# Light shone on Snakes??



## roadie (Mar 8, 2007)

Has anyone use any form of light to 'scare' snakes away?

i am very fear of them .....  

always meet them in the forset whenever i go trekking, etc.

will light affect on their eyes like any 2 or 4 legger animals??


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## benighted (Mar 8, 2007)

Snakes are already more afraid of you than you are of them and will not attack unless provoked. 
Most snakes are not out in the open at night where you might see them, but during the daytime I don't see how a flashlight would help you anyways.


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## jumpstat (Mar 8, 2007)

HI there, Roadie,

Personal experience, is that some snakes do like bright stuff, and they will lunge at the source such as spotlights etc. We here in Malaysia do not have forests but we do have lots of jungles. When It comes to snakes, the 'Ular Kapak' or Axe Snake, which looks like the rattle snake but without the rattle particularly likes bright light. Other jungle dwellers do run away when they see light at night. If you do see one, just back away slowly.


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## Paladin (Mar 8, 2007)

Last fall, well after the air was pretty chilly at night, we came up on a 3.5 ft.(~1 meter?) rattle snake streched out in the trail. He was pretty unreactive when hit with a Digilight 12VHP lamp from a few feet away. IIRC snakes sense IR, so some day I want to "light one up" with an IR illuminator.

Paladin


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## greenlight (Mar 8, 2007)

jumpstat said:


> HI there, Roadie,
> 
> Personal experience, is that some snakes do like bright stuff, and they will lunge at the source such as spotlights etc. We here in Malaysia do not have forests but we do have lots of jungles. When It comes to snakes, the 'Ular Kapak' or Axe Snake, which looks like the rattle snake but without the rattle particularly likes bright light. Other jungle dwellers do run away when they see light at night. If you do see one, just back away slowly.



That's why it's good to carry two lights. Or more. Drop one and let the snake play with it for a while until it dies. Then go back and retrieve it in the morning. :lolsign:


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## Illum (Mar 8, 2007)

snakes are usually people fearing, unless its cornered its going to try and find some way to run off...unless its a rattler, etc

Lights dont really have an effect on snakes since their visible spectrum is very limited, mostly by IR, for personal protection I'd suggest carrying a beater light.

Down here in FL, the most intimidating snake I've seen is an indigo, which was pretty cute IMO.
Animals need their space, as long as you respect them, they usually wouldn't wreak havoc


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## FireFighter05 (Mar 8, 2007)

I think a .410 works better than a flashlight if I have reasonable fear of being bitten. Dont get me wrong here, I do not wish to kill anything I am not going to eat... I would however, kill to defend myself or another person from imminent harm...


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## roadie (Mar 8, 2007)

so no form of lights will 'scare' them away??

ouch ...... i am very 'bad luck' whenever i step into the forest .... as i will cross path with them ,,,,,, arrrrrrrrgh ..... dop 

oh well ......


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## jumpstat (Mar 8, 2007)

greenlight said:


> That's why it's good to carry two lights. Or more. Drop one and let the snake play with it for a while until it dies. Then go back and retrieve it in the morning. :lolsign:



He..he...lets hope the snake won't swollow it.....ha..ha.:laughing:


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## eebowler (Mar 8, 2007)

roadie, you're better off stomping the ground than shining a light on them. Snakes (on the ground) respond to the vibrations of your footsteps from as far away as 30 ft.


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## Mike Painter (Mar 8, 2007)

Years ago we had an alarm in a warehouse that went off a lot.
For a long time nobody knew why. 
Finaly they found the "burglar", a rattle snake.
Seems the alarm was infra-red and every once in a while the snake would see it and stick it's head up to investigate.

So a light giving out a lot of heat might attract better.


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## flashgreenie (Mar 9, 2007)

Snakes can sense you coming(via ground vibrations) before you would even notice the snake. As cold blooded reptiles, I am sure snakes would welcome any warmth you can provide with your high lumens flashlights :laughing:


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## roadie (Mar 9, 2007)

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee oh my then will lasers work?


