To ask you to look at the snake I found in the garden today? (title amended by MNHQ)

[Mycatsabastard]

Seriously excited! It's still in the pond, it's about 18 inches to 2 feet long and just beautiful!

Ha found my previous reply now - now I look like a drug addled tw*t. Oh well. I am.

:o widdlin

Lovely seeing other's photos. Love that US snake, very pretty!

He/she is lovely! I would love a snake in the garden, but my stupid cat would probably try and eat it (he's already fallen foul of this with a bee).

I've only ever seen one... sitting in a pub in Oxford next to a stream and one came swimming down.....I hadn't had a drink either

Perfect specimen of a grass snake, and harmless to humans.

I volunteer at a reptile rescue, and we've picked up two separate escaped/abandoned pets this week. One cornsnake, and one Mexican black king snake.

AuntJane that's sad, I don't suppose they can last long in the wild, isn't it too cold for them? I assume grass snakes and adders are adapted. Or am I just being thick? Do snakes not need that much heat?

You are being vvvv unreasonable to post without some slithered away indication in the title or that there was a photo. Have just had a complete bollocking from dh for dropping the iPad on the tiled floor in my shock 😟. Fortunately it didn't break.My heart still hasn't settle down from the shock. Huge huge huge phobia. Can't do pics or even read the words!!! Sorry.

Wow. Talk about seriously OTT. I used to be severely arachnophobic but no technology had to pay with its life for it, not even when they showed pics of those humongous bird spiders ( not sure if that's the proper name). It's not like it jumped out at you from the post.
OP, this is one seriously cool animal. Ee've no snakes over here, probably just as good as my cats would kill it instantly but I envy you. Only ever saw a huge grass snake in Sweden once, it was lying in the middle of the road in the sun and we spent a considerable time trying to persuade it that a car and a snake body aren't a good match. It hissed and charged but eventually it got the message and slithered away. It was a truly magnificent creature. And once I met a very pissed adder who didn't like us walking by at all.

Dizzy - No, both are American snakes so from a similar climate to us, and they can survive reasonably well. We know that the kingsnake had been living wild for at least two years. It's the African/Asian snakes such as royal pythons that won't survive our climate.

We have also rescued a grass snake that was caught in some wire mesh, but once injuries were healed we were required by law to release it back into the wild.

I got an email back from the wildlife trust to say they have forwarded my email to the conservation department. I still feel ridiculously amazed by the whole thing!

We were sat out in the garden last night with the wood burner on accompanied by cider and could hear hedgehogs snuffling in the hedge in next doors garden. No sign of the snake since but we keep looking.

One of our baby koi has died which is a bit sad though. All other fish are fine, not sure why this one hasn't made it but :(

Heart attack maybe? The snake could have spooked him

The thing to remember with grass snakes is that they are predators. Lovely to look at and jolly useful for getting rid of rats and mice. They are also quite partial to frogs, toads and newts. So, amphibian lovers, be careful what you wish for.

Beautiful! DH found a three foot long one in the chicken coop when I was away on holiday. Was most peeved that I missed it!

Need we took the koi down to the aquarium shop and they had a look at it (no marks on it) and checked the PH levels on the water (bit low) but said as it was only 3 months old it's part and parcel of having baby fish, you lose about 10% anyway. It could have been the snake scaring it or it could have been the PH levels (we've done a water top up as it's rained so much it's dropped the PH levels) and it could just be bad luck. We have bought a new one though and it's very lively and happy so far.

I am aware they eat amphibians but as the pond was already in situ and so was the snake, we just let nature crack on. As it does.

Further reading suggests that the massive pile of logs behind the shed is probably where it's living. DP needs to cut some up before winter so we will be very careful not to dislodge them or take too many from the bottom so we don't mess up it's home.

Fair enough regarding the fish. Glad it's resolved...slightly.
Hope new baby thrives.

Law of nature regarding the eating of the amphibians. Frogs gotta swim, snakes gotta eat. Survival of the fittest as sad as it is to say

Well look who's back! Dp was home early from work, went into the garden and found Snakey laying round the fish dome, sunbathing. He startled it (as didn't realise it was there until it moved) and it swam round a bit and then curled up on Frog Island (a large grass plant in the pond which the frogs often sit in) and eventually slithered off out between some rocks and disappeared. DD2 also got to see it before it disappeared. Her face was like this .

Evidently this is a highly desirable habitat for a grass snake. Assuming this is a mature female there is a good chance of youngsters before long. Compost heaps are a favoured site for laying eggs because they are often quiet, undisturbed and warm.

We shall need pictures of the juniors.

Oh my god, I am terrified of snakes, but we also have a pond and live in Dorset ( freaks out ) please don't direct it my way !

vienna We have two sheds so may be under one of those plus a huge log pile so may be in there or in the compost heap. who knows? I hope we do have babies although I had to literally throw half a bag of dreamies at boy cat to distract him when snake was exiting the pond today.

mummy don't worry, we don't want to lose it, we are all quite attached to it already!

Mycats. Sounds like every base is covered. Lucky snake.