Grass Snake

[Onoff]

Reared up at me like a cobra it did!

 

 

OK maybe not quite but he was feisty:

 

[Gone West]

A few years ago my mate asked me to remove one from his pond because it was eating his fish. I managed to pick it up but it then wrapped itself round my forearm and crapped all over it. It stunk for days. I think we were both glad to be separated when I let it go a few hundred yards away.

[Onoff]

My neighbour came over with this one. He wasn't sure if it was an adder as we get them too.

 

Adder Bank Shaw off Wrotham hill?

Edited May 6, 2018 by Onoff

[Gone West]

When I lived at Wrotham Heath as a kid we used to go up Gallows hill behind the Royal Oak. There were adders everywhere but no grass snakes.

[Onoff]

47 minutes ago, PeterStarck said:

When I lived at Wrotham Heath as a kid we used to go up Gallows hill behind the Royal Oak. There were adders everywhere but no grass snakes.

 

The adders ate them all! 

[newhome]

50 minutes ago, PeterStarck said:

When I lived at Wrotham Heath as a kid we used to go up Gallows hill behind the Royal Oak. There were adders everywhere but no grass snakes.

 

Sounds like you, @Onoff and I grew up within about 5 miles of each other! We used to get a few grass snakes in the school and plenty of slow worms but I think they are lizards rather than snakes. Never saw an adder. 

 

I think snakes can swim and can stay underwater for quite a while. Better check that hot tub before use each time @Onoff . Yet another hot tub hazard to worry about, especially in rural parts such as where you live. God alone knows what might take up residence in there!  ? 

[Hecateh]

10 minutes ago, newhome said:

God alone knows what might take up residence in there!  ? 

in where??? 

[Nickfromwales]

1 hour ago, Onoff said:

My neighbour came over with this one. He wasn't sure if it was an adder as we get them too.

Keep it for the sex pond hot tub to eat the tadpoles.

[PeterW]

Or the newts.... 

 

I bet @recoveringacademic Can send a few ... 

[newhome]

19 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Keep it for the sex pond hot tub to eat the tadpoles.

 

I’m sure most folk will have a different vision of a snake in a hot tub!  

 

 

[Onoff]

2 hours ago, newhome said:

 

Sounds like you, @Onoff and I grew up within about 5 miles of each other! We used to get a few grass snakes in the school and plenty of slow worms but I think they are lizards rather than snakes. Never saw an adder. 

 

I think snakes can swim and can stay underwater for quite a while. 

 

 

Yep same area. Small world.

 

Hugely impressive seeing the snakes swimming looking for frogs.

 

Slow worms are indeed legless lizards. We get some big ones about 18" long. If you look carefully you can see "bumps", the remnants of legs. They have vestigal pelvic and shoulder blades too.

 

They crap over you too and shed part of their tail if you (or the cat) grab it. 

 

Always makes me laugh the best way to check if it's an adder is to check if it has a vertical pupil (V,' vertical = viper). The adder is also known as the Northern Viper. Like I'm going to get that close!

 

We just tell the kids to come and get us if they see any sort of "snake". 

Edited May 6, 2018 by Onoff

[Gone West]

12 hours ago, Onoff said:

 

The adders ate them all! 

It was too dry and sandy for grass snakes up there. Grass snakes grow up to 3' long but adders not much more than 1' so I'd like to see an adder eat a grass snake .

[epsilonGreedy]

Send it to me, I inadvertently created The Snake Ritz in my back garden last year when too many woody hedge prunings prevented the compost heap from rotting down. The summer residents returned a few weeks ago.

[Onoff]

2 hours ago, PeterStarck said:

It was too dry and sandy for grass snakes up there. Grass snakes grow up to 3' long but adders not much more than 1' so I'd like to see an adder eat a grass snake .

 

Pretty sure adders eat smaller snakes including their own.

 

We see in order of frequency slow worms, grass snakes then adders. I've seen a couple of whoppers  (adders) down here at least 2' long and that's not a fisherman's tale

 

Guaranteed if I lift the compost tarp there'll be a hiss and an invariably large grass snake.

 

Luckily we don't live along Regents Canal or in Wales:

 

https://www.froglife.org/info-advice/amphibians-and-reptiles/aesculapian-snake/

Edited May 7, 2018 by Onoff

[newhome]

Shudder! What with rats under the floorboards and snakes in the garden you guys must have nerves of steel! At least your kids will grow up brave lol. 

 

27 minutes ago, Onoff said:

I've seen a couple of whoppers  (adders) down here at least 2' long

 

Yeah well we all know what 6" is to a bloke so not buying the 2' adder story! The females grow larger so more venomous naturally 

[Nickfromwales]

22 minutes ago, newhome said:

The females grow larger so more venomous naturally

May get some t-shirts made up with that on   

 

[Onoff]

1 hour ago, newhome said:

Shudder! What with rats under the floorboards and snakes in the garden you guys must have nerves of steel! At least your kids will grow up brave lol. 

 

 

Yeah well we all know what 6" is to a bloke so not buying the 2' adder story! The females grow larger so more venomous naturally 

 

In Kent the majority are quite svelte when young in order to attract the males. Then they start salad dodging & let themselves go...

 

[newhome]

1 minute ago, Onoff said:

 

In Kent the majority are quite svelte when young in order to attract the males. Then they start salad dodging & let themselves go...

 

 

The males over exaggerate their inches leading to disappointment that only cake, chocolate and wine will fix! 

[Onoff]

1 minute ago, newhome said:

 

The males over exaggerate their inches leading to disappointment that only cake, chocolate and wine will fix! 

 

You can take the girl out of Kent...