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Original poster

Grass snakes

35 replies

TheTecknician · 04/04/2025 21:19

Has anybody seen one of these this spring, or ever? I have yet to come across one, yet I go for walks in places where I would expect to stumble across one, e.g. country parks with fields on the borders and a few ponds and slow-flowing streams. Lots of frog spawn so lots of frogs to eat! Now is their time for laying eggs and mellowing out afterwards in the April sunshine...but nothing.

I understand GS favour the warmth and quiet of suburban compost heaps as an egg-laying site. Unfortunately I don't have a compost heap!🐍

OP posts:

Cattenberg · 05/04/2025 01:23

I once saw a grass snake swim across a canal. I’ve never seen a snake on dry land in the UK. I’ve seen more than a few slow worms though.

Shetlands · 05/04/2025 02:00

The adders are out sunning themselves around here (coastal south west) but I haven't seen a grass snake yet this year. If you do come close to one, don't pick it up because they give off a substance that has the most disgusting smell and is very difficult to remove!

Ohthatsabitshit · 05/04/2025 02:34

We get quite a lot. This guy was asleep until dh accidentally disturbed him in 2021.

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Original poster

TheTecknician · 05/04/2025 08:06

Thankyou all. Maybe one day I'll see one.

OP posts:

Riverswims · 05/04/2025 08:12

seen 2 in East Herts and 2 adders over the years

DiscoBeat · 05/04/2025 08:13

I've never seen one and we live in the countryside and have four large compost bins. Lots of slow worms!

CaptainMyCaptain · 05/04/2025 08:31

I've seen them slither across the tow path and swim across the canal near me.

I grew up in Berkshire in the 60s. There used to be loads of grass snakes and slow worms which we used to catch although most of their habitat would eventually have been built over.

TomatoSandwiches · 05/04/2025 14:19

TheTecknician · 05/04/2025 08:06

Thankyou all. Maybe one day I'll see one.

Slow worms don't have limbs which is why people mistake them for snakes.

I don't think I've seen a grass snake either but sounds like you may have some luck around water, do you have a pond?

Original poster

TheTecknician · 05/04/2025 19:04

I don't have a pond but there are several public ponds nearby. Two get spawn and various amphibians, one apparently has fish but I've never seen any. If there are any grass snakes they are equally elusive! Perhaps the temperature needs to be up a few degrees.

OP posts:

Oldraver · 07/04/2025 19:16

We sent 10 years going to the New Forest and never saw an Adder. We had to go to the wildlife place to see one

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