An Abundance of Snakes once

[nightshade]

I was watching that interesting Michael Portillo program where he uses a Victorian, Bradshaws Railway Guide to journey around parts of Britain.
This episode was about the New Forest area and he mentioned an old Snake Catcher;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...urst_to_Poole/

BBC News - New Forest snake catcher nominated for art event

[faz]

he was a character nice story

[JaySteel]

I also watched that program once someone informed me that it featured adders. I was horrified to hear that Harry 'Brusher' Mills killed 30,000 snakes in his lifetime!

Jason

[fairplay]

I watched it too - I've grown to like Michael Portillo since he has gone into television, but why oh why could he not have shown a little revulsion over the thought of this country rogue killing/catching all these native snakes ?

So if he was supplying the zoos with live snakes for their bigger snakes to feed on, what do these snakes feed on now - is it chicken poults ?

Neil.

[ViperaBerus]

Originally Posted by fairplay

So if he was supplying the zoos with live snakes for their bigger snakes to feed on, what do these snakes feed on now - is it chicken poults ?

Neil.

Mostly whole rats, rabbits and chickens. The specialist snake eating snakes like King cobras are fed snakes bred solely for that purpose, although some do take rodents too.

[Deer Stalker]

He was buried in a Brockenhurst churchyard not too far from where his hut was & he now has a fancy headstone.