Page 7 | Why the heck did he tell me this?

Ladydish · 07/06/2025 05:59

Newbie5542 · 06/06/2025 23:53

@TheyreLikeUsButRichAndThin to answer your question what am I scared of - I’m scared even typing this but my fear is I’m sleeping and it’s slithering all over me. Also my fear is it’s gone into my kids room and strangling them. I can’t help it that’s where my mind is going

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Ive not read all your posts so sorry if you e covered this bug have you ever sought support and treatment for anxiety?

Notashamed13 · 07/06/2025 05:59

He's probably talking about grass snakes, they are so shy and prefer to keep themselves to themselves, I've only ever seen them when I'm doing my outdoors water hobby (they are good swimmers) and trust me they can't get away quick enough. They are not poisonous and I'd say the longest one I've seen is around 2.5 - 3 feet so yes they can get quite big. Don't forget they are cold blooded so need a nice warm day to become active anyway. OP please don't worry! I can guarantee the only time you may see them is walking around your lake and even then they will likely be swimming away from you. (If you have a cat however then be warned,. I'm constantly rescuing slow worms (legless lizards that look like snakes) from my house, they are her preferred choice of gift to me)!

Northumberlandgirl · 07/06/2025 06:18

Have you considered moving to Ireland. There are no snakes there.

SquashPenguin · 07/06/2025 06:19

This has to be a wind up surely? No wild snake in the uk has ever gone through the open window of a house and constricted someone. I kept snakes for years, they don’t just go off gallivanting around like that.

There’s also no such thing as a ‘poisonous’ snake either.

terracelane23 · 07/06/2025 06:25

We live in an area with adders. They aren’t huge. I’ve never seen on in the house or garden.

Miyagi99 · 07/06/2025 06:26

PopThatBench · 07/06/2025 00:16

I’ve never seen a snake in the wild. I used to have two pet snakes, only corn snakes, one grew to be 5ft exactly (I’m 5ft 4) but it’s width was maybe 1.5inches around, wasn’t strong enough to hurt me or mark me when it would coil around my arm (it only did that when it was comfortable with me after months).
They’re shy creatures so would mostly retreat away somewhere to hide (probably why they’re rarely seen in the wild).
We don’t have venomous snakes in the UK and we don’t have big snakes or large constrictors so nothing to worry about in terms of your children.
I fully understand the fear though as I’m terrified of spiders. x

Adders are venomous.

Miyagi99 · 07/06/2025 06:30

WilfredsPies · 07/06/2025 00:26

Grass snakes aren’t that big and they definitely won’t come searching out people. And Adders are even keener to avoid contact. There’s a reason that most people have never seen one. I grew up on the very edge of a town, where it met fields and woods for miles. I spent my childhood tramping through the countryside. There is more chance of a flock of Flamingos taking up residence in your bathroom than there is a grass snake or adder coming into your house and going anywhere near you or your children and your neighbour is a prat. He might have seen one (more likely to be a video he found on the internet) but there’s no way it would have stayed there and posed for him while he filmed it. It would have scarpered.

The most you’re ever likely to see is a squirrel, a hedgehog or the occasional fox, which you definitely would have seen those in the city.

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I saw more foxes on visits to London than I ever did in all my life living in the countryside!

Tiredofallthis101 · 07/06/2025 06:39

We live in the countryside on a river. We once had a very large grass snake living on our terrace- I was amazed at how big it was. However, it lived there because our tetrace became overgrown and was a great quiet spot for it to hunt. The first time we went out there in a year we saw it and it slithered off sharpish and never returned. I've only ever seen that one snake here-they arw very reclusive and would never go near people or into houses. I think you need some cognitive behavioural therapy as you are really catastrophising here and you need to learn how to pull yourself out of these kind of spirals and question what is logical and what isn't.

HideousKinky · 07/06/2025 06:57

I have twice had snakes inside the house (1 viper, 1 cobra)
BUT
I was living in Singapore!

Snakes in UK are harmless except for adders which are rare and snakes in general are very shy - they don't want to meet you any more than you want to meet them and can tell you're coming through ground vibrations etc and will slither away to avoid you

Lilactimes · 07/06/2025 07:01

EasternEcho · 07/06/2025 05:02

OP, snakes don’t just randomly enter houses. If one ever does, which is extremely rare, it’s usually looking for food like small rodents or warmth. So one of the best ways to make sure snakes stay away is to keep the house tidy, seal any cracks, and make sure you don’t have pests like mice.

If it brings peace of mind, you can fit snug door sweeps and seal gaps near the floor, not because snakes are likely to come in, but because it helps keep out all pests. I know it might feel scary, but the UK has only one native venomous snake: the adder, and even those are shy and rarely seen, let alone indoors.

There are no large or aggressive snakes in the UK, and snakebites are exceptionally rare. Deaths from adder bites are almost unheard of, and the last confirmed fatality was over 40 years ago, I believe.

I grew up on a tropical island and was quite used to seeing snakes all the time, including highly venomous ones but they do tend to keep out of humans' way. I the UK, you really don't have anything to worry about. But you can take the precautions I've stated for your peace of mind.

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Hi @Newbie5542
It sounds like you live in a very beautiful place - and I’m sorry you’re not able to appreciate it as well as you’d like to 🥲

You can maybe tackle this problem in a couple of ways.

Practically - read every bit of advice on here including this post on how to help ensure under doors and windows are sealed so you feel secure in your home.

Psychologically - you’ve read on here how shy snakes are in the UK. So logically you know that your fears are very unlikely to be realised - even if you don’t creature proof your house!! So it may be a good idea to get some CBT to help with your phobia/ or hypnosis. You may be able to get some through your doctor for general anxiety. It may be worth investing in some privately if it’s keeping you awake.
My friend has had both for flying along with meditation techniques for anxiety and these have helped her flying phobia.

