Adders

[jethro]

Hi Folks,

hubby saw an Adder in the garden today, it disappeared off into the remains of a bonfire - we've had a root a round in the fire and there's no sign of it now, nor any eggs. Was wondering though, is it more likely to have been just passing though or is it more likely to have set up home nearby? I've no idea if they wander around quite a or stay close to where they live; no desire to trip over the thing or find myself getting bitten when weeding under and around shrubs. If it has set up home here, can we re-site it elsewhere?

[0000]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipera_berus a bloke i work with was on holiday in wales and saw one.................he chased it into the undergrowth and grabbed it.........guess what happened or was it http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/blackadder/

[jethro]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipera_berus a bloke i work with was on holiday in wales and saw one.................he chased it into the undergrowth and grabbed it.........guess what happened or was it http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/blackadder/

Thanks Hannegan,

Much as I love wildlife, I'm hoping it was just passing through. I've got a daughter with Lyme disease from a tick bite she got a couple of weeks ago, could do without me, or anyone else getting an Adder bite too.

[0000]

Thanks Hannegan,

Much as I love wildlife, I'm hoping it was just passing through. I've got a daughter with Lyme disease from a tick bite she got a couple of weeks ago, could do without me, or anyone else getting an Adder bite too.

Hmmmmmm is there anyone you can contact to have your unwanted guest removed?Council or wildlife rescue.

[jethro]

Hmmmmmm is there anyone you can contact to have your unwanted guest removed?Council or wildlife rescue.

Sounds like a plan to me, certainly a more humane solution than hubby promised as he left for town, threatening to come back with cartridges for his shotgun... Conjured up images of sods of turf being blown everywhere.

[0000]

Sounds like a plan to me, certainly a more humane solution than hubby promised as he left for town, threatening to come back with cartridges for his shotgun... Conjured up images of sods of turf being blown everywhere.

.... I also believe they may be a protected species.

[jethro]

.... I also believe they may be a protected species.

Yeah, when I told him that, he stuck his fingers in his ears.

Can see it now - "Man arrested in Somerset after wild shooting frenzy in back garden" reports our correspondent from the West Country; armed police helicopters were drafted in to capture local man after he ran amok with a shotgun, claims of local Scrumpy having connections with the incident are as yet, unconfirmed.

[0000]

Yeah, when I told him that, he stuck his fingers in his ears.

Can see it now - "Man arrested in Somerset after wild shooting frenzy in back garden" reports our correspondent from the West Country; armed police helicopters were drafted in to capture local man after he ran amok with a shotgun, claims of local Scrumpy having connections with the incident are as yet, unconfirmed.

:lol: :lol: film it and put it on youtube!......maybe these folks can help http://www.secretworld.org/index.html

[Cakie]

We found a snake in our garden a few weeks ago. At first I thought it was a large worm but on closer inspection it was definately a snake. It was golden colour with a darker golden line down it's back. Unfortunately it disappeared before I go chance to get a photo.

I've no idea what on earth it was. I've looked at loads but haven't found anything that looks remotely like it

[Rustynailer]

That'll be a Slow Worm, they are still about in Devon. Provided people don't poison them indirectly with slug pellets or there are not too many bored cats about, they even make it into town. Urban Foxes eat them too sadly.

Regards,

Russ

[shuggee]

Just as a pointless nugget of trivia from the depths of my head, the largest 'nest' of adders ever found in the UK was discovered during the construction of the M74 motorway upgrade about 10 years ago up Beattock. It caused delays to the construction/upgrade of the then dual carriageway.

[BARRY]

That'll be a Slow Worm, they are still about in Devon. Provided people don't poison them indirectly with slug pellets or there are not too many bored cats about, they even make it into town. Urban Foxes eat them too sadly.

Regards,

Russ

we got slow worms in the garden, they are lizards not snakes

[jethro]

That does sound like a Slow Worm Katie, we've got lots around here and yes, the cats love them - never seem to injure them though just play a game of tap and watch.

