What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
Jun 9th 2007, 2:14 am
#16
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Re: What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
Just telling it how it is, as always.
Lots of indians are bitten each year by snakes and they often die.
Several reasons, they are working in the fields where the frogs and rats live, so they come across the snakes also.
The way they behave when they see a snake. My neighbor in goa found a snake in his garden and created an unbelievable commotion. A crowd gathered (some school children), their dog baited it, they then proceeded to poke sticks down the hole where the snake had gone, followed by fireworks, then a blast from a shotgun, no wonder they get bitten.
I saw a similar reaction when the labourers in my garden found scorpions and a monitor lizard. I had to rescue them.
Thirdly, they use traditional healing methods such as snake stones and potions to treat the bite if they are bitten, rather than getting professional help.
If you see a snake, it will probably be moving away from you very fast. just stay calm and avoid excessive movement. If it is trapped in a building or it is prevented from moving away from you in some way, just slowly move away from it. There are snake rescuers who will come and remove it.
In the unlikely event that you get bitten, bandage the wound with an elastic bandage, elevate the limb and get some anti venom in you asap.
If you stay on the coastal belt and dont go into the real goa its unlikely you will see one anyway.
Nice to see that snakes dont bother you.
By the way they can climb walls no problem, they are even found at the top of palm trees, so unless you are on the 100th floor its little protection.
regards
douglas
Jun 9th 2007, 2:36 am
#17
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Re: What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
Hi Remy, well this certainly fits into Non cuddly, Rabies is carried by mammals, not apparently rodents and rabbits, squirrels etc as they are believed to be too small to survive the original bite from an infected animal or have such a high metabolic rate that they die very quickly from the disease.
No cases of rabies have been noted where the instigator was one of the above.
Dogs and their ilk, cats, and bats seem to be the main danger carriers for people, most of the recent cases of rabies in America have been caused by bats, there was a guy who died from rabies in the UK in 2002, the first case since 1922, he was bitten by a bat.
I believe that any mammal big enough to survive the initial bite can carry the disease and then pass it on.
Best advice is not to mess with any animal that you don't know even if it looks alright and be very cautious if a pet of yours has been bitten, monkeys certainly pass on diseases and putting yourself in a position to be bitten by any animal is not very intelligent.
Rabies can be passed on without being bitten it is in the saliva, so licking, spitting, even when an animal barks, chatters etc can spray saliva over you and if it gets into your mouth, eyes etc you can catch the disease.
Hope this makes you feel better.
regards
Tony P
No cases of rabies have been noted where the instigator was one of the above.
Dogs and their ilk, cats, and bats seem to be the main danger carriers for people, most of the recent cases of rabies in America have been caused by bats, there was a guy who died from rabies in the UK in 2002, the first case since 1922, he was bitten by a bat.
I believe that any mammal big enough to survive the initial bite can carry the disease and then pass it on.
Best advice is not to mess with any animal that you don't know even if it looks alright and be very cautious if a pet of yours has been bitten, monkeys certainly pass on diseases and putting yourself in a position to be bitten by any animal is not very intelligent.
Rabies can be passed on without being bitten it is in the saliva, so licking, spitting, even when an animal barks, chatters etc can spray saliva over you and if it gets into your mouth, eyes etc you can catch the disease.
Hope this makes you feel better.
regards
Tony P
Nice piece on rabies, not much of it in goa, but many deaths a year in india from dog bites.
I believe there was an english woman contracted rabies in goa a few years ago, but they treated her in uk and she survived.
There are lots of dogs around in goa however, the locals are highly irresponsible and dont neuter them or feed them in general, they just let them scavenge.
When on their own goan dogs tend to be placid, but I have seen packs of dogs on the beach holding tourists at bay.
They tried it with me once, douglas picked out the ring leader, charged at him and growled. They all turned and ran, speak dogalese to dogs, horsalese to horses etc.
There is central legislation banning the destruction of stray dogs introduced some years ago by a "dog loving" politician. NGOs are supposed to round them up and neuter them instead. It doesnt happen of course , so they have terrible lives and even worse deaths.
Saw a few monkys whilst i was there, big ones too.
Saw loads of bats including the big fruit bats, they used to feed in a tree near my garden sometimes, lovely.
regards
douglas
Jun 9th 2007, 2:47 am
#18
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Re: What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
I bet a King Cobra would
from the stories we have been told in India, Kings don't back off and don't give up, we heard of one chasing a dog, while it was reared up, so that it's head was about 4 foot off the floor and that was after it had just attacked a water buffalo.
