snake species and their temper

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Re: snake species and their temper

Postby Robin Duborget » Thu May 28, 2015 10:03 am

In my case I was searching for Grasshoppers in the grass of a hot corsican meadow (In July) when, suddenly, a big Hierophis bited my leg. Maybe I stepped on it, but It certainly bited me before I saw it ... After that, he fled (and only at this time I could see that It was a Hierophis).

Hierophis are very common in Corsica and I know peoples who have been bited in the same way. My brother for example.


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Re: snake species and their temper

Postby Ruggero M. » Thu May 28, 2015 10:03 am

Bert Vandebosch wrote:Well Niklas and Ruggero:

Very interesting indeed. So snakes might truly be agressive in some occasions.
What time of season did this happen?
Might it have something to do with mating season? They might have been males that want to keep anything away from their mate?
Viridiflavus is known for its male to male combats in spring. Sometimes they maybe go in overdrive...?


The second observation (viridiflavus on the fallen tree) surely in spring (in May, if I remember well).
The first one I cannot remember, but, since my observations were made almost exclusively in spring, I would say spring too... ;)
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Re: snake species and their temper

Postby Ruggero M. » Thu May 28, 2015 2:26 pm

I'm writing with the smartphone: it happened 5 minutes ago. This viridiflavus was crossing the road, but had no possibility to escape because of the wall. I stopped the car, and when I approached the snake, which was crawling fast along the wall, it tried to attack me, before being touched. I try now to post a picture with the smartphone! Not enough memory... Will try later at home.

Here it is: snake/wall situation, after capture... :oops:
wall.jpg
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Re: snake species and their temper

Postby Berislav Horvatic » Thu May 28, 2015 3:01 pm

Viridiflavus is known for its male to male combats in spring. Sometimes they maybe go in overdrive...?

Overdrive? Certainly, especially against each other:

AR_0731_RED.jpg

AR_0705_RED.jpg

So, try to imagine in what mood could the beaten one be after having lost a battle like that...
And then a human comes along the path, suspecting nothing...
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Re: snake species and their temper

Postby Rob Andriessen » Thu May 28, 2015 3:57 pm

Are there other people who have been bitten by a Malpolon monspessulanus and did actually get venom in their body? I walked around with a thick arm for a day, but apart from that it wasn't that bad (though I wouldn't necessarily recommend it).
I have seen Typhlops vermicularis trying to bite, but I doubt there ever has been one which made it through human skin. I admire their perseverance though.

As for Dolichophis caspius, I can only add this:
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Re: snake species and their temper

Postby Niklas Ban » Thu May 28, 2015 6:29 pm

Found the individual in the middle of may at 600m above the sea in Ticino, so maybe I should say Hierophis cabonarius.
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Re: snake species and their temper

Postby Berislav Horvatic » Thu May 28, 2015 8:40 pm

Bert Vandebosch wrote:Bero please ...

Bero is pleased with what you wrote, no objections. We're on the same side, after all...
Peace on you, my friend.

Well I would love to see a video from your "snake whisperer" and learn from that!

Sorry, no video. I did my best to find a photo of him doing that, but even that has failed (so far).
Actually, he does nothing extraordinary, he just hugs the snake in his arms, like a baby, and the
animal calms down and "goes to sleep" - or maybe not quite, but the effect is the same.
Well, not tested on venomous snakes, for obvious reasons, but for the diverse nonvenomous "angry
dragons" it has worked, many times. Just a joy to watch. Actually, I believe anybody could do that,
but most of us usually have "no time" for feats like that. While the "real guys" make photos, and/or
do the scientific work (measuring, taking tissue probes for the DNA analysis & c.), he's just around,
calming down the unnerved "victims" of our "more serious" activities...
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