The sun has taken its chance to peep out from behind the thick blankets of rain clouds in the last few days and the wildlife must be enjoying the feeling of warmth. I found this adder soaking up a few rays outside my office.
The adder is the only venomous snake in the UK. We actually only have three species of snake in total and only the adder lives as far north as Scotland.
Their venom isn't particularly powerful, although I do remember a sheep dieing of a bite on the farm I worked on as a child. It's not a pleasant experience however I'm sure and so these little guys are worth treating with respect. I used to earn a bit of pocket money every now and again in the village I grew up in, moving adders out of people's gardens!
The adder is the only venomous snake in the UK. We actually only have three species of snake in total and only the adder lives as far north as Scotland.
Their venom isn't particularly powerful, although I do remember a sheep dieing of a bite on the farm I worked on as a child. It's not a pleasant experience however I'm sure and so these little guys are worth treating with respect. I used to earn a bit of pocket money every now and again in the village I grew up in, moving adders out of people's gardens!
11 comments:
I like snakes and kept a American Grass Snake for a while as a teenager (until my mother found out).
Fennie and I saw a Western Whip Snake in France in the spring. It was quite large but easy to identify.
Wow, seeing an adder would surely get my attention quickly.
How does one go about moving an adder from a garden, or any other place ... please, don't say "carefully!"
Best wishes!
As one living in an area free from poisonous snakes, I have to say I didn't expect to learn there is a variety on the British Isles!
Though I have tramped and camped all over the British Isles, I have never seen an adder in the wild. I don't know if I am pleased or disappointed by this, as I am not too keen on snakes.
Oh er! That looks a bit scary to me not keen on snakes. We get them occasionally around here, but more commonly see slow worms, even they make me feel a bit worried!
Moving them from people's gardens!!!!! I think I would have fainted clean away!!!
I have always liked snakes and have never been afraid of them - in fact as a teenager I chased my future husband with a snake when we were fishing. (He hates snakes.) My problem is that I am not careful enough and would probably pick try to pick up a poisonous one.
Snakes freak me out.In North Carolina on my friends horse farm, there are lots around when they come out of hibernation in the Spring, and because they are sluggish after hibernation you see many dead on the roads. My nephew has a pet snake, but needless to say I have never seen it.Didn't realize there are still adders in Scotland.
I've had pet snakes too and find handling them rather thereputic because they are so silky and warm and it's quite soothing the way they gently glide through your hands.
In Peru I was chastised by some of my fellow expedition members for handling snakes before I knew how venomous they were, but the principle is the same whatever the snake: if you pin it with a stick behind the head and then get hold of it there it can not bite you. Letting go is the riskiest bit! In an emergency, you can use the end of the tail and they normally can't lift their head from that position to bite your hand, but you have to watch it can't go for other body parts! I wouldn't recommend anyone handle a venomous snake without training!
Wow! Brilliant! I would have thought they would have gone to ground by now after this appalling weather!
I didn't know there were any venomous snakes in the UK. How interesting that you would catch them for people. You sound like my daughter! She's been begging for a snake, non-venomous, but I'm not thrilled with any of them.
BTW, I nominated you for the Kreativ Blogger award, so head on over to Antiquity Oaks and pick it up!
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