Regards
Tony
from the stories we have been told in India, Kings don't back off and don't give up, we heard of one chasing a dog, while it was reared up, so that it's head was about 4 foot off the floor and that was after it had just attacked a water buffalo.
Regards
Tony
I have heard that king cobras can be agressive, but i went to lecture on snakes at bicholim and they told us they were fairly placid also.
They are not found on the coast anyhow , nearest would be in the ghats and they are rare. They carry massive amounts of venom though.
regards
douglas
Jun 9th 2007, 3:15 am
#19
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Re: What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
Thanks Douglas
Great info, would have loved to have seen the otter, good tip about the money I'll remember that one.
Champac and gulmhore I don't recognise, I couldn't have coriander in the garden it makes me ill just to smell it. I have heard of Neem trees, don't they make an oil from it that is supposed to take the itch out of bites?
I would have thought that Dahlias would do well in Goa, I do like the BIG ones.
Yeah, mossies and assholes you get them all around the world, I don't know which is more irritating, used to just slap them, got too old now prefer a repellant, like IT'S YOUR ROUND, it normally works.
Hope you don't mind the photo it was the cuddliest thing I could find.
Regards
Tony
Great info, would have loved to have seen the otter, good tip about the money I'll remember that one.
Champac and gulmhore I don't recognise, I couldn't have coriander in the garden it makes me ill just to smell it. I have heard of Neem trees, don't they make an oil from it that is supposed to take the itch out of bites?
I would have thought that Dahlias would do well in Goa, I do like the BIG ones.
Yeah, mossies and assholes you get them all around the world, I don't know which is more irritating, used to just slap them, got too old now prefer a repellant, like IT'S YOUR ROUND, it normally works.
Hope you don't mind the photo it was the cuddliest thing I could find.
Regards
Tony
Just near to where i saw the otter, there was a pair of white bellied sea eagles nesting. They used to catch sea snakes and bring them back to the nest. Last time i was there they had cleared the scrub around it and built a house. I doubt if they would tolerate the disturbance, sad.
Champaca is a bit like frangipani, heavily scented and available in white and pink They make joy perfume from it i believe.
Gulmhore may not be the correct spelling, but its the phoenetic hindi name. Also known as may tree, peacock tree, flame tree, money tree. Royal poinciana or delonix regia is the botanical latin name .If you go to wikepedia they have a nice piece on it, it flowers may to july in goa .
Dhalias i havnt seen , probably too sappy, lots of catapilars and bugs eating things at alarming rates in the tropics.
The photo was great, i need all the p r and enhancement i can get.
regards
douglas
Jun 9th 2007, 6:24 am
#20
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Re: What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
A Russian co-pilot picked up a snake near the beach at Colva.
It bit him on the wrist and he died that night. Apparently when it bit him, he took only 3 steps before dropping paralysed. You need to be very quick with the antidote. Don't go near them! They will hear you or feel the vibration in the ground and run away.
It bit him on the wrist and he died that night. Apparently when it bit him, he took only 3 steps before dropping paralysed. You need to be very quick with the antidote. Don't go near them! They will hear you or feel the vibration in the ground and run away.Interesting, as you say he picked it up, in snakalese thats being attacked, understandable that it would strike.
As i understand it, different snakes have different types of venom, some venom is designed to attack the nervous system, some muscle. The amount injected also has a major impact on the efficacy.
The speed of administration also varies,epending on where the strike is received, worst way is directly into a vein obviously. Sounds like the russian may have received a vein strike, or he was super sensitive.
Also, different people react differently to the same stimuli, and even differently on different days.
I used to keep bees in uk and had been stung several times whilst working the hive with no problem.
One day a bee became entangled in my hair whilst i was just walking in the garden and although i remained calm it stung me on the scalp. I felt a bit strange afterwards and then went hot and blotchy all over my body, an anaphlactoid reaction set in and off i went to casualty.
Fortunately there was a good doctor on duty who quickly main lined me with antihistamine and epinephrine and i felt better immediately. Fragile thing the autonomic nervous system.
Every day is a bonus.
douglas
Jun 9th 2007, 10:51 am
#21
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Re: What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
Read somewhere that Goans keep small beehives, attached to the outside walls of their flats etc in places like Panjim, Mapusa etc, but they are starting to get worried after that bee attack that killed a guy, apparently the bees that attacked him were African, very nasty if bothered. Then the rest of the village tried to kill the swarm by burning it and other things too stupid to mention. So I am not surprised by your snake story.
