Vine snakes fighting and hunting

[Wynand]

Birds come bathing at a little spring next to our deck. A jackalberry tree with creepers and vines overhangs the deck and spring. Yep, you guessed it: Boomsland and vine snakes love this tree. We see up to three vine snakes at a time. The occasional mamba too.

One morning, much to the consternation of our breakfast guests, two vine snakes, busy trying to rip each other's heads off, came tumbling out the tree. Without letting go of each other, the snakes took their fight to the undergrowth next to the deck. After about 15min's, the one that was mostly on the receiving end, broke off and sped back up the tree, somewhat the worse for wear.

800IMG_3862.jpg

800IMG_3884.jpg

800IMG_3929.jpg

[Wynand]

Same place, different date.

Pathetics squeeks drew our attention to this frog's plight.

800VineSnake02.jpg

800VineSnake03.jpg

800VineSnake19.jpg

[Wynand]

How do I get rid of the scroll bars next to the pics?

[Westley Price]

Great observations and pictures Wynand.

The combat is very interesting. I wonder if the one was trying to eat the other, because that doesn't look like a "friendly joust" over a female or something.

Here is a link on how to post pictures. Works better than attaching the pics:

http://www.sareptiles.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=6508

[Wynand]

This one was intently focused on a skink that was sunning itself.

800IMG_2489.jpg

[Mitton]

Fantastic pics!
You are very fortunate to see these amazing snakes, and that fighting scene was just great.
Thanks for sharing and welcome to the forum.

[Eyelash]

Amazing man !

[Wynand]

Thank Westley, Mitton, Eyelash
I'll do the gallery thing and edit the posts.

Over the years, we found that moving snakes out of the lodge and house really doesn't achieve anything. If one snake vacates, the next one moves in. Best to remain wary and not stick your hands or feet into a place you can't see into first.

The mambas and spitters are a bit jumpy (and they make us jumpy too) but the boomies and vine snakes are laid back.
Marbled tree snakes are my favourite, because they're so feisty. If you don't rate amongst the dangerous snakes, you'd better act like one!

[shadowfoot]

Awesome photos. That is something special right there.

[Bushviper]

What I would give to be able to sit at home and watch snakes sunning themselves and feeding. That would be my dream house.

[jka]

This is one of the best threads I have seen in these past months! This is the kinda stuff we live for.

[Wynand]

Gee, thanks, folks!

I see once a post has been replied to, it can't be edited, so we're stuck with the scroll bars next to the images. Too bad. Thanks to the tutorial, I've figured out how to upload to the gallery and then to link to the pics. I posted some pics of marbled tree snakes under the "mildy venemous" section.

[Fooble]

Amazing series of Images!

[Warren Klein]

Great observation and photos Wynand. Makes me miss Hoedspruit, what lodge are you from?

[levi_20]

Amazing, thanks for sharing.