OpinionsTree HuggerGetting to know Lycodon Capucinus

Getting to know Lycodon Capucinus

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I just entered the bathroom around 12 midnight, and there on the marble floor was a long thin black snake, lying very still with its elegant S form. I DO NOT LIKE THIS AT ALL.

It had a white band around the neck which did not meet. ARE YOU POISONOUS OR NOT? HOW DO I GET RID OF YOU?, I thought to myself. No dustpan or broom around. Since it was lying very still, I thought I can catch it easily with a towel, and throw it out of the window. I gingerly opened the window while I searched for a small towel to catch it and throw everything out.

I had reviewed the whole scenery in my head. The snake just lay there very still. I caught its body with the towel but it wriggled frantically, whipping its tail back and forth getting away from my grip. AHHHHRGG. The hairs on my neck stood. The snake slid towards the corner of the room just below the window and folded itself in such a small way as it could. How did it do that? No one would even notice it if he did not know it was there.

What to do now? I calmed myself and decided to talk to the snake. I sat down on the stool. I DO NOT REALLY WANT TO HARM YOU. I JUST WANT YOU OUT OF THE BATHROOM. I AM OPENING THE WINDOW ONLY SLIGHTLY. YOU CAN GO OUT THERE BUT PLEASE DO NOT GO ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE ROOM. So I left the bathroom, found a towel, rolled it, and placed it on the floor below the door to prevent any creature from going through the gap. Feeling I had done what I could do in the circumstances, I went back to sleep.

The next morning, there was no sign of Lycodon Capucinus. Searching the internet, I was relieved to find out that this black snake with the white band almost like a necklace is just a common house snake. I learned that it likes to feed on geckos, small frogs, etc. therefore, likes to be around houses. They exist in shades of jet black, reddish-brown, or dark gray with speckles, blotches and spots of white or pale yellow scattered over the body. (Wikipedia).

It was also then the Lycodon capucinus that I had met in the garden years ago this time was a brown-yellow one. I had just come from swimming at sea, and had thrown my small towel to dry on the bushes. The little snake sunning itself on the bush jumped on my chest from surprise and as I shrieked, it jumped away as frightened as I was.

Talking to a creature is not really strange. I had read a book by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and the story told of an incident where a household was having trouble with ants. They called a wise woman who took some ants on her hand, spoke to them, and showed them the way out through the window.

I woke up one morning years ago when we just moved in our house, and I found a swarm of black ants all over the toilet, inside, on the seat, and around it. It probably came from the lomboy tree which usually has lots of black ants. Remembering the story I had just read, I took a few black ants in my hand, and told them, “You better go out! We do not want to harm you. I give you one hour while we are having breakfast to disappear. If Heinz sees you, he will surely use some kind of spray, so go out now!” I took a few ants, breathed on them, and put them outside the window while saying, “Tell your brothers and sisters this is where you go out”.

Then I leisurely had my breakfast. When I went back, the place was clean of ants except for a few stragglers. This I will not forget.

And I will also not forget my encounter with the Lycodon capucinus.

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Author’s email: [email protected]

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