Regards
Tony
Jun 9th 2007, 11:59 am
#22
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Re: What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
Hi Douglas,
Read somewhere that Goans keep small beehives, attached to the outside walls of their flats etc in places like Panjim, Mapusa etc, but they are starting to get worried after that bee attack that killed a guy, apparently the bees that attacked him were African, very nasty if bothered. Then the rest of the village tried to kill the swarm by burning it and other things too stupid to mention. So I am not surprised by your snake story.
Regards
Tony
Read somewhere that Goans keep small beehives, attached to the outside walls of their flats etc in places like Panjim, Mapusa etc, but they are starting to get worried after that bee attack that killed a guy, apparently the bees that attacked him were African, very nasty if bothered. Then the rest of the village tried to kill the swarm by burning it and other things too stupid to mention. So I am not surprised by your snake story.
Regards
Tony
hi Tony,
They do the same sort of things with wild elephnts when they damage their crops. Can you imagine the mayhem.
douglas
Jun 9th 2007, 5:00 pm
#23
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Re: What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
Hi Remy, well this certainly fits into Non cuddly, Rabies is carried by mammals, not apparently rodents and rabbits, squirrels etc as they are believed to be too small to survive the original bite from an infected animal or have such a high metabolic rate that they die very quickly from the disease.
No cases of rabies have been noted where the instigator was one of the above.
Dogs and their ilk, cats, and bats seem to be the main danger carriers for people, most of the recent cases of rabies in America have been caused by bats, there was a guy who died from rabies in the UK in 2002, the first case since 1922, he was bitten by a bat.
I believe that any mammal big enough to survive the initial bite can carry the disease and then pass it on.
Best advice is not to mess with any animal that you don't know even if it looks alright and be very cautious if a pet of yours has been bitten, monkeys certainly pass on diseases and putting yourself in a position to be bitten by any animal is not very intelligent.
Rabies can be passed on without being bitten it is in the saliva, so licking, spitting, even when an animal barks, chatters etc can spray saliva over you and if it gets into your mouth, eyes etc you can catch the disease.
Hope this makes you feel better.
regards
Tony P
No cases of rabies have been noted where the instigator was one of the above.
Dogs and their ilk, cats, and bats seem to be the main danger carriers for people, most of the recent cases of rabies in America have been caused by bats, there was a guy who died from rabies in the UK in 2002, the first case since 1922, he was bitten by a bat.
I believe that any mammal big enough to survive the initial bite can carry the disease and then pass it on.
Best advice is not to mess with any animal that you don't know even if it looks alright and be very cautious if a pet of yours has been bitten, monkeys certainly pass on diseases and putting yourself in a position to be bitten by any animal is not very intelligent.
Rabies can be passed on without being bitten it is in the saliva, so licking, spitting, even when an animal barks, chatters etc can spray saliva over you and if it gets into your mouth, eyes etc you can catch the disease.
Hope this makes you feel better.
regards
Tony P
Great info.
Pesonally i love nature, i love animals and respect them and their environment. I have a magnet on my fridge that says, "The more people i meet,the more i like my dog" This has sometimes proven to be quite prophetic. The main reason why i asked the Question about monkies is that at Dudshager Falls they now have a sign up saying,'Do not feed the Monkies'. I was wondering if this was because someone has been bitten. I loved having the monkies come over and take food from my hand.
I agree with Douglas, Animals have more to fear from us than us from them. Of course any animal will attack to defend itself or its spawn.
We destroy their habitat, take over and destroy their environment and kill them for their skins and bones to make medicines, rugs, handbags,shoes and wallhangings.
May God forgive us for what we have done.
Regards,
Remy
Jun 9th 2007, 5:09 pm
#24
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Re: What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
Hi Remy,
Just telling it how it is, as always.
Lots of indians are bitten each year by snakes and they often die.
Several reasons, they are working in the fields where the frogs and rats live, so they come across the snakes also.
The way they behave when they see a snake. My neighbor in goa found a snake in his garden and created an unbelievable commotion. A crowd gathered (some school children), their dog baited it, they then proceeded to poke sticks down the hole where the snake had gone, followed by fireworks, then a blast from a shotgun, no wonder they get bitten.
I saw a similar reaction when the labourers in my garden found scorpions and a monitor lizard. I had to rescue them.
Thirdly, they use traditional healing methods such as snake stones and potions to treat the bite if they are bitten, rather than getting professional help.
If you see a snake, it will probably be moving away from you very fast. just stay calm and avoid excessive movement. If it is trapped in a building or it is prevented from moving away from you in some way, just slowly move away from it. There are snake rescuers who will come and remove it.
In the unlikely event that you get bitten, bandage the wound with an elastic bandage, elevate the limb and get some anti venom in you asap.
