# Good day everyone. I have a question about hoop snakes. This is important. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [September 16, 2012, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858 "2012-09-16T07:35:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Snerky\_Snerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Snerky\_Snerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snerky_Snerk)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/21 "2012-09-16T13:53:18Z")
> [@hotdog\_messenger](#): > > well that maybe true, but who knows? we just have to capture a live one in order to prove it… Ok. The bank is in New York? You are in the Philipines? Are you thinking to send a dangerous tree stabbing hoop snake in the post? If you really think you have a rare and dangerous animal, please try not to catch it. Go to a vet, or a zoo, or try a university. Try to find an expert, and get expert advice on what you are doing. As for the money - forget about that till you get an expert who agrees that you have what you think you have. Start with that. Tell your friend to get an accurate visual description - a photo would be good. Take it to an expert. A photo. A description. Don’t try to actually catch it. ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/22 "2012-09-16T15:03:29Z")
> [@Snerky\_Snerk](#): > > Ok. The bank is in New York? > You are in the Philipines? > Are you thinking to send a dangerous tree stabbing hoop snake in the post? > > If you really think you have a rare and dangerous animal, please try not to catch it. Go to a vet, or a zoo, or try a university. Try to find an expert, and get expert advice on what you are doing. > > As for the money - forget about that till you get an expert who agrees that you have what you think you have. Start with that. Tell your friend to get an accurate visual description - a photo would be good. Take it to an expert. > > A photo. A description. Don’t try to actually catch it. well thanks for your reply…that’s my point. Do you know anyone (an expert) who can help me with this? I don’t know any person as such, and I think it would be more troublesome to look for an expert. I tell you hoop snakes are common sight in that area and my friend was surprised someone had really placed a reward for that creature. Don’t worry, I’m not the one who will catch it, because my friend already contacted several people who will do it. In fact, they are just waiting for our confirmation. I have never seen a hoop snake even once. And also, I believe that capturing a live one is much, much better than a thousand pictures or video. So don’t worry about it. _\__ ---
**Author:** ![Snerky\_Snerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Snerky\_Snerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snerky_Snerk)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/23 "2012-09-16T15:11:07Z")
I’m sure we have a snake expert somewhere, but after a big meal, he finds a quiet place and mostly sleeps for a few weeks. You might want to try a dedicated snake/reptile message board. The first one in google is [http://forums.kingsnake.com/](http://forums.kingsnake.com/) You could ask over there as well. ---
**Author:** ![Snerky\_Snerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Snerky\_Snerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snerky_Snerk)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/24 "2012-09-16T15:33:12Z")
And, because there’s nothing on TV, I’ve been reading up on Raymond Ditmars. This site has a bit about him - [Greenhalls Trust](http://www.greenhallstrust-wi.org/arthur.htm). You may contact them too, if you want. ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/25 "2012-09-16T15:34:02Z")
> [@Snerky\_Snerk](#): > > I’m sure we have a snake expert somewhere, but after a big meal, he finds a quiet place and mostly sleeps for a few weeks. > > haha!.. > > You might want to try a dedicated snake/reptile message board. The first one in google is [http://forums.kingsnake.com/](http://forums.kingsnake.com/) > You could ask over there as well. ok thanks! might as well try that one. Who knows someday you might happen to stumble across a gang of hoop snakes and make friends with them…_\__ ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/26 "2012-09-16T15:36:13Z")
> [@Snerky\_Snerk](#): > > And, because there’s nothing on TV, I’ve been reading up on Raymond Ditmars. This site has a bit about him - [Greenhalls Trust](http://www.greenhallstrust-wi.org/arthur.htm). You may contact them too, if you want. Oh thank you again. I hope we can get some more info about that soon. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/27 "2012-09-16T18:06:22Z")
Are you 12? or posting from a “special” home? I am really trying to find a way to believe you really believe this nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/28 "2012-09-16T19:11:27Z")
> [@gamerunknown](#): > > I think you can get about tree fiddy fo it. > [@hotdog\_messenger](#): > > i’m sorry, i think i’m missing something here… Don’t worry about it. You’re hunting for a hoop snake, not the Loch Ness monster. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/29 "2012-09-16T19:37:38Z")
> [@hotdog\_messenger](#): > > Oh thank you again. I hope we can get some more info about that soon. No matter how hard you look for nonexistent things, you will fail. There is no one on this earth that can tell you how to find a hoop snake. There are no secrets to finding a hoop snake. _ **There are no hoop snakes to find, period.** _ Give up. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/30 "2012-09-16T21:59:41Z")
A citation for the alleged $10,000 reward is here: [http://www.terrorhaute.com/leg-hoopsnake.html](http://www.terrorhaute.com/leg-hoopsnake.html) It references this 1985 book: > **[Haunts to Hookers](https://books.google.com/books?id=h9v2HAAACAAJ&dq=Haunts%2Bto%2BHookers&source=bl&ots=omHKmTd983&sig=cKUEQ2EXD94fmD6h2lf6cS6jUIU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VkpWUM3DF4_oiwLp8YCoCA&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA)** > **[Haunts to Hookers: Joe Ford: Amazon.com: Books](https://www.amazon.com/Haunts-Hookers-Joe-Ford/dp/B0025WHI4M)** > > Haunts to Hookers \[Joe Ford\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Haunts to Hookers The book isn’t available online, but if there was ever a reward for $10,000 (I doubt it, though there is a documented $50 reward from [1912](http://www.prx.org/pieces/83393-reward-for-hoopsnake-august-16-1912#description)) it’s unlikely whether the benefactor would have established a trust or charitable foundation for it managed by an unnamed New York bank. C’mon. Also, the OP’s friend might be [pulling his leg](http://www.goenglish.com/PullingYourLeg.asp). ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/31 "2012-09-16T23:38:32Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Also, the OP’s friend might be [pulling his leg](http://www.goenglish.com/PullingYourLeg.asp). Considering that hoop snakes don’t exist I’d say that’s a distinct possibility. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/32 "2012-09-17T02:40:08Z")
