Mozambique Spitting Cobra

The Mozambique Spitting Cobra, commonly known as the ‘mFezi’ (it’s isiZulu name), is one of the most infamous snakes in KwaZulu-Natal. Like most wildlife, they don’t get on with people or pets too well. However, they are still beautiful and fascinating creatures.

Identifying the MSC

Mozambique Spitting Cobras are a plain brown colour, but their belly is a beautiful orangey/salmon-pink colour, it’s really pretty. Youngsters are more of a greyish/brown colour, and their belly has a bit more of a yellowish tinge to it.

The underside of their neck has black bands, which are of course most visible when the cobra hoods up. However, one can still see them a bit when the snake is down and moving.

Large adults are usually 1.2 to 1.3m long, but I’ve caught a couple that were 1.5m, and one that was 1.7m long. My most memorable Mozambique Spitting Cobra, though, was a snake I dubbed, ‘Durban’s Queen Cobra’. I caught her in Northdene (Queensburgh). She was an absolute beast! She was the longest documented Mozambique Spitting Cobra, measuring out at a whopping 1.81m long! She was heavily built, and looked ancient. Possibly close to twenty years or more. She was one of the most impressive snakes I’ve ever dealt with. She didn’t spit much, while we photographed her before letting her slither off into a safe, natural area. She did stand up, raising an impressive hood. Truly a snake I will never forget.

Durban’s Queen Cobra

Durban’s Queen Cobra

Many people think these snakes will hood up immediately when you see them, but they don’t. In fact, most of the time when confronted, they do look at you, but they don’t always hood. They don’t have to. Except the juveniles, I find they hood up a lot more than the adults. They’re a lot cheekier, like with Black Mambas. Or should I say, like most creatures, including humans. Although if it does stand up, with an orange/yellow belly with black bands on the neck, then you know what it is.

Adult cobra hooding

Where do they occur?

Well, not just in Mozambique. They’re in Zimbabwe and Botswana too, and in many of our provinces. They are quite common in the Krantzkloof Nature Reserve, down into Molweni and in Inanda too. So residents in these areas do occasionally see them. They’re very common around Durban, such as in Westville, Queensburgh and Reservoir Hills. It’s not a snake you’ll see in the Midlands or Drakensberg, but in many other interior parts of KZN, as well as up north.

Cobra season

Spring is mating season for these snakes. It’s also the time of year their main prey wakes up – toads! Although they will also eat other snakes and rodents. The 2021/2022 season was rather quiet in terms of cobras. In fact, I had less Night Adder and Herald calls than usual. All frog-eating species. In October, I did catch a pair of them together in Mariannhill, with a friend. October 2020, that same friend and I removed a trio from a garden in Queensburgh! October clearly is a month where this species is mating. But otherwise, I didn’t catch the numbers I used to catch in previous years. I’m not saying the species is disappearing. I’ve caught a number of the last few months. But not as many as previous years.

Male snakes will follow the scent of a female, who leaves pheromones, as she moves around. Male combat, when the males fight for the female, doesn’t seem quite as common as it is in Black Mambas, but it definitely happens. I’ve seen a video of two big cobras mauling each other during the mating season.

A pair of cobras in a pipe in Queensburgh

Mozambique Spitting Cobras are active throughout the summer months. We start seeing hatchlings in late summer.

Mozambique Spitting Cobra hatching

A bunch of hatchlings ready for release

Masters of self-defense

This snake is probably most famous for its ability to ‘spit’. It really is genius, possibly the best self-defence mechanism of any snake. They can spray that venom of distances of two to three meters, and they are surprisingly accurate.

The Rinkhals, another one of KZN’s spitting snakes, although one that doesn’t naturally occur in the Kloof area, in my opinion, is quite an amateur compared to the mFezi. Rinkhals have to stand up and throw themselves forward to spray their venom. It’s fairly accurate I suppose, although their venom just goes a bit everywhere.

Our mFezi is better skilled than that. They don’t have to stand up and spread a hood to spit, hence why they often don’t. They can be lying in any position to be able to spit. Even if a snake handler is holding one by the head, it can still spit. Remarkable, hey? I think it’s amazing. Well, when admired from a distance, or from behind a shield. If not, well, I need a shower at least, to rinse off the venom provided I’ve kept my eyes safe.

A cheeky juvenile

A cheeky juvenile

What to do if spat at

Well, firstly, try to avoid it in the first place if possible. Of course, there’s that extremely slim chance a freak accident happens, and you get hit for no reason. Two examples of this stand out in recent memory.

The first, was a lady that walked to her fridge first thing in the morning. Unfortunately for her, a Mozambique Spitting Cobra had chosen the top of her fridge to snooze for the night. It didn’t appreciate being disturbed so early in the morning, and feeling trapped, it spat. The lady had sore eyes, but with treatment, she was fine.

Another example involved me. I went to a home in Shallcross for a huge ‘Black Mamba’ under a freezer. I got down on my knees, looked under, and came face to face with a spitting cobra. Well, there wasn’t much I could do, except accept what was coming, and try get up quickly, but I couldn’t dodge it. As I moved, I got hit in the eye.

