What type of snake is this

Spoony

Spoony

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Nick
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Sorry but it's a phone picture so it's not that clear.

Anyone know what it is? I found it sunning itself in the car park today.

I couldn't get to close as I was worrying the little chap whilst trying to take the pictures, So stopped and gave it some distance.
IMG-bb6253ca7c9cf4d64805f621c3863c39-V.jpeg
 
At a guess I'd say grass snake.
 
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100% Grass snake (y)
They are totally harmless, play dead if you pick them up, and emit a foul smelling liquid all over you!
(Don't ask me how I knew :D )
 
Cobra said:
100% Grass snake (y)
They are totally harmless, play dead if you pick them up, and emit a foul smelling liquid all over you!
(Don't ask me how I knew :D )
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Lol.

Thank you all for the identity of said snake.

Don't see them very often (last time I saw a snake in the wild was an adder was about 20 years ago) so it was a nice surprise to see this one, don't think I will be finding out about the foul smelling liquid anytime soon, even if we do manage to see it again..
 
I'm surprised at how small it is.
I've dug up worms bigger than that.
 
I've had smaller grass snakes, and larger slow worms....the collar is the teller.
Harmless.
 
Tori_T said:
I'm surprised at how small it is.
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Going on the snake to brick ratio I'm guessing about a foot. ( or 30 cm if you must :D )

So I would also surmise that its one of last years hatchlings, as they grow on average, to between 3-4 feet
( or a good meter), sexual dimorphism applies with the males being slightly smaller and slightly more slender of the two
 
The Wiki write-up says they're good swimmers, and will take prey larger than themselves.
Does that mean if Frank managed to put one on a hook, it would eat his fish?
 
Tori_T said:
and will take prey larger than themselves.
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Their (Adults) head is not much bigger than a large thumb, I've seen them take adult toads.
And yes I have caught and kept a few over the years, when they were in abundance and you were "allowed" to keep wildlife...

And yes they are excellent swimmers,
usually living around or very close to ponds, marshes etc.
 
Tori_T said:
The Wiki write-up says they're good swimmers, and will take prey larger than themselves.
Does that mean if Frank managed to put one on a hook, it would eat his fish?
Click to expand...

Handy if your not too good at casting a fishing line, just plop it in the water and let it swim out far with line behind it.:):)
 
Cobra said:
Their (Adults) head is not much bigger than a large thumb, I've seen them take adult toads.
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Snakes don't have a sternum and their jaws aren't as rigidly 'constructed' as mammals IIRC. That's what allows them to swallow large prey?
 
MartynK said:
Snakes don't have a sternum and their jaws aren't as rigidly 'constructed' as mammals IIRC
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Correct (y)
They can expand their ribs outwards and actually "walk" on them.
Where ours (jaw) is rigidly hinged at the back, theirs are more "floating"
and will open to something like 150 o IIRC
 
MartynK said:
Snakes don't have a sternum and their jaws aren't as rigidly 'constructed' as mammals IIRC. That's what allows them to swallow large prey?
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f*** me ,I married a snake :exit::exit::exit:
 
Cobra said:
and emit a foul smelling liquid all over you!
Click to expand...


I've had this happen twice, with a pet corn snake, it's called musking, is a defensive thing and trust me, it honks. :wideyed::jawdrop:
 
Dale. said:
I've had this happen twice, with a pet corn snake,
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I have kept many species of snake, both CB and wild caught, ( when it was allowed, but that was a few years ago now) and never known anything other than a grass snake to do this..
( Not that I don't believe you of course)
 
Cobra said:
I have kept many species of snake, both CB and wild caught, ( when it was allowed, but that was a few years ago now) and never known anything other than a grass snake to do this..
( Not that I don't believe you of course)
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I currently have 2 corns, now both over 5 feet long, had them from babies, not much bigger than worms back then, they'll be about 11 years old now, male and female. It's only the female that has musked me, got me once on a treasured T-shirt. The second time, it landed on the floor. Not many things make me retch but by golly, that did.

I've only ever seen one wild snake like the one above but I'm quite sure it was an adder and it was only a glimpse, whilst trekking on the Welsh hills one day. It slithered between my feet, I'd just stepped over it but it was, luckily for me, gone in a flash.
 
Dale. said:
Not many things make me retch but by golly, that did.
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Its not pleasant that's for sure!

Dale. said:
I've only ever seen one wild snake like the one above
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There used to be a whole hive of them not too far from me, ( dis-used railway bank, AKA Beechams axe) as a kid I'd often go catch a couple, for the summer and release them in the Autumn for them to "hibernate"
Besides that, catching frogs and toads for food became a bit of a chore :D
They could often be seen basking in the sun or found hiding under sheets of corrugated iron ( no idea how that got there! )
 
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