Oh gosh, slithery encounters on the first day of the Snake Year?

I am not superstitious and I do not observe taboos, so I shall tell the story as it is.

You know how it is that this year is the Year of the Snake and people send wishes saying "May the Year of the Water Snake bring you....(all the blessings for a good year)"?

Well, late last night, as I was closing the patio door, I saw Rosie, Daffodil, Timmy and Ginger surrounding a dead snake near the patio.

Again?

Yes, again.

And this one was big. Not huge, just bigger than the last one.

As I have a phobia of snakes, dead, alive or cartoon drawings, luckily both my children were around to take care of things. I knew it was dead as it wasn't moving at all and all four cats were surrounding it and poking at it.

So my children went out and managed to put the carcass into a plastic bag.

By then, my husband was back, so the three of them went across the road to bury the carcass.

As they were burying the carcass, Timmy was found tossing another small snake into the air.

Yes, another one. Also dead and with a triangle head.

I suspect there is a nest nearby or a neighbour might have killed the snakes, tossed them across the road and the cats found them?

Just then, I remembered that kampung folks never bury snake carcasses. They usually either burn them or put the carcass on the highway.  The belief is that the entire family will come looking for the dead one if there is a scent. This may be a myth (I'm told it is, but I'd rather be safe than sorry).

So to be safe, I told my husband to dig up the two carcasses and throw them far away, away from any inhabited area.

That was done last night and this morning, we poured chlorox over the burial plot of the first snake (two weeks ago).  That's what an elderly headmaster taught me last time. He said to use chlorox - they are afraid of the strong scent.

I have alerted the whole neighbourhood about this incident and one of the neighbours said he might get Bomba to help locate the nest.

The following might help too:

Getting rid of:
Low-growing hiding spots near your house (shrubs, plants, etc.)
Thickly-planted gardens
Mulch (especially straw mulch) in the gardens
Tall grass
Bird feeders (which attract mice & insects, which attract snakes)
Ground-level water sources (birdbaths, ponds, puddles, etc.)
Compost piles
Wood and brush piles (any wood on the ground where they can hide)

And so, may all beings be well and happy, keep to their own habitat and live and let live.

And may this New Year keep everyone safe and healthy.