Discussion
Once again I'm calling on the PH collective hive mind for some assistance. Clearing up the patio we found this , clearly dead but still fresh snake. It was under a log and I could use an identification. I was thinking grass snake but my bro's completely uneducated opinion has now got me worrying about adders.
Any ideas?
Any ideas?
Cheers all. That's what I thought and hoped for. No idea how it met its end. Was clearly quite fresh still. Dunno if the missus did it in whilst lifting the log it was under. Possibly? She did let out quite a scream! When I took it down to the bottom of the garden to dispose of I'm 100% sure I saw another disappear off into the undergrowth. Too quick to see but size/ colour seemed similar so I would assume the same. Was clearly just catching some rays until it saw me coming.
mini me said:
Cheers all. That's what I thought and hoped for. No idea how it met its end. Was clearly quite fresh still. Dunno if the missus did it in whilst lifting the log it was under. Possibly? She did let out quite a scream! When I took it down to the bottom of the garden to dispose of I'm 100% sure I saw another disappear off into the undergrowth. Too quick to see but size/ colour seemed similar so I would assume the same. Was clearly just catching some rays until it saw me coming.
I doubt your wife did it. Snakes aren't easy to kill in that way and it woukd still have had movement a little while after death if she had managed to accidentally kill it.Hmm yeah I guess so. Looking closer at the pic it appears to have some thing on its body. Probably the beginnings of maggots? So presumably had died a little while before we found it. Shame cos it looked in good nick and no visible sign of damage really. We do have cats but I'm pretty sure it wasn't them. Would have probably been left on the doormat or in my shoe if it was!
All that jazz said:
Where in UK?
They occur all over tbh but prefer slightly warmer, grassy areas.Grass snakes aren't harmful.
Adders are our only poisonous snake, nasty bites but generally not fatal to humans unless very young or infirmed, though can cause considerable skin damage etc so does need hospital attention. Dogs tend to get bitten more, can be more life threatening to them as isn't always realised as quickly that they have been bitten and obviously they are usually smaller than people!
Adders are very shy though and prefer to avoid confrontation so it is much more likely they will try and move away from you than attack
They will have a go if you pester them though.
The one living in my compost heap was about 2m long and 4 cm in diameter (we found a shed skin along those lines too).
It didn't take too kindly to being disturbed when we moved the heap to another area of the garden struck out at the loader bucket, made an awful 'clang' before slithering off into the nearby hedge.
The one living in my compost heap was about 2m long and 4 cm in diameter (we found a shed skin along those lines too).
It didn't take too kindly to being disturbed when we moved the heap to another area of the garden struck out at the loader bucket, made an awful 'clang' before slithering off into the nearby hedge.
oilydan said:
They will have a go if you pester them though.
The one living in my compost heap was about 2m long and 4 cm in diameter (we found a shed skin along those lines too).
It didn't take too kindly to being disturbed when we moved the heap to another area of the garden struck out at the loader bucket, made an awful 'clang' before slithering off into the nearby hedge.
That's not in UK though. Says you're in Saudi Arabia on your profile.The one living in my compost heap was about 2m long and 4 cm in diameter (we found a shed skin along those lines too).
It didn't take too kindly to being disturbed when we moved the heap to another area of the garden struck out at the loader bucket, made an awful 'clang' before slithering off into the nearby hedge.
All that jazz said:
oilydan said:
They will have a go if you pester them though.
The one living in my compost heap was about 2m long and 4 cm in diameter (we found a shed skin along those lines too).
It didn't take too kindly to being disturbed when we moved the heap to another area of the garden struck out at the loader bucket, made an awful 'clang' before slithering off into the nearby hedge.
That's not in UK though. Says you're in Saudi Arabia on your profile.The one living in my compost heap was about 2m long and 4 cm in diameter (we found a shed skin along those lines too).
It didn't take too kindly to being disturbed when we moved the heap to another area of the garden struck out at the loader bucket, made an awful 'clang' before slithering off into the nearby hedge.
I have a country pile in Devon.
HTH
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