Not my friend! This particular specimen of a variable burrowing asp was expelled from school as it bit me. I was catching a lot of snakes, was in a hurry and misidentified it. Unlike the very placid blind snake, this one bit me when I handled it. It is one of the few snakes that cannot be handled safely. Despite being very small (about 15 cm long), it caused me a lot of pain for 48 hours, with my finger swelling badly and the glands under my arm being swollen too. Oh, and there is no anti venom for that species… Luckily, it was a small specimen and only one fang got me, so the effects of the venom wore out after 48 hours. Not a pleasant experience and a good kick up my backside to remove any complacency when it comes to handling live animals! I still took it to lake Nakuru National Park on an extended holiday!
Nikon D700, Nikon 85mm macro VR, F32, 1/30s, ISO 4000, handheld.
Date: 29/09/2012
Location: Greensteds School, Nakuru, Kenya
Photographer: Arnaud Germain
