One evening, about 3 weeks ago, Sonati spotted what she thought was a baby python behind the house. She squealed, and Frisky came running to see what was up. The snake made a dramatic "leap in the air" and then coiled itself up, and started "hissing like a pressure cooker". The rest of us came to the back verandah and Badri Baba, cameraman, took some photos of what was a "Textbook" Russell's viper, close to five feet in length.

Frisky kept barking; the Russell's viper kept hissing; but never tried to strike. Then it slowly uncoiled itself and went towards the east, with Frisky following. We could hear its hissing even when it was some 20 metres away from the house.

[caption id="attachment_58" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="the coiled-up Russell's viper"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_59" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Frisky escorting the snake away"][/caption]