Hoop snakes are a variety of [fearsome critter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fearsome_critters). The [entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoop_snake) at Wikipedia IDd the naturalist who allegedly offered a $10,000 reward. Raymond Lee Ditmars died in 1942. I suspect the reward, if it indeed existed, was distributed as part of his estate. ---
**Author:** ![SpaceDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spacedog/32/9932_2.png) [@SpaceDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpaceDog)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/33 "2012-09-17T02:44:12Z")
> [@hotdog\_messenger](#): > > By the way, aside from hoop snake deemed to be mythical, there are also two other allegedly “legendary” snakes that exist in the same area, i bet you guys know this. One is the crowing snake, which is a snake that has a head of a rooster and it also crows, hence the name crowing snake. Another is a creature called in our language as “banakon” sometimes called as Philippine King Cobra. This snake reaches to about 18 feet in length and said to be very dangerous, it chases anybody who enters it’s territory and on some occassions, it knocks on the doors and attacks any person who opens it. It’s distinguishing features are it’s diamond-shaped head, and it’s two limblike protrusions (much like a leg) in the middle of it’s body. It is said to aid the snake’s movement, allowing it to crawl at a very fast pace compared to other snakes, though not as fast as an average human. Are you serious? I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are. I live in the Philippines and people here believe a lot of stuff that’s probably not as true as they believe it is. A mixture of folklore, mistaken identity and outright fraud (i.e. stapling a rooster head to a snake body) contribute to all of this. So your friend may truly believe this, but he’s likely to be mistaken. You can either leave it or try and get to the truth, although finding no evidence of hoop snakes is unlikely to shake the faith of the true believer. It’s probably not just hoop snake season. As others have said, first start off trying to get a clear video of any of these ‘legendary’ snakes and go from there. There is probably no real reward but if you get a video (and only make part of it available for free) then you’ll maybe be able to sell the rights to the rest if the story takes off. Alternatively see if the Discovery Channel wants to fund a new series ‘Finding Hoop Snakes’. (Or is it NatGeo that’s showing that one?). ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/34 "2012-09-17T03:57:22Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > No matter how hard you look for nonexistent things, you will fail. There is no one on this earth that can tell you how to find a hoop snake. There are no secrets to finding a hoop snake. > > _ **There are no hoop snakes to find, period.** _ > > Give up. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, boo spoilsport 😛 ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/35 "2012-09-17T05:22:39Z")
> [@Lanzy](#): > > Are you 12? or posting from a “special” home? I am really trying to find a way to believe you really believe this nonsense. whatever you think about me or whether you want to believe me or not doesn’t really matter…I wouldn’t waste my time posting here if what I’m talking about is nonsense…either way if you can help me, I’m still going to appreciate it…_\__ ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/36 "2012-09-17T05:25:27Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Don’t worry about it. You’re hunting for a hoop snake, not the Loch Ness monster. 😃 haha…yeah no need to worry alright…i’m not the one who’s gonna hunt that creature…i’m just looking for a contact…it’s even more hard to find than the creature itself… ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/37 "2012-09-17T05:27:50Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > No matter how hard you look for nonexistent things, you will fail. There is no one on this earth that can tell you how to find a hoop snake. There are no secrets to finding a hoop snake. > > _ **There are no hoop snakes to find, period.** _ > > Give up. No I won’t. Sorry to tell you that. And there are hoop snakes here…only that people have no interest in them because what the hell are they gonna do once they catch it. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/38 "2012-09-17T05:33:40Z")
It reminds me of what I used to say to my daughter when she was very young and asked if there was a Santa Claus, my answer was “If you believe in him, he is real”… ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/39 "2012-09-17T05:39:43Z")
> [@SpaceDog](#): > > Are you serious? I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are. > > I live in the Philippines and people here believe a lot of stuff that’s probably not as true as they believe it is. A mixture of folklore, mistaken identity and outright fraud (i.e. stapling a rooster head to a snake body) contribute to all of this. So your friend may truly believe this, but he’s likely to be mistaken. > > You can either leave it or try and get to the truth, although finding no evidence of hoop snakes is unlikely to shake the faith of the true believer. It’s probably not just hoop snake season. > > As others have said, first start off trying to get a clear video of any of these ‘legendary’ snakes and go from there. There is probably no real reward but if you get a video (and only make part of it available for free) then you’ll maybe be able to sell the rights to the rest if the story takes off. > > Alternatively see if the Discovery Channel wants to fund a new series ‘Finding Hoop Snakes’. (Or is it NatGeo that’s showing that one?). oh hey…from what province are you in the Phils? believe me, at first I never really believe hoop snakes exist here but when I told this to my friend he was surprised that anyone could have posted the reward for such a creature. The way he speaks is as if it is as common as a jungle pig. And my friend also would not waste his time coming back over and over to our house asking me if I already found a contact or on how to claim that reward. You know some people here will do anything for money. Well getting a video would be nice, but that’s troublesome. Anybody, I think would prefer a live one. I also tried Discovery channel but i don’t know how to contact them. ---
**Author:** ![hotdog\_messenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@hotdog\_messenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotdog_messenger)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858/40 "2012-09-17T05:42:08Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > It reminds me of what I used to say to my daughter when she was very young and asked if there was a Santa Claus, my answer was “If you believe in him, he is real”… can’t disagree with that…but my friend is already way past his 40’s… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-day-everyone-i-have-a-question-about-hoop-snakes-this-is-important/634858.md?page=3)