Thanks for that Shuggee, just about got my head around the possibility of having a resident Adder and you come up with a nest of em! One's bad enough. The garden's full of sodding wildlife; foxes, badgers, deer, owls, bats and now adders; who needs a zoo eh.

[James M]

I have yet to see an Adder or any British snake, I have seen a Common Lizard though.

That does sound like a Slow Worm Katie, we've got lots around here and yes, the cats love them - never seem to injure them though just play a game of tap and watch.

Thanks for that Shuggee, just about got my head around the possibility of having a resident Adder and you come up with a nest of em! One's bad enough. The garden's full of sodding wildlife; foxes, badgers, deer, owls, bats and now adders; who needs a zoo eh.

You really have all them in your garden? , to say I'm jealous would be putting it mildy.

[0000]

That does sound like a Slow Worm Katie, we've got lots around here and yes, the cats love them - never seem to injure them though just play a game of tap and watch.

Thanks for that Shuggee, just about got my head around the possibility of having a resident Adder and you come up with a nest of em! One's bad enough. The garden's full of sodding wildlife; foxes, badgers, deer, owls, bats and now adders; who needs a zoo eh.

maybe they'll all eat each other

[Somerset Squall]

Forget the garden! I had a grass snake actually come in the house the other day, pregnant it was too. There are several fields of long grass near my house so seeing snakes is actually a fairly frequent occurance here. Trouble is, the cats are always stupid enough to play with them

[jethro]

I have yet to see an Adder or any British snake, I have seen a Common Lizard though.

You really have all them in your garden? , to say I'm jealous would be putting it mildy.

Oh yes, it's party venue number one for half of Somerset. I live in a village on the Mendip hills, we've got quite a big garden which backs onto open countryside; a mere hop and a skip for whoever fancies visiting. We've got Barn Owls which feed in the field at the back and swoop over the garden screeching. Tawny Owls nesting in the garden, badgers digging up half the garden; we've discovered their sett is behind our workshop so not much hope of the digging stopping any time soon. Roe deer which come for an evening snack - preferably Roses or freshly planted lettuce. Bats aplenty, I think they're Pippistrelle (sp?). Newts, toads and frogs in the pond. Foxes which sit and howl, and prowl religiously every night in the hope I've forgotten to shut the ducks away. To cap it all, next door have Doves, periodically we get a Buzzard which swoops in, nicks a bird and eats it in our garden. I've learnt to leave it alone and let it eat, after rushing outside the first time to rescue the dove only to find it still very much alive but minus the flesh on it's chest - not nice, even less nice knowing I had to do something to put it out of it's misery.

It's a whiley old bird though, been coming for about 5 years now as soon as chick feeding season kicks off, it takes lots of the doves but never kills them all, always leaves enough to breed for his next years brood.

All joking apart, it's great having so much wildlife here - never seen a hedgehog or any sign of one though.

Forget the garden! I had a grass snake actually come in the house the other day, pregnant it was too. There are several fields of long grass near my house so seeing snakes is actually a fairly frequent occurance here. Trouble is, the cats are always stupid enough to play with them

Now that's just taking the mick! Looks like Somerset's the place to be for critters.

[damianslaw]

Never seen a snake in this country yet, though I believe their is a large resident population of them in the SW, mild climate etc. Snakes are the only thing I am really phobic about, although I have seen a snake in Cape Town it was long and thin and green and scooted off across the path. Most snakes are very shy creatures and will do their best to get out of the way of humans, provided you make a noise when you are gardening or walking etc they will be out of sight very quickly. I don't think it is wise to try and pick them up I would leave them be, obviously though in they are in your house you would have to do something about that. Personally I would be terrified if one got in the house I would probably have nightmares for days on end and would have to check everyhting cupboard and box and under beds etc. Oh dear why did I read this thread before going to bed I bet I will be dreaming of them tonight. Secretly I am fascinated by snakes and would love to see one wild in this country if only to ease my anxiety about them and also because they are relatively hard to find.

