Snakes!

[quote=“urodacus”]Jesus80, that looks a lot like a Taiwan habu, which can be quite skinny when they’re younger.

we’re quite familiar with them in Okinawa, whwere they have been introduced, partly because they are commonly bred to include in bottles of habu sake (local version of sake called awamori with a pickled snake inside).

traditionally an Okinawa habu, Trimereserus, but they use taiwan habu in smaller bottles.[/quote]

It looks like either that or a cat snake. Can’t decide… I’m thinking of going again there and look for it and if there’s luck, take some decent shots with a proper camera.

Yesterday night I decided to return to the same area and look for the sneaky bastard who didn’t wait for me to take decent pictures. The tyres still need some shaping but this time I took it easy. I got to the place, put the camera strap around my neck, the head light on, etc… and then I started to look for snakes. The place is still creepy. Dark as real chocolate, plagued with mosquitoes and other flying fuckers like bats eating the mosquitoes that are eating me alive. I didn’t see much snake activity so I adventure myself a bit closer to the river… but the thousands of eyes looking at me made me change my mind; I don’t want to be bitten by those wood spiders…

So I made my way back to the “main” road, through multiple flying insects including lovely and huge mantis, and kept looking at the floor. No snakes but other things:

I have met people in the mountain spending hours and sweat only for finding these:

If they knew that it’s not necessary to go up to 1,500m for seeing them :smiley:

A 68: you suck it and I owe you 1:

Black has a different connotation by night:

And then I saw something jumping from a small slope full of vegetation into some dry leaves over the floor. I got scared for I knew that it was snake. A very short one, but kinda thick for its size. I wanted to remove the leaves but I knew that it wasn’t a good idea, so I looked for a bamboo stick that I used for moving the leaves around… with no luck. I was excited, and a bit scared. The flying fuckers were doing what they know to do the best: to fuck around (flying). Long story short: for two times I noticed the animal to jump and hide into the dry laves, but couldn’t see it full body. Also the bamboo had something alive inside, that got furious when I used it for hitting the big plants around. Fuck it, I said.

I didn’t give up though. I scanned the area around and then, not very far from GuangYingShan visitors center (but not there) I spotted the prize of the night. Sorry for the crappy pictures, I jump off the bike, took the camera and used it without taking off the helmet:

The color was like dark brown/grey, not very appreciable patterns on it, although the skin color wasn’t even. It had a not so fast pace, until for some reason it thought that it was the moment to sneak out from my sight.

I’m loving Taiwan. Well, the island, not the country itself. I’m again that child who run after wild animals :slight_smile:

Back from herping in the north. Many toads, some frogs and yes, what looked again like a habu AND what was definitively an amazing, lovely many banded krait. A little above the meter, but not what I would say BIG (indeed, the head was small, and the body thin).

A really nice bd gift from the nature. My gf spotted it and we had the chance of taking several pictures, although not terrific.

man, those are some great photos. You were able to light up the place with just a head light? What are your equipments, especially for that butterfly shot?

Hans, each picture had different camera settings and light conditions / set up; some of them were taken with a street light near by, some others with the crappilying LED headlight from Decathlon, and some others like the ones I’m about to post, with the camera built-in flash. Most of them abusing of ISO. Need to improve the technique though.

Well, I’m on a tablet now so this post will be crappilying put together. That night I saw a greater green snake, DOR as they say, a habu sneaking into the bamboo crops (now I know that they can be more aggressive than what I thought) and then the beautiful many-banded krait. I also saw a nocturnal lizard that is totally unknown to me, and several toads and frogs.

Some sort of mountain roach?

The place is loaded with one of my favorite insects: praying mantis.

Is Onionsack still alive? does anybody know anything? :stuck_out_tongue:

BTW, I rode my bicycle from Hsinchuang to Linkou, from Linkou to GuanYingShan, and then from there to Bali and I could only see one unidentified snake… DOR.

That is probably the most poisonous snake in Taiwan… Called Bungarus multicinctus, known by the locals as Yushanjie (雨傘節, lit. Umbrella Handle)

It’s a very shy snake, with little venom, but the venom has two neurotoxins, α- and β-bungarotoxin. A bit person would not feel pain, but would feel really drowsy, and the toxin would cause breathing to stop all together…

I have only seen it live once, and it was an albino one.

