Uninvited guest

werdnal · #1 (**permalink**) 25-09-2006, 08:19 PM

Thought you might like to see a photo of our uninvited guest who ended up in our sitting room a couple years ago!

I was at home with my son (then 4) when we heard a strange noise. Didn't take much notice at first, then heard again so went to investigate. It was a really warm day and our front door was open. One of my cats was looking at something under the furniture, and to my surprise and slight horror, discovered it was a very large grass snake:

I tried to corner it myself, but it went under my son's very heavy wooden toy chest. Had to resort to ringing my brother, who came round and managed to lift the toy box and gently coax our visitor into a washing basket. I took this snap before we released him outside. The basket is nearly 1 foot wide, so he must have been at least 2 feet long. Feel honoured to have seen such a beautiful creature, although his defensive smell lingered in the room for a while!

Wild-Woman · #2 (**permalink**) 25-09-2006, 08:24 PM

Just lovely. I think grass snakes are great, even though one threw up frog over me once!

Jonny · #3 (**permalink**) 25-09-2006, 08:38 PM

Wow, thats quite a chunky one too, bet your glad you found it when you did, rather than see it suddenly appear when your watching telly or something.............

Gue Jam Fowsid · #4 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 08:55 PM

Thats an impressive looking specimen!

badgerwatcher · #5 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 10:54 PM

Wow! I didn't know snakes had a smell! I think I'd have been nervous. Not had much experience of snakes.

nightshade · #6 (**permalink**) 11-12-2006, 06:21 AM

Good looking snake,completely harmless

badgerwatcher · #7 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 12:16 PM

Are they? Good. I'm a bit nervous of snakes, having no experience of them, apart from being allowed to hold a sand snake (I think) at a bird reserve, he was lovely. But I understand that my garden has snakes, so am nervous, not of the snakes themselves, but of dying, basically, or one of us or the dog being bitten and of having a bad reaction, as I wouldn't know what to do. Bit of a wimp, see!

werdnal · #8 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 01:44 PM

The only venomous snake native to the UK is the adder, so if you have them they would be the ones to be wary of. However, even they are very nervous, so likely to see you and scurry away rather than stand and fight!

Its like all wildlife really, so long as you leave well alone, they are happy and so are you!