woodlands houses near SAS / snakes

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

Scarbowl,

I'm not sure if you meant that I'm the one who doesn't go to the Woodlands or if you are the person who doesn't go to the Woodlands, but either way I think you might be missing an important piece of information.

For SAS families (and lots of Americans), the Woodlands refers to really two distinct areas: the broader area which encompasses the north of the island bordered by Sembawang, Bukit Panjang, Mandai, Sungei Kadut, etc. and the area immediately adjacent to the school which is restricted to the 'tree' streets: Woodgrove, Pinewood, Cedarwood, etc... If you live in this smaller area, the concentration of Americans is much, much higher than any other place in Singapore. It was around 94% a few years ago, not sure what it is now. I think this is the specific area the OP was speaking about since they mentioned not only SAS, but the Woodlands and houses as well.

So when people talk about trick or treating in the Woodlands, they are speaking about the smaller area next to SAS, not up Woodlands Avenue 12.

[moverfc]

Thank you everyone for your replies.

Mary was correct that I'm specifically asking about

"the 'tree' streets: Woodgrove, Pinewood, Cedarwood, etc... If you live in this smaller area, the concentration of Americans is much, much higher than any other place in Singapore. "

Do I need to be worried about poisonous snakes like the spitting cobras here as well?

Once again, thanks for all the responses. Seems like Singapore's very hospitable.

SB

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

The short answer is: No, you don't. The long answer is there are snakes in the Woodlands (if fact I was on campus the other day and one of the maintenance guys and I rounded up a little one in the hallway. 'They like the lockers' he said. Which is good, because the high schoolers don't use their lockers.) People do come across them, but it is rare. Usually it's related to construction, so if they ever develop that tract of land at the far end of Woodgrove, I'd say there might be more wildlife in general.

It'll be fine and good luck with your move.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Yes and no. the spitting cobras are there. You just don't see them, as I mentioned before. Any house that has a pitched roof is subject to having them, they also like to live in hollows behind the concrete tiles/culvert/drains under the driveways. Same with outbuilding that are seldom used.

Having said that, as long as you remember that snakes are generally more afraid of you then the reverse, and that their hearing/sense of vibration signals them of your presence long before you are aware of them, they usually disappear. It's only when you somehow managed to surprise one if one is in a area not easily escapable from (like the perimeter drains I spoke about) that you might see one. If you do, just walk away and let 'em be. I never killed or removed any of the spitting cobras caught at my place (I had a whole family behind the culvert drain tiles under my front walk). Their favorite diet is rats so if you don't ever see any rats about your place, you will know the reason why. I never saw a rat or rat droppings anywhere around our house in seletar for the 15 years I was there and I had a big field next door as well. If you have a large dog and your dog sleeps outside and starts up at 3 am in the morning, it probably means a stray dog or he found a snake. Or in my case, one morning a 5'+ monitor lizard making a meal of his meal. (I caught it and it went to the Singapore Zoo. It was the first of two that I caught in my yard. They were both over 5' long. Remember, this is a developed city, when you bulldoze their homes they will make your home their home as well. It's also the tropics. Just use common sense and you will be fine.