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[purdey]

Not of any real interest, but I have a Dagarcik from the 1950s, still in excellent condition, I think hunters used to carry them as well.

[denizaksulu]

Not of any real interest, but I have a Dagarcik from the 1950s, still in excellent condition, I think hunters used to carry them as well.

In the 70's I brought one (dagarcik) over from Cyprus. Goat skin one. Complete with four appendages and tail. I gave up using it when dogs began following me. Really.

[kafenes]

In Cyprus it is called a 'Fina'. It is about a meter long and thick and has a very short thin tail. I don't think it is the same as an Adder but more like a Viper.

This viper is also called gufi in Cyprus

Iceman, 'Goufi' in Cypriot also means 'Deaf'. I don't know which word came first. Probably from 'Deaf as a snake'.

now that you mention the meaning of the word...in Turkish the snake is also known as sagir yilan (deaf snake)
I the willages they also call it dagarcik yilani (dagarcik is the traditional bag made of sheep skin carried by shepherds)

Well, all snakes are deaf. But they feel vibration. I have heard of an old lady in Larnaca who used to play the piano at home and every time she started playing a black snake would crawl in from the window, lie across on top of the piano and enjoy the vibration (I am sure Deniz will have a comment for this ). When she stopped the snake would leave. The shepherd's bag in Greek Cypriot is a 'Vourka'.

[umit07]

What snake is the one we call 'Batsalli'

[tessintrnc]

I actually like snakes - very much. I had to stop my car last year when a long black snake crossed the road, and I have also stopped the car for a chameleon, but they are SO slow........... I ended up picking it up, it really hissed at me - but was lovely and warm and it started to change colour even in those few seconds - amazing creatures!!!
Tess

The last time I ever saw a chameleon was in Kyrenia, 1956. Near the old Colonial stly Hospital. Never saw any again. You are indeed lucky Tess.
Did you see it in Kyrenia, because they love the greenery.

Almost - it was actually the lower part of Zeytinlik. It was a big one as well but surprisingly it felt very bony, I thought it would be quite soft, I don't know why!! I put it on a tree well away from the road.........hope he is still ok!!

[denizaksulu]

What snake is the one we call 'Batsalli'

Adder = Engerek in Turkish

Batsalli describes the design on the skin.

As we often say its batsalli gibi. Not like a snake but the colour of a snake.

[kafenes]

What snake is the one we call 'Batsalli'

Batsalli means 'of various colours', unless it is referring to to the snake which ate all of Ali's bats.

[halil]

For the shepherd bag we called Darcık not dağarcık , the area where i live.

also for gufi we call darcık yılanı . i don't know why ? but i heard a interesting story about sneaks . when they are injured .they have to hide them self from ants. Ants can eat them otherwise .
story was like that. Sneak was injured and sneak hide himself into the bone . and his life was with bone till he bite the one of the shepherd animals and it was killed by shepherd .thats way they says sneaks are more dangerous when they gets injured .they can hide themselfs inside anything that suits them. be carefull !!!!!

[denizaksulu]

I actually like snakes - very much. I had to stop my car last year when a long black snake crossed the road, and I have also stopped the car for a chameleon, but they are SO slow........... I ended up picking it up, it really hissed at me - but was lovely and warm and it started to change colour even in those few seconds - amazing creatures!!!
Tess

The last time I ever saw a chameleon was in Kyrenia, 1956. Near the old Colonial stly Hospital. Never saw any again. You are indeed lucky Tess.
Did you see it in Kyrenia, because they love the greenery.

Almost - it was actually the lower part of Zeytinlik. It was a big one as well but surprisingly it felt very bony, I thought it would be quite soft, I don't know why!! I put it on a tree well away from the road.........hope he is still ok!!

Thanks for that. I thought they were extinct in Cyprus, but their slow movement makes them almost imperceptable. I wonder if any died of lung cancer As kids, some of the older boys would put lit fags in their mouths and we would watch them poff away.( I am sure they did not know what was happening). Poor sods. I loved their 'claws'.

[tessintrnc]

i didn't read this whole thread, so i don't know if this one came up, but you can try mothballs. i know rats/mice don't like mothballs, it MIGHT work for snakes as well. if they are the kinds of snakes that like to eat rats and mice, at least there would be less rats and mice around, which in turn would mean less snakes.

Thanks GG I am writing an article about getting rid of snakes in the garden and was looking for "old wives tales" you know - the old sayings that are sometimes true and sometimes not ? I think you may be right about mothballs though - snakes are "blind" without their taste and smell and mothballs are certainly smelly!!! Thanks again......
Tess