Snakes in WC Spring Time

[MORNE]

A friend of a friend posted this:

 

Two of them riding together. Snake falls down slope between them. Almost lands on front guy (photographer). I don't think the guy in the picture is faking or posing. My undies feel dirty just talking about this...

 

i've seen those before, you guys seem to be all posting pics of the same snake...

commonly referred to by 'ones in the know' as 'Noporrus Ropentis'

 

AKA :

 

 

[porqui]

Please be aware for snakes - it's that time of the year.

 

Someone on a hiking group posted video of THREE different puffies in Jonkershoek and they were large and on the trail.

[ChrisF]

This little one was enjoying the Bloemies trails on Sunday ...

 

[Robbie Stewart]

1 hour ago, ChrisF said:

This little one was enjoying the Bloemies trails on Sunday ...

 

Juvenile mole snake. Non venemous but packs a nasty wallop of a bite. Think ragged tooth shark on land. They're also fairly aggro so best left well alone.

[ChrisF]

7 hours ago, Robbie Stewart said:

Juvenile mole snake. Non venemous but packs a nasty wallop of a bite. Think ragged tooth shark on land. They're also fairly aggro so best left well alone.

 

We met up with Kobus, fellow Hubber and rigid SS rider,  at the start of Blomen Nice.

 

This little one was in the first bend ....

 

Kobus got a stick and it rushed off into the schrubs.  Kobus was concerned riders will ride over it ...

[LBKloppers]

I laugh while I read these encounters, just because I have been there. 

I used to work and live on the Namaqualand west coast where a strong southerly wind is the prevailing force. When one goes out for a ride, it means getting as aero as possible and pace it out. The wind noise in your ears drowns out any other sound. So, one lovely windy day as I was grinding out against the wind I encounter this massive Cape Cobra. It was lying along the edge of the road - we guessed it was regulating it body temp being cold blooded and all - and when I was right next to this bugger, it raised its head and hooded, fast! I guess the wind was drowning out his senses too, because it waited until I was right on top of it. The road is a narrow road and when I was sticking to the yellow line, my left pedal was over the edge of the road. That was a CLOSE encounter. I did shat myself and I did not stop to inspect or check or anything. The adrenalin gave me speed and I used it all.

Today I laugh at myself, but I also enjoy the similar close encounters simply because I can relate.

Later I did discuss with someone who knew something about snakes. He explained that the white sands and the cold wind makes it hard for the snakes to heat up when there is a lot of fog, or late in the afternoon. The snakes use the black heat absorbing surface of the tar road and it regulates its body heat by laying partly on the tar and partly on the sand. Further as the snake's skin gets tighter before shedding, the ability to see decline. The snake is possibly irritable and afraid. It was speculated that maybe, its sight was already so bad that even if it felt the vibrations, it did not know where to flee to quickly. The result is this blindingly fast raising its hood in defense. 

[MORNE]

I rode around bloemendal 2/3 weeks ago...that first day the sun was out after all the rain, it was mid week somewhere and around lunch time. i passed 3 snakes. All of them presumedly cape cobras just chilling in the sun next to the trails. They were all solid yellow/brown in colour. 2 of them were on that lifted "promenade" right after Bloemenice on the way to home run's start. I now call that 'snake alley' haha. Went cold after i saw the first one...basically rode off the trail into the bushes - probably not smart. By the last one it was like..."oh hey there Mr. Noperope"

They were also "The sun is out...Lets catch some rays" obviously.

[Murrob]

So my wife nearly stepped on this Puff Adder at Boschendal on Sunday while trail running up the mountain side. Super big fat lazy guy, he raised up and all with the normal warning signs, at which point she rapidly backed away and took this video. Strange was that this was well past mid day, perhaps because it was a bit cooler (23 degrees) it was out longer in the sun. Fair warning, there is some swearing! 

 

Edited November 2, 2022 by Murrob
Spelling

[Robbie Stewart]

1 hour ago, Murrob said:

So my wife nearly stepped on this Puff Adder at Boschendal on Sunday while trail running up the mountain side. Super big fat lazy guy, he raised up and all with the normal warning signs, at which point she rapidly backed away and took this video. Strange was that this was well past mid day, perhaps because it was a bit cooler (23 degrees) it was out longer in the sun. Fair warning, there is some swearing! 

 

IMG_8017.MOV 1.89 MB · 27 downloads

 

That puffy identifies as a cobra 😬

[porqui]

7 hours ago, Murrob said:

So my wife nearly stepped on this Puff Adder at Boschendal on Sunday while trail running up the mountain side. Super big fat lazy guy, he raised up and all with the normal warning signs, at which point she rapidly backed away and took this video. Strange was that this was well past mid day, perhaps because it was a bit cooler (23 degrees) it was out longer in the sun. Fair warning, there is some swearing! 

 

IMG_8017.MOV 1.89 MB · 52 downloads

 

Just be aware that puffies are one of the top fastest strikers in the snake world - and at full tilt they are NOT slow either.

[MORNE]

8 hours ago, Murrob said:

So my wife nearly stepped on this Puff Adder at Boschendal on Sunday while trail running up the mountain side. Super big fat lazy guy, he raised up and all with the normal warning signs, at which point she rapidly backed away and took this video. Strange was that this was well past mid day, perhaps because it was a bit cooler (23 degrees) it was out longer in the sun. Fair warning, there is some swearing! 

