smooth snake in garden

[paul in dorset]

hello,just joined today.about three weeks ago i was putting some vegetable waste into one of my three black compost bins,and a brown snake circled slowly into the depths,As i was unsure to what it was i lightly watered the top and lo and behold a snake came out of the bottom opening and slithered into the undergrowth in no particular hurry i must add.On looking up on the internet it was a smooth brown snake almost three foot long.I felt quite bad about disturbing it after finding out how rare they are .since then i have topped the bin up once with broad bean pods and left well alone.
Today it was quite sunny and thought i would just have a look in there,and amongst the pods in the top i saw numerous young about as thick as my little finger,i put the lid on quick and will now leave them to get on with their life.Just a few questions i would like to ask,will the mother tend the young? and are the snakes likely to hibernate in the bin in the winter?.thanks paul .
ps the original snake was light to mid brown very flat smooth scales and decorated with a series of dots down each side of its back.i feel privelidged to have seen it.

[Wild-Woman]

Think your snake is more likely to be a slow-worm, a legless lizard.
They are fabulous creatures and a great addtion to any garden.

Welcome to WAB paul in dorset!

[Dogghound]

Much more likely a grass snake or slow worm that you have seen. Grass snakes and slow worms often breed in compost heaps. Smooth snakes are extremely restricted in the British Isles to Heathland, and habitats directly surrounding it i.e open woodpland.

[Jason Claxton]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Think your snake is more likely to be a slow-worm, a legless lizard.
They are fabulous creatures and a great addtion to any garden.

Welcome to WAB paul in dorset!

I agree Paul,Slow-worm,most likely,but if you can get a photo on WAB then we could confirm what it is.

Jason

[paul in dorset]

hi,had slow worms as a kid and i am adjacent to delph woods which is a mixture of heath and woodland,do not really want to disturb them again but there was a picture of a smooth snake on a link on froglife which was its twin.do slow worms get that big ?

[Jason Claxton]

Originally Posted by paul in dorset

do slow worms get that big ?

Slow-worms normally up to 30-40cm but can get bigger,though not 3ft.Observer accuracy can vary.

If you are in Dorset I have heard of Smooth Snakes under rubbish,where houses are close to the heath.

Its possible still that you have Grass Snakes and Slow-worms,I do not entirely discount Smooth Snake,but a photo would be needed.

Jason

[AdrianH]

Delph Woods certainly had Smooth Snakes in good numbers years ago so it is possible. Adders are very abundant there and like Canford Heath the Adders have quite a range (or lack)of patterns/markings so it can be hard to be sure without a close look.

[nightshade]

Thank you for leaving them be, Paul, too many peoples first reaction is how do I get rid of them. You could keep a log of sightings with photos, they are very interesting animals.