Always a big day in a boy’s life…

From CNN:

A deadly Egyptian cobra, which drew thousands of Twitter fans, has been found alive after it went missing for days from a New York City Zoo…

The species’ more common home, however, is North Africa. Its venom is so deadly that it can kill a full-grown elephant in three hours — or a person in about 15 minutes, according to wildlife experts.

Oh, all right. I guess it’s finally time to tell my Egyptian cobra story.

In 1964 our embassy in Morocco assigned me to accompany an American film crew making a documentary in the Saharan desert. With some difficulty our Moroccan army liaison officer had convinced a Tuareg band to let us film their camp, as long as the women remained out of view.

As the crew was setting up in front of one of the tents, a camera man noticed something odd about the collection of shoes and sandals that the occupants, as good manners dictated, had left outside. There were fifteen. Why an odd number?

The officer called inside and an old man with a cane and a missing foot hobbled out. How did he lose his foot?, the officer asked and then translated the answer for us.

As a young shepherd, the old man had been bitten by a cobra while tending his flock. Miles from any help, which would have been useless in any case, he sat down, drew his dagger, and cut off his own foot. That’s how he got to be an old man.

It’s just like Boehner and all his cuddly buddies keep telling us: there’s plenty of jobs out there for anybody who really wants to work. For further information on the one below, go here. Free cabin bunk is included. Another big plus: Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul will be your senators.

The technician will assist in radio tracking Black Kingsnakes, checking drift fences and processing captured reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals, conducting vegetation transects, and data entry. Additionally, technician will assist in the deployment and collection of copper models throughout each study site. Technician should be in great physical condition and be able to hike about 8 - 15 miles a day in various weather conditions with about 10 - 20 pounds of gear.

Technician should also be tolerant of ticks, spiders, and insects. Technician should have previous radio telemetry experience. Technician should be able to navigate using a compass and topographic map, operate a GPS device, ability to identify and handle reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals (on job training will be expected, but prior knowledge would be beneficial). Venomous snakes will be encountered during this job; however, the technician will be trained in properly handling and processing venomous snakes.

I caught a couple of new pets up on Sharon Mountain the other day. I know you’ll be as excited as I am:

Surely you didn’t expect me to keep this one all to myself:

…Greene, who lives outside Shelton, suffers from epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by unprovoked and reoccurring seizures. He said the snake, its reddish-brown body draped around him like a necktie when he’s out in public, senses when a seizure is imminent and gives him a light squeeze. The warning gives him enough time to take medication to head off the attack, alert someone it’s coming or move to an area where the thrashing is not disruptive.

Greene blacks out during these episodes, but his wife, Karen, said the snake’s warning has headed off about a half-dozen seizures in Redrock’s five months with Greene. This month, Greene has had four seizures at night – she refuses to let the boa constrictor share their bed – but none during the day…

Greene said he removes the snake when given a warning and hands him to his wife or another companion. Redrock has never exhibited aggressive behavior toward him or other residents, he said.

“It takes a special kind of snake to be a service animal,” he said.

This picture is of a baby milksnake found on Great Hollow Road in Cornwall, Connecticut. It’s from a photo gallery accompanying an article on local snakes I did for this month’s Cornwall Chronicle, our community newsletter. Click the “Read on…” link below to see the rest of the pictures. Bring the family.