Snake fun (Graphics intensive)

[The Snark]

Been meaning to compile this for a while. Najakeepers photos motivated me to put this together.

First, the enclosure or what I like to call it, 'The pit of death'. Note, there is nothing to prevent someone from reaching in or even climbing down into the pit. It's about 6 feet deep, 20 feet across and has two small trimmed trees growing in it.

And a closer shot. Notice any slitherers?

Okay, a bit closer.

And closer

Oh fudge. Want me to get right up in their faces?

Okay. At an estimate there are about 40 Ptyas ratters and around 35 Kaouthai, many within arms reach. Fortunately Thaiville has practical courts. Stick your hand in or jump on in, (or drop Junior in just for fun) and survive, when you try and sue the judge will snort, maybe laugh, and if in a jocular mood ask you what in heck you did that for before he tells you to get out of his face.

 

[Najakeeper]

Awesome !

 

[Shrike]

Admit it Snark. You're Indiana Jones.

Cool pictures. So is this "snake pit" meant to contain the snakes? It looks like they could reach the top fairly easily.

 

[The Snark]

Admit it Snark. You're Indiana Jones.

Cool pictures. So is this "snake pit" meant to contain the snakes? It looks like they could reach the top fairly easily.

This actually demonstrates how well the people there know their snakes. I doubt if most of the keepers ever graduated high school. They have been handling snakes for several generations, picking up tricks handed down to them.
With the pit, neither the ratters nor the Kaouthai are naturally arboreal though they don't mind climbing to get some sun. None of the snakes are more than 7 feet long with most around 4 to 5 feet. But the big trick is, the snakes are out of their natural environment in a situation where they won't normally consider striking.

First and foremost, those trees are trimmed every day. Second, someone goes down into that pit and sweeps up all the leaves and debris every day. Very cautiously. When cleaning the floor, the handlers first hook all the Kaouthai up into the trees. The ratters will stay out of their way as long as they move slowly.

The ratter, though it can stand on it's tail and extend over 3/4 of it's body straight up, doesn't like to extend horizontally at all. Around 1 foot is about normal max though they can extend up to about 3 feet. But in a tree, they simply don't chance it. They really prefer solid ground under them. What this boils down to is it is MUCH easier to contain our local 'speed of light' ratters in this enclosure than in a cage where they can get on the ground and gain some traction.

The Kaouthai are even more predictable. They don't ever extend horizontally more than they normally extend upwards in hooded strike position. So a 6 footer will only stretch out from a tree horizontally about 12 to 18 inches but, of course, not capable of striking in that position.

So while it looks like a very haphazard arrangement, it has been very carefully thought out while at the same time being very convenient for the handlers. They use the Kaouthai in this pit for the snake demonstrations and it's only the work of a few seconds to catch the snakes for each show using a hook.

Of course, this pit is useless for tree dwellers. It wouldn't contain a python for more than until it gets curious of the larger world out there. Even a 5 footer would easily escape.

PS And of course, an odd ball has to get in the works. O. Hannah cannot be kept in an environment like this. Almost as if the king decided way back when to be different in every possible aspect. Though very terrestrial, it takes to trees like a duck to water and is just as capable, or even more so, than a python in the trees.

 

[Shrike]

Thanks for the explanation and you're right--it really does speak to the knowledge of the keepers. It's certainly one of the most unique set ups I've ever seen!