grass snakes out already

[gowersponger]

has any one came across any grass snakes on there travels yet ??
also is it true they can give off a nasty smell when threatened ?
some one i talk to on a difrent forum has got a decent photo of one
trying to get some sun bless it it must be starving to come out this early or has anyone else seen them this year?

 

[JonathanD]

It's still too cold for them at the moment, but they may pop out for an hour or so if the sun is shining just to get warm before going back underground. It's not warm enough for them to be hunting and feeding yet, and they usually have a few weeks being pre-occupied by mating before they do that. Adders are generally out before grass snakes and I don't expect to see them out permanently for another few weeks unless it warms up. If you pick one up it will release a foul garlic smelling liquid from its cloaca. I've gotten to like this smell over the years and can sometimes smell a grass snake that has been threatened in the area before I actually see it. The phrase we use in the herping world is being 'skunked' by them. Slow-worms also do the same, but it is not as pungent as a grass snake.

 

[dave53]

nice bit of info there jd thankyou have yet to see any regards dave

 

[gowersponger]

It's still too cold for them at the moment, but they may pop out for an hour or so if the sun is shining just to get warm before going back underground. It's not warm enough for them to be hunting and feeding yet, and they usually have a few weeks being pre-occupied by mating before they do that. Adders are generally out before grass snakes and I don't expect to see them out permanently for another few weeks unless it warms up. If you pick one up it will release a foul garlic smelling liquid from its cloaca. I've gotten to like this smell over the years and can sometimes smell a grass snake that has been threatened in the area before I actually see it. The phrase we use in the herping world is being 'skunked' by them. Slow-worms also do the same, but it is not as pungent as a grass snake.

Thanks for the info it must of just been geting warm then apparently he picked it up to i can post the link if you would like a gander. i work on a few diffrent bays around the gower in the summer months and there was lots of reports of snakes on the rocks what sort of snake would you think they would be ?

 

[JonathanD]

Thanks for the info it must of just been geting warm then apparently he picked it up to i can post the link if you would like a gander. i work on a few diffrent bays around the gower in the summer months and there was lots of reports of snakes on the rocks what sort of snake would you think they would be ?

Yeah, post it up.

What sort of habitat is it where the snakes are seen?

 

[WeThePeoplexfbm]

i think we got 21 of the deadist snake here ^^ and it summer so there out and about -_- bugger

 

[Melonfish]

we've recently finished cutting "sun spots" on the moss area's of willow and hazel were cut away leaving sunning area's for the reptiles whilst retaining cover to the north to stop the winds.
then pads are put out-felt usually to give them some nice warm spots to sit on.
nothing out whilst we were cutting the other week but all eyes are on the moss at the moment for the adders, newts and grassies

 

[gowersponger]

haveing problems finding the thread now it was on ,,thehuntinglife,forum ill try and have anouther look for it later.
jd have you ever came across snakes that have been attackd by birds of prey

 

[JonathanD]

jd have you ever came across snakes that have been attackd by birds of prey

Yeah, all the time. Buzzards are the biggest takers of snakes out of the raptors. Corvids and pheasants take more than them though.

 

[Mojoracinguk]

Corvids and pheasants take more than them though.

Cool!!!...I never knew Pheasants had it in them....well i never even wondered what a pheasant ate....
...Corvids...well they are the hoodies of the sky if you ask me I would not put anything past them

I only get to see the snakes on the road after they get hit by cars....maybe one every couple of years....photo graphed the one last year whilst i was out for a run...think it was a grass snake. Last snake i saw alive I thought was an adder, it was swimming across a canal....that was cool!
maybe this year i'll get lucky and see some more live ones.

 

[JonathanD]

More likely to have been a grass snake if it was swimming over a canal.

 

[Mojoracinguk]

Fair enough...it was a long time ago.

I always think i remeber the markings of adders and grass snakes....then get my self confussed...

mojo

 

[JonathanD]

Adder:

Grass snake:

 

[Baggy]

Hi

I always think i remeber the markings of adders and grass snakes....then get my self confussed...

Adder

 

[JonathanD]

Hi




Female adder

Actually that's a male out of breeding season

 

[Snarf]

Lol you tell him JD, how is your one doing by the way? have the babies developed well?

 

[JonathanD]

Lol you tell him JD, how is your one doing by the way? have the babies developed well?

Babies were let go as soon as they were born as adders just don't eat well, if at all in captivity and loose weight and shape quickly. The mother is a long term captive as she came in with head injuries some years back and hasn't got a tongue, so can't hunt. She is hibernating at present.

Here's a typical female adder. They have a very brown markings rather than black and the lateral line isn't as big or as bold as a males. The eyes are a softer less red colour too.

Males tend to be a drab brown when they come out of hibernation and after the spring mating has occurred. During mating season, they shed their skin and are a very nice steel or grey colour with vivid black markings. Sometimes they can be light blue, whitish or even silver in the breeding season. But it doesn't last.

 

[Snarf]

Cheers for the update JD.

Our blood is eating really well now thanks, just waiting for her to go the loo, we might need a lol

 

[JonathanD]

Is she still feeding out of her main viv and in the RUB?

 

[Snarf]

Yeh she is.

we haven't bothered to try and feed her in her viv, she knows its munch time when she's in there now.

Did you enjoy the beer?