grass snakes out already

[JonathanD]

Probably best to keep it that way now. Any food placed in her viv would be out of routine and cause her to fast again.

Certainly did mate. What was it? Had a great taste and I meant to get more, but the missues chucked the bottle away.

 

[Baggy]

Actually that's a male out of breeding season

Interesting, I had that ID'ed by a guy from a wildlife trust!

 

[Snarf]

Not sure myself now:11doh:

I think it was a Poachers Choice but don't quote me on that.

It was the least i could do for all the help and advice you gave us, and as i said if you need any one to look after any injured, me and kay will gladly oblige.

 

[JonathanD]

Interesting, I had that ID'ed by a guy from a wildlife trust!

It's a common mistake. Alot of people think that males are black and grey throughout the year. The majority are exactly like your picture outside of the breeding season.

Just to give you some idea of the variation in one area, this is a group of males a week or so after coming out of hibernation...

 

[Andy2112]

That on one nice photo mate, i had no idea they could be different colours!!!!

 

[Snarf]

They are stunning, especially the orange coloured one.

JD you don't half have, one of the coolest jobs around!

 

[JonathanD]

Not sure myself now:11doh:

I think it was a Poachers Choice but don't quote me on that.

It was the least i could do for all the help and advice you gave us, and as i said if you need any one to look after any injured, me and kay will gladly oblige.

That's the stuff. I'll give you a shout if we need any grassies or lizards looking after.

That on one nice photo mate, i had no idea they could be different colours!!!!

Yeah they come in an amazing variety. Some of the melanistic versions are stunning..

Which reminds me of an old email I had a few years back when I was compiling reports on adder bites. A guy in Scotland found two melanistic adders close together which is very rare. What happened after was even more rare...

"I was out for a walk with my brother Steve and his kids. We were going off to have a picnic at a local beauty spot."

"The next minute, one of the kids ran up and said there was a snake in the grass. I just thought it was a grass snake because it was in grass."

"I just bent down to pick it up so my brother could take a photo with his mobile phone. Suddenly a massive black snake just appeared, so I picked that up too. It was then that the second one just sank his fangs right into my hand and then the other one did the same to my other hand. I wasn't concerned about picking up the reptiles as I did not believe there were venomous snakes in Scotland."




He spent ten days in hospital.

 

[Snarf]

They are GORGEOUS!!!! best not show the misses or she may want one lol

I would never pick up a wild snake, never in a millions years! I was tetchy with the 2 we got, when we first had them because they wern't handled often by the previous owners, but they were fine.

 

[JonathanD]

Here's another and a grassie to get back on topic...

You really can't mistake the head of the viper, they are the same shape the world over and just look venomous.

 

[Andy2112]

Stunning colours on the Adder JD, just been on your site and saw the pic of the dancing Adders, whats going on there then mate?

 

[JonathanD]

In the mating season when two males are trying to pull the same female, they have a wrestling contest. They rear the front part of the body up and try to force the others head to the ground. The winner gets the lady. It's amazing to see as they chase each other really fast over distances twisting around each other as they try to get the upperhand. No biting involved at all.

[video=youtube;GXxC-cKSD5Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXxC-cKSD5Y&feature=related[/video]

[video=youtube;yJ9bTlCpHC8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ9bTlCpHC8&feature=related[/video]

They are completely oblivious to danger when they are doing this too...

[video=youtube;l2izCDrWz-I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2izCDrWz-I[/video]

 

[Andy2112]

Those vids were fascinating Jon, just imagining a snake charmer playing in the background.

 

[Baggy]

Hiya

It's a common mistake. Alot of people think that males are black and grey throughout the year. The majority are exactly like your picture outside of the breeding season.

Just to give you some idea of the variation in one area, this is a group of males a week or so after coming out of hibernation...

Interesting posts TVM, the pic showing the variations is really interesting

 

[gowersponger]

glad i started this thread now lernt alot from it manythanks

 

[OwenoWent]

I know nothing about snakes.

But Gowersponger, my friends dog was bitten by an adder on Cefn Bryn yesterday. Be vigilant just incase

 

[Bushwhacker]

No biting involved at all.

There's something I've always wondered.
If a venomous snake bites another snake will it have any effect?
Do snakes prey on each other at all?

 

[JonathanD]

There's something I've always wondered.
If a venomous snake bites another snake will it have any effect?
Do snakes prey on each other at all?

Some venoms do, some don't. King cobras prey almost entirely on other snakes and are cannabilistic. Their venom works on their own species, but some other species of snakes won't and a snake that bites itself won't be affected (Puff adders that I've handled actually bite through their own bottom jaw to get to the hand around their necks. Many snakes that I've handled have struck at me, missed, and bitten themselves by accident. They suffered no ill effects.

Their are a lot of non venomous snakes, like the King snake family in America, that prey on other snakes including rattlesnakes and have an immunity to their venom.

 

[JonathanD]

....my friends dog was bitten by an adder on Cefn Bryn yesterday. Be vigilant just incase

Can you get more information on this? It is unusual to encounter an adder in this weather unless bright and sunny and it would be the first confirmed sighting this year. More information on the envenomated region and health of the dog would be really helpful as the potency of venom is high due to lack of use over the hibernation period. Pictures of the area would be superb too if you can get any.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Does the same species of snake have its own unique type of venom like, say, a fingerprint?

 

[JonathanD]

Yeah, it's produced pretty much like saliva. Well, they are modified saliva glands that have evolved into large sacs either side of the head. Most monitor lizards have toxic saliva producing glands in the lower jaw. Komodo dragons have the most toxic, and up until a few years ago it was thought that it was a load of virulent bacteria in the mouth that caused death in it's victims. We now know that they are actually mildly venomous. So in short, like our saliva, each individual snake will have a distinct individual venom to them.