WTF - Snake!

[VII]

now you quoting mapiperes out of context,which even my smallest kid knows it's one of the most aggressive snakes in the world..

Well, I did not know it was a mapipire. It was the workers who recognized it. It was brownish / orangeish in colour. I also did not know the mapipire is so poisonous.

But the info you gave is very important for future encounters.

Boy dem ting terrible,and the balsain more aggressive and more common = more dangerous..

[VII]

That's a cat eyed night snake. The color & patterns are a dead give away, particularly the brown markings at the back of the head & the dorsal markings

Dorsal had me too, but pal that head pattern rel off...on the cat-eyed the patterning stops at the back of the head,this one seems to continue seamlessly to the snout and that was my biggest doubt...even the snout looks a lil too pointy,maybe the vegetation and the general pic quality creating some anomalies..

[VII]

Talk to meh

Looks like a juvenile boa/macajuel..how big was it ?

Patterns on dorsal area looking a lil cat-eyed snake though ..head looking like a boa.. it has a kinda python-ish pattern all the way over the head ,kinda throwing me off a lil bit yes..something about that dorsal pattern a lil off from our macajuel..and it can't be a cat-eyed because of the head patterns and shape size etc..If it's local it's most likely a local boa with some blotches rather than the more distinct symmetrical patterning or a rat-snake at too close of a distance for size perspective,many small snakes look huge and a bit ambiguous in very close shots,size perspective helps with identifying species too because they could have similar shaped heads and patterns but one grows to 20 inches and the other 10 feet, a small coral looks like a fat cobra close-up pics..they're related,as with other species..

If not local and on the bigger snake side,it could be a slightly different boa or even a python..

it was about 3ft long and yes to being local(Biche) all kinda mc thing from this forest

Stringy or stoutish ?

Like a small big snake or like a big small snake ? Was that 3' long and thin or kinda stout like a bendy sausage ?

[Joshie23]

now you quoting mapiperes out of context,which even my smallest kid knows it's one of the most aggressive snakes in the world..

Well, I did not know it was a mapipire. It was the workers who recognized it. It was brownish / orangeish in colour. I also did not know the mapipire is so poisonous.

But the info you gave is very important for future encounters.

Boy dem ting terrible,and the balsain more aggressive and more common = more dangerous..

...

[VII]

now you quoting mapiperes out of context,which even my smallest kid knows it's one of the most aggressive snakes in the world..

Well, I did not know it was a mapipire. It was the workers who recognized it. It was brownish / orangeish in colour. I also did not know the mapipire is so poisonous.

But the info you gave is very important for future encounters.

Boy dem ting terrible,and the balsain more aggressive and more common = more dangerous..

...

They rel dramatic..like rel lakaray an bachanal...is rel make-out scene with mapiperes..they get rel personal rel quick..justwatch how you walking in the bush and crossing over things..in certain areas though..

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Listening to some recent stories from some plum mitan folks...seems the tigre is the most aggressive these days...thing just running down people

[maj. tom]

probably pregnant, mating season and all. Snakes get very aggressive in times like that.

http://asawright.org/venemous-snakes-of ... ad-tobago/

So I want to point out some very WRONG information here on this webpage. It says for snakebite treatment:

"Do not place ice on bitten extremity. Do not make any cuts. Instead, use THE EXTRACTOR®, manufactured by Sawyer, and recommended by some physicians skilled in venomous snakebite treatment. This instrument may remove venom by suction without the use of incisions."

This is extremely wrong. Snake envenomation does not work like that, where you can suck out the venom or use a device to extract the venom from a snakebite. It's also venom not a poison, a biological mixture of enzymes that immediately reacts with other proteins in the circulatory system which leads to failure of systems. The Sawyer extractor and other such devices have been proven to be wrong, even the Amazon reviews have statements from doctors and herpetologists how it's a gimmick useless device for a true snakebite.

This is the only way you should treat snake bites.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/snake-bites/

Where can you obtain additional information about snake bites?

