Slithering serpents snake around again

KWAZULU-NATAL’S slithering serpents have come out of hybernation and are more active now than in the winter season.

Jason Arnold from Universal Reptiles has warned Durban North residents to keep an eye out for snakes as summer approaches.

Arnold said snakes become more active around mid-September and urged residents to contact him on 082 745 6375 should they cross paths with a snake so he can catch them and relocate them.

He said it is important that people immediately evacuate their children and pets when snakes are spotted in the house or garden. Arnold also said snakes will not purposefully attack pets, unless they are enticed or in danger.

Black and green mamba

MAMBAS are not as common in areas where the Mozambique spitting cobras are present. Arnold said he has already caught a number of mambas in the Margaret Maytom Avenue-area and in uMhlanga. These snakes grow to about 1.5m long and are about the thickness of a broomstick. He said the key to identifying a mamba is to look at its belly’s colour. Green mambas are green all round, while the more harmless green snakes have a different colour on their bellies. The mamba’s venom is a neurotoxin, which is a fast acting venom that is rapidly absorbed, attacking the central nervous system. By attacking the nervous system, the nerves that control breathing are paralysed and death is caused by respiratory failure.

Boomslang

OCTOBER is Arnold’s bussiest season concerning the boomslang. He said this is due to the increased activity of the flat neck chameleon that the boomslang preys on. The boomslang is the most venomous snake, but people are seldomly bitten by these snakes as they are generally shy. It is also the only snake that’s sex can be determined by the colour of the snake. Males are green and black, while females are brown. The spotted bush snake is commonly mistaken for a boomslang, but the boomslang can be distinguished by its size. These snakes usually grow to about 1.4m in length, while a spotted bush snakes doesn’t grown longer than 1m. The boomslang’s venom is a hemotoxin, which destroys red blood cells, disrupting blood clotting, and can cause organ degeneration and generalised tissue damage.

Brown house snake

Brown house snakes are common in KwaZulu-Natal and are small, nonvenomous snakes.

Herald snake

The herald snake is often mistaken for a black mamba. These snakes grom to about 1m and smaller and have a mildly poisonous venom and is harmless to humans. These snakes’ heads are always darker than the body of the snake.

Mozambique spitting cobra

The Mozambique spitting cobra is very common in Durban. These are large snakes (avarage length of 1.2m) that are about the thickness of a broomstick. Their venom is a cytotoxin, which is a cell destroying poison, attacking both tissue and blood cells. It is also the only spitting snake in the Durban area.

Natal green snake

The Natal green snake is a harmless snake. Natal green snakes share the green mamba’s preference for coastal regions, which adds to the confusion, however this snake also occurs in the areas between uMhlanga through to the Bluff where green mamba’s are absent. They average about 80cm in length, but can grow up to a metre. They are slightly more thickset then the related spotted bush snakes, but are no thicker than the average woman’s index finger.

Night adder

Night adders are fairly common throughout Durban, particularly in areas close to permanent water where frogs and toads are abundant, as these make up the night adders’ complete diet. Night adders are venomous, but their venom is far less potent than that of other adder species, causing pain and mild to moderate local swelling of the bitten limb.

Bites are not considered a medical emergency, but medical treatment in the form of analgesics, anti-inflammatory medication and antibiotics are recommended to control the symptoms and ward off secondary infections, which could set in due to the necrosis (rotting away of flesh) that usually takes place around the bite site.

Peter’s worm snake

Peter’s worm snake is often mistaken for a baby snake of another specie. They are often spotted around March. Peter’s worm snakes, which grow to between 10cm and 15cm fully grown, are harmless.

Southern African python

The Southern African python is found in a variety of habitats, from forests to near deserts, although usually near sources of water. It kills its prey by constriction. This snake is on the protected list.

Spotted bush snake

Often mistaken for the less common Green Mamba or Boomslang (African Tree Snake), the Spotted Bush Snake is Durban’s most common snake. It’s found in built-up and densely populated areas where it has adapted well. It seems to prefer man-made structures to trees and shrubs, but will still choose to head for greenery to climb into and escape detection should a threat arise. They can be quite cheeky and quick to bite if picked up and restrained, especially in inexperienced hands, but their bite is harmless.

Bush snakes are easily identified by their off-white or yellow underbelly and the black spots or speckles on their back, which begin just behind the head and fade off about a half to two thirds down the body. The last half or third of the snake is plain green.

Stiletto snake

Stiletto snakes (burrowing snake) live under ground. They are often spotted above ground after heaving rains when they are flushed out the ground. These snakes are poisonous and have a cytotoxin venom, which is cell destroying, attacking both tissue and blood cells.

According to Arnold, many people think its a harmless snake, but its venom is worse than a night adder’s and not as bad as a puff adder’s venom.

It is also the only snake that can’t be held safely behind the head, as its fang structure is different. The fangs run parallel to the mouth.

Vine snake

These snakes aren’t common, but have been spotted in the Durban North area. These snakes look identical to twigs and are commonly found in thorn veld. They are more common in October and feed on birds, chameleons and lizzards. The pupils of this snakes eyes differs from that of other, as it’s a keyhole shape. They are also easily distinguished by their red/orange and black tongues.

This snakes venom is heamotoxic, which effects the blood and organs, causing a breakdown or inflammation in the body.