Unexpected guest

*Disclaimer: If you are horrified of snakes I would advise not reading this post.  I’ve tried to be conservative on the photos on my mothers behalf ;)

My evening routine of washing up for bed includes brushing my teeth in my backyard and spitting somewhere in the dirt.  I enjoy it, really, because I’ll shut of my headlamp when I am scrubbing away and look up at the stars and constellations, feeling a sense of calmness and excitement in being able to stare at the vastness of the night sky.  It gives me a feeling of being absorbed in nature.

But this night was different, as I realized very quickly while walking to my customary spot.  I heard an unfamiliar hissing sound near my kitchen and looked over, immediately freezing in my steps.  In my weak headlamp light my eyes focused on a snake perched up in the striking position about 5 meters away.  My gut told me immediately that it was a black mamba and I had recalled hearing that they are not to be messed with. I backed up quickly to the house while keeping my eye on the snake the whole time trying to think fast of what to do to kill it.  Having dogs and people around the compound, I knew that letting the snake go was not an option.

Thinking fast I grabbed a brick I use to prop open the back door and followed the snake as it slithered away.  I threw it as hard as I could and hit my target just as he crawled into a pile of bricks currently being used for construction on my house.  Apparently the snake thought it was a good idea for hiding, but it really allowed me to strategize a bit longer on how I was going to get him.  I then had a few seconds to run inside the house and grab my khasu (hoe) in possible preparation of chopping it in half and also trade out batteries in my headlamp so that I could see him vibrantly.

Not knowing what else to do I began peeling the bricks off one an other, working my way closer to the two bricks the snake was sitting between.  I would pull one off, and back up to asses that the snake was not coming my way, and then pull another one off.  I could hear him hissing and occasionally see a flicker of his tongue come from between the bricks.  I was getting closer...but then what?

At one brick away I decided to take a good swing with my khasu and try to smash him between the brick.  Failed attempt.  The snake began to come out of the pile of bricks and in confusion and instinct I brought down the khasu as hard as I could.  As the dust settled I found victory that I had chopped the snake roughly 6 inches from the head.  I sighed mental relief!  It didn’t hit me until then that had I not killed the snake at the first attempt then I would likely be panicking with a snake bite.

I watched for a few minutes as the snake continued writhing around while doing my best to keep the dogs away.  I couldn’t believe it!  I’m one of the last people I would expect to pull a stunt like that!  The body continued to writhe around and inch its way closer to the head.  I couldn’t help but flash back to zombie movies where somehow the head and body find themselves and reattach.  Would this snake come back to life with a vengeance?! I called my neighbors over to show them what had happened and they were all in shock as well but also thinking “what a crazy azungu!”  When it had stopped moving I lifted the two pieces to my khasu while trying to to explain that I wanted to keep the snake, using the excuse that I didn’t want the dogs getting at it.  But in reality I had another plan.

I have heard of volunteers killing snakes and then skinning them to keep the hide.  After some mental deliberation and a movie on my iPod later, I decided it was best to do it before the morning.  With simple instructions looked up on my internet phone, I went to work with belly of the snake.  I started with a fish filleting knife but it proved more difficult to cut through the skin than I imagined.  I proceeded as carefully as possible so as not to pierce anything inside.  I felt like I was back in biology class in complete awe of seeing the inside of an animal I would never have had an option of otherwise.  Fascinating, really!  Had it not been closer to midnight, hours after my regular bedtime, I likely would have spent more time dissecting :)

Some 45 minutes later I had managed to cut open the belly, only slipping once near the tail of the snake releasing a horrifying smell.  At least I was almost done!  I had no wood board to open and nail the skin to, so I figured second best was the wall in my back room.  Could it be that much different than using wood?  I meticulously nailed the skin open to dry and then figured “what the heck, might as well do the neck and head as well.”  That was a little bit more uncomfortable since I didn’t want to somehow split some sort of venom pouch and find myself in a very sticky situation.  

I managed to get everything nailed to the wall and actually felt very proud of myself.  What other time in my life would allow me such an experience?!  I’ve realized quickly in Peace Corps Malawi that sometimes you just have to “go for it.”  Growing up I was more cautious in certain situations ensuring as best I could that I was mentally prepared for what was to come.  But so much of my job, and with the snake situation specifically, I simply don’t have that luxury of planning.  I just have to go for it and hope that I succeed or that there is some sort of benefit from at least trying.  All risks in life are rewarding, if for nothing less than a fantastic learning experience.  It can be scary and gratifying at the same time, and sometimes it’s awesome enough that you end up with the hide of one of the worlds deadliest snakes, a black mamba, on your wall.  

Skin on the wall

Close up :)