National Poison Centre
The University of the West Indies
Faculty of Medical Sciences
Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex
Champs Fleurs
Director: Dr. Verrol Simmons
Tel: 800 2742
Fax: 645 7428
Email: Poison.Centre@sta.uwi.edu

The Eastern Regional Health
Authority Poison Information Centre
Sangre Grande District Hospital
Ojoe Road
Sangre Grande
Director: Ms. Angelie Lochan
Tel: 800 2742
Fax: 668 4741
Email: pic@erha.co.tt

[88sins]

A few tips for those that venture into the bush
1-Eyes on the ground, & be aware of the areas where you place your feet before you place them there at all times, especially when walking along trails with short shrubs on either side or among a lot of leaf litter.
2-A long staff with a fork on the end is a good thing to walk with, use it to check under shrubbery to see clearly whether or not a snake is there before stepping too close, or for moving the leaves from where you plan to step.
3-Learn to ID snakes by sight. Oftentimes when ppl get bitten, the snake then crawls away too quickly before it can be ID'd while the victim panics, and then the victim has no idea what snake bit them. This can lead to it's own set of problems, because when you arrive at hospital, administration of the wrong anti-venom can be either useless, or waste time leading to tissue decay & further spread of the venom thorough the body.
4-Very importantly, wear proper foot protection, such as snake boots or thick leather boots. Rubber boots will NOT stop a fang from penetrating if a snake strikes, nor will sneakers. If all you have are rubber boots, if you can, wrap the uprights in thick leather or any other material that can't be easily penetrated by a fang. Or even better invest in a good pair of snakeproof gaitors.
5-The rainy season is here, and sometimes venomous snakes do get washed out the forests into areas where ppl live, when forest rivers flood. If you see a snake, and you don't believe you can dispatch it without being bitten, it's best if you back away slowly while watching it, and warn others in the area of what it is, and where it is. In residential areas they tend to conceal themselves beneath galvanized sheets or inside the holes in blocks, anywhere that they can stay warm, in the dark, and dry. So keeping your yard free of debris & rubbish, that will also discourage their food source (rats) from your yard is particularly effective.


Hunting season is coming around again in a few months & plenty ppl going in the bush. Be careful fellas, in d bush & around your homes.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

No 3 is the hardest thing my brother...

[VII]

Good stuff guys,and yes the Tigres are very aggressive...theres another relative similarly aggressive less colourful relative name escapes me now..a type of machete I believe, big and brisk and always crossing the road on the North Coast and Paria etc...they're quite widespread actually...

And you see that identifying the snake that bit you is most important..and immediately washing out the area of the bite with a mild detergent alcohol etc is also important in the early stages to prevent and minimize local tissue damage...

[Soul Collector]

Yall have me extra tizik to go in the bush now yes. I try to remain as aware of the surroundings as much as possible to look out for any snakes in particular but I doubt I could see everything. I just doe want any chasing me down nah....wtf

Some good info in here too, nice. I gon busy looking for Snake Proof Gaiters now

[88sins]

No 3 is the hardest thing my brother...

I kno it does be hard, especially when the pain kick in & you already startled & wondering wtf jus happen dey.
It gets easier when you take a good look at both of the larger local venomous snakes, often, irl if at all possible. Make note of patterns, colors, length, head shape, etc.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Yall have me extra tizik to go in the bush now yes. I try to remain as aware of the surroundings as much as possible to look out for any snakes in particular but I doubt I could see everything. I just doe want any chasing me down nah....wtf

Some good info in here too, nice. I gon busy looking for Snake Proof Gaiters now

Dan I had meh encounters and trust me bricks were shat...I bounce up ah 9ft balsain snake skin....d mc skin eh...and I froze, the skin was fresh so I know it close by...run out one time..

Just make sure when u going in them kinda forest...take everything that 88sins said into consideration and try going with someone

[Joshie23]

So I've heard that antivenom is only located in Sangre Grande..is this true? If so..WHY?

[VII]

So I've heard that antivenom is only located in Sangre Grande..is this true? If so..WHY?

I'm sure they have in other general hospitals,but yeah Grande is more central to the balsain range,save the North-Coast and environs so that's where the anti-venom stocks and studies are headquartered,they probably procuring the ant-venom on that side too,you need a good and easily available supply of snakes for that process,many places they on the roadside by any random drain,in Tapana Valencia especially,saw 4 within half hour in Tapana..other places you kinda havta go look for them,Valencia Grande side they right around people,in some areas they're #1 road-kill even more than galap turtles in rainy season,have seen many dead in the road on many occasions from a lil after San-Raphael to Rio,your eyes gotta be trained to see that sometimes too because they get flattened into the road after a while.,but have seen many still bleeding freshly belly-up in the middle of the road, excavator men always bouncing them up in all parts of machines too..they know the drill,they don't step on or go into any machine just so up on that side.

