Snakes - Table Mountain

[Red Zone]

If you get bitten, hightail it for Vincent Pallotti hospital, phone ahead, I think they are one of the few places that have available anti-venom, Tygerberg hospital may be another. Snakebites are rarely fatal, but make great braai stories.

[Fisan]

The Cape cobra was slightly more alarming. I was pumping away on the gruelling, gravelly misery of a hill called Plum Pudding (I think that's what it's called). In my granny gear, just looking down at my front wheel, travelling at most 7 km/h. Crawling. A hissing sound made me look up, and there to my left a Cape Cobra stood slightly raised, not more than 1.5 m away. Too close for comfort on a road ride, and too close for comfort on the mountain. I said a couple of things I shouldn't have, and exploded up the hill and away. The snake slithered in the opposite direction.

 

Funny that you mention this. Saw a Cape Cobra this Sunday near Plum Pudding. My first reaction was like WHAO SH**!! And then a moment of appreciating the beautiful wild. But otherwise, no need to fear it. Don't trust the Tim Noakes snake though.

[Blackbeard]

Slightly off topic, but thought I would share an Instagram post by Ryan Sands yesterday..

I live close to there. I have one of those buggers in my garden. Snake catchers advised us to leave it. It is spotted occasionally and we often find its old skin sheath after it has moulted (damn scary to see how big its getting), but we have never had a problem. It keeps away from the dogs. I sometimes find juveniles which I release in the mountain behind us.

[dirtypot]

My folks live on the border of the Kraanz nature reserve in Mc Gregor and regularly have a variety of snakes come cruising through.  They had a cobra set up residence under their bed recently 

[Gazzan]

I had a close encounter with a Cape Cobra a few weeks back on the way up to the block house from the Deer Park side. I only spotted him when he was 30cm from my front tyre - standing up and hissing.  Kaked myself

[nonky]

If you keep some carbs handy (e.g. in your back pockets), you can usually scare off a Noakes just by waving a peanut butter sarmie at the wild animal.

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However, sometimes you may have to bring some pizza leftover from the night before and throw it at the wild Noakes to distract the animal...

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Please note that the carbs are completely harmless and will NOT harm or injure a wild Noakes in any way.

[Patchelicious]

My folks live on the border of the Kraanz nature reserve in Mc Gregor and regularly have a variety of snakes come cruising through.  They had a cobra set up residence under their bed recently 

 

Not to be confused with the Lesser-Spotted-Tokoloshe.

[Oneman]

Thanks for the welcome, and for some great responses.

 

If it has to be a snake bite, let it be on my tyre, as a result of a badly executed bunny hop over a kerb.

[DirtyDan]

I hear the babies have the worst venom. I wouldn't go near those things. Sometimes the size of my own snake scares me...

 

Is yours a copperhead? 

 

he he he

[Blackbeard]

I hear the babies have the worst venom. I wouldn't go near those things. Sometimes the size of my own snake scares me...

We lost a beautiful beagle after he sniffed at a baby cape cobra about 12 cm long. It looked like an earthworm. It bit him on the nose and he was dead before we could do anything.

 

It was on a farm in Wellington. The adults nest often in the feed bales. When the babies are born they try to make their way into the fields. A very dangerous thing for pets or small children. 

[Raydek]

Or the drinking type... The ones you get in the pubs in the UK. Funnily enough they also turn you red and make you feel sick!!

 

I've always known the red ones (beer/cider/black current) as a pink panther and the beer/cider/whiskey combo to be the snake bite???? 

[Brawler]

question, probably a stupid one. 

 

If you are riding and come too close to a Cobra or Puffy, will the snake know to go for the the rider or will it strike at the bike? Don't they have heat senser things.

[Hairy]

Can Admin please close this thread down ....... how the hell and I expected to still cycle on the mountain after all of the above!

[Meezo]

If you keep some carbs handy (e.g. in your back pockets), you can usually scare off a Noakes just by waving a peanut butter sarmie at the wild animal.

.

However, sometimes you may have to bring some pizza leftover from the night before and throw it at the wild Noakes to distract the animal...

.

Please note that the carbs are completely harmless and will NOT harm or injure a wild Noakes in any way.

 

 

absolutely made my day, bwahahahahahahahahaha

 

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

[Patchelicious]

question, probably a stupid one. 

 

If you are riding and come too close to a Cobra or Puffy, will the snake know to go for the the rider or will it strike at the bike? Don't they have heat senser things.

 

Just shout Stravaaaaaaaaaaaa at it, should move out the way.

[Cam182]

I've never seen a snake riding but after hearing multiple stories over the last 2 weeks and reading this i'm getting a little nervous...

 

For anyone feeling the same... from the http://www.tygerbergmtb.co.za/flora-fauna/snakes.html link someone posted earlier: 

 

"People who are afraid of snakes should consider the following annual mortality statistics taken from Sharklife.co.za: Sharks  7 in 25 years, venomous snakes   15, lightning   200, drowning   408, burnt to death   871, road accidents 18 000, smoking   29 000, AIDS   370 000."

 

Still i'm saving these numbers in my phone now (also from http://www.tygerbergmtb.co.za/flora-fauna/snakes.html):

 

Poison Unit: Red Cross Hospital   021 689 5227

Groote Schuur Hospital: Casualty   021 404 4141

Tygerberg Hospital: Poison Unit   021 931 6129

Constantia Mediclinic: Casualty   021 799 2087/ 799 2122

 

Now does anyone have a good list of numbers for road accident emergencies? something i've been meaning to save after coming across the landudno hit and run a few weeks ago and realising i wouldn't know who to call first...