# Why I Snakeproof In The Tropics



## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

The following list is the reason I snake proof my dogs here.

Dangerous snakes found in Costa Rica

!) Fer-de-lance The most deadly 8 ft
2) Eyelash Viper 3 ft
3) Tropical Rattler 8 ft
4) Bushmaster 9-12 ft
5) Coral Snake 3 ft
6) Boa Constrictor 5-8 Ft

Most field workers here wear rubber snow boots. Snakes and scorpions bounce of them easier than leather.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Might as well start an export business. All those are big money items except the coral snake. Give ya something to do.


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## Tim Lynam (Jun 12, 2009)

I remember the USA project that planted Mongoose on Islands (Hawaiian and the Philippines for example) to control rats. They failed to take into account rats were nocturnal and Mongoose weren't... Rats in the trash at night, Mongoose in the trash during the day!

I'm sure Costa Rica was not considered eligible because it actually had snakes the Mongoose would be useful to help control...

Michigan has one poisonous snake. The Mississauga Rattle Snake. Max length is 30 inches long! Tinniest fangs you ever saw... About as aggressive as a mouse.

Funny how a lot of dogs are naturally snake shy. Pays to be safe though, eh? The first 2 on your list are rather cranky critters too.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Lee H Sternberg said:


> Most field workers here wear rubber snow boots. Snakes and scorpions bounce of them easier than leather.


Dang and all along I thought the rubber boots were to put the sheep's back legs in so when the lonely field workers were servicing the sheep the sheep wouldn't run away. #-o


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## Nathen Danforth (Feb 12, 2009)

Ah Horseshit!!! So in reality you only have 4 snakes that are "dangerous" because coral snake are hardly dangerous, venomous yes, but not something you could consider dangerous!!! And boa constrictors dangerous...you've got to be kidding me!!

You wanna talk dangerous and lots of snakes. There are 16 species of rattlesnake in the U.S., my state has 13 of those!!!

Just giving you a hard time...kind of...

Although those Fer de lance are a very scary snake...


Here's my list

Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus)
Mohave Rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus)
Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis)
Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes
Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchelli)
Twin-spotted Rattlesnake (Crotalus pricei)
Tiger Rattlesnake (Crotalus tigris)
Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake (Crotalus willardi)
Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)
Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus)
Arizona Black Rattlesnake (Crotalus cerberus)
Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus)
Rock Rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus)
Howard's right about the export thing. You ever want to go catch some frogs you let me know!


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## jack van strien (Apr 9, 2009)

Lee,
Lots of bad snakes here in thailand also,recently killed a five foot king cobra.This one was not that big but big scary,sounded like a tiger(still have some of those to around here)
How do you snake proof a dog? The local thai dogs do hunt snakes and kill them,but they are never very young dogs.
When i notice a snake i call my dogs in and grab a very long bamboo stick.Spitting cobras are no fun to tangle with.I don't know how many species around here have poison but it seems the size of the snake does not really matter.Each year a lot of people get killed in the rice fields.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Nathen Danforth said:


> Ah Horseshit!!! So in reality you only have 4 snakes that are "dangerous" because coral snake are hardly dangerous, venomous yes, but not something you could consider dangerous!!! And boa constrictors dangerous...you've got to be kidding me!!
> 
> You wanna talk dangerous and lots of snakes. There are 16 species of rattlesnake in the U.S., my state has 13 of those!!!
> 
> ...


You got me beat!


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

jack van strien said:


> Lee,
> Lots of bad snakes here in thailand also,recently killed a five foot king cobra.This one was not that big but big scary,sounded like a tiger(still have some of those to around here)
> How do you snake proof a dog? The local thai dogs do hunt snakes and kill them,but they are never very young dogs.
> When i notice a snake i call my dogs in and grab a very long bamboo stick.Spitting cobras are no fun to tangle with.I don't know how many species around here have poison but it seems the size of the snake does not really matter.Each year a lot of people get killed in the rice fields.


I use a e collar. Lou Castle has a article on it if I recall. I use my own version.


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## Candy Eggert (Oct 28, 2008)

Nathen Danforth said:


> Ah Horseshit!!! So in reality you only have 4 snakes that are "dangerous" because coral snake are hardly dangerous, venomous yes, but not something you could consider dangerous!!! And boa constrictors dangerous...you've got to be kidding me!!
> 
> You wanna talk dangerous and lots of snakes. There are 16 species of rattlesnake in the U.S., my state has 13 of those!!!
> 
> ...


Found these little gems at an aquarium in Medellin, Colombia ;-) Unfortunately they were checking purses on the way out.:-$


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## Ben Thompson (May 2, 2009)

They have rattlesnake vaccinations for dogs where I live I don't know how well they work. I happen to like snakes including venomous ones. Killing a king cobra sounds like a good way to get YOURSELF killed. I just walk around snakes its so much easier they really don't want to mess with you anyway. But there is always the danger of stepping on one in a field so people think they have to go ballistic and stab at the grass every time it moves.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Ben Thompson said:


> They have rattlesnake vaccinations for dogs where I live I don't know how well they work. I happen to like snakes including venomous ones. Killing a king cobra sounds like a good way to get YOURSELF killed. I just walk around snakes its so much easier they really don't want to mess with you anyway. But there is always the danger of stepping on one in a field so people think they have to go ballistic and stab at the grass every time it moves.


Here they cut a lot of fields with machetes. They always have a fairly thick short "L" shaped stick to to swipe first then cut with the machete. It is kind of a rhythm movement.

Another poster commented that the variety of snakes in his area was greater than here in CR.

The problem is not variety but how numerous they are.


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## Danielle Wagner (Dec 6, 2009)

I would rather live in Arizona, but don't you also have alot of dangerous spiders?


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Danielle Wagner said:


> I would rather live in Arizona, but don't you also have alot of dangerous spiders?


There are 1800 species of spiders. The 3 species of black widow are poisonous. There are 3 species of poison dart frogs. The biggest pain in the ass is scorpions. I find them in the house regularly. They are quite fast. If you take your eyes of them they are gone.


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