Monday, February 16, 2009

#074-365 Dangerous

Special Warning for Tammy's Children, this is one Aussie Critter you don't want to say Hello to!

I don't know if he can talk or not, I don't get close enough tp find out. This is a Taipan - It has a reputation that makes big bronzed Aussies pale just at the thought of them, this is a medium sized specimen about 2.1 metres long. Not many people die from their bite now as an anti-venom has been developed in recent years, but some still do in isolated areas.

When I first went to Townsville North Queensland, I met with an Aborigine Soldier who in spite of being a good worthwile soldier had a heavy drinking problem, he spent his fortnight's wages in the first week, which was a disaster - No booze money for the second week! I asked what he did for cash as he never borrowed money, and he offered to show me.

We drove out of town for about an hour or so and came across a field of Sugar Cane and stopped. He got out so I did too, and we started walking along the rows of cane, then whoosh like lightning, he bent down and came up holding a three metre Taipan, (I paled) from his back pocket he took a medium size bottle with a rubber type top and positioned the snake fangs first onto the bottle (I was amazed) while this was going on he repositioned his hold on the snake so that it and the bottle were secured by his left hand with the thumb on the snakes head. He then reached down and came up with an even bigger snake, in his right hand and then almost instantly trapped another under his right foot and almost at the same time put his left foot on another then said to me hey grab that one over there, but he was talking to the wind I was back in the car Windows wound up so tight that the handles were at risk of snapping and I was shaking like a leaf.

Now I know he was nuts and you know he was nuts but the venom that he was collecting actually went to the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) who paid him a pittance (In my opinion - I wouldn't have done that for millions) and they along with a group of laboratories were able to find the Anti-Venom. The last time I saw him he asked me to come out and give him a hand then nearly choked laughing at my terrified reaction - Takes all Kinds.

The Black line is the glass divider and yes the glass was thick - I checked. Later there is a shot of a Red-Bellied Black snake which is also dangerous and as I was trying to get it in focus a little girl came and asked what I was doing, her Father came looking for her and I advised him to pick her up and show her the snake so that she would know what to look for, he said he wasn't worried as he lived in Blacktown a western suburb of Sydney, I told him that their habitat include all Sydney Suburbs so he picked her up and when I left they were both remembering what it looked like..

20 comments:

Lorri said...

Great post, Ron! My brother is fond of snakes and other creepy critters--we used to have cobras in coolers in the bathtub and rattlesnakes in plastic boxes on the kitchen shelves. I, however, would have beat you back to the car if invited to walk in a field full of them!

Sunny said...

Great photo! What a BIG snake that is. Behind glass, I assume! (That's the only way I'd want to get close to one!)
Teach you to go out with strangers, won't it? lol I do believe I'd have the same reaction.

Chesney said...

I don't know where you find these people, they seem kinda attracted to you - LOL! You are right, i am not showing the boys - they will definitely want one! Yyyyyeeeeccchhh!!!!

Nan said...

I hope the snake in your picture is behind glass! Fascinating story!

Linda S said...

That is the best story! The pic was nice, too. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Scary but great find! I've seen the procedure you described (not in person, on tv), and it takes a special person to do that!

Anonymous said...

Very scary story - and a mean-looking snake that blends in with the rocks and leaves in his surroundings. You're killing me, Ron.

terricreates said...

Oh my, I am already pale an running in the other direction. Little snakes don't bother me too much but something that size, I am outta here. Great picture though.

Debbie said...

I do not mind snakes but you won't find me out hunting for them. We had a garter snake take over our door stoop one summer. It used to leap out at Kiwi. One morning I heard a loud snap and the snake was in Kiwi's mouth. It lived but it went to live somewhere else.

Debra said...

Hysterical story, had me laughing out loud. I use a stick to rustle certain sections of my garden to let the snakes know I'm there and they can go elsewhere. Thankfully all the ones that live in our garden are not poisonous.

mljrbg said...

What an interesting story. Thanks for taking the time to explain about this guy. Your photograph is great but the subject...well...

Clara said...

Oh my God, Ron. I get the jitters just looking at that thing. Great shot.

Anonymous said...

You presented a grand photo, but the picture you painted in words was even better. I laughed, but I know it "twaren't" funny, McGee (In case you don't know who McGee is, years ago he used to be "Fibber McGee" on radio with his wife Molly). This is one mean snake and certainly nothing I care to encounter. I'm like Debra. I don't mind snakes as long as they aren't in my territory. Garden snakes I'll pick up with a stick and encourage them to go elsewhere.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful story, wonderfully told - I can picture you shaking in your knickers in the car (now if only I can get that thought out of my head!) Nice scary shot of the snake too - I thought you found that in the wild, till I picked out the line of the glass.

~Val said...

OK - this was NOT the post I wanted to read just before I went off to bed...YIKES!

Loved your story and your tale of rushing back to the car....after snake #2 I was wondering why you were still there watching!

Great shot!

jo said...

What a storyteller you are!
Nice shot as well...

Anonymous said...

Yipes! Great shot and even better story.

Candyce said...

wow that's some story!! I would have to say I would have high tailed it out of there as soon as I saw the first one!

Anonymous said...

Snakes, even behind glass, make me shiver! Kudos for even getting close to the glass - you never know how strong those puppies are !

Esther said...

My sister Iona and I were raised in Texas, where the only good snake was a dead snake. One of our sons had a liking for snakes and has had several constrictors as pets. He even raised rats in the garage for snake food. I really didn't like it when he would accidentaly lose them in the house. Brrrrr