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As I said, snake season has started!
Yesterday Zebra spotted the snake in the roof of the carport….When I heard her suppressed scream, I just knew we had another slithering visitor. It was on a beam right above the place where I, a few minutes before, got out of the car….a few cm above my head.
I really could not believe it even though, in a strange way, I was sort of expecting it. I have to confess, I did utter a few unsavoury words.

The snake retreated back in-between the beams and initially it was quite difficult to even see what colour it was. With the shadow above him we could not even see its spots, and based on the shape of its head, I thought it might even be a black mamba. I was shaking so much that all my pix came out blurred, so I convinced Zebra that I use her as a tripod



Later it came out a bit and we noticed the green and spots. Then I thought it might be a boomslang, but the eyes were not big enough and the shape on the head was also not right.



I went to scan my book…that was inside the car….got in on the other side
I was then able to ID it as a harmless Spotted Bush Snake. After this we just left him where he was and went on out chores. He came out more and I was able to get better shots. He was much longer than what I initially thought.





He eventually came out a lot more, so that a bit of him was suspended in the air. Every now and then I would have to walk past him and then would pull back his head while aggressively moving it from side-to side. @Pilane, if ID is incorrect and this is not a harmless Spotted Bush Snake, please do not tell me!
When we left he was still in the roof.

Some info on the Spotted Bush Snake, taken from Johan Marais’ book “ A complete guide to the snakes of Southern Africa.

“The snake was previously known as the Variegated Bush Snake”
Afrikaans name: Gespikkelde bosslang

It is found in a wide variety of habitats: from moist savannah and lowland forest, to karoo scrub

“Eye has a round pupil with a golden or orange iris”
“The tongue is bright blue with a black tip”
“Usually has black speckles on the front half of the body”

“It is an excellent climber and, with its keeled belly scales, can easily climb up the rough bark of a tree or even up face-brick walls. It often enters houses and outbuildings, especially those that have shrubs planted against the window. When threatened, it may inflate its neck to expose the vivid blue skin between the scales. Like the Boomslang, it will raise its head off the ground and undulate the neck. The Spotted Bush Snake is very common throughout most of its range, often inhabiting the space between walls and corrugated roofs where it feeds on geckos. It soon moves off when disturbed and bites readily if handled. At night it sleeps loosely coiled on the outer branches of vegetation.”

This snake is often mistaken for the Green Mamba or Boomslang.
It is of no danger to man.


The photos in this thread has obviously not been taken inside a park and thus technically it is non-SANParks related. Mods, if you feel the topic should be removed I will not have a problem with it. I’m in the “fortunate” position to have seen 7 different kinds of snakes (some types more than ones) in one year at this house. When I encounter the snakes, I always first try to get a photo (obviously using the zoom at its full potential ) in order to ID my visitor …thus I’m also in the position of getting a lot of pix of the different snakes. I’m trying to learn as much as possible about them and would like to share the knowledge I get. Considering that the photos was taken on the border of Kruger and all these snakes thus are also found inside Kruger, I hope my postings might give some info. to others. But, as I said, I will not have an issue if the topic is removed.

You will not have an issue? Sure? After taking two days typing up this post?

Jumbo, in animals and birds we have been very lenient on posts. The general rule is that if the bird or animal can be found in a SANP then it is worthwhile to keep such a post. I think you have a strong case here to keep my broom in the cubboard.

Also by saying this it might be worthwhile to have your post under a seperate heading for this specific snake alone. I don't think it quite fits in the deterent topic.

And then also the whole adventure of discovering the snake could go in wildlife in my garden.

I will see what I ca ndo when I have the time, ok? Thanks for a great piece of information sharing on this beautifull reptile!

Actually it could be used as a factsheet for this snake.

You are fast becoming a snake expert Jumbo!

Thanks Jumbo,.. wow..
it is a rather attractive snake.

Yes, a really beautiful snake, Jumbo!! And I agree that all the information you supply on KNP-area snakes is extremely useful and interesting, so I'm glad that it will stay — as well as the always interesting tales of your encounters and your struggles to ID your snakes correctly. I think all of this information is both interesting and useful to us all — and most especially for those forumites who also live where they may encounter such snakes in their homes and gardens as well as in the parks that they visit. Thanks, Jumbo, for yet another valuable contribution!!

Jumbo, if you leave him undisturbed he would probably become part of your family. (Meaning that it will take up residency up in and around the house)....

