Pics of the day (snake)

[cyprusmax47]

This made my day ... while I was pool cleaning I heard a lot of birds shouting in the Potato Bushes nearby. Luckily I went first to get my camera ready as I expected something. Well... this large 2m black snake has got a house and was on the way in for afternoon sleep after it caught something(big stomach) I am very glad to have a black snake as they keep their area clean from poisonous snakes and rats. Heading out now for nice fresh fish at the Timi beach....to show them my new photos.

[Robert]

What an experience Max. I can't wait to live full time in Cyprus. From all your pictures you seem to live in an area full of beautiful nature and seem to have a lovely garden. Could I ask what area you live in and what size (m2 or similar) land you have?

[PhotoLady]

Fab photos, Max!
It looks like your snake popped out to pose for that 2nd shot
Love it!

[ApusApus]

Great photos Max, makes you realise they are never too far away from us! Did it ask for copyright though?


Shane

[Steve Matthews]

A beautiful Large Whip snake and brilliant pictures.

[Dominic]

Yes the snake is definitely posing in the second one.

[cyprusmax47]

What an experience Max. I can't wait to live full time in Cyprus. From all your pictures you seem to live in an area full of beautiful nature and seem to have a lovely garden. Could I ask what area you live in and what size (m2 or similar) land you have?

I owned different properties in the Paphos district mainly in the Polis area in the past 35 years but it was always some miles away from other settlements as I am fond of peace and quiet. Always it was important for me that the land has got a good size of minimum 4500 m2 which was the maximum one could buy before EU. To buy land was relative cheap years ago and in case you got neighbours you have still a distance I thought. Also I wanted always a huge garden to plant all the different trees and shrubs available in Cyprus. Whatever you planted it was growing very fast, not like in Central Europe...
As it was still not good enough for me I was also renting fields to do organic farming of the Orange family as it was absolutely unknown in Cyprus. So I ended with more than 100 trees and the organic produced fruits I was selling to Paphos Hotels. (5 tons) Back to your question you can see the view I have to the mountains in the East, also I have view to the beach in the West (but I find it boring) and it is close to Minthis Golf. The property which I can use has got more than 20.000 m2 with a variety of large trees and shrubs (olive, carob, almond, pear, apricot, apple, peach, lemon, quince, plums, artichoke ....) and I love it....
( of course there is a bore hole 700 ft deep and irrigation systems installed)
Max

[Cogs123]

Great view Max, my OH is envious.

Last year, I spotted the very same type of snake slithering across one of the walkways on our complex, the sheer size of it took me by surprise
Now that you have informed me that it isn't dangerous, I'll look forward too our next encounter.

[cyprusmax47]

Great view Max, my OH is envious.

Last year, I spotted the very same type of snake slithering across one of the walkways on our complex, the sheer size of it took me by surprise
Now that you have informed me that it isn't dangerous, I'll look forward too our next encounter.

The black whip snake is not biting and got no poison either. It is a constrictor which means it kills for example a rat by strangulation. I have seen it live in the past when a even larger black snake was jumping out of a tree to corner a rat at a house wall and killed it instantly.

[smudger]

Strange Cyprusmax. One of my cats has been bitten twice by snakes, clearly not BNV or he would have barely survived, if at all. Not too badly affected apart from stripping his fur leaving his whole chest/abdomen area raw. Thanks to D&N and Paphiakos, he did survive on both occasions

Odd re cats. I have 3 housecats, albeit feeding another dozen or so ferals. One housecat has been bitten by a spider, which almost disabled her, one bitten by snakes twice as above, and one who has had no major probs but is permanently riddled with tics, two of which over the last 11 years or so managed to lodge themselves on me and took some painful removal!

Love to see and know where they all roam to see where they pick up these probs! I know none of them go far from home as they are around the complex and in and out most of the day. We have many fields and waste land around so presume this must be where they go???

[ApusApus]

Tics are common & are picked up in the fields & from other cats. Our cat got some last year but now we fit a Seresto collar on him which covers tics & fleas & he is free from them! The label says the collar lasts 7 months but we change ours every 4/5.


Shane

[PW in Polemi]

Cyprusmax - lovely photos. We too have black snakes on our land - we watched entranced as two of them danced and entwined themselves around each other one day, presumably in a mating dance.