[Somerset Squall]

Never seen a snake in this country yet, though I believe their is a large resident population of them in the SW, mild climate etc. Snakes are the only thing I am really phobic about, although I have seen a snake in Cape Town it was long and thin and green and scooted off across the path. Most snakes are very shy creatures and will do their best to get out of the way of humans, provided you make a noise when you are gardening or walking etc they will be out of sight very quickly. I don't think it is wise to try and pick them up I would leave them be, obviously though in they are in your house you would have to do something about that. Personally I would be terrified if one got in the house I would probably have nightmares for days on end and would have to check everyhting cupboard and box and under beds etc. Oh dear why did I read this thread before going to bed I bet I will be dreaming of them tonight. Secretly I am fascinated by snakes and would love to see one wild in this country if only to ease my anxiety about them and also because they are relatively hard to find.

I don't particularly like snakes but I'm not really scared of them. As you say, most of the time they really are more scared of you than you are of them. Goodness knows why the snake wondered in the house- perhaps it was looking for somewhere quiet to give birth or something, though I would have thought outside would be better to do that .

I didn't actually know it isn't all that common to see them in the wild in this country. It seems they are more common down here then. I wouldn't say I see snakes on a regular basis but I have seen many in the wild. Probably due to the mildness, I agree.

Heres hoping you don't have any nightmares tonight!

[damianslaw]

I don't particularly like snakes but I'm not really scared of them. As you say, most of the time they really are more scared of you than you are of them. Goodness knows why the snake wondered in the house- perhaps it was looking for somewhere quiet to give birth or something, though I would have thought outside would be better to do that .

I didn't actually know it isn't all that common to see them in the wild in this country. It seems they are more common down here then. I wouldn't say I see snakes on a regular basis but I have seen many in the wild. Probably due to the mildness, I agree.

Heres hoping you don't have any nightmares tonight!

I do alot of walking in the North Pennines, Cheviots and Lake District and whilst there are snakes in these regions I think there are fewer of them than down your neck of the woods. Also I think most of them are adders, grass snakes and smooth snakes tend to be found in southern england where it is milder. My aunt and uncle live in Dorset and they say there are many there particularly on Studland bay they like sandy soil.

[Cakie]

That'll be a Slow Worm, they are still about in Devon. Provided people don't poison them indirectly with slug pellets or there are not too many bored cats about, they even make it into town. Urban Foxes eat them too sadly.

Regards,

Russ

That's the little fella , just Googled it

[Gray-Wolf]

Snakes are generally not 'out and about' if the temps are below 16c so no chance up here recently for a glimpse of one.

Adders like lots of environments but Grass snakes like it damper (all those loverly frogs to gobble up) so wet grass around water (in fact if you find frogs you'll probably have grass snakes).

If you want to see one then try early in the day when they are trying to 'warm up' by basking. Even better, if you have reports of snakes in an area put a black sheet (best being metal but plastic will do) on a sun facing slope and they may take to hanging around under it to warm up. You'd better be quick when you lift it though 'cause they can be quick.

If you're after handling one then grab a tail and not a head as it may be an adder you'll soon have it calm down though (once it knows you aint gonna kill it) and they are the most amazing critters

[Just Before Dawn]

Adder eh? We have them in decent numbers round here though you have to time it right to see them - early in the morning on a warm day in May is often good - they're sluggish after coming out of hibernation and will sit in open patches and bask in the sun to warm up. Round here you only find them on heathland and in woodland on very sandy soil. Grass snakes are much more common.

They're excellent critters and perfectly safe as long as you don't go picking them up and watching where you step on sites where they're known to occur. All British snakes are protected under Section 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Smooth snakes have extra protection (though you're only likely to find them with a guide on the heaths of Surrey, Hampshire and Dorset).

[Kiwi]

I've got some slow worms in my garden. They're great and love to lounge around in the sunshine. The kids are fascinated by them and tell all their friends that they've got "huge snakes" in the garden!!

I was quite upset last week when one of them was a bit too sluggish and ended up being dissected by my lawnmower. :lol:

[0000]

when I lived in Colchester I used to see slow worms but never seen any snakes etc up here................too cold I expect