I believe its a matter of perspective isn't it? A boomslang might be moderate in Ian's neighborhood.

I'll just look at them through the glass of the terrarium thank you. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Mister Frosty  sir,

A Boomslang is not nice in ANY neighborhood.

SO  be nice to a Boomslang,

or better yet,

be scarce to a Boomslang

Wikipedia states,

"Many venomous members of the family Colubridae are harmless to humans because of small venom glands and inefficient fangs. However, the boomslang is a notable exception in that it has a highly potent venom".

it also states,

"In 1957, the well-known herpetologist Karl Schmidt died after being bitten by a juvenile Boomslang, which he doubted could produce a fatal dose.  Unfortunately, he was wrong; ".

Fear not these snakes as they are found in Africa. (and not in Alaska).

Thanks to Y'all.

This thread prompted me to do some research & some avid reading.

SLAG.

On 6/22/2018 at 3:41 PM, BIGGUNDOCTOR said:

Gaswizard, nice chandeliers. When you say N CA how north are you? I grew up in Fairfield. 

Grass Valley or about 2 hours north from Fairfield.

On ‎6‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 4:33 PM, Shabumi said:

I'm not sure about everywhere else, but a sure way to tell the difference between a venomous and nonvenomous snake around here is by the head shape.

And taipans have a coffin shaped head … appropriately.

Two of the most deadly snakes in Australia, he king brown and the red belly both have smooth small heads like a tree snake. The death adder appears to have two heads both triangular and it is as deadly as it's name. 

The diamond python on the other hand, a snake so docile that will let you handle her straight from the wild, is a python and harmless despite its size and arrow head shape.  

Around here it pays to get to know each species. and the one you are not sure you leave alone

Yes, the king brown is a nasty customer. There's a lot of misconception though. I think a lot of people here just think a king brown is a big brown snake... and the name sounds dramatic for people who are prone to exaggeration. In fact the king brown (correct name - mulga snake) belongs to the black snake family (same family as red bellied black but more dangerous) and if bitten , you certainly don't want brown snake anti-venene.  Red bellied black snake bite is no walk in the park, but no deaths have resulted from bites.

Our ten most dangerous snakes are listed here:  http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/science-environment/2012/07/australias-10-most-dangerous-snakes

On a different tack, this brushtail possum has been hanging around my smithy for a while. Tonight it turned up with a youngster:

 

The velocipedes i am making have a decorative finial on the prow, and one customer asked for a king brown on his.

He calls his business "Mulga Bills Bicycles"

He was surprised to learn that the king brown is known as a Mulga snake.

On 4/1/2017 at 11:04 AM, Irondragon Forge & Clay said:

If it were in my shop, it would be mildly dead. I hate big snakes, I hate little snakes, I hate sticks that look like snakes.

100% agree !  urgggh !!!

Great pic there, Woody. A few straight sparks say things are pretty hot in there. Nice idea for a Mulga snake finial. A bike with bite.

The poem Mulga Bill's Bicycle was always required reading for my primary classes. Nothing like a bit of good ol' classic Banjo.

Yesterday entered without permission the most strange animal that ever entered my workshop.
 It was an angry wasp with a bad look and heavy breath. 
I was terrified.
The most dangerous animals I saw until  yesterday were the tax cops.
 

Adry, just give it a glass of grappa and put some Puccini on the stereo.

Verdi adore Verdi.

I like Andrea Bocelli's voice, myself.

I personally find Bocelli overrated. What he does, he does reasonably well, but he has such a limited emotional range (and that rather sappy) and doesn't have the vocal power to perform without amplification.

Carlo Bergonzi, now -- that was a singer.

On 6/30/2018 at 4:03 PM, SLAG said:

A Boomslang is not nice in ANY  Neighborhood.

Boomslang aren't too much of a hassle if they are in your trees , and the weaver birds harass them relentlessly  in my La Lucia house i have killed a green mamba in shrubbery in my front garden and my neighbour workers have killed  a black mamba in their front garden  so by comparison the boomslang isn't so bad  at least you have time to  get help and update the will  (p,s, the original statement was said somewhat tongue in cheek)

Ian

No Boomstick for Boomslangs?

Ian in South Africa Sir,

So if I encounter a Boomslang in St. Louis, U.S.A. I should hire some local weaver birds?

Thank you for the tip, Sir. 

Much obliged.

SLAG.

"... killed a green Mamba"?

It might have made a fine pet  (for a herpetologist),  or acquisition for the S.P.C.A. or the local serpentaria.

On our kyalami(Johannesburg) property i encourage snakes in a patch of indigenous forest in the garden  even cobras and rinkhals the occasional berg adder is also welcomehowever Puff adders like mambas in Natal are killed on sight sad but realistic.

ian

Ian,

Thank you for your response. 

I had to look up the Rinkhals snake (it is a spitting cobra).

I understand why the black mamba is disliked. (nasty temper and enormous fangs with a huge amount of extremely potent venom).

I  would be carrying a pump shotgun when travelling in Natal S. A. 

Incidentally, this site is extremely informative for poisonous snakes,  for anyone,  here, that is interested,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dangerous_snakes

I have read about an East African snake that has fangs that are sideways. Do you know what it is called?

Regards to all the iron bangers.

SLAG.

Slag ,

that's a very interesting article thanks for posting. there is an old adage relating to those that mess with Mambas " the quick and the dead"nd WRT. the sideways fangs, sorry no knowledge in that regard.

Ian

For Ian in S. A. and any other members interested in this subject. I have researched and found information on side stabbing snakes.

Yes,  they are real. Check out this article.

scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2008/05/26/sidestabbing-stiletto-snakes/ 

and this one,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atractaspidinae

Isn't life fascinating?   and sometimes adorable.

Regards to all on this site,

SLAG.

Ian what is a WRT? 

WRT. = with regards to  and yes interesting, Thanks. p,s, anyone seen a hammerhead in their shop? 

Ian

Is that supposed to be "dry" humour?   I do have some sharkskin in my shop for sheaths...

I know I move slower these days, I guess I need to pick up the pace. A dead hickory tree next to my shop this morning.

I know I move slower these days, I guess I need to pick up the pace. A dead hickory tree next to my shop this morning.

Do you think they know something you don't?   At the local small University the buzzards tend to roost by the administration building and circle over the cafeteria...