Jumbo that is a great pic of a neat little snake. However I have only been bitten by one snake in my life and it was him when Mopani was first built years ago. We bumped into Scott Ronaldson's (the then Ranger @ Pafuri) brother at Mooiplaas picnic site. We were camping at Shingwedzi and they were staying at Mopani and asked that we spend New Years eve with them.but Mopani didnt have camping so we suggested we have a lunch braai with them at their hut (it was 31/Dec) I went out to light the fire and felt a sharp pain in my foot and as I was wearing flip flops I thought I had kicked a thorn or something until I saw the green snake slithering off out of the leaf litter I was standing in. (BOOMSLANG O Drat!!!) I ran after it to get a positive ID wrong thing to do to get the blood circulation going but I needed to make sure for if it was a Boomslang then I would have had to use my Pilots hand held Radio to call the Park chopper which was cruising around Tsende all morning. I would have needed to get to Phalaborwa SOON. but I soon saw his lovely markings and relaxed somewhat as the Spotted snake is not fatal to humans I am told. My Nurse wife had a look and said I would survive (guys never get symphathy from nurses!!) I went back to work at IBM the next week in a suit and one shoe and the other foot nothing as I had a foot on the fine leg and a rugby ball on the other!!!

How could it be .. The Spotted Bush Snake has no venom glands at all.. or fangs for that matter.



Not really, It will probably have less effect than the effect of shock. The only problem is that you might end up with a second bite..

I dont know Pilane, I didnt see the snake bite me but felt it and thought I had id'ed it properly lovely green snake with brown markings after spotting it and chasing it for awhile to "make sure". I had 2 near marks on the side of my big toe and I swelled up(my Foot) to the point where I could not drive back to Shingwedzi that afternoon and had to go and rest in our caravan that night and missed the managers potjie but between my wife (nurse) and neighbour caravan (chemist) they looked afterme. I was not well that night and sweated a lot and was forced to drink lots of fluid. I hear what you are saying Pilane...could there have been another creature in the leaf litter (Scorpion??) but they leave 1 mark and I was bitten by something with fangs and for the last 12 plus years Ive been telling everyone that I was bitten by a spotted Bush Snake that I chased to "identify". Maybe I misidentified it which is quite possible as snakes are not my speciality??

Hi Peter and others. Manny people refer to these snakes as harmless snakes in their works. Although they do not have fangs and venom glands they kill their prey, lizards & geckos just by biting and holding on to the prey animal. They do not kill by constriction. Their saliva has a paralysing effect on the lizard. The lizards are subdued and swallowed.
I was told that someone was bitten on his arm and the bite site swelled the size of chicken egg. This prompted some research that was done some years ago. I'll try and get a reprint of this and share this information with you. About two months ago someone brought me a bush snake he caught that bit his Bull Terrier puppy. The puppy died after being bitten.
So, it is interesting for me to read about the symptoms you experienced. Regards Agama

Agama, Get this info PLease!! I have heard of this theory that they have caused problems with humans.

I call it a theory as I have been bitten by a bushsnake on more than one occasion without any effect. The Only instance I do know where the bite of a bush snake turned "bad' turned out to be a green phase of a Many spotted snake of KZN! And it was not that bad after all... the damaged egos were more serious than the pain and swelling of the actual bite...

Be carefull when looking at the affect of venom in animals. Venom have very different effects on cats and dogs and wild animals than on humans. For example the sydney funnel web spider. The venom of this spider has no effect on dogs and cats but is lethal to humans

I bet your language was way worse than that , Peter !!!

And thanks Jumbo for the info on the snake. I myself have also had many snake encounters...far too many as a matter of fact..but unlike you I do not hang around to take photos!!! You are one very brave angel!!!

As Pilane said, maybe this was the green variety of the Many-spotted snake…it looks very much like a Spotted Bush Snake? The Many-spotted snake has a mild venom that can cause swelling and pain.

@Michele, I’m definitely not brave ….you have to see me shake and shiver when I encounter these snakes. When they are in your roof or on your veranda you however do not have much of an option than to ID them and watch where they are going.

Just for the record, this Spotted Bush Snake actually stayed in our roof for several months and sorted out the gecko problem I had. I’m not over exaggerating if I say we almost had 50 of Turner’s Thick-toed Geckos staying in our thatch roof. I love these geckos but they managed to completely mess up our house in one day. The Spotted Bush Snake brought this gecko population down considerably…. nature balanced itself out.

Another “handy” snake to have around is a is a Brown House Snake…this guy will quickly sort out any rodent problem you might have. We had such a problem at our house in Maputo, till a Brown House Snake moved into the cover of the swimming pool pump. For a long time we had no rats of mice around. Unfortunately a temporary guard we had, killed the snake, and now all the rats are back.

Pilane referred to a case in KZN. According to my knowledge the Many-spotted snake does not occur in KNP. I'll not be surprised if Peter Betts was in fact bitten by a Bush Snake.

Hi Agama

From the distribution map in my book, it appears the Many-spotted snake should be found in the southwestern parts of Kruger, and quite a distance further north, along the western boundary of Kruger…..bit difficult to see, but it could be as far north as the Shingwedzi area (but a few km to the west). If this however includes the green variation of this specie, I’m not sure….would be interesting to hear more….

As for people having an reaction to a bite from a Spotted Bush Snake….I wonder if this might not just be due to an infection from bacteria that was transmitted with the bite?