RussBoy

Ok all, weird one this...

I moved out to the sticks a couple of years ago (after 30 years in South London) and have a great house surrounded by fields and woods. I'm therefore a bit new to this country thing...

Last year we found quite a few of what I think were grass snakes in the garden - eel like, very thin and very quick. We also came across a rather large adder (had the marks on it's back) during the hottest day in local woods but it seemed more frightened than us and beat a hasty retreat. Never seen that one again thankfully!

Now the warmer weather has started again, we have again found some snakes in the garden - one on the lawn and 2 in our compost bin. These ones look different though - they are copper coloured with a black tipped tail and snake scales on the underside. At the moment none of them have been bigger than a foot or so long but they are definately snake like - snake tongue and everything!

I've got 2 little nephews who love to come over for a game of footie in the garden and seeing these would freak them out. Anyone any idea of how I can discourage them from our garden (the snakes, not the kids ) and does anyone know what these copper colour snakes are? I've also got a small cat and I don't want him getting bitten etc.

Cheers,


Russ

Tiggs

12 inches???? prob a slow worm, sort your sissy kids out- leave the snakes alone!

Tiggs

a slow worm...not really something you need to get Steve Irwin out for !

ohhh....and i think its pretty rare for a cat to get attacked by a slow worm.......maybe the butterflys may gang up against it though!

RussBoy

Damn, thought I'd discovered a new breed... So they won't eat the cat then?

ajm

Yep, almost certainly a slow worm. Slow worms are actually lizards, not snakes.... if you catch them by the tail it will come off in your hand and they will grow a new one!

I wouldn't discourage them or the snakes, its nice to know they are sill around. Looking on the bright side, if you have adders around then vermin will not be a problem!

RichWalk

AFAIK there are only 3 UK snakes, Adder, Grass Snake and Smooth Snake; Adder is small with diamond pattern on its back, Grass is green/olive/brown with yellowish cresent on its neck the Smooth usually has two rows of spots on its back and sometimes a figure of eight marking.

RussBoy

Funny you should say that as whilst I've seen badgers, hedgehogs, rabbits, deer etc. and all sorts of other wildlife I've never yet seen a rat in or near this garden...

In terms of returning wildlife - my neighbours tell me that these last years has seen the return of deer in the fields behind us (not seen locally for 10 years evidently) and also Heron (which pinch the fish out of my pond!) We've also seen fresh water trout in the stream behind us too....(sorry, this is probably comonplace for some of you but a real novelty for me as a townie!)

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

Last year we had a snake which tried to get into the pond in the heat.. I think it was a grass snake but it grotted itself in the netting so I couldn't see if it had a V or not.. but it was a bout 3feet long.. on watching from then on we had a couple regular smaller visitors which bathed in the pond!

As said they sound like Slow worms, used to catch them as a kid..

David Lock

FWIW Grass Snakes are a protected species and lurve warm compost heaps to nest in. Quite harmless of course but really stink if you try to catch them. DL

RichWalk

Yep rather potent gland in their backsides provides a defence mechanism!

RussBoy

To think I blamed the missus for that yesterday....

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Grass snakes aren't venomous, but have been known to become aggressive when they think they are under attack, and DO bite...........no poison, but a nasty nip, and they are not easy to make let go.

You have been warned!

Alcazar, (who has had 5 footers in his French garden)

Iain Young

Same allpies to Slow worms - now protected because they are in massive decline etc....