URGENT!!! Advice Required Please!

[rodentrancher]

Hi all, one of our local snake catchers at Loxton got a call out just now. Some people just imported some furniture from China. They just took the plastic off the furniture and a snake popped it's head out! Eeek!!! Some exotic that has been in transit for 16 weeks or so. The snake catcher is very dubious of course, and rang Dave to ask his advice on what to do about it. Parks and Wildlife here don't seem to have an after hours tel. no. The snake is grey and white in colour. Does anyone have any idea what sort of snakes come from China please?? What sort of vens or pythons come from there??? She would like some answer asap. Thanks and cheers Cheryl

 

[junglemad]

be careful. China has many venomous snakes including cobras

 

[pugsly]

Wow, yeah what junglemad said, do a google search on Chinese snakes. even then it might not be form there, any pics?

 

[Rossagon]

Well the best thing to do is ring the Quarantine hotline, or the nearest airport office as I know Melb is Open 24 hours. If all goes wrong ring this number, they should help. 03 83188200.

Cheers Rossco.

 

[leighroyaus]

wow loxton... only a hour n a half from here..

 

[GetCoiled]

No pythons in China I guest...many vens and Asian ratsnakes (safe).
Cheers
Stefano

 

[reptililian]

Was it antique furniture that managed to survive Mao's "cultural revolution"? My snakes love hanging out in my antique cupboards! 16 weeks, golly. :shock:

Goodluck!

 

[SLACkra]

pics or it didn't happen! i just want to know what it looks like!

just make sure no snake smugglers find out about this or snakes will be popping out of antique furniture all over the place!

 

[soulweaver]

if in doubt always treat snakes as vens, even in Australia. Better to look like a fool, then a dead fool.

 

[africancichlidau]

just make sure no snake smugglers find out about this or snakes will be popping out of antique furniture all over the place!

Lol Slacky, you think there are no snake smugglers on this site? If they hadn't thought about it they sure have now

 

[peterescue]

Unless its come straight out of the container I'd be dubious but I have had the same experience with an item that was unpacked at Harvey Norman's and shopped directly to the purchaser.
Quarentine hotline. How far is Tanunda from you?

 

[rodentrancher]

Hi Peter, Tanunda is only 1 1/2hrs from Renmark. Wonder if it might be worth while getting in touch with Peter Mirschin at SA Venom? Did a google and there are Mambas, Cobras, Kraits and Vipers in China

 

[rodentrancher]

PS. will see if we can get Snake Catcher woman to get some pics.

 

[krusty]

will love to see the pics when you can post some

 

[Surfcop24]

Hmmmmm ...Very strange that this was not picked up at customs....... Dont they scan everything ... Or is it just the occasional item they scan???

 

[rodentrancher]

Apparently the furniture was tightly wrapped in plastic, and when they were taking it off the snake popped its head out. then went back inside again. The furniture would have come into Aust by ship in a shipping container. I will wait for further developments today and see if we can get some pics, ok? Cheers Cheryl

 

[Wrasse]

Wow, a thread with something entirely different! Hanging out to see the pics.

 

[moosenoose]

Oh Cool! This is like Where's Wally!!! hehe Do I win anything if I guess it??? This one is grey, and it's from China

Indo-Chinese Rat Snake

A harmless snake of agricultural and forested areas, this species preys on rats, frogs and other small vertebrates. It is diurnal, and mainly a ground-dweller.
It can be identified by the olive coloured tail with dark-edged scales, and the faint pale brown banding which occurs on the thickest part of the body (though this feature does not occur in mature adults). Its eyes are relatively large.


The species ranges from India, through Burma, Thailand and Indo-China and down to West Malaysia, Singapore and the sundaic islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Java and Bali

 

[rodentrancher]

Wrasse, I think the Snake catcher was going to lock the furniture in an empty room last night and put in some food to tempt it out, and try to trap it somehow?? I guess it would be really hungry if it had been in transit for 16 weeks?? She's not going to take any chances anyhow just in case it's a ven. So would the Quarantine hotline be the department for her to get in touch with, or Parks and Wildlife? Cheers Cheryl PS Moosey, I think she said it was grey with white stripes?

 

[moosenoose]

Damn!!! :lol: