Here’s a couple of small, but beautiful snakes I’ve come across recently. This one is an Oligodon ornatus (Ornate Kukri Snake). The name derives from their blade-like teeth that resemble the famous daggers of Nepal’s Ghurka soldiers, and which are used to slash away at eggs.
And here’s a small Amphiesma sauteri (Sauter’s watersnake) that I came across on a bike ride…
Saw a green tree viper today. Wasn’t moving. I returned to the same spot 2 hours later and it was still there. Maybe dead? I didn’t get close and didn’t try to disturb it. Would a dead snake be in this position, I wonder, or was it sleeping?
That’s a classic ambush position for a Green Tree Viper so I’m guessing he’s just sitting there waiting for a frog to come within range. These are nocturnal snakes, but I’ve seen them during the daytime in just such a pose - perhaps just couldn’t be bothered to move to a more secluded location at dawn. By the way, these warm temperatures mean we should still be able to see snakes for the next few days. I saw a Dinodon last night, and a GTV, two Greater Greens and another hatchling Dinodon a few nights ago.
The relatively warm temperatures means the snake season has been extended even into mid-November here in the north. Here are a couple of snakes I’ve come across in the past few days…the first is a Habu. One of my crutches is serving as a make-shift hook. The second is a hatchling Dinodon that was spotted on the ground as I was reaching for another snake - a Greater Green. Both were found on Tiger Head Mountain in Taoyuan.
The habu looks very close to you. They aren’t aggressive snakes you should keep at a distance, I guess?
I don’t like the term “aggressive” applied to snakes. I’ve never come across an aggressive snake. But habus are very DEFENSIVE if you get into their grill, and they pack a very nasty hemotoxic punch. The photo is deceptive, as my crutch is longer than even the hooks I generally use to handle snakes. You should always exercise caution when handling snakes - especially venomous ones like the habu. Fortunately the habu is semi-arboreal and very comfortable perched on a hook…or a crutch.
OK, defensive. 
I have a question about the Chinese cobra. Have seen quite a few of them during daytime while hiking in the hills around Taipei recently. How likely is it that you step on or come close to one when walking through high grass? Are they moving away when someone approaches or are the staying put in the hope not to be discovered? How about other snakes in northern Taiwan? What should one look out for during daytime?
I’d say that it’s easier to step on a viper, but I have no reptile studies 
BTW, I love the pictures you guys post here. I’d like join one night!
The cobra is the only venomous snake in Taiwan that is active during the daytime. And your chances of getting bitten by one are considerably less than getting struck by lightning. If you see one you are very lucky indeed to encounter such an awesome animal. But are you sure the snakes you’ve been seeing are cobras? Many people confuse ratsnakes for them. In the extremely unlikely event that you’d get bitten by one, seek medical attention immediately. The cobra is just about the last snake you want to get tagged by, as its venom has neurotoxic and hemotoxic components, and it packs a big venom yield. Not a snake to trifle with. Snake behavior varies from species to species. Ratsnakes and cobras are pretty fast, so if they feel you coming, they’ll generally hightail it out of there if they can. Other snakes will “freeze” and hope their camouflage keeps them from being spotted. Then they will try to flee if they can. Finally they will launch some defensive strikes if they feel cornered. The LAST thing a snake wants to do is waste its venom on, or get into a fight with, an animal that is 20 times its size. Such encounters never end well for the snake, and mean it will either go hungry or get killed. A snake striking means it has exhausted its menu of other options and gone “all in” to ward off an attack.
[quote=“jesus80”]I’d say that it’s easier to step on a viper, but I have no reptile studies
BTW, I love the pictures you guys post here. I’d like join one night![/quote]
While bites are exceedingly rare, the vipers - especially habus and GTVs - are definitely the most likely to be involved. They have fantastic camouflage, and they’re everywhere. You’d definitely be well-advised to have a flashlight/headlamp with you if you’re walking down a path near wooded areas at night. But again, these are NOT aggressive snakes. They won’t ever chase you. They want to be left alone to catch their frogs, and only bite when someone steps on them or walks on their front porch uninvited. If you’re interested in taking part in a night hike, just let me know, we head out into the local hills all the time, and from April-October you are pretty much guaranteed to ALWAYS see something amazing out and about. 
