Groups of Grass Snakes

snakes · #1 (**permalink**) 18-01-2008, 01:40 PM

Hi peeps,

I've not posted here before, but this looks to be a good place to ask questions!

To give a quick over view, I love snakes! When I was a young lad (and I'm still young, well, in mind anyway), I used to stay with my Aunt. She had Heathland to the top end of her garden, and wetland at the bottom. So I'd go on hunts for grass snakes, and adders. I'd find them on almost every visit, oh, and we mustn't forget the slow worms in the compost heep!!

So that's it, my love of snakes was born.

A few years back now, when my little lad was just a few months old. His Mum and I where out walking, just to the south of Cranleigh in Surrey. We where walking paralell to an old railway cutting (the Downslink) along the edge of a field, when my lads Mum screamed 'errrrrrr snakes, get them away from me', as you can tell, this was a momentous occasion!!

My lads Mum (now ex), ran with my son in his push chair for at least 100 metres. In the meantime, I was in absolute awe as just to the side of me in the undergrowth where no less than 6 Grass snakes wriggling around together. They didn't appear to be mating. I got the impression that they where probably congregating in preperation for hibernation (it was mid to late September).

All I can say is that to this day, it stands as one of the most fantastic wildlife (reptile) experiences I've had. I just wonder whether anyone else out there in wildlife world has ever experienced something comparable?

Anyway, sorry to waffle on a bit, I'm told I'm good at waffling...

The Snake

naturelover · #2 (**permalink**) 18-01-2008, 02:19 PM

hi snakes a warm welcome to the site,you have come to the right place for wildlife,we are all a bit nutty on here but very friendly,enjoy.

snakes · #3 (**permalink**) 18-01-2008, 03:30 PM

Hi Nature Lover,

Good to know I'm in the right place! I've seen a few of your posts here and there. I get the impression you like snakes too! I guess I'm not as mad as I used to be about them. I kept 3 for over 15 years and studied herpetology too. A little person coming into my life has put a temporary hold on that.

These days I'm more into wildlife in general, but with a particular passion for snakes. One mission's to find a smooth snake in the wild, and I've no doubt that's a mission! My little lad (who's 7 now), was fascianted when we stumpbled upon a Slow Worm, in fact it's happened twice now. I couldn't beleive my luck. I'd only been telling him minutes before that it was a perfect warm day, and had mentioned that we may see an adder....didn't get the adder, but the slow worm was magic!!

Anyway, what about you? Where does your love of nature come from?

The Snake

Deer Stalker · #4 (**permalink**) 18-01-2008, 03:37 PM

Hi Snakes. Must've been a nice sight.

ron1863 · #5 (**permalink**) 18-01-2008, 05:12 PM

Hi Snakes and welcome to WAB

buzfuz8149 · #6 (**permalink**) 18-01-2008, 06:55 PM

Hi Snakes,

a warm welcome to WAB, looks like you have found the perfect place - we are all wild life fanatics here, looking forward to more posts.

Carol.

wildmanofthewoods · #7 (**permalink**) 21-01-2008, 01:56 AM

love snakes,, can't wait for it to start warming up, i'll be looking out for them, i keep going down to dorset to try & see all six reptile species. last two years my trips have been cut short, due to the extreme weather. it's hard to understand because whenever i go to scotland the weathers gorgeous & i see reptiles.

big bill · #8 (**permalink**) 21-01-2008, 12:03 PM

Hello snakes and welcome to the site enjoy and look forward to your posts

yellowhammer · #9 (**permalink**) 21-01-2008, 03:23 PM

What you saw was probably, as you say, snakes gathering at a communal hibernaculum in preparation for winter. I've never seen this myself in grassies, but it's pretty common with adders. The other possibility is it was an autumn mating ball. I've seen grass snakes mating in September before now, and in the spring they can congregate in large numbers when going about the business

I'd think that this is less likely as the balls in spring are a result of the males emerging form hibernation before the females - when the lucky lady emerges she can be pounced on by a large number of males intent on making sweet love to her, all at once if needs be.

Of course, in the autumn the females are already all active and so the numbers between the sexes should be more or less equal. Having said that, a sexually receptive female is irresistible to a male so if one turns up they could all try chancing their luck. I've not heard of this happening in autumn though, so the jury's out.

If you find a female in early spring, let her void on your boots (and she will, vigorously and repeatedly

) and sit quietly; any male in the area will be over to investigate as soon as they get a whiff