mole snake colours

[kat]

Friday 16 January I found a huge mole snake with my pigeons. 4 eggs missing 1 chick dead and 1chick missing. I caught it in a nest box that could be removed and released it in the veld across the road. The colour was yellow with the sides somewhat olive. Monday morning ta was back and another chick missing. I had to go work and later the afternoon when I got home, it was busy eating another chick. Catching it in a bag I noticed the colour was bronze. I released it in the veld about 5 km away a hour later and the colour was dark brown.The size was at least 1,5 meters long, but I recon more likely 2 meters.Why I checked on the colour was because my brother was bitten a couple of years back in my yard by a yellow cape cobra that he caught here and also released it in the veld across the road. I did not want to make the same mistake. There was no time for photos but I did notice the change in the colour. Could it be the stress ? Did someone notice it before? I did see the snake many times before in my yard and in the road and in the veld across the road. The one time it was almost black. I actually feel sad to have my pet removed.














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[Pythonodipsas]

Hi and welcome. Interesting and that does sound weird - the only thing i can put it down to, is the snake 'appears' in different colors, depending on the time of day and illumination. But if you say the color changes are quite extreme and obvious, then i'm not sure what to make of it. I have never heard of this in an indigenous snake.

[jka]

I thinks its more likely different mole snakes, where do you live it would be nice to know the locality of the mole snakes?

Interesting that you mention them feeding on you pigeon eggs, I never would've thought that they would eat eggs.

[Loslappie]

Kat, where are you located?
Another thing, are you sure it was a mole snake? sorry its just the egg eating business throws me a bit.

[Mongoose]

Mole snakes are recorded eating eggs. There are quite a few other snakes that are also recorded to eat eggs.

[Bushviper]

It is common for mole snakes to eat eggs and I have had them taking eggs from my fingers. I am assuming Kat is in the Cape somewhere although with the mole snakes being so variable anything is possible. Snakes do not change colour and the chances are good that there were at least a pair of mole snakes in that area that discovered the pigeon coop. When you see a mole snakes from the side or from above it van look as if it is a different colour.

[kat]

I stay in Penhill, just next to Eerste river, close to Kuilsriver and Stellenbosch. There was a couple of mice as well and that is all so gone. The pigeons is there for more than 2 years. It could be the angle of the light that made it look different . The Friday the colour did not change, but the Monday the colour did change. Both times was caught in the shade and released in the sun. Friday it was released within 2 to 3 minutes and Monday it was a hour to hour and a half in the bag.

[Loslappie]

Hi Kat, Im not too far from you, Im in Kuilsriver. I have spoken to a chap that visists often in Penhill, and he has mentioned loads of mole snakes as well as Cobras. Have you seen any boomslang in your area?

[kat]

cobra I have seen only 2 , but have not seen boomslang around here.