If you have any problems with any wildlife call 0821 4638 0270
Bali Reptile Rescue operates 24/7 and the phone is always on
But please call the number instead of leaving a text message
Phones get answered but messages sometimes dont go through
1. Yes there are potentially deadly venomous snakes in Bali
Indonesia is a tropical country and has many species of snakes
Bali has 40 known land species
Only 6 of those are potentially deadly
So your chances of seeing a venomous snake are about 1 in 7
2. Snakes will not chase you to attack and try to kill you
Snakes are much more scared of humans than humans are of snakes
If given the opportunity to escape they will happily leave
Only real exception to this is a female king cobra guarding her nest
She is just like any other mum protecting her baby and will defend her nest strongly
But unless you go into the jungle in West Bali you will not ever see a king on her nest
3. There are no green mambas in Indonesia
Snake often referred to as a green mamba is trimeresurus insularis
White lipped Island pit viper. lipi gadang. ular hijau ekor merah
It is responsible for many bites in Bali but cannot kill a human if you go to hospital
Its venom is haemotoxic meaning it attacks flesh and blood
Bites are extremely painful
Untreated bites can cause blood poisoning and eventually gangrene
4. Every green snake is not a pit viper
Red tailed racers, gonyosoma oxyphelum, and oriental vine snakes, ahaetulla prasinus
are both bright green and are harmless to humans
5. Not all venomous snakes have triangular heads
Cobras, kraits, and coral snakes definitely do not have triangular heads
6. Just because a snake appears to have slits for pupils does not mean its venomous
Most snakes eyes react to light exactly the same way ours do
Reticulated pythons show this very clearly
7. Some snakes look almost identical
This is especially true of young Malayan krait, bungarus fasciatus, and banded wolf snake, lycodon subcinctus
Those two are very difficult to tell apart without getting too close for comfort
8. Its very easy to kill a snake
BUT 85% of snake bite deaths are caused by people trying to catch or kill a snake
9. Salt will work to deter snakes
But only if you cover your entire garden several inches thick with salt
Every living creature needs salt to live
Snakes are no exception to that
10. Electronic snake repellers do not work
They cannot work because they are not designed to work
Google can show you photos of snakes curled up around them quite happily
11. Snakes will not stay in a garden if they have nowhere to live
This means fill in any rat holes etc and cover drains
12. Oriental rats, ptyas mucosus, found all over Bali, are NOT king cobras
King Cobras are only found in West/Central Bali and are very rarely seen
13. Traditional medicine does not work in Bali
It appears to work sometimes only because most of the time snakes do not inject venom
so the bite victim would have survived without any treatment at all
14. Sea snakes can actually bite you anywhere they want to
Forget the stories about them only being able to bite fingers etc
A 1metre sea snake can eat a 40cm fish without even trying hard
A 40cm fish is at least as thick as your wrist
So they can bite you where ever they want to if you annoy them enough
Although they are very reluctant to bite they also have very strong venom
15. Television is all about ratings
That is why they always show snakes as savage man eating monsters
The truth is the exact opposite of that
16. Snake bite treatment is easy and very effective
https://www.facebook.com/notes/10202131279228014/
We live in a country where snakes and water monitors also live
They are great rat control because they will go down into the rat holes and eat them all
Cats and dogs cannot do that
So reptiles are a very valuable part of any tropical ecosystem
Many farmers encourage snakes in their rice fields because their rice production increases
Poster showing commonly seen snakes in Bali and snake bite treatment
Bali Reptile Rescue operates 24/7 and the phone is always on
But please call the number instead of leaving a text message
Phones get answered but messages sometimes dont go through
1. Yes there are potentially deadly venomous snakes in Bali
Indonesia is a tropical country and has many species of snakes
Bali has 40 known land species
Only 6 of those are potentially deadly
So your chances of seeing a venomous snake are about 1 in 7
2. Snakes will not chase you to attack and try to kill you
Snakes are much more scared of humans than humans are of snakes
If given the opportunity to escape they will happily leave
Only real exception to this is a female king cobra guarding her nest
She is just like any other mum protecting her baby and will defend her nest strongly
But unless you go into the jungle in West Bali you will not ever see a king on her nest
3. There are no green mambas in Indonesia
Snake often referred to as a green mamba is trimeresurus insularis
White lipped Island pit viper. lipi gadang. ular hijau ekor merah
It is responsible for many bites in Bali but cannot kill a human if you go to hospital
Its venom is haemotoxic meaning it attacks flesh and blood
Bites are extremely painful
Untreated bites can cause blood poisoning and eventually gangrene
4. Every green snake is not a pit viper
Red tailed racers, gonyosoma oxyphelum, and oriental vine snakes, ahaetulla prasinus
are both bright green and are harmless to humans
5. Not all venomous snakes have triangular heads
Cobras, kraits, and coral snakes definitely do not have triangular heads
6. Just because a snake appears to have slits for pupils does not mean its venomous
Most snakes eyes react to light exactly the same way ours do
Reticulated pythons show this very clearly
7. Some snakes look almost identical
This is especially true of young Malayan krait, bungarus fasciatus, and banded wolf snake, lycodon subcinctus
Those two are very difficult to tell apart without getting too close for comfort
8. Its very easy to kill a snake
BUT 85% of snake bite deaths are caused by people trying to catch or kill a snake
9. Salt will work to deter snakes
But only if you cover your entire garden several inches thick with salt
Every living creature needs salt to live
Snakes are no exception to that
10. Electronic snake repellers do not work
They cannot work because they are not designed to work
Google can show you photos of snakes curled up around them quite happily
11. Snakes will not stay in a garden if they have nowhere to live
This means fill in any rat holes etc and cover drains
12. Oriental rats, ptyas mucosus, found all over Bali, are NOT king cobras
King Cobras are only found in West/Central Bali and are very rarely seen
13. Traditional medicine does not work in Bali
It appears to work sometimes only because most of the time snakes do not inject venom
so the bite victim would have survived without any treatment at all
14. Sea snakes can actually bite you anywhere they want to
Forget the stories about them only being able to bite fingers etc
A 1metre sea snake can eat a 40cm fish without even trying hard
A 40cm fish is at least as thick as your wrist
So they can bite you where ever they want to if you annoy them enough
Although they are very reluctant to bite they also have very strong venom
15. Television is all about ratings
That is why they always show snakes as savage man eating monsters
The truth is the exact opposite of that
16. Snake bite treatment is easy and very effective
https://www.facebook.com/notes/10202131279228014/
We live in a country where snakes and water monitors also live
They are great rat control because they will go down into the rat holes and eat them all
Cats and dogs cannot do that
So reptiles are a very valuable part of any tropical ecosystem
Many farmers encourage snakes in their rice fields because their rice production increases
Poster showing commonly seen snakes in Bali and snake bite treatment
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