to take my snake to sunbathe in the local park?

[cakeorwine]

You can take dogs in the park.
So why not a pet snake!

Is it OK to let your snakes sunbathe in the park? - BBC News

(I don't have a snake and am not sure what I would think if I saw a snake in the park)

20 minutes outside on a cloudy day gives the same uvb as 4 hours under a basking bulb. It can also be very good enrichment, however you have to be so careful as unless wild caught the reptile has never been under open sky and has also never seen people under uv (we have auras etc they can see). It has totally freaked out beardies I've had before.
One beardies who was an absolute dream used to come out with me, perched on my shoulder or on a lead. Also my 30" blue tongue skink, but people are much more scared of him (flat fat snake with tiny legs). You can't put a skink on a lead but they naturally like to hide so stay close. I have had snakes and would never, ever take those escape artists out the house!
I think there should actually be a law against taking exotics out though, we've seen terrapins and exotic birds adapt to our waterways, it's not worth the risk to native wildlife.

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts I appreciate that however (from internet): In Scotland, you will normally find snakes in wild habitats such as woodlands, nature reserves, sea cliffs or moorlands. As this is their preferred habitat you are unlikely to find them in populated areas.

Fair to say I would not expect to come across one in my local park! When we do go to snake friendly habitats I'm extremely careful to stick to main path. Thankfully have NEVER encountered one and we do a lot of walking/cycling.

I can barely look at the photo of the snake on this thread, I’d be distressed seeing one in a park.

I would love to see a snake in the park! But I don't think I would do that with my own. They can move quite fast when they're warmed up so you would need to be quick at catching it if it decides to make a bolt for freedom.

I had a dodgy (but hot) boyfriend turn up to my student accommodation with his python in tow.

Python got annoyed after being stroked once too often by my flatmates 'oooh Darren, she's very smooth & warm, isn't she?', fake bit someone who promptly dropped her, & whipped off down a mousehole.

Darren was not happy, bless him.

That python is now an urban myth - I had a babysitter 20 years later who'd lived in the same student hall & been told to watch out for the mythical python in the pipes.

I now live in a country with the occasional small snake. The cats bring them in & kill them.

Honestly, OP, I wouldn't worry. Sssss 🐍

I used to teach a kid who did this regularly with his pet corn snake

I was on holiday in Cornwall once when someone rocked up with their snake. It was huge (?python) but was very well behaved and just stayed still lying on the sand / having a little slither now and then. The owner draped it round her neck and took it for a walk when she went to buy an ice cream. She said it loved going to the beach on a hot day 😂

just keep the danger noodles insecure boxes.

Will do @RagingWoke

YABU to have a pet snake. What's the point? They would eat you given half the chance.

Same as a dog…

It's the same if the same means completely different!

Danger noodles 🤣🤣

Haven’t read all the comments thoroughly so not sure anyone else has mentioned but this park is one near to some family we visit.

I walked through there on one occasion that this man had his snakes with him. I don’t fundamentally disagree with it but it made me uncomfortable. Rather than a quiet area and limiting the number he had out, he did it right by a path near the car park and cafe and had multiple snakes with him (some very active and not under control). There were definitely other people who were uncomfortable. While it was great that he took the time to speak to people, it should have been done differently. If he continues to do it the way he is now then I agree that he needs to be asked to leave but that park is very large and has options for him to go somewhere far away from others.

The police and council have got involved and people are advised to call the non emergency line should he be spotted as he is not to do it.

The vast majority of pet snakes have no interest in killing people unless provoked.

Assuming they're non venemous, I'd be more worried about the snakes welfare than anything else.

There's a strong likelihood a dog will pick one up in its mouth and cause injury, or someone will tread on one.

Roselilly36 · Today 18:20
😂that looks like an adder, they are in the wild, DH’s golf club always had adders basking on the fairways in summer. But yes a pet snake in a public space could well cause a panic, can’t put it on a lead can you”

In which case, probably unreasonable because if I remember rightly, adders are the UK’s only venomous snake. They’re elusive, shy creatures and shy away from people. They favour long grass and would probably panic on a park and be more likely to bite someone.

Wouldn’t it be much nicer to put a vocation on the grass in the garden?

Not vocation, bloody autocorrect. Vivarium

I would shit a brick if I saw a snake in the park.

Even this thread is giving me the willies. They move faster when warmed up? Tiny fat ones with legs? Fuck me gently with a chainsaw.

I'm terrified of snakes so I would be scared as fuck if I saw one, same as some people are scared of dogs etc

I thought the thread was about a man with an intimate tattoo sunbathing over the park!

I’m absolutely petrified of snakes so definitely against.

In my local area (zone 3 London) theres a disabled man in a wheelchair who takes his corn snake (?) to the local park (not my immediate park) to sun bathe on sunny days. I have to say this frightens me immensely!

Where would it end?

You'd have people wanting to let their Tarantulas have a go on the swings!

Or Ferrets hanging around park benches waiting for someone to sit down so they can run up their trouser leg!

Or what if you cut through the park on your way to work and get stuck behind someone walking their Giant Land Snail?!

I would be absolutely terrified if I came across this in a park. I can’t even go in reptile house in a zoo. The photo at the top of the thread gave me the shakes.

This. It's WAY too big to be an Adder☺️

😂