禁漫天堂

DAMN!!

Got a nasty bite from a spider earlier today, back of neck behind ear/jawline.

Washed now, tetracycline antibiotic applied. I'm hoping it doesn't get as bad as the one I got on my forearm a couple of years back, up north in Thai Nguyen.

Monitoring closely, with fingers crossed.

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"Spiders. Lots of them, and not small....bitten on the right forearm 2 years ago...within 24 hours the flesh had necrotized...ate a hole in my forearm almost all the way to the bone...permanent scar on my arm, white as the driven snow..." (link to original post, "Spiders")

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Couple of earlier trophy pics聽 from Saigon and Thai Nguyen, here

Coming well into the dry season here in Phu Quoc, and with the grasses slowing their growth, I decided to do a bit of gardening clean-up.

Caught this one nestled under one of my work gloves. It was scampering quickly until I killed it with an insecticide spray.

Though nowhere near as menacing looking as its larger and more aggressive cousin, at ~5cm (~2inches) I'm told the sting from these guys is much more painful.

enlarge here

Next to the property's fence line I found what I at first thought was a dried palm leaf. Nope.

I'm told that it was the moulted skin of a Vietnam King Cobra. And not small, at ~2 metres (~6+ feet) in length. Happy to report that the skin's former occupant was not found.

enlarge here

enlarge here

Walking back to the house I almost stepped on this viper. I've seen its kind before. The Red-tailed viper.

Like the King Cobra, definitely not something to be messed with. Seen here in its death throes after I bludgeoned it with my shovel. This one was big, at ~1 metre (~3+ feet) long.

enlarge here

I wish I could say, after almost 8 years here, that I've grown used to this but I'd be lying.

I can certainly say that I've learned a lot about detection/avoidance.

I recently woke up to a 5 inch centipede that came across the my chest while in bed. Before I could handle it myself the wife jumped it and dispatched it so fast she scared me. I worked with wildlife many years and did not expect to see her bad side so quickly. Vietnam woman don鈥檛 play. 馃槀

@Aidan in HCMC

I have a couple of acres near the Cambodian border and occasionally come across snakes. I stopped killing them as they are too plentiful. I just chuck em over the fence. We have centipedes and scorpions in the house but have been lucky so far.

My dogs were going ape-poop crazy next to the downed trunk of a palm tree. The reason for their excitement? The absolute largest Vietnam Worm Snake () my GF and my neighbours had ever seen. I'm told it's common to find these measuring up to 20cm (~8 inches) long, but this beauty was well over 60cm (~25 inches)!

I lifted it out for the photo-op using a stick, and then returned it to the bush before one of my neighbours had the chance to make good on his intent to cook and share it with us. It feeds on termite larvae, ants, spiders, and other pests. Seemed good enough reasons for me to spare it its life.

A blind, slow moving, non-venomous subterranean species. Quite beautiful.

My dogs were going ape-poop crazy next to the downed trunk of a palm tree. The reason for their excitement? The absolute largest Vietnam Worm Snake () my GF and my neighbours had ever seen. I'm told it's common to find these measuring up to 20cm (~8 inches) long, but this beauty was well over 60cm (~25 inches)!
I lifted it out for the photo-op using a stick, and then returned it to the bush before one of my neighbours had the chance to make good on his intent to cook and share it with us. It feeds on termite larvae, ants, spiders, and other pests. Seemed good enough reasons for me to spare it its life.
A blind, slow moving, non-venomous subterranean species. Quite beautiful.

- @Aidan in HCMC

Just in time for The Year of The 馃悕

@OceanBeach92107

Didn't even think of that!! LOL

An omen? If so, I'm glad I released it.

Each year the rainy season brings the snakes.

Another red-tail viper () today, nestled in an orchid pot hanging on the back deck.

Venomous, excellent camouflage, and now thankfully dead.

I HATE SNAKES!