a new dog soon but that's better than a new family member. Mostly the snakes are looking for food, usually frogs so you've made a good start getting rid of the pond. That will keep the frog numbers down. Best advice is to go slowly and during dark always have a light to walk with. And find a stick to move them along with if you or your gardener see/find one. See picture - I have one of those always hand and anyone on the property that sees a snake is advised to stay there watching the snake and call Ular/snake loudly for anyone else to bring the grabber and move mister snake gently away to a jungle or overgrown area near you. DO NOT KILL THEM they are very valuable members of the ecology. ALSO CAN'T POST A PICTURE!!!

Yes absolutely don't want to kill just deter it, seems it likes to hide where my water tanks are, my kids ( 5 and 3 years old) like to play around the back so I've made it off limits and fitted a light, I heard strong smells like sulphur, onions can help. Now you mention it we have been getting frog chorus every morning from the field next door!

Markit

darlogeoff wrote Yes absolutely don't want to kill just deter it, seems it likes to hide where my water tanks are, my kids ( 5 and 3 years old) like to play around the back so I've made it off limits and fitted a light, I heard strong smells like sulphur, onions can help. Now you mention it we have been getting frog chorus every morning from the field next door!

If you know with surety where the snake can be found then by all means call in the snake possy (Ron Lilley on FB) and get them to remove the bad boy. BUT in my experience you see the snake, call Ron, he rocks up an hour or two later and the snake is nowhere to be found. Best is get the grabber and do it yourself. If you have a near lying piece of jungle or a neighbor you don't like - over the fence then.

Markit

Foamcrest wrote This not a snake issue but along similar lines, does anyone know how to deter Porcupines from eating various plants etc in the garden. I looked on line and there was some spray thing in America but not worth the effort to try and get it to Bali. So is it chillies, garlic, ginger or a something yet to be devised. The room boy wants to set a trap and kill it as they, apparently, make excellent sate!! I suppose I could put do the chillie, garlic and ginger which would save having to marinate it!

Learned something new today - porcupines in Bali. Who would have thought. Old English (Pikkey) recipe is to roll the P in wet clay then on the fire with him and what an hour or so and then pull off the clay and the spines go with it and there you have a lovely tender dinner.

mugwump

Mark wrote My landscape contractor recommends spraying the insecticide Decis around the perimeter of your property. Not only deals with troublesome insects, it also apparently repels snakes.

I would agree, and having a herpetologist in the neighborhood prevailed upon him last year when he captured a spitting cobra from under the house, and removed it. In the case of locating 2 young cobras IN the house recently however decided to use Wipol disinfectant down the hole from which they had emerged (as advocated by the herpetologist when previously here), and soon slowed their progress, as they exited. In the case of being a nature lover or saving my ass don't scratch my head debating the issue!