 

 

Thats a proper nope rope.

[PygaSchmyga]

8 hours ago, porqui said:

Just be aware that puffies are one of the top fastest strikers in the snake world - and at full tilt they are NOT slow either.

i did not know this, and now I am having even more heebie geebies

[JPD]

15 hours ago, Murrob said:

So my wife nearly stepped on this Puff Adder at Boschendal on Sunday while trail running up the mountain side. Super big fat lazy guy, he raised up and all with the normal warning signs, at which point she rapidly backed away and took this video. Strange was that this was well past mid day, perhaps because it was a bit cooler (23 degrees) it was out longer in the sun. Fair warning, there is some swearing! 

 

IMG_8017.MOV 1.89 MB · 60 downloads

 

Do Puffies normally raise their heads like that? None of all the Puffies I've seen at Cascades have done that.

[Murrob]

Looking online and for ease of reference 

From Wikipedia 

‘The puff adder (Bitis arietans) is a viperspecies found in savannahs and grasslands from Morocco and western Arabia throughout Africaexcept for the Sahara and rainforest regions.^[3] It is responsible for causing the most snakebite fatalities in Africa owing to various factors, such as its wide distribution, frequent occurrence in highly populated regions, and aggressive disposition.^[4][5] Like all other vipers, it is venomous. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspeciesdescribed here.^[6]

German naturalist Blasius Merrem described the puff adder in 1820. The word arietans means "striking violently" and is derived from the Latin arieto.^[11] The type locality given is "Promontorio bonae spei" (Cape of Good Hope), South Africa.^[2]

 

Normally a sluggish species, the puff adder relies on camouflage for protection. Locomotion is primarily rectilinear, using the broad ventral scales in a caterpillar fashion and aided by its own weight for traction. When agitated, it can resort to a typical serpentine movement of surprising speed.^[4][12] Although mainly terrestrial, these snakes are good swimmers and can also climb with ease; often they are found basking in low bushes. One specimen was found 4.6 m above the ground in a densely branched tree.^[4]

If disturbed, they hiss loudly and continuously, adopting a tightly coiled defensive posture with the forepart of their body held in a taut "S" shape. At the same time, they may attempt to back away from the threat towards cover. They may strike suddenly and fast, to the side as easily as forwards, before returning quickly to the defensive position, ready to strike again. During a strike, the force of the impact is so strong, and the long fangs penetrate so deeply, that prey items are often killed by the physical trauma alone. The fangs apparently can penetrate soft leather.^[4][12]

They can strike to a distance of about one-third of their body length, but juveniles can launch their entire bodies forwards in the process. These snakes rarely grip their victims, but instead release quickly to return to the striking position.^[4]‘

The above certainly increases the nope rope status for me…

[tinmug]

I've been told a puff adder will strike a balloon twice before you see it pop. And that by an experienced snake handler that will handle anything by hand, except a puffy, then the tongs are used. 

If they feel vulnerable they are bitey, but will almost always give you a warning (warning #1: neck in S-bend, i.e. ready to strike; warning #2: hissing).

You can general tell which sex a puff adder is by looking at the tail: the males have long slender tapering tails, the females' tales taper off quite abruptly. They are quite magnificent snakes: just one huge muscle with fangs. 

[Paul Ruinaard]

On 10/4/2022 at 7:24 AM, LBKloppers said:

I laugh while I read these encounters, just because I have been there. 

I used to work and live on the Namaqualand west coast where a strong southerly wind is the prevailing force. When one goes out for a ride, it means getting as aero as possible and pace it out. The wind noise in your ears drowns out any other sound. So, one lovely windy day as I was grinding out against the wind I encounter this massive Cape Cobra. It was lying along the edge of the road - we guessed it was regulating it body temp being cold blooded and all - and when I was right next to this bugger, it raised its head and hooded, fast! I guess the wind was drowning out his senses too, because it waited until I was right on top of it. The road is a narrow road and when I was sticking to the yellow line, my left pedal was over the edge of the road. That was a CLOSE encounter. I did shat myself and I did not stop to inspect or check or anything. The adrenalin gave me speed and I used it all.

Today I laugh at myself, but I also enjoy the similar close encounters simply because I can relate.

Later I did discuss with someone who knew something about snakes. He explained that the white sands and the cold wind makes it hard for the snakes to heat up when there is a lot of fog, or late in the afternoon. The snakes use the black heat absorbing surface of the tar road and it regulates its body heat by laying partly on the tar and partly on the sand. Further as the snake's skin gets tighter before shedding, the ability to see decline. The snake is possibly irritable and afraid. It was speculated that maybe, its sight was already so bad that even if it felt the vibrations, it did not know where to flee to quickly. The result is this blindingly fast raising its hood in defense. 

There was a guy riding with us in Beaulieu one Saturday morning who hated snakes. Of course a moerse Rinkhals which was in the grass sat up next to him. I have clear recollections of some big pedal strokes - so strong it was like the back wheel was breaking traction and there were puffs of dust coming off the tyre as he left the scene in a hurry. I think his shorts were also somewhat full at that stage. We were pissing ourselves and he did not see the funny side of it. Its always the okes who hate snakes thats find them. Seen many a dead puffy in Machadodorp area where they were common and you took your life in your hands when you went off piste a bit.