Snake Skin

Flywaver · #1 (**permalink**) 12-07-2011, 07:43 PM

Lately ive been checking out open areas in parts of Thetford Forest for photos of Adders. Today i encountered a Grass Snake which left me a full skin. Ive got an Adder Skin from earlier in the year.

Must admit the Adder skin is far more detailed with the translucent zigzags.
What i would like to know is that isnt it a bit late for Snake Skin?
Always thought it was about a month after leaving Hibernaculum?
Thetford Forest seems to be one of those places thats alive in parts and dead especially in new growth. I wonder how far our native reptiles disperse..

JaySteel · #2 (**permalink**) 12-07-2011, 07:46 PM

Younger snakes may slough a few times in a year. As the snake gets older it sloughs less frequently.

I read that a 2010 tagging experiment in the Wyre Forest recently showed the males travelling distances of up to 1KM.

Flywaver · #3 (**permalink**) 12-07-2011, 08:02 PM

That was shown on Springwatch. The Grassie today was roughly 3-4ft.
Would be nice to hear of more tagging programmes in other areas and see if they get the same results. As some populations are restricted.For example the population at Cley in Norfolk which is on a hill is surrounded by farmland and a road at the bottom. I would imagine that Forest Adders would have similar results to the Wyre Forest ones..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq6_Czvjl8U

JaySteel · #4 (**permalink**) 12-07-2011, 08:31 PM

Thanks for that link. I hadn't seen that before. Both the Adder sites that I usually visit have reasonable size areas for the Adders to disperse into. But at least one of the sites I check has never revealed to me an Adder travelling more than a couple of hundred metres.
With regard to the sloughing my Corn Snake is about 4ft in length now and still sheds about 3 times a year. I don't know how a 3-4ft wild Grass Snake would compare.

Flywaver · #5 (**permalink**) 12-07-2011, 09:52 PM

The only thing that puzzled me alot in that link was when it was said that Adders are underground alot......Maybe after a rodent but not most of the time in the Summer months. They mean under Ferns more than anything.
On a recent herp ive found a few nearer damper areas.

Flywaver · #6 (**permalink**) 12-07-2011, 10:08 PM

By the way i like your Aesculapian photos from Regents Canal ;o)
I really cant get the hang of my settings on my Nikon D5000. I use manual mode. Are you using manual i take it? Which Camera do you have?

JaySteel · #7 (**permalink**) 12-07-2011, 10:18 PM

I was also surprised to hear them say that adders spend much of their time underground.

Thanks for your comments about my photos. I use the Canon 40D with the Canon 100mm Macro 2.8 IS lens for all my snake photography. I use the semi-auto modes. It's very rare that I'll use fully manual. It's just not necessary for most photography work unless I'm using studio lighting or using a tripod for long exposures. Usually I'll use AV mode so I choose the aperture and ISO settings and allow the camera to choose the shutter speed. There are many occasions though where I'll need to choose the shutter speed so I'll use TV mode and allow the camera to choose the aperture. After much practice you'll be able to predict roughly what shutter speed or aperture the camera will choose. I've taken over 40,000 shots on my camera.

Best regards,
Jason

AndrewA123 · #8 (**permalink**) 13-07-2011, 07:50 AM

Very nice, I've spent many a time tracking Grass snakes and looking out for the skins, but so far no luck on finding a full or partial skin. I live in hope

ViperaBerus · #9 (**permalink**) 15-07-2011, 08:32 AM

I find adder skins throughout the year. As you know they usually shed pre and post hibernation, but if they get a good feeding year, they can shed up to another two or three times on top of that, one or two even as a fully grown adult.

One good way of preserving them is to mount them on paper and laminate them. You don't have to use paper if you want to show both sides, but it does look better that way as the pattern stands out, plus you can record all of teh data on the reverse for future reference....

AndrewA123 · #10 (**permalink**) 15-07-2011, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ViperaBerus

One good way of preserving them is to mount them on paper and laminate them. You don't have to use paper if you want to show both sides, but it does look better that way as the pattern stands out, plus you can record all of teh data on the reverse for future reference....

What a great tip. Many thanks, All I've got to do now, is find some