Red-eared Terrapin (Pseudemys scripta)

Image removed by user...

_________________
My inability to tolerate your ambiguity is compounding my neurosis

Lethal if swallowed

_________________
My real name isn't Harry.
Slurp my bean juice.

I think we may have covered that with yr Dr.Livingstone episode. Or is there more we should know?
For instance, how to plate a terrapin.

But nice to see yr taking an interest in Flora & Fauna on our sunny isle.

_________________
My inability to tolerate your ambiguity is compounding my neurosis

Yes, yes, fascinating I'm sure etc. I find those terrapins on the path to Tai Peng sometimes. I'm surprised there are any left. I usually pick them up and point them down to the swamp but sometimes feel that's a bit like helping old ladies cross the road when they weren't planning to. Why are they heading up Tai Peng hill? Looking for a cheaper shell?

_________________
My real name isn't Harry.
Slurp my bean juice.

Easy one to answer.

It's well known that Tai Pengers are fair weather animal lovers.
Buy the kids a pet, get left with caring for it & then try plan "B' - show it the door!!

In the terrapins case - the "Red-eared" are America imports coz they're
small & cute, but soon grow too big to fit the little glass bowl anymore.
Get shoved onto a red plastic bag & emptied into the little pond at the bottom
of the hill on their owners way to the ferry.
Trouble is these particular terrapins are voracious predators & will devour
every living thing in the pond. So very soon nothing left.

Thing is though, they have a homing sensor & when they've screwed
all the pond life, they'll head back to the place of their youth & all that free &
regular food & no predators.

Best thing to do is to let them go home & give the owner another "guilt" trip
down to the pond, with their kids hanging on their coattails screaming -
"but Mummy/Daddy I will take care of it!!!"

The moral of this explanation?
Terrapin on hill on mission, not want pond

_________________
My inability to tolerate your ambiguity is compounding my neurosis

& moving on....

This one is for doubting "everytimeagoodtime".

Couple of King Cobras (Ophiophagus hannah) making out.
Couldn't get clear shots of all the action..., but you get the gist.

Their bodies were intertwined with their heads in the air swaying from side
to side.
Were really going at it.

Couldn't tell the size, but would guess that one had a body diameter (in one
of the pics) of about 4" & it wasn't tapering off. So would think it to be at least 10'. They grow up to about 5m.

The romantic encounter was disturbed by 4 Red-whiskered Bulbuls dropping
stuff on them & launching mock attacks.
At which point the both left at great speed in diametrically opposing directions
and literally crashing through the undergrowth.

So if you out in the woods today...., you could be in for a big surprise !!!

_________________
My inability to tolerate your ambiguity is compounding my neurosis

Chinese cobra lurking in the drain channels near the swamp behind Tai Peng last night. He was just a little fella, but this is just the sort that grows into a big mean fella. He had a very impressive strike and spit routine when a stick was poked in his direction.

Nice one Zep - wish others would post their photos of our local fauna.

FYI - Chinese cobra grows to about 5' & the King Cobra to about 15' - largest I've see was between about 12', up in Tai Peng.

From what I can gather, the "spitting process" is a form of warning & is targeted at the eyes with the intent to blind - if caught by a bit of cobra phlegm, whether in the eye or on yr skin, the best remedy is to wash it off immediately with water & get fast medical attention.
The spittle has a corrosive effect & can cause permanent damage if not dealt with immediately & properly.

_________________
My inability to tolerate your ambiguity is compounding my neurosis

I do believe that many often mistakenly say they saw a King Cobra when actually what they saw was a common and garden Rat Snake. Like in the three pics here of the shagging snakes.

The two snakes are quite similar: Both will puff their necks, rise up and raise the heads back as if to strike when angry and disturbed and both have grey / black bodies. Difference is a Rat snake is a shy but narky fella and will strike out but has no venom. The King Cobra, on the other hand, is very rare and very poisonous. And there are 500 million Rat snakes living in and around YSW and only one King Cobra. And he lives in Ronnie's underpants.

I did wonder about the identity of your pair - is there any marking that can give a positive ID? At first glance they don't look much like cobras.

I have seen a HUGE black cobra in Tai Peng that reared up when my son nearly ran over it on his bike, but that was a couple of years ago.

The small Chinese cobra's spitting didn't seem to produce any liquid (or maybe I just didn't see it) but it made quite a disconcerting noise.

Well, apart from the size of the things - assuming yr photo above is of a juvenile - do you not see any resemblance to my photos of the head shot, notwithstanding that you can see the banding along the body in my photos, & the distinct difference in general coloring from the Rat Snake.
Granted cobras can go to a very dark (black) colour, but in direct sunlight you can see different colouration - IMHO

_________________
My inability to tolerate your ambiguity is compounding my neurosis

I must admit Guy, Zep's photo you can see it is definately a Cobra, yours ?? it just doesn't look like a Cobra as far as I can see. Put it this way, ( I honestly know fuck all about snakes) if you gave me Guy's pics and Zeps pics, I would definately say with hand on my heart "Zep thats a Cobra, Guy, a couple of snakes, I don't know what type but, they are not what I would assume to be pictures of Cobras, but what do I know. Anyway, great photos.

_________________
I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!!

S'ok Victor, can see where yr coming from - I will try to get my next cobra annoyed with me & see if I can get him to flare his neck so he looks more like the Cobra we've all come to know & love painted on the back of Hell's Angels jackets

_________________
My inability to tolerate your ambiguity is compounding my neurosis

This even says King Cobra on it but again doesn't look much like one.

That would be most apprciative Guy, and I thank you for your help with me trying to distinguish the different variety of reptillia we have on the island. BTW, If I was a King Cobra, and trying to get it on with one of the few lady cobra's there are on the Island and found you peering in at me through your camera lens I would be a bit pissed off and definately broaden my neck and spit horiific things at you.

_________________
I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!!

I have a friend who is a world-renowned herpetologist. I'll arrange for her to fly in and make a positive identification as soon as she has studied the relevant documents.

_________________
I'm the only gay in the village

A special Gecko with double tails.

Wow! A rare shot indeed! Congratulations, Harry!

Is this actually a Siamese-twin-like creature (like two-headed animals) or a gecko who grew a second tail by accident, as they can regrow entire severed limbs?

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

Is this another of the "rare" variety or just another Rat Snake"?

No takers ? Although my guess is it's not a King Cobra, but maybe just a Common one