Meet Fluffy the King cobra

zarozinia

zarozinia

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Name
Angi
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Yes
Yes, you read that correctly ;)
My partner has a large collection of venomous snakes and Fluffy was named due to its laid back nature.
These were taken with my new Sigma 150mm macro lens, which he bought me for christmas, how lucky am I:)? This was from my first attempts at using the lens on Sunday.
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Only chance I'd have of getting that shot would be through a somewhat longer lens. Something like this, maybe.

I love snakes actually, but I'm not getting up close and personal with a cobra. The third one in particular is great.
 
Just for the noobs, what risk does this snake pose if it gets arsey? Can it kill with a bite etc? Or is it one of those types that crushes you to death?

Either way, I will be using a shotgun to shoot it - not a camera :D

Gary.
 
Gary, this snake is seriously dangerous. Its venom can kill you quite easily. I'm only allowed in the room to photograph it as I've had venomous training myself, this is not a creature we would let anyone else photograph unless it is locked in its enclosure. For photography we have two very very experienced keepers/handlers, plus I always have a hook/tongs near me. It helps that I'm keyed up on their body language too.
 
Yep thats me all over :D

Very nice indeed (y)

Is that a "bad slough" around the nose or has "it" been striking the glass?
Just curious :)
 
EdinburghGary said:
Just for the noobs, what risk does this snake pose if it gets arsey? Can it kill with a bite etc? Or is it one of those types that crushes you to death?

Either way, I will be using a shotgun to shoot it - not a camera :D

Gary.
Click to expand...

Put it this way, on the list of "things you don't want to bite you" there aren't a whole lot of things that go above it.
 
Fantastic addition to your lens collection, (lucky, lucky you).......... looking forward to seeing the shots you get with it.

Excellent shots of a very different subject, really like 3 for the "mood" lighting.


Dave ....
 
Love Gary's question! lol "If it gets arsey" Ha.

Third one is a belter. :)

Never mind a macro though I'd want about 1200mm and a head start!
 
Absolutely nothing fluffy about that bad boy!
 
Great shots, and for some reason it reminds me of Jabba the Hutt :shrug:
 
Cobra said:
Yep thats me all over :D

Very nice indeed (y)

Is that a "bad slough" around the nose or has "it" been striking the glass?
Just curious :)
Click to expand...

Hey Cobra:D
Its actually a wild caught cobra, they often come in with various blemishes and scars. This one is so chilled that it doesnt seem to bother striking at the glass, although most other wild caught snakes will often go through a phase of that behaviour.
Even after 4 years of getting up close and personal with various venomous snakes these guys still bring about a sense of pure awe and wonderment. Its hard to tell from the photos, but the skin is so incredibly beautiful. The sheer size, grace and strength of King cobras often is enough to take my breath away. But when they make their deep air filled growling noise it is enough to make your hair stand on end. King cobras are seriously powerful killing machines inside a stunning detailed body which moves with the grace of a bird in flight.
I will be photographing a few more of Petes venomous collection tomorrow as my good friend, a fellow photographer, who has around 40 years experience of keeping venomous snakes is coming along so we can have some fun together. I'm keen to get some decent images of one of the green mamabas, but unfortunately they move quicker than the flash set at its highest speed. So most attempts results in a blur as they jump away at the click of the camera. I'm also looking forward to getting some macro shots of the bush vipers, not taken through glass:D. Watch this space.
 
Dave.L said:
Fantastic addition to your lens collection, (lucky, lucky you).......... looking forward to seeing the shots you get with it.

Excellent shots of a very different subject, really like 3 for the "mood" lighting.


Dave ....
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Thanks, I was using a macro ring flash which I dont attatch to the lens but instead I hold it at various angles, often at arms length, not easy for subjects like this. You shouldve seen the stupid positions I had to get in, shooting hand held with one hand, with the flash in an outstretched arm, whilst moving incredibly slowly at all times so as to avoid startling the snake, but being ready to move rapidly if it did move. No risks were taken though, a photograph is not worth risking your life for.
 
I don't know if I am envious of your courage, or my cowardliness! Which ever, I will love to see more of these daring shots. Just please be safe, which I am sure you already are.
 
Wail said:
I don't know if I am envious of your courage, or my cowardliness! Which ever, I will love to see more of these daring shots. Just please be safe, which I am sure you already are.
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Oh no courage required. Like I say my partner has kept these for many years and my friend who is also a photographer, I am in very safe hands. I trust them both with my life. Plus I've put together massive health and safety guidelines covering working with these creatures as I completed a health and saftey management course as well as a basic course. I'm very safety concious.
 
zarozinia said:
Hey Cobra:D
Its actually a wild caught cobra, they often come in with various blemishes and scars. This one is so chilled that it doesnt seem to bother striking at the glass, although most other wild caught snakes will often go through a phase of that behaviour.
.................. Watch this space.
Click to expand...
:wave: :D

Thanks for that!

I didn't realise that you could still get wild caught

I used to keep ( and deal in) snakes many years ago
but non venomous
Royals Indians ( as they were known then) Retic's etc
all wild caught imports
I really loved the retics though totally unpredictable especially wild caught ones,
maybe the captive breds are a little more amenable now?
I got shot though once the kids came along :)
All we have now is my sons Female common Boa that he has had since pretty much a hatchling,
and she is now a good 2 meters + ( not got the tape measure out lately :)
 
dod said:
:LOL:
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Phew!, I did go back and check my user title
its a little disconcerting when a mod laughs at you after a silly comment :D
 
zarozinia said:
Gary, this snake is seriously dangerous. Its venom can kill you quite easily. I'm only allowed in the room to photograph it as I've had venomous training myself, this is not a creature we would let anyone else photograph unless it is locked in its enclosure. For photography we have two very very experienced keepers/handlers, plus I always have a hook/tongs near me. It helps that I'm keyed up on their body language too.
Click to expand...

I notice that you are in Bristol.
Do you know about this Cobra bite incident at a pet shop in Bristol:-
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article674926.ece
 
Great pics and beautiful King, Im a Retic guy myself. Dont think I would last long with venomous lol
 
I snapped a few adders on the Mendip Hills in the summer and sometimes got quite close to them, but there's no way you'd catch me that close to one of these critters, beautiful though they are. Super shots.
 
Wow excellent pics.
I love snakes but know very little about them, except what you see and hear on the tv.
It was a big dissapointment for me about 4 years ago, I went to OZ to see friends who live in the bush and I did not see one wild snake, even though the week before I got there they had been in the garden. Something to do with the cyclone we flew in over changing the weather to cold.

It is on my list of 100 things to do before I die list, to handle a snake, preferably a bigger one.

Love the pics, no 3 really brings out its colours for me.
Looking forward to looking at more pics of these beauties.

Spike
 
3rd one is very good, colour and composition is great.
Well done, but don't get closer...!#
Thanks for posting
 
Beautiful pictures, don't know if I'd have brought myself to get that close to a King Cobra :D
 
These are brilliant! I really like snakes, don't know much about them other than what I've seen on wildlife shows and read about (which is very little), but I do like them. I was chuffed to bits when I managed to take what I thought was a nice photie of a captive corn snake but these just ... wow, they're great!
 
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