Zoophobic? Might want to reconsider Vietnam as your expat destination

Aidan in HCMC · 2022-07-27T09:40:09+02:00

Though I don't consider myself to suffer from zoophobia, here are a few instances where I would have preferred to not have been exposed to some of VN's fauna. Motoring from D7 to D1 in Saigon one afternoon, I was about halfway through D4 when I noticed out of the corner of my eye another large-ish bike to my right. Not unusual. What I didn't expect was my acquiring a passenger. Suddenly there appeared, perched between my hands on the instrument cluster, a monkey! I'm talking one of those macaque monkeys, chattering nervously, head looking at me, then left, right, back to it's owner, and then....gone. It jumped back onto the bike alongside me. The owner was grinning and thought nothing of it. We were travelling at a good click (+60 kmh). I was a bit surprised, to say the least, but otherwise unscathed. I'm a very experienced rider, but I shudder to think how less experienced riders might have reacted. Rats. RATS. RATS! They are everywhere! Though I've grown used to seeing them, my first close encounter with one occured in Saigon. I was out for a walk one evening, when I saw a dead rat which had been hit by a vehicle's tire. I gingerly stepped over it, only to have a large rat run out from a pile of garbage at the curb, and run straight into the side of my boot! It hit with considerable force due to its size and rate of speed. Damn! Snakes. I abhor them. Thankfully, SWMBO has always been there to, ahem, dispatch them for me. My closest and scariest encounter occurred in T.P. Thai Nguyen. I had asked our landlord whether there were snakes in this area. He and his friend laughed. "Aidan wants to know if there are snakes around here, LOL. No, nothing to worry about", he said. No sooner had he left, while I was cleaning up some brush from the side of our driveway, when I noticed something moving just to my left. I instinctively drew my arm back, when there sailed past (where my arm had been) a rather large viper, fangs extended. Having missed its mark (my arm) it proceeded to slither away. My yelps alerted my protector (HER!), who dashed down from upstairs and slaughtered it for me. I was ready to hit it with a hammer I had next to me when she yelled, "Aidan no! It is longer than the hammer". Right, message received. She has shown me that to do the job safely, one needs a stick/club/bludgeon at lest as long as the snake itself. It was large, more than a meter long and according to the locals was known to be highly venomous. Since that episode, I have seen her kill at least a dozen snakes in and around properties we have occupied. I have found the freshly molted skins of cobras in areas of our properties that have taught me not to stick my hand somewhere I can't see in to. Spiders. Lots of them, and not small. Some bigger than a computer mousepad. Many of these are very similar to brown recluse spiders, but a few were much, much beefier, mottled coloured, and able to jump from wall to ceiling while I pursued them. But with spiders, size isn't everything. I was bitten on the right forearm 2 years ago by a small spider (2 cm). It was essentially painless, but within 24 hours the flesh had necrotized, growing progressively worse over the next week. The wound/poison ate a hole in my forearm almost all the way to the bone. The wound was open, and had I wanted to I could have easily sunken the filter of a cigarette, and more, into the hole. I now have a permanent scar on my arm, white as the driven snow, and perfectly round. Bats, and I mean big a*s bats. This wouldn't normally bother me, but when they're flapping around your head in your livingroom when you wake at 2:00 AM to get a glass of water it can be quite disconcerting. Again, SWMBO to the rescue, while I duck-and-weave to my safe space. I have no shame. Scorpions. Two kinds (as far as I can tell), and unlike spiders, the scorpions do not take flight when approached. They stand their ground, waiting for any encounter thrown at them. The most usual kind I've encountered are the smaller reddish kind, sans pincers. I'm told the sting from the smaller ones is much more painful (injurious?) than their larger black cousins (the ones with powerful foreclaws). Just two nights ago I noticed my cat, Harold (don't laugh, she picked the name because it sounded exotic) had focused on some prey he had laid claim to in the middle of the kitchen floor. I had no idea that those claws could close with such force as to make a clacking sound. Fortunately, its bravado was no match for my Doc Marten boot (backed up with my 80 kgs weight). They provide ample incentive for one to wear footwear (sandals, flip-flops etc) even while indoors. Ticks. Uggghhhh! One of the main reasons I no longer ride off-road through brush. I've not been bitten (burrowed in to?), but have picked many off of my motocross armour. Lyme disease is certainly nothing one should disregard. Toads. Lots of them. Though VN toads are not poisonous as far as I know, they have a detrimental effect on one's sleep patterns, especially when they jump on your head and/or try to crawl into bed with you. There's more, but so many instances of "Aidan vs. Mr/Mrs Monster" that I can't recall others right now. So, still want to expatriate to VN? I wouldn't swap living in VN for the world, and in spite of the above I love it here. Best of luck to any newcomers.

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RTLisSB Contributor

Member since 23 April 2022

RTLisSBContributor04 December 2023 04:00:54

#121

177

Any idea what kind this is? Not as big as most that I've seen on here. Just interested in what it ?

