Help with snake in my garden

**TheFogg** · 22-08-2014, 14:19

Hi,

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do with a relatively large snake that's taken up residence in my garden? I'm based in Midrand and have tried calling various numbers in the "Snake Emergency Numbers" sticky, but either the numbers don't work, or the person is no longer living in Gauteng.

Yesterday I only saw the head and thought that it must be a Rinkhals (I've had several of them already in the garden), but today I saw it again and somehow it looks bigger than what I thought a Rinkhals usually gets to. It has a uniform brown/grey colour on the back.

I managed to take this really crappy pic with my phone before it went back into it's hole in a dead tree trunk.

IMG_1340.jpg

Any advice on what to do? Personally I'd be happy having it as a permanent guest, but my dog's are just too inquisitive and I'm not sure how long that will work out for.

Thanks,
TheFogg

**RAGE** · 22-08-2014, 14:42

Hi there. It does look like the Rinkhals could be a Mozambique spitting cobra to(the ones in your area share similar colors(cant tell without head pic). Head on over to www.sareptiles.co.za There is a list on the page with licenced snake removal guys in you area. http://www.sareptiles.co.za/forum/viewforum.php?f=31 .

Props for not killing it. Get someone out ASAP, although rare, a bite from a Rinkhals is not pretty. I have personally had my eyes spat in on 3 occasions during call outs. Also not cool(I now have a bad reaction to it). You might be lucky to get someone out this afternoon.

**TheFogg** · 22-08-2014, 15:08

Cool, thanks, I managed to find a number on that site that worked. Difficulty will be catching it outside it's hole in the tree trunk.

**BigT** · 22-08-2014, 15:44

Big props for not killing it.

**Quicksilver_WP** · 22-08-2014, 16:05

Originally Posted by BigT

Big props for not killing it.

+1

**Wild coast** · 22-08-2014, 19:14

Originally Posted by BigT

Big props for not killing it.

+1

**Proudprado** · 22-08-2014, 20:20

So did you go to bed? Did someone catch the snake? Is it in bed with you? Do you hear the theme song of Jaws playing softly in the background? It gets louder as you approach the bed, reaching a crescendo as you put your left foot in ...

**A-R** · 22-08-2014, 20:29

When the word gets around, that you have a member of the Cobra family living in your garden, you can just as well cancel your alarm and armed response contracts. Worth every gram in gold!

**Maroelas** · 22-08-2014, 20:41

Originally Posted by Proudprado

put your left foot in ...

Then you put your left foot out

**TheFogg** · 22-08-2014, 21:28

Yeah, the snake has gone to bed for the day (or maybe is prepping for a nightly hunt). The snake catcher guy will only be able to come sometime over the weekend, I'm sure the snake will be there waiting, but doubt it will be happy to leave it's home.

I like snakes, so not worried about it myself, but I'll do a tactical sweep of the bedroom and bed now that Proudprado has raised that point (thanks dude, that wasn't something I was considering until now hahah). I'll keep my range shades close, hope they also work against spit from a cobra...

I'll update once the snake guy has been over, if he had any luck. Else I'll have to look for one of those signs that says "this house is protected by Rinkhals, Smith & Wesson"...