Snake identification

[alfabeat]

This chap, about 1m long at home. Some think it's an adder some think it's a barbed grass snake.

Any thoughts. It's living in the wall next to the house.

[Spitfire2]

Definitely not an Adder which has much thicker zigzag marks down its "back" - loads of pics on google to compare. Looks very much like the Barred Grass Snake pictured here

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40853286

[soad]

Sounds like a new pet?

[2gins]

Who's a pretty boy then?

I'm going with some sort of king snake or corn snake, escaped pet

Google images suggests maybe California king with some selective breeding or aberation in the pattern. If it is a king/corn, not dangerous really.

Edited by 2gins on Tuesday 21st May 22:13

[Bear-n]

That's Clive. By the looks of it he's not impressed with the state of your Cotswold Chippings.

[alfabeat]

I really don't think it's an escaped pet, as we don't have any houses around us for 1/4 mile.

It is lovely. Thrilled to have him/her living so close. Just got to get the cat to leave him/her alone now.

Haven't seen a snake around here for ages.

Having studied more images, I think it is the Barbed grass snake.

[2gins]

I'm inclined to agree, my family kept Cali kings for a number of years, they are escape artists and very popular pets so was my first thought.

[tonyb1968]

Adders dont have round pupils, they have oval ones, as said, probably some form of grass snake.

[NormalWisdom]

An absolute beauty! Would say it's 95% a Barbed Grass Snake

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40853286

[Sy1441]

Defiantly the grass snake. My friend was moving some clothes in his flat earlier in the week and found an escaped corn snake 🐍. No neighbours have claimed it so far lol.

[alfabeat]

Well it came out of the wall again today basking in the sun. It's obviously very comfortable living there! Can't believe I've all of a sudden got a pet snake...

[wilksy61]

Found this little fellow in my office out tray two years ago, it must have came in through my opened window - was quite a shock initial as I thought it was a rubber snake until it moved.

I popped it into a convenient jug and then released it back into the wild.



The following year I found this smooth snake trying to get into my office, it too was taken back to the undergrowth.

[Topbuzz]

Beautiful looking snake.
I had a Cali King snake in the 90’s but I’ve never seen one with markings like that.
As above I think it’s a grass Snake and the BBC article looks right.

[Japveesix]

wilksy61 said:

Found this little fellow in my office out tray two years ago, it must have came in through my opened window - was quite a shock initial as I thought it was a rubber snake until it moved.

I popped it into a convenient jug and then released it back into the wild.



The following year I found this smooth snake trying to get into my office, it too was taken back to the undergrowth.

Pretty sure your second picture is a slow worm and not a smooth snake. Both very cool though, baby grass snake in your office tray is brilliant!

[KarlMac]

I’m almost certain that’s a very healthy grass snake. Certainly not something that would be available for most pet shops.

[wilksy61]

Japveesix said:

Pretty sure your second picture is a slow worm and not a smooth snake. Both very cool though, baby grass snake in your office tray is brilliant!

Yes your right it is a slow worm, I had the picture saved as smooth snake. The grass snake in my office was really interesting because the only way it could have got in was through my window which my desks just about abuts, then it made its way to my in tray.

[Boosted LS1]

Surely the op's pic is a Smooth snake. It's not barred along it's flanks.

[carinatauk]

OP's picture is a Natrix helvetica; Barred Grass Snake

Other two pics are Natrix Natrix; Grass Snake and Slow Worm

IMHO