Please disregard, photo didn't come though.

Aidan in HCMC Vietnam Expert

Member since 23 December 2017

Aidan in HCMCVietnam Expert28 October 2024 08:56:08

#122

3626

DAMN!!

Got a nasty bite from a spider earlier today, back of neck behind ear/jawline.

Washed now, tetracycline antibiotic applied. I'm hoping it doesn't get as bad as the one I got on my forearm a couple of years back, up north in Thai Nguyen.

Monitoring closely, with fingers crossed.

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"Spiders. Lots of them, and not small....bitten on the right forearm 2 years ago...within 24 hours the flesh had necrotized...ate a hole in my forearm almost all the way to the bone...permanent scar on my arm, white as the driven snow..." (link to original post, "Spiders")

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Couple of earlier trophy pics from Saigon and Thai Nguyen, here

Aidan in HCMC Vietnam Expert

Member since 23 December 2017

Aidan in HCMCVietnam Expert06 January 2025 20:40:58

#123

3626

Coming well into the dry season here in Phu Quoc, and with the grasses slowing their growth, I decided to do a bit of gardening clean-up.

Caught this one nestled under one of my work gloves. It was scampering quickly until I killed it with an insecticide spray.

Though nowhere near as menacing looking as its larger and more aggressive cousin, at ~5cm (~2inches) I'm told the sting from these guys is much more painful.

enlarge here

Next to the property's fence line I found what I at first thought was a dried palm leaf. Nope.

I'm told that it was the moulted skin of a Vietnam King Cobra. And not small, at ~2 metres (~6+ feet) in length. Happy to report that the skin's former occupant was not found.

enlarge here

Walking back to the house I almost stepped on this viper. I've seen its kind before. The Red-tailed viper.

Like the King Cobra, definitely not something to be messed with. Seen here in its death throes after I bludgeoned it with my shovel. This one was big, at ~1 metre (~3+ feet) long.

enlarge here

I wish I could say, after almost 8 years here, that I've grown used to this but I'd be lying.

I can certainly say that I've learned a lot about detection/avoidance.

TwinlessTwin Active member

Member since 10 December 2023

TwinlessTwinActive member07 January 2025 12:10:03

#124

I recently woke up to a 5 inch centipede that came across the my chest while in bed. Before I could handle it myself the wife jumped it and dispatched it so fast she scared me. I worked with wildlife many years and did not expect to see her bad side so quickly. Vietnam woman don’t play. 😂

I do believe Serial expat

Member since 15 January 2014

I do believeSerial expat08 January 2025 02:06:39

#125

357

@Aidan in HCMC

I have a couple of acres near the Cambodian border and occasionally come across snakes. I stopped killing them as they are too plentiful. I just chuck em over the fence. We have centipedes and scorpions in the house but have been lucky so far.

Aidan in HCMC Vietnam Expert

Member since 23 December 2017

Aidan in HCMCVietnam Expert26 January 2025 05:48:24

#126

3626

My dogs were going ape-poop crazy next to the downed trunk of a palm tree. The reason for their excitement? The absolute largest Vietnam Worm Snake (Argyrophis giadinhensis) my GF and my neighbours had ever seen. I'm told it's common to find these measuring up to 20cm (~8 inches) long, but this beauty was well over 60cm (~25 inches)!

I lifted it out for the photo-op using a stick, and then returned it to the bush before one of my neighbours had the chance to make good on his intent to cook and share it with us. It feeds on termite larvae, ants, spiders, and other pests. Seemed good enough reasons for me to spare it its life.

A blind, slow moving, non-venomous subterranean species. Quite beautiful.

enlarge, here

OceanBeach92107 VIP Member

Member since 31 January 2018

OceanBeach92107VIP Member26 January 2025 10:31:18

#127

7067

My dogs were going ape-poop crazy next to the downed trunk of a palm tree. The reason for their excitement? The absolute largest Vietnam Worm Snake (Argyrophis giadinhensis) my GF and my neighbours had ever seen. I'm told it's common to find these measuring up to 20cm (~8 inches) long, but this beauty was well over 60cm (~25 inches)!
I lifted it out for the photo-op using a stick, and then returned it to the bush before one of my neighbours had the chance to make good on his intent to cook and share it with us. It feeds on termite larvae, ants, spiders, and other pests. Seemed good enough reasons for me to spare it its life.
A blind, slow moving, non-venomous subterranean species. Quite beautiful.

enlarge, here enlarge, here - @Aidan in HCMC

Just in time for The Year of The 🐍

Aidan in HCMC Vietnam Expert

Member since 23 December 2017

Aidan in HCMCVietnam Expert26 January 2025 10:34:17

#128

3626

@OceanBeach92107

Didn't even think of that!! LOL

An omen? If so, I'm glad I released it.

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