News Forum - Legendary Thai king cobra performer retires after decades of venomous shows

[Thaiger]

A 62 year old man known as the ‘King of King Cobra’ in Thailand, has announced his retirement from a 28-year career in snake exhibitions, most notably kissing the venomous cobra, a stunt which won him Guinness World Records. His decision came after his wife expressed her worry for his safety, given the risk of … …

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[Karolyn]

Cobras recognise human individuals, and don't normally bite unless hurt, scared, or very annoyed. I'm not scared of them in the least. There are lots of myths about king cobras, like them only eating other snakes. When I looked after them (not mine) we threw them in chunks of beef. True at first the beef had to be scented at first with a snake shed, but after they recognised the taste, texture, and shape of beef as food, they soon took to just eating snake. In the wild they also eat monitor lizards etc. Though they are snake eaters, they aren't obligately so, as many assume. 

[Smiler]

Of course king cobra’s aren’t true cobra’s at all, and will go out of their way to leave you alone so leave them alone and they will leave you alone. 

[Karolyn]

10 hours ago, Smiler said:

Of course king cobra’s aren’t true cobra’s at all, and will go out of their way to leave you alone so leave them alone and they will leave you alone. 

Define a cobra. They are closest to mambas, but the mambas are, arguably, an ecotype of cobra. Although not of genus Naja of course. 

[Khunmark]

So what departing gift does one such cobra receive for a lifetime of service to the tourism industry? A Rolex wristwatch wouldn’t be much good. Perhaps a bag of live mice or a nice smooth rock to hide under?

[Smiler]

5 hours ago, Karolyn said:

Define a cobra. They are closest to mambas, but the mambas are, arguably, an ecotype of cobra. Although not of genus Naja of course. 

Cobras as you say belong to the genus naja,  while the king cobra belongs to the genus ophiophagus a specific genus on its own, of course as I’m sure you know both genus are members of the same family as mamba’s and all the land snakes of Australia i.e. the elapids. 
    I had a friend in the UK who had 12 king cobra’s, he was an excellent snake keeper but one day he was handling one of his king’s (which he did on a regular basis) when it rose up and bit him on the shoulder he managed to recage the animal then walked outside where he collapsed and tragically died. 

[Karolyn]

 

 

4 hours ago, Smiler said:

Cobras as you say belong to the genus naja,  while the king cobra belongs to the genus ophiophagus a specific genus on its own, of course as I’m sure you know both genus are members of the same family as mamba’s and all the land snakes of Australia i.e. the elapids.

    I had a friend in the UK who had 12 king cobra’s, he was an excellent snake keeper but one day he was handling one of his king’s (which he did on a regular basis) when it rose up and bit him on the shoulder he managed to recage the animal then walked outside where he collapsed and tragically died. 

I think I know who you mean, not many hot snake trainers/handlers in the UK.

Not all the elapids are equally related. All the genera referred to as cobras form a subclade, though it also includes mambas and Hemibungarus. So not much point splitting hairs as to which elapids are really cobras - the word has a wide and a narrow definition

[palooka]

9 minutes ago, Karolyn said:

I think I know who you mean, not many hot snake trainers/handlers in the UK.

Not all the elapids are equally related. All the genera referred to as cobras form a subclade, though it also includes mambas and Hemibungarus. So not much point splitting hairs as to which elapids are really cobras - the word has a wide and a narrow definition

Maybe you and @Smiler should have a nice evening out together. 

You are probably the only two people on this forum that have any WISH to understand snakes.