I was wondering if anyone could I.D this fellow for me. Not great pic's I'm afraid, but he was moving pretty quickly.
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![20160625_172116_zpsd8jum8j2.jpg](http://[URL="http://s170.photobucket.com/user/wildbillthefirst/media/sweden%20phone/20160625_172116_zpsd8jum8j2.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u252/wildbillthefirst/sweden%20phone/20160625_172116_zpsd8jum8j2.jpg)
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Snake I.D
- Thread starter veryWildbill
- Start date
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Thanks guys, it almost scared me to death. I was sat outside my tarp and it shot past, almost running over my foot.
You think that's scary? 3pm on the Stainforth and Keadby Canal, fishing match finishes try picking up the fishing basket/box that you have been sat on for the last five hours only to find a 4' snake coiled up underneath it laid on the warm wooden staging....my feet had been no more than 6" from it for however long it had been there and I had reached down with my hand possibly dozens of times through the day. The thing is this is not a one off, I've had it happen more than once and know several others that now pick up boxes half expecting a Grass Snake to be underneath, one of the bailiffs has said he can see as many as a dozen sunbathing as he walks the match length in a morning, a distance of maybe one mile, it often seems that there are more snakes swimming in front of you than there are fish some days....brilliant to see and it just goes to show anyone that actually gets bitten by one really does have to do something pretty drastic to provoke it. I don't know for a fact but I suspect the increase in numbers in my area is possibly due to the amount of Rape Seed being grown, practically impenetrable cover for much of the year offering safe feeding and protection.
D.B.
D.B.
I wouldn't worry about getting bitten by a grass snake. I've picked thousands up over the years and only ever been bitten by one. They fake striking with their mouths closed, but that's about it. The worst they will do is skunk all over you.
Hi JonathonD,
Can you explain the "skunk" please, never even seen a grass snake (or an adder though apparently they are abundant in my surrounds) in all my time living in the UK.
Ta,
rorymax
Rorymax, I'm Sure JonathanD can give a more detailed answer but basically it is a defense ploy....They can roll over and play dead and may produce a nasty smelling fluid from the anal glands......Though I maybe a bit strange but I don't find the smell all that offensive.
D.B.
D.B.
Grass snakes when panicked squirt a foul smelling liquid from their cloaca (butt). It's quite oily and has a very distinctive powerful garlicky smell that lasts hours. So powerful that I've found many a snake that has been molested or disturbed through following that odour. After a while and after handling many snakes, it becomes familiar and you even start liking it
Other defenses they have is inflating themselves and hissing like mad with their tongues held stiff. Which led to the wives tale of snakes' stinging' their victims, due to the tongue looking like a hard black stinger protruding from the mouth. Totally harmless of course. They also play dead and turn over with their mouths agape and tongue lolling out. If righted, they immediately turn upside down again. Number 1 defence is 'skunking' though.
Adders and Smooth snakes don't do this. They strike and bite.
, ta for that lads.
Jonathan, you are such a tease!
Okay, so, head on a spike above the parapet " What?"
I am pretty sure if I Google 'winkies' I will get some dodgy suggestions that will make my internet history look suspect.
Cheers, Rob.
WARNING: Pictures of snake winkies below.
Here you go......
http://www.sjonhauser.nl/hemipenes-amazing-copulatory-organs-of-snakes.html
Here you go......http://www.sjonhauser.nl/hemipenes-amazing-copulatory-organs-of-snakes.html
Cheers for that Jonathan learnt something new and got a bit freaked at the same time.
Surely they don't have their 'winkies' out all the time?
Really appreciate your expertise on this subject despite my innate fear of snakes (I think I have mentioned this before) so, thank you for sharing your knowledge here.
Rob.
learnt something new and got a bit freaked at the same time. Surely they don't have their 'winkies' out all the time?
Really appreciate your expertise on this subject despite my innate fear of snakes (I think I have mentioned this before) so, thank you for sharing your knowledge here.
Rob.
so if they don't have a bulge they're females?! i shall keep an eye for that detail when encountering the next snake ( obviously not with a salmosa (mamushi in japanese); sadly koreans kill every snake they come across so I'll inspect dead ones....)