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## cslinger (Mar 9, 2007)

Like everybody else said, best just to let the snake go his way, you go yours. There are very very few snakes in the world that are actively aggressive towards humans. Only kill a snake if it is a pest, IE taken up residence in a yard or barn or what not and only if it is a dangerous snake, rattler etc.

I hate spiders, etc. but they have their place and as long as they don't bother me I won't bother them. More humans should feel this way about other humans IMO, but that is another thread.

As for the actual light, as others have said snakes are attracted to heat so you are not likely to get any reaction with a flashlight.


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## Illum (Mar 9, 2007)

greenlight said:


> That's why it's good to carry two lights. Or more. Drop one and let the snake play with it for a while until it dies. Then go back and retrieve it in the morning. :lolsign:



thats why you carroy THREE lights...consider this, you see an intimidating snake, you drop one of two lights and run for it...then your other light poops out and you are forced to run back and steal the light from the snake:laughing:

when you said "let the snake play with it until it dies" reminds me of the lithium explosion threads.... :shrug:

_*
NEVERMIND, POST OFENSIVE TO SOME PEOPLE, SELF EDITED*_



roadie said:


> i am very 'bad luck' whenever i step into the forest


I would be more than happy to accompany you into the forest....I came from a family of naturalists and treehuggers


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## benighted (Mar 9, 2007)

Illum_the_nation said:


> well theres the USL...but that might leave burn marks


 
Yep and snakes can't tell when they are being burned so it would prbably sit there happily basking in the warmth of your USL until until it burned itself to death, not reccomended. :tsk:


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## roadie (Mar 9, 2007)

Illum_the_nation said:


> I would be more than happy to accompany you into the forest....I came from a family of naturalists and treehuggers


 
i think i would be better off by myself where fearing u than the snakes


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## TORCH_BOY (Mar 9, 2007)

Snakes like warmth, If you light generates heat it may attract them


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## Martin (Mar 9, 2007)

eebowler said:


> roadie, you're better off stomping the ground than shining a light on them. Snakes (on the ground) respond to the vibrations of your footsteps from as far away as 30 ft.


While stomping works against snakes, it attracts leeches.
In I'sia we typically dragged our flip-flops along the ground. 
If there's lots of plant cover over the ground, the first person in a group uses a bamboo stick to feel / beat the ground. Walking in a group generally reduces the risk of encountering animals.


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## Patriot (Mar 9, 2007)

I run into a lot of snakes out here, usually diamondbacks and occasionally Mohaves. The brightest thing I've ever shined at them was a 800 lumen Vector spotlight. They really seem to be indifferent to light shined at them on a trail. A five foot stick seems to be the most effective thing to nudge them on their way so that you can get past them on the trail. Snake season is just beginning for us again here.


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## Illum (Mar 9, 2007)

benighted said:


> Yep and snakes can't tell when they are being burned so it would prbably sit there happily basking in the warmth of your USL until until it burned itself to death, not reccomended. :tsk:



your rating snakes at a lower than usual intelligence here, they know exactly how much heat is there and when its enough its time for them to leave. They're cold-blooded animals and therefore basks in the sun on outstretched tree limbs and such before retreating to inner branches, bushes, and or burrows that serves as an ideal shelter. your correct, they will sit there enjoying the warmth but eventually it'll try and get away from you and from overheating



roadie said:


> i think i would be better off by myself where fearing u than the snakes



Im not the Steve Irwin kinda guy...I've come to realize that the natural system of life should be given more respect than it should be and despite my staggering history of bee-stings, plant allergic reactions, ant bites and cut inflammations after falling from trees, I still like the outdoors


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## Dizos (Mar 9, 2007)

Flashlights are good for spotting snakes so you don't step on them. Spend some time learning about snakes and maybe you won't be so afraid of them.


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## FireFighter05 (Mar 9, 2007)

cslinger said:


> Like everybody else said, best just to let the snake go his way, you go yours. There are very very few snakes in the world that are actively aggressive towards humans.


 
You have never been face to face with a cotton mouth have you?? Your way is usually their way as well, they are one of the snakes that will chase you.


