Snakes

StalkingKent

Well-Known Member
Well, In the last two days Iv'e came across three adders ! Iv'e only ever seen grass snakes before and these boys are definitely adders, white with black diamond shapes going down their lengths of 18/24 inch. I must have startled two as they made their getaways but the third just lay coiled up a metre away from me staring!

I don't mind snakes in general but I don't like them to surprise me, I like to know where they are.

They are all probably out sunning themselves after a long hibernation period underground.

I will make sure I wear long boots now,

Has anyone on the SD been unfortunate enough and been bitten by an adder??
 
Yes, it is not serious unless you have a underlying problem, had a bad headache though.
 
One of my staff got bitten by an Adder playing golf a few weeks ago in Northampton. He was playing golf not he adder!

Leg swelled up like a ballon, left a pair of dead cool puncture marks.

Best ever excuss for a day off.
 
Yes I have 3 times, once on the leg aged about 7 or 8, leg swelled a bit, but dad bought me a ginger beer and I was ok by end of the day, or at least that is the way I remember it. Lol
Again but on the arm when I was about 14, headache fever and swollen, riding 4 miles home on my bike probably didn't help, doctor said I'd be ok, I'm still here.
About 15 years ago I picked a baby one up, only about 8 inches long, (never seen one that small before, or since) it happily laid on the palm of my hand while I showed it to my then young son, and then I moved it to a place of safety as we were about to light a fire where it had been sunning it's self, little bugger spiked me with one fang on the ball of my thumb as I went to put it down. lol
It felt like being pricked by a bramble, for about 5 minutes then went up to bee sting proportions, swollen a little and a numb hand and wrist, wore off after a couple of hours.
I don't recommend picking them up, but I couldn't bring myself to hurt it, or let it be hurt and it wasn't for moving off under it's own steam, and actually laid where I put it down for a couple of hours, only moving away as the sun moved away from it.

Neil. :)
 
This is interesting to myself, and to others in the US from Virginia and south, and the West. I have read of adders in English literature, but really had no idea how poisonous they might be.

in the Deep South, we have Eastern Diamondback rattlesnakes, from 3 to 6 feet, and smaller but more aggressive ones, like the Canebreak Rattler. The water moccasin is from 3 to 5 feet, very defensive and not prone to retreat. Its little cousin, the copperhead is more aggressive. The coral snake is pretty small, just over one foot, with a little mouth and teeth instead of fangs ( cobra family ), but very deadly. You don't want to be bitten any any of them. You at least stand to lose the use of a leg or arm, if not full amputation. In the West, it is mostly the smaller diamondback, but lots of them. And there are lots of non-poisonous snakes, some very large and fast: garter snakes ( 3 feet ), black snakes ( 6 feet ), Georgia Pine Snake ( 5 feet ), king snake ( 5 feet). The king snake is a constrictor which hunts and kills poisonous snakes.
 
This is interesting to myself, and to others in the US from Virginia and south, and the West. I have read of adders in English literature, but really had no idea how poisonous they might be.

in the Deep South, we have Eastern Diamondback rattlesnakes, from 3 to 6 feet, and smaller but more aggressive ones, like the Canebreak Rattler. The water moccasin is from 3 to 5 feet, very defensive and not prone to retreat. Its little cousin, the copperhead is more aggressive. The coral snake is pretty small, just over one foot, with a little mouth and teeth instead of fangs ( cobra family ), but very deadly. You don't want to be bitten any any of them. You at least stand to lose the use of a leg or arm, if not full amputation. In the West, it is mostly the smaller diamondback, but lots of them. And there are lots of non-poisonous snakes, some very large and fast: garter snakes ( 3 feet ), black snakes ( 6 feet ), Georgia Pine Snake ( 5 feet ), king snake ( 5 feet). The king snake is a constrictor which hunts and kills poisonous snakes.
this is a rattler that lived by our camp in Illinois , we also had plenty of copper heads, only meet one cotton mouth very aggressive if messed about with.
 
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About 3 years ago in Dumfries my Weimaraner went on point next thing adder struck her right on the bottom jaw. Quick dash to the vets for a whole cocktail of treatment & her neck swelled up like a football but she was ok a couple of days later.
Vet said carry some anti histamine (hay fever) tablets and if the dog gets bitten give one 10mg ASAP this will help to reduce the reaction which causes the dog to go into shock which is what kills them
Wingy
 
Its the time of year for adders. They tend to sit coiled up in a sunny spot warming themselves up and they're quite easy to walk into. Used to see stacks of them when I was a kid, far fewer now though.
 
Interesting stuff. I've seen grass snakes and slow worms before, but never seen an adder yet.

Likewise. I quite like snakes and was half expecting to see some down my allotment living in the compost heap, but maybe it's been mild enough for them not to need the heat?!
 
Plenty of them around here.

My sister lives just outside of Kings Lynn and regularly walks her dog in the FE Forests around there.
She bumped into a couple who lost their dog (poodley type) to an adder bite recently.

Apparently it's not uncommon this time of the year up there!!
 
We seem to have a lot around here in Suffolk. Last year I saw a few and suspect this year with the mild winter we'll see more.
When exercising the dog in spring / summer I tend to avoid heavy bracken, if I can, you just have to be wary.
If you or your dog are bitten seek medical attention as you or your dogs reaction is unknown unless you have been bitten before.
 
Adders are very long lived and are often found sunning themselves on the same grassy bank year on year. I remember an FC rangers Lab being bitten on the side of the head. The face swelled up like a football and with treatment,steroids,antihistamines and antibiotics it recovered well. However it developed a recurring abscess at the site which was investigated and lo , a broken off portion of an adders tooth was still stuck in the wound. I have also seen many bovines bitten ,especially on the brisket apparently as they lie down onto a sleepy adder. A Charollais bull developed a huge honey comed like structured abscess on his brisket and died despite heroic draining and treatment. It was just too extensive and complex . David
 
We tend to wak our dogs later on in the day this time of the year, as many people underestimate the danger of adder bites potentiallty to dogs. My old dog got bit on the nose and was fine apart from 2 puncture marks. But others are not so lucky and a dog can easily die. I've been bit once when i was younger, just a lot of swelling for a day or two.

Does anyone know whether adders are active in the evening/late afternoon. Because if they are sunning themselves in the heat of the day, this is surely because they need energy for later on when they hunt?... Just a thought, because I walk my dogs later in the afternoon with the thought of avoiding them, but that idea may be flawed.
 
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My lab bitch Fenn after being bitten on her muzzle, this is only an hour after the bite and she was rushed to the vets so the swelling subsided after a day or so.

Adders are lovely to see.... just not when out with the dogs on the grouse/partridges!!!
 
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