[quote=“hansioux”]
That is probably the most poisonous snake in Taiwan… Called Bungarus multicinctus, known by the locals as Yushanjie (雨傘節, lit. Umbrella Handle)

It’s a very shy snake, with little venom, but the venom has two neurotoxins, α- and β-bungarotoxin. A bit person would not feel pain, but would feel really drowsy, and the toxin would cause breathing to stop all together…

I have only seen it live once, and it was an albino one.[/quote]
If I’m not wrong it’s a multi-banded krait. But the greek name and your description sounds like we are talking about the same snake. Beautiful animal, I feel in love with it immediately. Reportedly it’s the most venomous terrestrial snake outside Australia. Not bad! :slight_smile:

Again… no news from Onionsack? I hope it’s nothing to do with the hobby and its risks…

Sad one. When I first saw it there was still some movement and muscle tone, so I think it’d just been hit. My car was a couple of minutes away with a camera in it, so I came back to take a picture.

I wasn’t paying attention, so can’t be sure, but I THINK the scooter ahead of me had just changed direction to hit it deliberately.

Surprising it was crossing the road in mid-afternoon in Datan village, but sadly it won’t be doing it again.

Several weeks ago I took a friend to my special spot for snakes, even if I thought that it was already too cold for spotting anything. When we were about to give up, we got closer to a river (I actually preferred to avoid it for the light was so bad and it was full of grass and leaves… and you don’t see where or what you step!). Well, bingo. Again, my friend the multi banded krait.

She was looking for some fish or perhaps shrimps to eat, diving from here to there, and it got a bit nervous when she (or he) noticed us. Me too, I must admit. To have something soooo venomous hiding and crawling in the same rocks where I’m, with dim light, doesn’t make you feel very tranquil :smiley:

Some shots:

PS: Is TheOnionSack still alive? can I still find some snakes? his web says that the green viper is active with temperatures over 14 degrees. Is there any herping group I can join? I would like to go herping with people who actually know snakes, not like me, so I can feel a bit safer and perhaps see and learn more :slight_smile:

PS2: I need to improve my night photography skills. My technique is not enough for taking sharp, clear, still pictures under dim light and it’s a pity when you meet these guys and can’t get a good memory :stuck_out_tongue:

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Totally unexpected spotting. Was looking at butterflies near a walking trail in Taoyuan when I saw this green tree viper chilling there. Thanks, nature!

[quote=“hannes”]Totally unexpected spotting. Was looking at butterflies near a walking trail in Taoyuan when I saw this green tree viper chilling there. Thanks, nature!

[/quote]

You knew that I’m after this snake, right? you just made it to piss me off :laughing:

This is a really common snake, so should come across your way at some point. :sunglasses:

This is a really common snake, so should come across your way at some point. :sunglasses:[/quote]
I’ve seen plenty of snakes (some alive, some DOR) but never this one :frowning:

This is ridiculous. I went for bamboo vipers and… I found another many banded krait. Are they the most common snake in Taiwan or what?

live updates: snake outside in shoe cupboard. Immovable. Wife has called both the police and fire department.
Both are expected shortly :smiley:.

[quote=“Nuit”]live updates: snake outside in shoe cupboard. Immovable. Wife has called both the police and fire department.
Both are expected shortly :smiley:.[/quote]
No pictures?

All fairly exciting, and got the neighbours out. Neither police nor fire engine arrived, instead a red Space Gear showed up and 2 young men hopped out with snake grabbers. Snake was darn active, thrashing around and evading capture, so it took them a couple of minutes to pin it down. Once it was caged we got a good look - even though it was still aggressively whipping around inside.

Id’ed as a king ratsnake (臭青母 chou4qing1mu3, or Stinking goddess), apparantly it can release nasty stuff from the anal glands. Thankfully not in this case, as it would’ve been over our shoe collection. Catchers and snake all departed now, and time for a relaxing cup of tea.

http://www.snakesoftaiwan.com/Elaphe%20carinata/species_elaphe_carinata.htm

I’m not an expert, but it looks like some sort of rat snake