Reptiles in scotland specifically?

[Amoeba]

I'm quite fond of reptiles and amphibians, although I admit I know little about them. I've been looking to see if Scotland has any reptiles but I can only find info on reptiles found in the UK but nothing about Scotland's reptiles specifically.

This makes me wonder if we even have any, I spent much of last summer keeping an eye out for them but I didn't find any.

Does anybody know if Scotland has any reptiles? If so, which ones, and how can I increase my chances of spotting one?

[earthdragon64]

Adders, Grass Snakes, Slow-worms and Common Lizards are all native to Scotland.

They aren't easy to see, I've only seen Common Lizards personally, and almost every time it has been purely by chance. The only time I saw some when I set out to was on a Reptile ID course.

The best time to see them is when they are warming up by basking in the sun, which they will often do on bare ground or large stones, because they tend to be warmer than surrounding vegetation.

Often discarded things like corrugated iron sheets, or even bits of carpet or board, can provide shelter. However, be careful in lifting anything, an Adder may bite if surprised, or the reptile may be injured if a heavy covering is replaced incorrectly.

The National Amphibian and Reptile Recording Scheme run ID courses, and their website has some good information.

http://www.narrs.org.uk/

[Amoeba]

Ah, thank you for the info and sources! Just what I was looking for but couldn't find.

[earthdragon64]

NARRS are doing some training events this year in Scotland, cost £6.50 per person, if you are interested.

http://www.narrs.org.uk/training_narrs.html#sco

Another good place I have found for Common Lizards is on quiet boardwalk areas in nature reserves etc. They seem to like basking on the weathered wood.

One reason that thery are difficult to see is because they are very sensitive to vibration. So they can be long gone before we humans with our heavy, clumsy footsteps get anywhere near them.

[thunder]

Originally Posted by earthdragon64

Adders, Grass Snakes, Slow-worms and Common Lizards are all native to Scotland.

I think most, if not all, the Scottish records for Grass Snake are from escaped pets or released animals.

henrya

[bubo-bubo]

Hi all, ive personally seen quite a few adders in Scotland specifically near dumfries, a little village called crocketford where i used to live has a few good size lakes nearby and and i saw a good few while walking around them never any grass snakes though.

bubo

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by thunder

I think most, if not all, the Scottish records for Grass Snake are from escaped pets or released animals.

henrya

Looking in the most recent New Naturalist on reptiles + amphibia, it backs this up saying Grass Snake is absent from Scotland apart from some introduced specimens.

[ron1863]

Lived in Scotland all my life and only ever seen a few common lizards, always when I have least expected to see them. I have also seen two Adders, the last one when I was fly fishing and sat on a rock to eat lunch only for my mate to inform me that an Adder was basking a couple of feet away on the same rock. I sat watching it for a couple of minutes and then left it to sun itself.

[seamusagleann]

quite a few common lizards in glen duror,just above the bothy,it's ideal for them ,south facing. the only slowworms i've seen were on the grass verge at strone forest walk in glen lochy ,a few miles from tyndrum. i've never seen an adder ,but at callart ,across the loch from me is drochaid an' narrach, the bridge of the adders .in the old days my wifes grandfather would sail across with the family to gather blaeberrys and always insisted that they tucked their trouser into their socks in case adders were present!

[brenbee]

I've seenAdders, Lizards, slowworms, common Frogs, Common Newts but never a Grassnake In Scotland.