[linton]

Snakes are the most misunderstood creatures. Probably the fear that comes because of how you are conditioned

to think about them from a young age. Nobody takes the time to read and learn about them. Good job V11.

[maj. tom]

Fear of snakes is more than conditioning. It an evolutionary fear programmed in the limbic system of all mammals. Parts of our visual system in our brains can easily discern snake patterns in grass and other backgrounds and immediately set off the fright or flight reflex response. You ever saw those funny videos with a cat vs a cucumber?

[Joshie23]

Say what you want..I'm conditioned to the bone. There is no need for me to understand or reason with what is 'extremely aggressive', 'notorious' and inherently designed to kill in a swift and calculated manner. I'll read up on them for the sake of knowledge and enlightenment..but snake and I? No friend.

[Joshie23]

So I've heard that antivenom is only located in Sangre Grande..is this true? If so..WHY?

I'm sure they have in other general hospitals,but yeah Grande is more central to the balsain range,save the North-Coast and environs so that's where the anti-venom stocks and studies are headquartered,they probably procuring the ant-venom on that side too,you need a good and easily available supply of snakes for that process,many places they on the roadside by any random drain,in Tapana Valencia especially,saw 4 within half hour in Tapana..other places you kinda havta go look for them,Valencia Grande side they right around people,in some areas they're #1 road-kill even more than galap turtles in rainy season,have seen many dead in the road on many occasions from a lil after San-Raphael to Rio,you eyes gotta be trained to see that sometimes too because they get flattened into the road after a while.,but have seen many still bleeding freshly belly-up in the middle of the road, excavator men always bouncing them up in all parts of machines too..they know the drill,they don't step on or go into any machine just so up on that side.

Thanks for the insight, pal. *e-bonx* But can anyone say for sure whether the hospitals outside of that region have the anti-venom? We are all well aware of how reactive systems are in this country..and for someone getting bitten in the bush in Point Fortin or environs, plus waiting for an ambulance..Sangre Grande might see the victim, but the victim might not see Sangre Grande..

[VII]

So I've heard that antivenom is only located in Sangre Grande..is this true? If so..WHY?

I'm sure they have in other general hospitals,but yeah Grande is more central to the balsain range,save the North-Coast and environs so that's where the anti-venom stocks and studies are headquartered,they probably procuring the ant-venom on that side too,you need a good and easily available supply of snakes for that process,many places they on the roadside by any random drain,in Tapana Valencia especially,saw 4 within half hour in Tapana..other places you kinda havta go look for them,Valencia Grande side they right around people,in some areas they're #1 road-kill even more than galap turtles in rainy season,have seen many dead in the road on many occasions from a lil after San-Raphael to Rio,you eyes gotta be trained to see that sometimes too because they get flattened into the road after a while.,but have seen many still bleeding freshly belly-up in the middle of the road, excavator men always bouncing them up in all parts of machines too..they know the drill,they don't step on or go into any machine just so up on that side.

Thanks for the insight, pal. *e-bonx* But can anyone say for sure whether the hospitals outside of that region have the anti-venom? We are all well aware of how reactive systems are in this country..and for someone getting bitten in the bush in Point Fortin or environs, plus waiting for an ambulance..Sangre Grande might see the victim, but the victim might not see Sangre Grande..

I ain think there are maps in Point-Fortin ,I could be wrong..corals are more widespread though,maybe not as abundant but spread out in more places..

[VII]

Snakes are the most misunderstood creatures. Probably the fear that comes because of how you are conditioned

to think about them from a young age. Nobody takes the time to read and learn about them. Good job V11.

[VII]

The cats had gotten to him first

Coral?

Nah, looks like a normal rat snake. Reddish brown on top.
Had a gash in the abdomen. Not sure how it was attained but I have cats and that should conclude it.

I think that's a ratonel.

