In a way, I’m getting hammered with requests to identify snakes in Thailand. I think someone has to do it, and I’m glad I can help. I’m sure I’m wrong occasionally, but, for the most part the snakes are easy to identify from photos sent to my email account.
If you don’t have a photo you can still fill out this Snake ID Form to identify your snake. I didn’t count any of the 450+ form submissions and my replies as snakes I’ve identified, because really it’s an unknown without looking at the images directly. Even then – it’s sometimes guesswork.
Identify Snakes in Thailand Before You Pick Them Up
Just a warning to those that also love snakes. Please don’t pick up and hold a snake when you are not 100% sure of the exact species of snake it is. There are scores of venomous snakes in Thailand – some of which can kill you in under 10 minutes. It does not take a really strong bite to inject enough venom to cause you a very serious medical emergency. I have received about 10 photos over the last year of people holding a snake, and then asking me to identify the snake.
PLEASE DON’T DO THAT.
Even snakes that haven’t traditionally been called “Venomous” though in fact they are (Colobrids), can hurt or kill you with the right bite. Take into account also that your body could go into anaphylactic shock as the venom hits the blood stream and the body fights against it as it does an allergic reaction. Conceivably, if you’re allergic to the venom – you could die within a minute or so from an adverse allergic reaction to the venom – and that’s ANY venom, that which is considered dangerous to man, and that which isn’t normally considered dangerous.
Stay safe – this is the peak of the snake season. Keep your eyes open and get some photos when it’s safe to do so!