If you stay on the coastal belt and dont go into the real goa its unlikely you will see one anyway.
Nice to see that snakes dont bother you.
By the way they can climb walls no problem, they are even found at the top of palm trees, so unless you are on the 100th floor its little protection.
regards
douglas
Just telling it how it is, as always.
Lots of indians are bitten each year by snakes and they often die.
Several reasons, they are working in the fields where the frogs and rats live, so they come across the snakes also.
The way they behave when they see a snake. My neighbor in goa found a snake in his garden and created an unbelievable commotion. A crowd gathered (some school children), their dog baited it, they then proceeded to poke sticks down the hole where the snake had gone, followed by fireworks, then a blast from a shotgun, no wonder they get bitten.
I saw a similar reaction when the labourers in my garden found scorpions and a monitor lizard. I had to rescue them.
Thirdly, they use traditional healing methods such as snake stones and potions to treat the bite if they are bitten, rather than getting professional help.
If you see a snake, it will probably be moving away from you very fast. just stay calm and avoid excessive movement. If it is trapped in a building or it is prevented from moving away from you in some way, just slowly move away from it. There are snake rescuers who will come and remove it.
In the unlikely event that you get bitten, bandage the wound with an elastic bandage, elevate the limb and get some anti venom in you asap.
If you stay on the coastal belt and dont go into the real goa its unlikely you will see one anyway.
Nice to see that snakes dont bother you.
By the way they can climb walls no problem, they are even found at the top of palm trees, so unless you are on the 100th floor its little protection.
regards
douglas
Love Nature.
Been on Safari in Kenya- Tsavo East and West.
Been charged by wild elephants and hippo.
Was at Nagulia Safari Lodge when the Leopard killed the night porter.
Held all sorts of snakes and they really dont bother me, dont get me wrong i dont go looking for them but certainly in no way would i ever harm one.
Not so fussed though on Spiders- still wouldnt kill any-but not my most favourite creature either.
Regards,
Remy
Jun 9th 2007, 5:15 pm
#25
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Re: What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
I bet a King Cobra would
from the stories we have been told in India, Kings don't back off and don't give up, we heard of one chasing a dog, while it was reared up, so that it's head was about 4 foot off the floor and that was after it had just attacked a water buffalo.
Regards
Tony
from the stories we have been told in India, Kings don't back off and don't give up, we heard of one chasing a dog, while it was reared up, so that it's head was about 4 foot off the floor and that was after it had just attacked a water buffalo.
Regards
Tony
Really snakes dont bother me.
I respect them and certainly if a King Cobra crossed my path, i would not be playing with it but i most definately would not want to harm it either. Just want to photograph it.
Regards,
Remy
Jun 10th 2007, 2:39 am
#26
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Re: What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
Hi Douglas,
Love Nature.
Been on Safari in Kenya- Tsavo East and West.
Been charged by wild elephants and hippo.
Was at Nagulia Safari Lodge when the Leopard killed the night porter.
Held all sorts of snakes and they really dont bother me, dont get me wrong i dont go looking for them but certainly in no way would i ever harm one.
Not so fussed though on Spiders- still wouldnt kill any-but not my most favourite creature either.
Regards,
Remy
Love Nature.
Been on Safari in Kenya- Tsavo East and West.
Been charged by wild elephants and hippo.
Was at Nagulia Safari Lodge when the Leopard killed the night porter.
Held all sorts of snakes and they really dont bother me, dont get me wrong i dont go looking for them but certainly in no way would i ever harm one.
Not so fussed though on Spiders- still wouldnt kill any-but not my most favourite creature either.
Regards,
Remy
Kenya sounds interesting, lots of vacancies for night porters in the kenya times then.
Dont mind spiders and my wife is gradually losing her fear of them after living out here for a few years. The scuttling action is what seems to alarm people.
I think its sad that we are taught to fear and disrespect these creatures through childrens stories and movies. Having said that, i think there is a primeval survival instinct that makes us avoid snakes and and stops us cuddling anything that is potentialy venemous or dangerous.
regards
douglas
Jun 10th 2007, 3:09 am
#27
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Re: What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
Hi Tony,
Great info.
Pesonally i love nature, i love animals and respect them and their environment. I have a magnet on my fridge that says, "The more people i meet,the more i like my dog" This has sometimes proven to be quite prophetic. The main reason why i asked the Question about monkies is that at Dudshager Falls they now have a sign up saying,'Do not feed the Monkies'. I was wondering if this was because someone has been bitten. I loved having the monkies come over and take food from my hand.
