Warning…. Old guy story alert …. Quit while you can…
Long ago in a galaxy far away (1968), I was in northern South Vietnam with 3rd Marine Division. When and where I could, I would collect reptiles, which is a challenge on many levels, not to mention I had no field guide. Every snake had to be considered venomous until it could be closely inspected.
I had some duty on the perimeter lines one night. It was quiet.
The Seabees had dug huge underground bunkers for us to sleep in so it was relatively nice. The walls were lined with wooden boxes filled with dirt. The 1/2 inch spacing between the boxes was home to many interesting creatures, vertebrates and invertebrates.
I returned to this bunker at 03:30, and quietly walked into it so I didn’t wake up those sleeping: 3 of my platoon and 4 “passing through” marines from another platoon.
As I took off my gear, I momentarily flashed my flashlight with a red lens to make sure I was where I needed to be.
I turned the flashlight back on immediately. About chest high on the wall, less than a meter away, was a Malayan Krait ( Bungarus candidus ) in the process of eating a young Radiated Rat Snake (Elaphe radiata ) (Today known as Copperhead Rat Snake ( Coelognathus radiatus )
This was great. My plan was to grab the Krait behind the head and grab the rear end of the Rat Snake, separate them, and capture both.
Not a good plan.
I grabbed both animals, one in each hand, and then the flashlight dropped. It broke open and spilled its batteries.
Now I was standing in pitch dark with this venomous snake in my hands, and I felt it trying to inch through my fingers.
I needed light….
I decided to wake up my closest marine buddy, because I couldn’t move in the dark.
I kept calling his name louder and louder, until he asked angrily, “What?”
“I need light.”
He said (expletive deleted) and rolled over.
I said with more urgency, “I’m holding two snakes in my hand and I can’t see. One is an extremely venomous Krait.
He was angry and asked “why did you bring them in here?”
I said “I didn’t. They were here.”
About that time I heard commotion from all over the bunker including M16 rounds being racked. A that time I remembered our guests who were not used to my interests.
About 6 flashlights with no filters immediately turned on, so now I couldn’t see.
My buddy was up and calmed all present that everything is under control, though he later told me he was pretty rattled because of the snakes.
Both animals were sacrificed and preserved (USNM 167595 and USNM 167596).