Adder advice

[Shiggs]

Hey,

I have only recently started going out looking for reptiles and amphibians, and today I came across a male adder by a stone hedge amongst the vegetation. I was making a lot of noise whilst walking along and i just stopped to look at some flowers when I saw the adder. I got my camera out and took a photo and he still did not move, and looked pretty lifeless. I saw some adders last March and they moved as soon as well approached them.

Would this one more than likely have been dead?

[Amarillo]

reptiles can be pretty sluggish if they haven't warmed up, but they would normally move off

[Shiggs]

thank you for the reply, thats what i though it was lunch time that i saw it and as it was a very warm day it would have been out basking already and been off hunting. Maybe I will check there again on the weekend to see if it moved on or not.

[marvin]

hi

at this time of year adders are much less likely to retreat immediately when approached than later in the year, even in relatively warm conditions. it is possible to get within inches of them while they remain stationary although they will generally give some indication that they are aware of your presence, e.g. raising their heads a little. they will also often lie out all day and they don't hunt/feed from the point of emergence in feb/march until after peak mating time between the end of april and beginning of may, so it is not unusual to see them out in the middle of a warm afternoon until then. even then, reproductive females, who won't actively hunt until they have given birth around sept, will lie out in the same place throughout the summer, even in very warm conditions, although they are much quicker to retreat if disturbed.

so, given that your adder didn't move at all it may have been dead but is not such unusual behaviour for this time of year.

hope this helps
cheers
tim

[willowjay]

Hi

I came across my first adder for years, last weekend, totally unexpectedly.

I wasn't looking for reptiles, but instead taking pictures of lichens on trees (a recent addiction) and I was hissed at, very loudly. I don't know who was more surprised, him (or her) or me. I guess I must have almost trodden on it and it was, justifiably, cross.

The silliest thing is that I just watched it slither away, transfixed - and forgot I had a camera in my hands! (doh!).

It was sunning itself in a bare patch between clumps of new nettles. Best moment of the day for me.

[Cheryl]

Originally Posted by willowjay

Hi


The silliest thing is that I just watched it slither away, transfixed - and forgot I had a camera in my hands! (doh!).

Me too, I came across two recently on different occasions - I was so taken aback and, like you say, watched them slither away before remembering the camera!!!