A juvenile MSC spitting

Those are two accidents. We don’t get many people in Durban being spat at at all. I hear about one or two cases a year, if any. That doesn’t include snake-catchers though. Another way to get spat at, is by trying to kill this snake. Then your chances of having painful eyes increases greatly.

To avoid being spat at, try your best at avoiding these snakes. They do unfortunately go into homes. But if you see one, please move away from it very, very slowly if you can, unless you’re more than three meters away. These snakes spit at movement, if they feel cornered. You’ll unlikely get spat at if moving slowly. In saying that, you’ll unlikely be spat at unless the snake is cornered. Usually, they just move away.

When venom gets into the eyes, it’s a horrible feeling. The best way I can describe it is like having beach sand mixed with soap thrown into your eye. It’s not pleasant. DO NOT rub your eyes if this happens. Best thing to do, is rinse them out with water immediately. Many people use milk, or some consider having someone pee in their eyes. Personally, I’d rather lose my vision. Water is best. A hosepipe on low pressure, a glass or bottle of water, those are good apparatuses to use in flushing the venom out.

I have unfortunately being spat at a few times. I rinse for 10-15 minutes, and again a little while later. I’ve been okay every time. I would advise seeing a doctor, maybe a clinic, for some eye drops at least, to soothe the pain, because the eyes do feel a bit achy for the remainder of the day.

My friend after being spat at

What to do if bitten

The Mozambique Spitting Cobra is the snake that bites the most people in this country every year. I’m not sure of the figures, but it’s not hundreds or thousands. I haven’t heard of a confirmed bite on a person in Durban this year. I think the last was in early lockdown last year, in Reservoir Hills. A homeowner had his garage door up. He thought something was wrong with it, and reached up to where it was rolled up, and there was a cobra inside, that bit him. Luckily for him, that was a dry bite. A dry bite is when a venomous species doesn’t inject venom.

They bite a number of people largely due to the fact that they have the habit of going into homes, and of course, that’s where accidents happen. They get stepped on, sat on, or people share a bed with them, unbeknown to the person, and it doesn’t end well. Many problems happen in rural areas where people sleep on the floor. A bed on the floor makes for a nice retreat for the snake. The snake doesn’t come in looking to bite people. The thought of killing or hurting people doesn’t cross its mind when it comes into a home- nor does that thought come into its head. But accidents happen.

Other places they favour are wood piles, retaining walls, any rubbish pile, or any messy area.

I’ll be honest, I probably fear the bite from this species, probably more than a Black Mamba. I certainly do not mean to use that statement to create panic or fear. The reason for that is, it’s a destructive cytotoxic venom, and it can cause severe tissue damage, swelling, and possibly death (if left untreated). It’s not pretty. But the sooner you get to a hospital, the less serious issues you should have.

If anyone is bitten by a Mozambique Spitting Cobra, the person is to be taken to the nearest hospital or clinic immediately. Without delay. No tourniquet, cutting, sucking out the venom. Just hospital.

Dogs and spitting cobras

Should you discover a Mozambique Spitting Cobra in your property before your dog does, please lock your dogs away immediately. Immediately! If you don’t, and your dog runs out and attacks the snake, it’s not good for either animal. Also, for a snake-catcher to capture a highly venomous snake, while trying to fend off a dog at the same time, is not fun. Not fun at all.

Unfortunately, dogs usually do find the snakes before homeowners. Usually, they get spat at. Bites on dogs are pretty rare in Durban, thankfully. The last one I remember, was a dog that was chained up, and the large cobra ended up in its corner. Neither animal had anywhere to go. That ended with the snake being ripped to pieces, and the dog being bitten multiple times, and dying. What usually happens is the cobra spits in the dogs eye, and moves away. The dog is blinded, and the snake can escape safely. It usually works, but not always.

If your dog has been spat at, please try your best to rinse the venom out with water immediately. It is never easy, though, especially if you have a big dog. They do not want you pouring water in the eyes. It’s usually a two-three man job. You have to get those eyes open to flush the venom out. The easier option is to transport it to your nearest vet, where it can be sedated and treated. Dogs usually recover just fine.

In the event of a bite, transport to the nearest vet immediately.

Cats generally aren’t a worry with venomous snakes. I have had calls for cats being spat at, but very, very few, especially compared to dogs. But treatment-wise, it’s the same protocol.

A dog which had been spat at. It made a full recovery.

To conclude, if you ever do come across this snake, please just move away from it slowly. If you are in a reserve, enjoy the sighting! Take a pic or five, from a distance. Usually, they disappear before you get that opportunity, but you might be in luck. If it’s in your property, and you want it removed, don’t try it yourself. DO NOT get anyone to kill it. Call a snake-catcher in to remove and relocate it, where it can fulfil its role in the environment elsewhere.

About the author

Nick Evans runs KZN Amphibian & Reptile Conservation. He spends most of his time teaching people about snakes across the province, and removing unwanted snakes from homes in the Greater Durban Area. But he has always had a love for chameleons, and spends many evenings looking for them, whether it’s just for ‘fun’ or whether its to survey populations. You can also watch Nick in the series “Snake Season” on People’s Weather (DStv 180 and Openview 115).

Website: KwaZulu-Natal Amphibian & Reptile Conservation

Facebook: @KZNHerpConservation

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Youtube: Nick Evans – Snake rescuer