Strange Cyprusmax. One of my cats has been bitten twice by snakes, clearly not BNV or he would have barely survived, if at all. Not too badly affected apart from stripping his fur leaving his whole chest/abdomen area raw. Thanks to D&N and Paphiakos, he did survive on both occasions

Odd re cats. I have 3 housecats, albeit feeding another dozen or so ferals. One housecat has been bitten by a spider, which almost disabled her, one bitten by snakes twice as above, and one who has had no major probs but is permanently riddled with tics, two of which over the last 11 years or so managed to lodge themselves on me and took some painful removal!

Our ex-feral has been bitten twice by a BNV, once in each of two consecutive years. Dimitris from D&N Vets told us that providing the cat gets medical care within 12 hours of being bitten, it stands a reasonable chance of survival - and acquires a certain amount of immunity with each subsequent bite, although still requires anti venin and anti biotics. He's still alive and well and still poking his paws into holes ... curiosity and the cat, eh?!
He won't go near spiders, but does come home with "crawlers" that if we don't remove, will attach and swell to horrible grey bloated ticks. Can't use any anti tick/flea treatment on him as if it's strong enough to work, he's allergic to it! Manual checking and removal is all we can do - coupled with frequent spraying of chairs and his bedding with Biokill. One crawler managed to lodge itself on my knee once, but a cotton bud soaked in Biokill applied to said tick soon had it dropping off dead.

[die6]

You can use a good coconutoil for cats, dogs and humasn against tics. Use it for our dogs for years with good success.
Just rub a tsp into their fur, head, back and ears twice a day - they'll love the massage!

[Devil]

Beardie, a stray mongrel, adopted us as an estimated 5-week puppy (just arrived at the door) in piteous state, thin as a rake, covered with vermin etc. When he was about 5-years old, he was snuffling in a pile of dead leaves when he disturbed a BNV, which bit him on his chest. I saw him jump up about 1½ m in shock, with the snake hanging from his chest. What I believe saved him was the snake did let go, possibly before pumping in a full dose of venom. The vet did not recommend an anti-venin as the bite was close to his heart but pumped him full of corticosteroids and other anti-inflammatories. It was touch-and-go for 2 days but the tough old bugger pulled through. By chance, today he is celebrating his estimated 100th-human-year birthday (14 years 3.4 months) with a hamburger patty for din-dins!

[smudger]

Thanks Kay, Sam wasn't remotely unwell, just stripped his fur from chest and abdomen, so knew it wasn't a BNV, no idea what it was, but deffo a snake of some sort.
My friend Sue who feeds lots of ferals has had a number bitten by a BNV, some survived, some didn't, in spite of intensive care from D & N or Paphiakos. She gets them to the vet as soon as she sees them, but of course, being ferals, no idea how long they have had the bite.
With Samson I had no idea there was a problem till I picked him up for a cuddle and realised he just had raw flesh on his front. Have to say he was, and still is, as good as gold with the iodine I had to apply and with tablets. His sister, Delilah is however quite a different matter, I always have to warn the vet that whatever they try to do with her she will go berserk. And she does!

Devil, good to know your cat still survives, as you say, tough old bugger!

Cats eh!

[PW in Polemi]

You can use a good coconutoil for cats, dogs and humasn against tics. Use it for our dogs for years with good success.
Just rub a tsp into their fur, head, back and ears twice a day - they'll love the massage!

But I'd HATE it - the smell of coconut makes me nauseous.

Smudger, your Delilah sounds a bit like our cat - staff at D&N have nicknamed him "Mr Angry" because he likes to murder and maim. He also has a love/hate relationship with Dimitris - he loves to hate poor Dimitris! Fortunately, he seems to have a soft spot for Sotiris there, so providing we can actually get the cat in the carrier (not always possible), we can get him any much needed vetinerary treatment.

Devil, congratulations to Beardie. Hope he enjoys his hamburger.

Cyprusmax - sorry for the thread creep!

[die6]

You can use a good coconutoil for cats, dogs and humasn against tics. Use it for our dogs for years with good success.
Just rub a tsp into their fur, head, back and ears twice a day - they'll love the massage!

But I'd HATE it - the smell of coconut makes me nauseous.

It hardly smells like coconut at all! Just love it, works great, healthier and much cheaper than chemical things (which really stink )

[smudger]

die6 - where to get the coconut oil please?? Happy to try anything, Delilah just seems to attract the tics!!

Thanks in anticipation!

Of course, getting it on her could be a whole new ball game!!

[Devil]

Devil, good to know your cat still survives, as you say, tough old bugger!

Don't think he has ever meowed but he barks at every stranger coming through the gate!

[smudger]

Oops, sorry Dev, was fixated on the cat theme! Glad he's still going strong though!!