Snakes: have you ever seen one in the wild, in the UK or anywhere else ?

[WildRosie]

I haven't so my contributions here will be limited. However, I find snakes fascinating creatures, even though they give me the creeps and I sometimes have nasty snake dreams. I'd love to see a grass snake catching some rays after laying her eggs in the spring, or an adder mellowing out among the heather. But I haven't yet. We don't get smooth snakes in Yorkshire so zero chance there. Please share your legless reptile stories. Slow worms don't count.

This was my best view of a snake in the UK - a female adder, at a nature reserve in Kent. I was there to photograph butterflies but she was a lovely bonus.

We get a lot of Eastern Ratsnakes (East Coast US) and corn snakes. The rat snakes are long and black, I was terrified when I saw my first one sunning itself on our patio! But, they’re harmless rodent eaters...although a neighbor recently shared a horrible photo they took in a local park showing a squirrel being squeezed to death by one. Not a nice end.☹️

Grass snakes are excellent swimmers, as are anacondas and Burmese pythons. I don't know about adders' and smooths' aquatic abilities.

@WildRosie

Grass snakes are excellent swimmers, as are anacondas and Burmese pythons. I don't know about adders' and smooths' aquatic abilities.

Most snakes can also outrun you. Our guide in Kenya said of pretty much all wildlife: "It can outrun you, outswim you and outclimb you" ...

I saw a very small one but it was slithering around a model village on the Isle of Wight so looked huge 😂.

I keep snakes, have done since I was a child - I adore the things.
Once saw a wild grass snake crossing a river, very cool!

Lived in SE Asia, had a huge Cobra come into my garden, and we used to get plenty of Wolf snakes and Kraits. Used to get these small snakes coming up through the shower drains, no idea what they were. A massive Python attacked a child and sadly killed it not far from our house. seen plenty of sea snakes as well.

UK only seen a small adder

I’m truly terrified of snakes, my children have occasionally brought baby grass snakes into the house to “show me” and then chortled at my reaction. Lovely kids.😂

Does anyone remember the poster who found a snake in her garden. She posted a few pictures, it was a beauty (can't remember which breed, but it appeared to be an escaped pet as opposed to an indigenous species)

Sadly before she could get someone to help rescue it, it disappeared.

Crunchymum. I remember the thread - it was during the summer- but not the poster. There was a fair bit of lively discussion as to the snake's breed. I think corn snake was the favourite.

I remember a few years ago someone posting pictures of a grass snake relaxing on top of a big rock in their garden pond. Many people were rather envious of the poster.

Adders a few times whilst our walking in the uk and a snake swimming next to me in Lake Garda!

I saw an adder when I was a kid.

I saw one in New Hampshire, USA just slithering along the road.

Lots of adders in Tintagel, Cornwall. Signs on cliff walks warning to keep to the path.

We have had a grass snake in our garden pond a few times. Seen adverts in the wild too, and grass snakes and slow worms at RSPB reserves.

Adders!!

Yes. A pet snake had escaped and was in what was a maternity hospital (now luxury flats). One of the engineers and his wife took it away cos RSPCA did not turn up. It was either a King snake or Corn snake cannot remember. I was watching one of the doctors walking along and thinking what is that moving on the ground behind her!

I live in South Africa and have seen lots of Cape Cobras (one very aggressive one in our house - luckily our beautiful dog alerted us to the fact that it was there and thankfully I had a snake catchers number on speed dial 😅).., puff adders and mole snakes as well as house snakes and various other non-venomous ones.

My son had a snake party once. They’re actually beautiful but I’d rather avoid then cobras and puffies as they are highly venomous...

When I was a child, I regularly saw snakes (and huge spiders) in Australia but they didn’t bother me. Now living in the UK, we have a grass snake in our garden. DH and a neighbour have seen it - thankfully I haven’t as I think I’d faint if it caught me unawares.

An adder on the Pembrokeshie Coastal path a couple of years ago. It was on top of the cliff near Strumble Head on a particularly hot day.

Quite a few big ones in Zambia and Zimbabwe, luckily not too close up. On holiday in Greece one dropped into my shoulder as I walked down some steps. It was only a little one and probably as terrified as I was as it dropped to the ground and disappeared pdq!

Only other snake I saw was a grass snake - or actually it was spotted by my keen eyed nephew who loves snakes and lizards -where my mum used to live near New Forest. He had pestered his parents for a snake but settled on a couple of skinks instead!

There was that news story a few years back of a snake escaping in sheffield, they go to water pipes for the warmth and it emerged up somebodies toilet whilst they were using it

Any snake lovers know what this is? ~~hope the picture isn't too crap. I didn't want to get too close~~

Out for a lockdown walk with toddler and spotted it. I suspect grass snake. But it's November!

grass snakes are smoother.
if in UK I would guess adder.