Take care around the adder

[Dogs]

I worked the last five years on local hill ground, where adder numbers were high. One summer two dogs that worked on the estate died as a result of the bites. One, a farm collie, was found dead in the kennel after a day rounding up sheep on the fell, and the other, a gamekeepers labrador, died at the vets three days after the bite, from liver failure.
I never walked my dogs up some parts of the hill in the summer, as there were so many adders, but one summer day, on the lower ground, my dogs found a snake basking next to a clump of reshes, well, they set about it! And obviously the snake got angry and started striking, from a distance i saw what was happening, and rushed over to call the dogs off... with heart in mouth! Luckily I succeeded.

Just take care, although incidents involving humans are rare, the snakes are very dangerous, and at the least, would be a very painful bite!

Dogs

[amateur.naturalist]

It's rare that animals do die from the bits and extremely rare a healthy human would (which means I should go no-where near them!). The venom is more highly charged when leaving hibernation, or at least so the general rule of thumb goes. I'm sure I heard that the young adders venom is more potent too, although I can't find any reference to this, but I would assume it is. Adders are by nature very placid and would only strike if you start playing with them (chess I heard is not an adder's forte) or if a dogs thinks it would make an interesting stick. Generally the adder will vanish long before you get to it.

Around the Lizard in Cornwall there are plenty of Adders and it is here I tend to rummage around the heather jumping every time something moves.

[Meta menardi]

I think the Military Police at Fylingdales have had some problems, but in general they are very shy.

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by Dogs

Just take care, although incidents involving humans are rare, the snakes are very dangerous, and at the least, would be a very painful bite!

Dogs

Sorry to hear about the dogs, but I must say that whenever I've come across adders, they have never acted dangerously. I respect them and their habitat and would not provoke an attack, but I suppose a dog off the lead in adder land might.

I think an adder would be more terrified of being attacked so may strike out but I understand they can 'dry bite' just as a threat.

[demicav]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Sorry to hear about the dogs, but I must say that whenever I've come across adders, they have never acted dangerously. I respect them and their habitat and would not provoke an attack, but I suppose a dog off the lead in adder land might.

I think an adder would be more terrified of being attacked so may strike out but I understand they can 'dry bite' just as a threat.

I totally agree. I've been around Adders so many times even with my children. They're not aggressive snakes and prefer to move away from people. They get a lot of bad press but they've every right to exist where they've done for how many years. I understand how it can be dangerous for dogs but even so my two dogs have been around them fine and the area where I see them regularly is also visited regularly by dogs off the lead in the Summer months and so far none have come to any harm. What I would advise people in areas with a good population of Adders is keep your dogs on the lead and be vigilant but these Snakes are so sensitive they're usually long gone before anyone gets near them.

[Ukwildlifeo]

As others have pointed out its best to view this in perspective. I find adder a pain to see due to their habit of moving off when the feel the vibrations of something coming, and its not in their interest to bite anything but prey as they will not only have to use energy to produce more venom but also they risk injury. I say this as I've heard disturbing reports of dog owners/groups going round killing adders (and slowworms!?) to 'protect' their dogs, when (as demicav said) simply keeping the dog on a lead will stop any incidents occurring with wildlife

[Kayleigh]

There are lots of adders in Cornwall where we stay on a caravan park. There were reports of adders biting dogs on the coastal path..I have been taking dogs to same place for over 10 years and as my dogs stick to the path we have never uncounted an adder..

I did see one when I was 7 months pregnant it was moving away as we walked down a coastal path it was in no way aggressive it just heard or felt the vibration of us walking and got out of the way..

Shame as I would have loved for it to stick around for a better look..

[Dogs]

I totally agree with most of the above posts. I encountered adders on a daily basis through the warmer months, and they are happy lying basking or going about their business, and I agree that a bite to a human or dog would come from the snake being stressed or hurt.

The origional post was simply intended to make people aware of the dangers that DO exist. If they are prevoked they will strike, yes, they will dry strike at first as well as hiss. Stepping on one would cause it to bite, so just take care, where the snakes are present.

All the best

Dogs

[demicav]

Originally Posted by Dogs

I totally agree with most of the above posts. I encountered adders on a daily basis through the warmer months, and they are happy lying basking or going about their business, and I agree that a bite to a human or dog would come from the snake being stressed or hurt.

The origional post was simply intended to make people aware of the dangers that DO exist. If they are prevoked they will strike, yes, they will dry strike at first as well as hiss. Stepping on one would cause it to bite, so just take care, where the snakes are present.

All the best

Dogs

Thanks Dogs. Yes I agree to taking care around them. My daughter almost stepped on one once but that was when we didn't know much about them and we were looking ahead instead of right in front of us. Luckily the Snake was docile (it was April) so it slithered off, no harm done. All the same it did make me sit up and think about what could have happened especially as my daughter was wearing sandles at the time. We see them regularly now though and we've learnt so much about their behaviour just from observation. We also have special rules that the children have to adhere to when we're in the area. I must say that watching and photographing Adders does become quite addictive and I think they're wonderful.

[RobinP]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

I did see one when I was 7 months pregnant it was moving away as we walked down a coastal path it was in no way aggressive it just heard or felt the vibration of us walking and got out of the way..

I would imagine you made quite a vibration, Kayleigh!