Puffy encounter

[Gen]

I'm with you on this one. If a snake enters my yard,he must just know that he signed his own death warrant.....

My cat feels the same way. She also likes bringing us presents in the morning.. lays them out nicely on the bathroom mat for us.. not bloody funny at 5:30 in the am when you have just woken up. (All little and mostly harmless) donno what she will do if she comes across a meneer. .

[Piston ZA]

Almost stepped on this guy whilst running on the contour path above kirstenbosch a little while ago, not sure whether it was dead or alive but I did some very swift evasive maneuvers when I saw it initially!

Looks like a Cape File Snake, which are harmless. But not sure if they are found in the Cape Town area (despite the name), so not sure.

[Piston ZA]

Does anybody know if someone has been bitten by a snake while riding in SA? Did a quick Google search, and appears there have been some close cases in the US involving rattlesnakes, but only one confirmed bite (from quick search I did).

 

So looks like chances are extremely low, and really the least of our worries out on the trails.

[Lexx]

I had plenty Close encounters with Black Mamba's in and Around Komatipoort. Does that count.

[RockCoach]

I had a close encounter with a black mamba. I however didn't see it as it was crossing the dust road in the shadows. I was told it was partially reared about 10cm from my left leg. Hubber 'Sidewinder' (lol) was directly behind me 

 

I still have nightmares.

[zappa]

Does anybody know if someone has been bitten by a snake while riding in SA? Did a quick Google search, and appears there have been some close cases in the US involving rattlesnakes, but only one confirmed bite (from quick search I did).

 

So looks like chances are extremely low, and really the least of our worries out on the trails.

 

I have that unfortunate distinction. Got bitten while riding Day 2 of The Vic Falls MTB Challenge. Crossing a dam wall got bitten on my shin bone. My mates were too scared to find the damn thing in the tall thatch grass so couldn't identify it.All they wanted to know was if they could have my PYGA if I didn't make it. Bastards!

Was either a dry bite or something harmless. (War story: it was a 1.5m Puffy that came off second best) Got taken in to Vic Falls Hospital on the back of an old Landy. Discharged myself that evening with a headache and sore leg. G&T's sorted the rest out.

Was pretty terrifying at the time.

[mataz]

Looks like a Cape File Snake, which are harmless. But not sure if they are found in the Cape Town area (despite the name), so not sure.

My uncle who is a farmer and has a very good knowledge of snakes said the same thing but have also checked and they don't seem to be found here. 

[sawystertrance]

Isn't it a mole snake?

[Bonus]

1) I have that unfortunate distinction. . . 

 

2) All they wanted to know was if they could have my PYGA

 

3) (War story: it was a 1.5m Puffy that came off second best) Got taken in to Vic Falls Hospital on the back of an old Landy. Discharged myself that evening with a headache and sore leg. G&T's sorted the rest out.

 

 

 

 

1) Not a club I'm keen to join.

2) Honest friends are hard to find - respect to them!

3) I saw you on the International News - I remember they said you were a "Hero in your own lifetime"

 

 

:-)

[leeubok]

Quick update on our roof tenant. After the last klopjag we did, it disappeared for a while and I thought we had chased it away for good. 

 

Then on Monday morning, at 3am, my wife and I got woken up by the same sounds coming from directly above our bed. So I knew the snake was back, and it kept me awake until I had to get up and go to work. After work I got my shotgun, flashlight and snakestick ready and climbed into the roof again. I just thought bugger the ceiling boards, if I see this snake I'm going to blast it! 

 

As I headed towards the bedroom I saw some fresh snake poop.Told the wife to take a broomstick and knock on the ceiling boards where we heard it last time. She could immediately hear it but I couldn't, and neither could I see it because it was underneath the insulation. Eventually it's head popped out, and that's when I nearly shat myself. It wasn't a mfezi as I first thought, but a flippen black mamba! It shot out from underneath the insulation (luckily not in my direction) so I took 2 shots at it and got it. I was still *** bang to go near it, if it's still alive and comes for me there's no room in there to quickly move out the way.

 

2.5m (we measured it) BLACK MAMBA

[Lexx]

Whaaaat!!! I would've burned the whole house down. The only good snake is a dead snake...   

[Gnarly]

Quick update on our roof tenant. After the last klopjag we did, it disappeared for a while and I thought we had chased it away for good. 

 

Then on Monday morning, at 3am, my wife and I got woken up by the same sounds coming from directly above our bed. So I knew the snake was back, and it kept me awake until I had to get up and go to work. After work I got my shotgun, flashlight and snakestick ready and climbed into the roof again. I just thought bugger the ceiling boards, if I see this snake I'm going to blast it! 

 

As I headed towards the bedroom I saw some fresh snake poop.Told the wife to take a broomstick and knock on the ceiling boards where we heard it last time. She could immediately hear it but I couldn't, and neither could I see it because it was underneath the insulation. Eventually it's head popped out, and that's when I nearly shat myself. It wasn't a mfezi as I first thought, but a flippen black mamba! It shot out from underneath the insulation (luckily not in my direction) so I took 2 shots at it and got it. I was still *** bang to go near it, if it's still alive and comes for me there's no room in there to quickly move out the way.

 

2.5m (we measured it) BLACK MAMBA

_20160527_060238.JPG

 

Really!!! Wouldn't even touch that thing after it was cremated.

[Gen]

Quick update on our roof tenant. After the last klopjag we did, it disappeared for a while and I thought we had chased it away for good.

 

Then on Monday morning, at 3am, my wife and I got woken up by the same sounds coming from directly above our bed. So I knew the snake was back, and it kept me awake until I had to get up and go to work. After work I got my shotgun, flashlight and snakestick ready and climbed into the roof again. I just thought bugger the ceiling boards, if I see this snake I'm going to blast it!

 

As I headed towards the bedroom I saw some fresh snake poop.Told the wife to take a broomstick and knock on the ceiling boards where we heard it last time. She could immediately hear it but I couldn't, and neither could I see it because it was underneath the insulation. Eventually it's head popped out, and that's when I nearly shat myself. It wasn't a mfezi as I first thought, but a flippen black mamba! It shot out from underneath the insulation (luckily not in my direction) so I took 2 shots at it and got it. I was still *** bang to go near it, if it's still alive and comes for me there's no room in there to quickly move out the way.

 

2.5m (we measured it) BLACK MAMBA

_20160527_060238.JPG

No snake catches in your area that could catch and relocate it?

 

Pity you had to kill it.. but yip.. no messing around with black mambas hey and when they are dead they are still venomous.

[Meezo]

Whaaaat!!! I would've burned the whole neighborhood house down. The only good snake is a dead snake...   

 

FIXED

[Lexx]

FIXED

Exactly...

[leeubok]

No snake catches in your area that could catch and relocate it?

 

Pity you had to kill it.. but yip.. no messing around with black mambas hey and when they are dead they are still venomous.

Unfortunately not Gen. I live on a game reserve, far far away from any big towns. You get bitten here and it's a 3-4 hour drive to the nearest hospital with antivenom. I relocate snakes as much as I can, but I'm not trained to handle venomous snakes so not going to take a chance. Also have 3 young kids in the house, so unfortunately the snake had to go. Some snakes (like mambas) are also territorial, so chance are good they'll just come back if you don't relocate it far enough