I agree with Douglas, Animals have more to fear from us than us from them. Of course any animal will attack to defend itself or its spawn.
We destroy their habitat, take over and destroy their environment and kill them for their skins and bones to make medicines, rugs, handbags,shoes and wallhangings.
May God forgive us for what we have done.
Regards,
Remy
Great info.
Pesonally i love nature, i love animals and respect them and their environment. I have a magnet on my fridge that says, "The more people i meet,the more i like my dog" This has sometimes proven to be quite prophetic. The main reason why i asked the Question about monkies is that at Dudshager Falls they now have a sign up saying,'Do not feed the Monkies'. I was wondering if this was because someone has been bitten. I loved having the monkies come over and take food from my hand.
I agree with Douglas, Animals have more to fear from us than us from them. Of course any animal will attack to defend itself or its spawn.
We destroy their habitat, take over and destroy their environment and kill them for their skins and bones to make medicines, rugs, handbags,shoes and wallhangings.
May God forgive us for what we have done.
Regards,
Remy
I went to dushager years ago and the monkeys were stealing food from the tourists even then, maybe they are trying to stop the monkeys becoming even more agressive.
I have found that the character and temprement of a person is reflected in their dog. So if i visit a strangers house and I am warmly greeted by a soppy lab, i know its going to be good visit and vice versa.
You sound a thoughtful guy, not enough of us to save the planet though . In every act there is both creation and destruction, even if you are aware and concious of the environment.
Peak oil may help, our current system of agriculture which is so dependent on oil and water cannot be sustained without massive oil input.
Without oil at current supply levels and given our wasteful eating habits agriculture will only be able to support say half the worlds current population in the future.
The planet will then return to afforestation and balance. Grim period for those alive during the transition period though.
regards
douglas
Jun 14th 2007, 1:04 pm
#28
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Re: What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
DEFINITELY NOT CUDDLY - CHIKUNGUNYA This is so NOT cuddly and it's about now, carried by daytime biting mosquito, makes you very ill and can cause DEATH.
Not as bad as Dengue
Outbreaks in Kerala very serious.
Tony P
Not as bad as Dengue
Outbreaks in Kerala very serious.
Tony P
Jun 14th 2007, 3:00 pm
#29
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Re: What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
Hi Remy, well this certainly fits into Non cuddly, Rabies is carried by mammals, not apparently rodents and rabbits, squirrels etc as they are believed to be too small to survive the original bite from an infected animal or have such a high metabolic rate that they die very quickly from the disease.
No cases of rabies have been noted where the instigator was one of the above.
Dogs and their ilk, cats, and bats seem to be the main danger carriers for people, most of the recent cases of rabies in America have been caused by bats, there was a guy who died from rabies in the UK in 2002, the first case since 1922, he was bitten by a bat.
I believe that any mammal big enough to survive the initial bite can carry the disease and then pass it on.
Best advice is not to mess with any animal that you don't know even if it looks alright and be very cautious if a pet of yours has been bitten, monkeys certainly pass on diseases and putting yourself in a position to be bitten by any animal is not very intelligent.
Rabies can be passed on without being bitten it is in the saliva, so licking, spitting, even when an animal barks, chatters etc can spray saliva over you and if it gets into your mouth, eyes etc you can catch the disease.
Hope this makes you feel better.
regards
Tony P
No cases of rabies have been noted where the instigator was one of the above.
Dogs and their ilk, cats, and bats seem to be the main danger carriers for people, most of the recent cases of rabies in America have been caused by bats, there was a guy who died from rabies in the UK in 2002, the first case since 1922, he was bitten by a bat.
I believe that any mammal big enough to survive the initial bite can carry the disease and then pass it on.
Best advice is not to mess with any animal that you don't know even if it looks alright and be very cautious if a pet of yours has been bitten, monkeys certainly pass on diseases and putting yourself in a position to be bitten by any animal is not very intelligent.
Rabies can be passed on without being bitten it is in the saliva, so licking, spitting, even when an animal barks, chatters etc can spray saliva over you and if it gets into your mouth, eyes etc you can catch the disease.
Hope this makes you feel better.
regards
Tony P
SPITTING YOU SAY - YOU SHOULD TELL THE GOANS ABOUT SPITTING. GERMS T.B. ETC.
Jun 14th 2007, 4:37 pm
#30
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Re: What's cuddly and what's not in Goa
So not just dreaded Malaria, what other diseases do mosquitos carry and is there any preventitave measures you can take.
I read that there is a lot of Malaria around Panjim during Monsoon time.
Regards,
Remy