[VII]

Have fun,there are pics attached to most of them,just hover over link or open in new tab and continue,the coral listing seems to be back to front though and a pic missing,and some of those false corals look just like the real thing,only if I'm certain like with the obvious ones we would touch them,some looking too close even for me,the colours just arranged differently..

Enjoy! Damn we have some real pretty little harmless ones,would make perfect little snakes to handle..many of them have special diets so it may be futile trying to keep them unless your'e sure you can provide the right diet..like small snails for instance..there're also two in that list that eats mapiperes..and there are also some with mild venom not dangerous to humans..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_s ... and_Tobago

[VII]

I'm seeing they have this as a 'rare snake' , we observed one of these for a few weeks on a bougainvillea right next to retaining wall in our driveway where he lived in a weep hole curled up whole day,we even filmed him from underneath crawling around the tree many times,he never ran from us.

Well the neighbors yard is at the top of that retaining wall,well you know what happened,he frigging killed it one day when he ran into it,told me he killed a snake and I described it to him and he said yes,man we were furious...was hurtful to be honest..he couldn't understand our disappointment..

[De Dragon]

^^^ That there is one beautiful snake. If your neighbor still saw it fit to destroy an animal of that beauty, either his heart really hard, or he's badly uneducated about snakes.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

allyuh supposed to know that the first thing the average trini does when it comes to a snake : is to kill it

[VII]

^^^ That there is one beautiful snake. If your neighbor still saw it fit to destroy an animal of that beauty, either his heart really hard, or he's badly uneducated about snakes.

And he is a 'man of God'..that's why I doh give a fack about dem hypocrites..he can't advise me..lil bit again and that snake liming with we normal from hand to tree and repeat...we were developing a good trust,he used to leave the hole when the kids played in the front yard on evenings and sit on the lil tree just an arm's length away..

[VII]

allyuh supposed to know that the first thing the average trini does when it comes to a snake : is to kill it

And de man call heself a priest,he has a big house he rents out the below floors as an air bnb,meet some nice foreigners often though,even give them lifts out at times..the idiot probably killed it with not even thinking the foreigners would appreciate that !! You know why? Because his eyes on one thing!!! I scolded him for cutting down a laden sapodilla tree in the past too,to keep away the monkeys he say ffs...we have tufted capuchins come to our yards at times..they raid our coconut trees and mango tree,but we love it..have to find vids on that too..fricking old laptops and phones etc..but I usually email myself as a storage option,have to search,..



Oh you agree with the ID above? Ratonel ..

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Colorful

[SMc]

A few tips for those that venture into the bush
1-Eyes on the ground, & be aware of the areas where you place your feet before you place them there at all times, especially when walking along trails with short shrubs on either side or among a lot of leaf litter.
2-A long staff with a fork on the end is a good thing to walk with, use it to check under shrubbery to see clearly whether or not a snake is there before stepping too close, or for moving the leaves from where you plan to step.
3-Learn to ID snakes by sight. Oftentimes when ppl get bitten, the snake then crawls away too quickly before it can be ID'd while the victim panics, and then the victim has no idea what snake bit them. This can lead to it's own set of problems, because when you arrive at hospital, administration of the wrong anti-venom can be either useless, or waste time leading to tissue decay & further spread of the venom thorough the body.
4-Very importantly, wear proper foot protection, such as snake boots or thick leather boots. Rubber boots will NOT stop a fang from penetrating if a snake strikes, nor will sneakers. If all you have are rubber boots, if you can, wrap the uprights in thick leather or any other material that can't be easily penetrated by a fang. Or even better invest in a good pair of snakeproof gaitors.
5-The rainy season is here, and sometimes venomous snakes do get washed out the forests into areas where ppl live, when forest rivers flood. If you see a snake, and you don't believe you can dispatch it without being bitten, it's best if you back away slowly while watching it, and warn others in the area of what it is, and where it is. In residential areas they tend to conceal themselves beneath galvanized sheets or inside the holes in blocks, anywhere that they can stay warm, in the dark, and dry. So keeping your yard free of debris & rubbish, that will also discourage their food source (rats) from your yard is particularly effective.


Hunting season is coming around again in a few months & plenty ppl going in the bush. Be careful fellas, in d bush & around your homes.

where you got that advice from?