woodlands houses near SAS / snakes

[moverfc]

Moving from the US with kids going to SAS. Really like the houses in Woodlands because of size / proximity to school / budget.

Only downside is I'm worried about poisonous snakes. Is this is a legitamate concern?

Thanks for your replies.

SB

[sundaymorningstaple]

Nah. there are the occasional black cobra here but they usually disappear before you ever see them. You really only have to worry if you have an old black & white housing with the drains that run around the perimeter of the house. Occasionally you might find one there. I lived in a ulu part of Singapore for 15 years and only saw 5 or 6 of 'em during that time.

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

Yes! There are a surprising amount of snakes and monkeys that plague the American Ghetto that is the Woodlands considering the 'woodlands' are long gone. I wouldn't worry about it though, because it is certainly no worse than any other part of Singapore that is developed. I'd worry more about the 2-legged, non-fat latte-swilling vipers if I were you... Ba Dum Toosh!

Seriously, you'll be fine. Good luck with your move.

[aster]

What about mozzies and dengi, is that more of an issue when living in those parts as opposed to the south side?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Surprising no. At least not that we can see. Mozzies, certainly, but not dengue. Dengue usually crops up when there is more population density from what we see with our pest control business (and we are very often out with NEA whenever any vector borne disease outbreak happens here). Our turquoise & red shirts are pretty easily recognized here. Even saw a couple of our guys yesterday morning out on P. Tekong doing their rounds (a weekly task). 60-70% of our work are gov't contracts.

[ecureilx]

Surprising no. At least not that we can see.

Surprisingly, a learned friend of mine, researching in snake poison, mentioned that, Singapore has Spitting Cobras .. now, that is something that I would want to worry about ..

to the OP: Did anybody paint a jungle like picture of Singapore ???

Unless you live in the Bungalow Houses around Canberra road or so, you have zilch to worry about ..

[sundaymorningstaple]

They are the black cobra's I referred to in my earlier post. That isn't the only cobra present in Singapore though the King Cobra aren't found here. There are other poisonous snakes here as well but not really too much to worry about in habitat-ed areas.

Some links to get you worried. Not.

http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/natur ... snakes.htm

Lived in the ulu areas for 15 years and never saw any of the snakes in the above link.

http://singaporesnakes.blogspot.com/

http://www.wildsingapore.per.sg/discovery/Reptilla2.htm

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

There are most definitely snakes in the Woodlands, my friend had a nest of baby cobras in her storage room. Your chances of coming across them are slim to none, so I wouldn't worry. All you need to understand is that they may be around but that shouldn't deter you from living in the Woodlands. The traffic, the homogeneous aspect of it, the fishbowl effect, the lack of restaurants, etc... is enough of a reason. The area I live in is notorious for spitting cobras, my friend's dog was blinded by one and people have seen huge ones coming home late at night ~ but again, they really don't want to tangle with you and will avoid you when when they can.

[ecureilx]

There are most definitely snakes in the Woodlands, my friend had a nest of baby cobras in her storage room.

and that goes for the people who live in private / Bungalow houses, mostly Colonial .. and have more space than anything else .. and, that is about the less than 5% of the general population .. now, the rest, living in Apartments / condos .. fear not ..

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

Ecurelix, the OP was specifically talking about living in the Woodlands. Specifically a 'house' in the Woodlands. I've known, oh maybe 50 families who've lived in houses in the Woodlands over the last 14 years or so, I've heard the stories. There are no Colonial houses in the Woodlands, they have no gardens to speak of. I think the rest of the people reading can figure out that they themselves don't live in houses in the Woodlands, don't you? Although you might want to tell that couple that lived at Aspen Heights on River Valley Rd that the python that ate their dog wasn't really a problem.

[aster]

Although you might want to tell that couple that lived at Aspen Heights on River Valley Rd that the python that ate their dog wasn't really a problem.

What? Snakes in the River Valley Road area?

[ecureilx]

Specifically a 'house' in the Woodlands.

My bad - living a middle class life, House = equates to = apartment for me ..

Sorry

And Singapore is far, far far from Snakes on a Plane .. comparing to our northern neighbors, snakes are as scarce as anything .. like .. maybe crows ??




PS: Re: The dog that was eaten by the python ? was that headline grabbing 'billion dollar' dog

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

Specifically a 'house' in the Woodlands.

My bad - living a middle class life, House = equates to = apartment for me ..

Sorry

And Singapore is far, far far from Snakes on a Plane .. comparing to our northern neighbors, snakes are as scarce as anything .. like .. maybe crows ??




PS: Re: The dog that was eaten by the python ? was that headline grabbing 'billion dollar' dog

In America, house = house. No idea what you are on about with the 'billion dollar' dog comment.

Aster ~

It was all over the newspaper when it happened. They were walking their dog on the condo property and a python came up and snatched their dog.

[ecureilx]

It was all over the newspaper when it happened. They were walking their dog on the condo property and a python came up and snatched their dog.

As for the dog from Aspen heights, as I recall, it was a jack russell, and unleashed, and had ran to investigate the shrubs and was caught by the python, 10 feet or so in length, if I remember ..

It's not like the snake pounced on the dog and ate it while the dog was crying .. and add to it, am yet to hear of a python that is fast ..

And if I remember more, the owner admitted to have not leashed the dog, and had taken some time to realise that her dog was missing .. and there was a lot of 'snake repellent' business going on, genuine as well as con jobs, including instant "snake terminators" ... not that any more snakes were ever reported since ..

PS: In Sillypore, and having lived here for too long, for mere mortals like me - house = apartment .. so sorry again ..

[scarbowl]

Yes! There are a surprising amount of snakes and monkeys that plague the American Ghetto that is the Woodlands considering the 'woodlands' are long gone. I wouldn't worry about it though, because it is certainly no worse than any other part of Singapore that is developed. I'd worry more about the 2-legged, non-fat latte-swilling vipers if I were you... Ba Dum Toosh!

Seriously, you'll be fine. Good luck with your move.

This is posted by someone who doesn't come to the Woodlands. While there is an assemblage of Americans there, the concentration is much lower than for Holland Village, Orchard, Bukit Timah and many other locations around. This is evidenced by the lack of western restaurants, groceries, etc. Your neighbors in a landed home MIGHT be American but if you walk 200 meters you'll be amidst the HDBs and locals. The food courts are almost exclusively Singaporeans, the grocery is mostly Singaporean, and if you take the bus or walk to the mall it is mostly Singaporeans on the way and once you are there.

If you want a good western meal, clothes that fit, or a decent bottle of wine you will go to where most of the Americans and westerners live which is NOT in the Woodlands.