Snakes

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Mick F
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Re: Snakes

Post by Mick F »

Tasmania 1988
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Mick F. Cornwall
glueman
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Re: Snakes

Post by glueman »

Years ago a college chum had a girlfriend who had severe snake phobia. The sight of a snake would cause her to faint, as would a TV programme or even a picture of one.
She would occasionally be found out cold and he'd casually ask if there was an image of a snake anywhere. Inevitably one had flashed up on the screen or someone had a book with one on the cover. I wonder if she ever got treatment for the condition?
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meic
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Location: Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen)

Re: Snakes

Post by meic »

GRW

Could it be Red bellied black snake that you are searching for, as they are one of the most common Aussie snakes and certainly the easiest to recognise.

My problem in Austraila was that the (yellow and black) sea snake and the red bellied black where the only ones that I could identify (and the blue tongue but it isnt a snake)

I spent some time picking bananas and when you get the bananas back to the depot they are still in large plastic bags that cover the bananas while on the sap. Sometimes you remove the bag to find a snake right in your face.
When I was new I would very quietly and calmly call to my aboriginal co-workers asking what sort is it. Their answer was always "kill it man, kill it" So I soon gave up asking them.
The big problem was that the snake and I were stuck on a thin loading platform and the snake's only way out was past me.
So I would walk backwards not too rapidly with the snake following until I found somewhere to step aside. I didnt dare turn my back so I walked backwards.

This turned out to be quite a frequent experience and never once did a snake show any sign of wishing to attack me.

In my time walking in the bush I never came across a live snake, we were told to walk heavy and the snakes would be gone long before you got there.

I am not fond of snakes and would never go out of my way to touch the ones that people keep as pets. However in Australia and Indonesia it was quite common to be sharing a house with a python. They were useful for keeping the pests down.
Yma o Hyd
AlbionLass

Re: Snakes

Post by AlbionLass »

There used to be a lot of grass snakes around my Grandmas pond when I was younger, probably due to the abundance of frogs living in the vicinity.
We have a Yellow Rat Snake that we've had since 1995, 'LB' (the snake) is now about 6 and a half feet long. We also used to have a Common Boa and a Brown House Snake, both sadly now passed away.
bodach
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Re: Snakes

Post by bodach »

"Beware of snakes" is a favourite sign put up by settlers to frighten tourists and preserve their privacy.Rarely see any anywhere near where the signs are!
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fausto copy
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Re: Snakes

Post by fausto copy »

I'm going to have to stop looking at this thread.
I had nightmares last night, with a weird sea-serpent chasing me. :shock:
Never thought this forum would have such a nasty effect on me. :|
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patricktaylor
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Re: Snakes

Post by patricktaylor »

I lived in Australia from 2000 to 2005. I'm saying that just to prove I've seen nasty snakes and massive spiders. I don't mind snakes but massive spiders is another matter. Women apparently tend to jump on chairs at the sign of a rat, but I don't mind those either. It's just the spiders, even though I know they're mostly harmless. These various reactions seem to be built into our personal DNAs for some peculiar reason.
Bill D
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Location: sunny mid Wales

Re: Snakes

Post by Bill D »

I've cycled past (and once over ) snakes in various parts of the world and what has struck me about the experience is that you can't ask the snake if it's poisonous or not, so if you're not sure you just have to assume that it is. Slow worms are lovely things - we used to have a garden full of them (they often breed in compost heaps) but I can take or leave proper snakes, thanks.
grw
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Re: Snakes

Post by grw »

meic wrote:GRW

Could it be Red bellied black snake that you are searching for, as they are one of the most common Aussie snakes and certainly the easiest to recognise.


Sounds about right to me. I think they are easy to recognise once they are lying on their back!!! Or maybe when their back arches as they launch into attack mode :shock:
gareth
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robwa10
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Re: Snakes

Post by robwa10 »

[/quote] 8) Only a small one (young?) about 6" long. [/quote]
Those are the most dangerous ones! I grew up in Georgia, USA (been here 8 years now) and snakes were a fairly common occurrence. The ones I always hated finding were the small ones. Once picked up a largish piece of tree bark in the front yard to find a 6 inch rattlesnake underneath. That's when I found out that not only is adrenaline brown but so is fear!
When snakes are born their venom is just as potent as when they're full grown and they're harder to see. So I didn't mind the big one's because they're easier to see. :D

As a quick rule of thumb snakes with a rounded shaped head are not venomous and snakes with a triangular shaped head are. In my late teens I used to watch Steve Irwin and then go out snake hunting!
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