Finally, if you hate the countryside so much and are unable to see its beauty, it may be worth making steps to plan moving back to the city?? How possible is that??

One thing I would really try NOT to do, is pass my anxiety on to my kids. (I had a spider thing and had to do a similar thing to you to not pass on!) Maybe this mama bear feeling of protecting them will also help you get strength to tackle your phobia of snakes and wildlife.

wish you lots of luck! Xx

purplepie1 · 07/06/2025 07:26

Yes, I have seen adders a few times in the uk but had to look for them. It was a sunny day and they lie out in the sun. Yes, they are venomous but not deadly. They don’t come indoors and are under a metre in length.

Don’t worry about them. You will probably never see them as they slither away when they hear you coming.

IVbumble · 07/06/2025 07:31

Your fear is lying to you.

FormerlySpeckledyHen · 07/06/2025 07:32

My house backs onto woods and about 8 years ago I disturbed a snake sleeping 💤 near to my washing line in long grass. It immediately ran away under the shed before I could identify it. Only one I have seen in 18 years living here.

Barney16 · 07/06/2025 07:32

I moved to the country from the city and spent the first three years obsessing about "wildlife" of which there was far more than I would like. Birds falling down chimneys, bats, mice, huge spiders and all sorts of revolting insects, bloody foxes howling all night but I have never seen a snake, infact the only time I have seen one outside of a zoo was years ago in the undergrowth at a theme park weirdly. There are bound to be some plants that snakes don't like. Nature seems to be able to work itself out somehow. Do a bit of research and plant up some pots near your doors. It will make you feel better at least. Lavender maybe? If bastard slugs don't eat it it then it just have considerable yak properties because those little suckers eat anything. And it will look and smell glorious.

OneNewLeader · 07/06/2025 07:33

It might have been more useful to google large, killer snakes in the UK? I think that would have allayed your fears and allowed you to sleep.

Muffinmam · 07/06/2025 07:33

I’m from Australia. The snakes and the spiders here will kill you.

Grow up. A snake is not going to break into your house in the middle of the night and bite you to death.

LizzieSiddal · 07/06/2025 07:36

We used to live near a lake. I saw grass snakes a few times, they are absolutely harmless. Dh did see several adders but it was always when he was gardening, so he was digging something over and an adder was hiding, they don’t like to be exposed and they’re really scared of people.
There is not a chance they would come into your house, they’d much prefer it outside.

Maybethisallthereis · 07/06/2025 07:37

I suggest some therapy for your fear.
The snakes he’s referring to wouldn’t do anything to you and certainly wouldn’t strangle you or your children!

SeriaMau · 07/06/2025 07:40

Newbie5542 · 06/06/2025 23:29

He said it’s grass snakes and picture he showed me was of an adder. I don’t think he’s winding me up, I’m actually 100% sure he’s not. He said he saw one slither away over the pathway

In my entire 66 year life in the UK I have seen 4 snakes in the wild. All grass snakes. All small. All terrified of me.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 07/06/2025 07:42

There are no 'strangling' snakes in the UK. There are grass snakes (completely harmless) and adders (venomous, but very shy, will keep away from humans). No snake in the UK would come into your house! I'm in my 50s and have lived in rural areas. I've seen an adder twice in my life. They live in heathland and woodland and are not going to be 'slithering over your pathway'. If your neighbour isn't winding you up, he himself has been wound up by something he's read online!

LoveFreshSheets · 07/06/2025 07:47

Newbie5542 · 06/06/2025 23:36

I don’t believe he is as it’s mentioned on the Facebook page.

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Must be true then 🐍 😱😂😂

Don’t you just love Friday night fun on mumsnet😂

Saltnchilli · 07/06/2025 07:50

I live opposite a pond and have found 2 grass snakes in my garage this ‘summer’. They are tiny, they get underneath the garage door in the small space between the door and drive.
I hate snakes, but even these I didn’t scream because they are so small, just got my husband to pick them up and take them back across the road. And make sure I keep the internal garage door shut in future, just in case.
we took a photo to show the kids, and the photo makes them look a lot bigger than what they actually are

Thulpelly · 07/06/2025 07:51

Adders do exist in the UK but they’re not common and very hard to spot, i’ve never seen one. They actively avoid people.
You sound like you have a snake phobia.

The chances of one being in your house is zero.

FedupofArsenalgame · 07/06/2025 07:53

Newbie5542 · 06/06/2025 23:53

@TheyreLikeUsButRichAndThin to answer your question what am I scared of - I’m scared even typing this but my fear is I’m sleeping and it’s slithering all over me. Also my fear is it’s gone into my kids room and strangling them. I can’t help it that’s where my mind is going

Edited

Maybe you need to get some help as that's not rational

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 07/06/2025 07:57

Newbie5542 · 06/06/2025 23:20

I can’t sleep and feel really terrified. My idiot neighbour this evening told me there are huge snakes where we live (in uk). I didn’t believe him and he showed me pictures on his phone. We live near a lake and I’ve been here for 2 years but not seen one. I’m terrified and can’t sleep, I know I sound crazy but please help me. I kept checking under my bed and I keep checking in on my kids. I’m a single parent and have no one in my life to help me out of this fear, I’m so afraid to sleep.

If you’re near water, they’re very likely to be grass snakes, which are entirely harmless and are very good swimmers. Please don’t worry!

On a very hot day I once went for a swim in a flooded gravel pit near a friend’s house, and saw a grass snake swimming a few feet away. It was just doing its own thing and was not remotely interested in me.