The snakes I saw were all almost black, 150cm or longer and quite fat. Sometimes they cross the hiking trail a few meters ahead like a freight train, straight and quick. I have seen a rat snake before, they are not as dark as the cobras, are they? And maybe slimmer? Of course, I could be wrong, not an expert. I like snakes. Just worry about stepping on them or getting too close in high grass.
The snakes I saw were all almost black, 150cm or longer and quite fat. Sometimes they cross the hiking trail a few meters ahead like a freight train, straight and quick. I have seen a rat snake before, they are not as dark as the cobras, are they? And maybe slimmer? Of course, I could be wrong, not an expert. I like snakes. Just worry about stepping on them or getting too close in high grass.[/quote]
I’m certainly no snake expert either but I know that correctly identifying species of snakes can be difficult. If I’m not mistaken, onionsack puts in many hours searching high and low for snakes and rarely sees cobras. Every time I see a snake and want to identify it I go to http://www.snakesoftaiwan.com/ and try and find identify it from the photos there. (I think that’s his website, too.) Obviously the most distinctive thing about a cobra is the hood, but you’d have to get close and make it angry to see that. 
I think I have spoted cobras about 3 times in these years. The tricky thing is that not only cobras have hood, there’s at least another snake here that has it too, although perhaps smaller.
Yep, that’s the first place I will have a look and try to identify spotted snakes. I am not trying to boast about a cobra sighting, maybe they were all rat snakes, but on the website the only long, black snake that is active during the daytime in northern Taiwan seems to be the Chinese cobra. Next time I will try to pull out my camera more quickly. 
Small A. sauteri I came across on 12/23 - easily the latest in the year I’ve ever come across a snake here in the north. This was the 913th (and no doubt final) snake I came across in 2014!
Nice!
BTW, aren’t you afraid of grabbing the wrong snake and getting bitten? I mean, may be it’s too thin for being a viper but it could be something else…
[quote=“onionsack”]
Small A. sauteri I came across on 12/23 - easily the latest in the year I’ve ever come across a snake here in the north. This was the 913th (and no doubt final) snake I came across in 2014![/quote]
I am curious. Where and when did you see all these snakes? In all parts of Taiwan? On roads and trails or deep in the forest? At night or daytime? By accident or by actively looking for them? What types of snakes have you seen most?
[quote=“jesus80”]Nice!
BTW, aren’t you afraid of grabbing the wrong snake and getting bitten? I mean, may be it’s too thin for being a viper but it could be something else…[/quote]
I am always very cautious when handling snakes, but this one was in daytime and I could easily identify it. Snakes is kind of a hobby of mine, and I’m very familiar with the species in Taiwan, and their behavior and attributes.
[quote=“hannes”][quote=“onionsack”]
Small A. sauteri I came across on 12/23 - easily the latest in the year I’ve ever come across a snake here in the north. This was the 913th (and no doubt final) snake I came across in 2014![/quote]
I am curious. Where and when did you see all these snakes? In all parts of Taiwan? On roads and trails or deep in the forest? At night or daytime? By accident or by actively looking for them? What types of snakes have you seen most?[/quote]
Almost all of the snakes were seen here in the north - either on my local hill here in Taoyuan, or further into the interior. I come across them frequently while hiking, while biking, and also when I’m “road-cruising” for them at night. During the summer, the snake you will most commonly encounter during the daytime is the Greater Green snake. At night you will most frequently come across Green Tree Vipers, Red-banded Snakes and Habus.
Just “discovered” your YouTube channel. Awesome footage. Are you taking the Northern Cross-Island Hwy a lot?
We hike almost every weekend, but don’t encounter snakes very often. Maybe I am not looking closely, or snakes are just not active during the time we are hiking, or they disappear too quickly. Once I saw a very long rat snake (I believe it was one) in a creek in the Pingxi area. I was surprised to see it “standing up” in the water, about 30 centimeters or so. Was it looking for fish, I wonder?