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## ringzero (Mar 10, 2007)

FireFighter05 said:


> You have never been face to face with a cotton mouth have you?? Your way is usually their way as well, they are one of the snakes that will chase you.



Cotton mouths may be quite pugnacious. I've never had a cotton mouth chase after me, but I have seen them advance toward what they see as a threat.

Most American snakes will just hold their ground while hissing and striking, or more likely just retreat from the perceived threat. Cotton mouths will actually go on the attack.


.


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## Illum (Mar 10, 2007)

:sweat: im in the geographic zone :sweat:

so whats the verdict for coton mouths? carry a long handled shovel to carry it and fling it elsewhere?


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## IdiotsAbound (Mar 10, 2007)

Illum_the_nation said:


> :sweat: im in the geographic zone :sweat:
> 
> so whats the verdict for coton mouths? carry a long handled shovel to carry it and fling it elsewhere?


 
Having been bitten by a cottonmouth when I lived in Florida (Talk about a PAINFUL experience) some 20-odd years ago, I can attest to the fact that they will not get out of your path.

Best to carry a walking stick, preferably one with a U-shape on one end so you can pin them down ( NOT recommended if you're not an experienced snake handler) or pick them up with the stick and very carefully toss them away. Usually they won't come back at you if you toss them far enough away.

Otherwise, go a different way and leave them alone. If you must hike in woods that are known for the cottonmouth (usually swampy areas as they are also known as water moccassins. Rattlesnakes prefer dryer areas), wear thick leather boots with knee-high thick leather chaps.


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## Illum (Mar 10, 2007)

Dizos said:


> Flashlights are good for spotting snakes so you don't step on them. Spend some time learning about snakes and maybe you won't be so afraid of them.



try that with a snake in the foilage....I had the privilege of putting my hand on one thinking its only the branch

A good "spotter" as mentioned above would be a hiking stake


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## SuperNinja (Mar 10, 2007)

On a loosely related note, here are some fun stories:

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=40891

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4350000/newsid_4353500/4353570.stm

http://www.uncoveror.com/potty.htm

:toilet:


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## benighted (Mar 10, 2007)

Illum_the_nation said:


> your rating snakes at a lower than usual intelligence here, they know exactly how much heat is there and when its enough its time for them to leave. They're cold-blooded animals and therefore basks in the sun on outstretched tree limbs and such before retreating to inner branches, bushes, and or burrows that serves as an ideal shelter. your correct, they will sit there enjoying the warmth but eventually it'll try and get away from you and from overheating


 
Not if the heat is in a concentrated spot, they can still be burned before their whold body overheats. Thats why reputible pet stores will warn you against buying "hot rocks" because they are notorious for burning reptiles, especially if the rock is much smaller than the reptile.


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## ringzero (Mar 11, 2007)

Illum_the_nation said:


> so whats the verdict for coton mouths? carry a long handled shovel to carry it and fling it elsewhere?



As a famous outdoorsman once said: "Walk softly and carry a big stick!" (His initials were TR, and if he didn't say exactly that, he said something very close to that.)

A walking stick, a staff, or a similar tool, is a Very Good Thing to take along outdoors.

A decent staff is so all around useful outdoors that once you start carrying one, you'll wonder how you ever got by without it. A staff will help you stay safe in so many ways that it's hard to list them all, and snakes are the least of it.

A staff can check under weeds and behind brush for snakes before you step. A staff can easily fend off the attack of an agressive snake, like a cotton mouth. A staff can be used to move aside, to capture, or if necessary, to kill an agressive snake.


.


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## Illum (Mar 11, 2007)

benighted said:


> Not if the heat is in a concentrated spot, they can still be burned before their whold body overheats. Thats why reputible pet stores will warn you against buying "hot rocks" because they are notorious for burning reptiles, especially if the rock is much smaller than the reptile.



last time when I held a snake captive and gone to the petstore for an IR lamp, but came back with two hot rocks so strongly recommended by the employee [this was winter then and this little guy lying on the grass, so I thought... mm, lets keep him till things warm up]

in case your wondering, he never made it to spring


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