Snake in the grass

~Alan~ · Jul 17, 2012

Out with the wife today, and nearly trod on this.

It's an Adder, the UK's only venomous snake. This was only a small one
but still capable of giving a nasty nip.

Diggin Funatic · Jul 17, 2012

That's a beauty of a snake! Love the patterns.

Dark Chameleon · Jul 17, 2012

Met some of these when i worked in hamsterly forest when i was younger back in England, i posted about it but we came face to face and decided that it was not a date either of us wanted to agreed to leave the meeting place quickly....there is another place in the forest where hundreds of them bask in the sunshine on the rocks of an old roman homestead.

They are protected so you cant actually hurt one...which is normally the last thing on your mind as your running through the woods screaming like an 8 year old girl

Bonesquat · Jul 17, 2012

Cool snake.

Trickworm · Jul 17, 2012

Are there lots of snakes in England?

~Alan~ · Jul 18, 2012

Trickworm said:
Are there lots of snakes in England?

In the UK, we have the Adder, which is the only venomous one. Nobody has died from
being bitten by one for over 20yrs now. This is the first time either of us had seen one.

Then there are the Grass snake, and Smooth snake. Both of which are
harmless.

There are no snakes at all in Ireland. Not of a reptilian nature anyway

There are also Slow Worms, which are actually a legless lizard, but look like a small snake.

Mike1961 · Jul 18, 2012

Dark Chameleon said:
...which is normally the last thing on your mind as your running through the woods screaming like an 8 year old girl

Been there myself.

Mike1961 · Jul 18, 2012

That's interesting Alan. I can see it has the slit eyes like the venomous snakes here.

Mama2Twins · Jul 18, 2012

I'd be dead, heart attack! That is so scary!!! We're you MDing?

Longhair · Jul 18, 2012

I think it's neat too.

He looks bright enough to have shed recently, which can be a bad time to approach them. Since they shed everything including the covering over their eyes, just prior to shedding they are nearly blind. In the nearly blind state they tend to be very reactive. Immediately after the shed, they are hungry and somewhat ill tempered. It's a lot like the only venomous snake we have in this area, which is the Massasauga Rattler, and is seldom seen primarily due to it's being a swamp dweller.

In my yard I frequently welcome common Eastern Garter snakes, Michigan Red-Bellied snakes, and Corn snakes like this fellow.

~Alan~ · Jul 18, 2012

Mama2Twins said:
I'd be dead, heart attack! That is so scary!!! We're you MDing?

No, haven't done any detecting for months.

We were in Suffolk, on the coast, close to the power station at Sizewell.
Visiting my cousin.

~Alan~ · Jul 18, 2012

I think I'd steer clear of any snakes, venomous or not :yes:

I have handled some pet snakes, not my idea of a pet though

JBEXPRESS · Jul 18, 2012

OMG I would have crapped myself!! I HATE Snakes!!! I would have froze up and fell over or just dropped my stuff and hauled a$$! lol

fledge · Jul 18, 2012

Sweet I love reptiles own them and am pretty knowledgeable but I had no idea adders lived in Great Britain. My favorite of the adders is the puff adder awesome coloring. I am on my phone so cant post a pic u should google it.

emoryjim · Jul 18, 2012

JBEXPRESS said:
OMG I would have crapped myself!! I HATE Snakes!!! I would have froze up and fell over or just dropped my stuff and hauled a$$! lol

JB

you sound like my neighbors. There was a snake in their yard and all I heard was screaming and a rake being used as a bat to kill it. It was a garter snake.

JBEXPRESS · Jul 18, 2012

emoryjim said:
JB

you sound like my neighbors. There was a snake in their yard and all I heard was screaming and a rake being used as a bat to kill it. It was a garter snake.

I can't stand them. Nasty !! Gives me the heebee jeebees !!!

~Alan~ · Jul 19, 2012

All wildlife in the UK is protected. That includes snakes. :yes:

Martin_V3i · Jul 19, 2012

Adders here in south central America are good snakes. martin

Dark Chameleon · Jul 19, 2012

Mike1961 said:
That's interesting Alan. I can see it has the slit eyes like the venomous snakes here.

The adder is poisonous...only slightly though..you do have to go and get an injection..they can give enough poison to kill a small child or old person...we were warned when we started working for the forestry, as long as you get the antitoxin within 3 hours or so your ok...id say they are as poisonous as a wasp sting over here...not the wasps from england because they are just yellowjackets but the nasty black wasps from here...i know..i got a bite the first year here and my foot swelled up like a honeydew.

Mama2Twins · Jul 19, 2012

Dark Chameleon said:
The adder is poisonous...only slightly though..you do have to go and get an injection..they can give enough poison to kill a small child or old person...we were warned when we started working for the forestry, as long as you get the antitoxin within 3 hours or so your ok...id say they are as poisonous as a wasp sting over here...not the wasps from england because they are just yellowjackets but the nasty black wasps from here...i know..i got a bite the first year here and my foot swelled up like a honeydew.

The wasps are nasty! A little black one was caught in my son's clothing and was stinging him repeatedly. His leg swelled up so big I was sure he was going to ER.

Snake in the grass

~Alan~

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~Alan~

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