Tootles - the more you see them, the more you find out about them and the more they're part of your life, the less scary you'll find them. You just have to get on with it.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I was so excited when I spotted a grass snake in our pond - I lay on my tummy just a few feet away from it and watched it as it ate a frog, then while it rested in the water in the sunshine. Absolutely wonderful.
Unless you garden on dry heathland you're unlikely to see an adder in your garden, so any snake-like creature you see in your garden will be either a grass snake or a slow worm (which is a type of lizard not a snake). Both are absolutely wonderful creatures and totally harmless so don't be scared of them.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I've snakes in my compost bin, but find they soon move , they don't stick around. Much to my disappointment.they are camera shy,I'd love to photograph them.
My son, when he was 11, was bitten by an adder when he went swimming in a French river, he nearly died, so I don't think they are only found on dry heathland.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Highly unlikely to be a Common adder (vipera berus) in a river - but in France it could have been an Asp viper http://www.planetepassion.eu/snakes-in-france/Asp-Viper-France.html , it could be confused with an adder and they do frequent river valleys etc. They're more venomous than the Common adder, which would explain why your son was so poorly BL. Thank goodness he got the right treatment and recovered.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
...but apparently in France more people die from wasp stings than 'viper' bites. Snakes in our part of the world are pretty shy creatures and we were always advised when hiking in the Pyranees to take a stick and bash the rocks as we approached them to warn the snakes away. The same trick applies if you are anxious about rats/mice in compost area; bash the container with a stick each time you pass it and the vermin will soon move to your neighbours bin
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Tootles - the more you see them, the more you find out about them and the more they're part of your life, the less scary you'll find them. You just have to get on with it.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I'm determined to get over it Dove. I'm going to give myself a good talking too and, like you say, get on with it!
But if I spot a snake I'm giving up!
I was so excited when I spotted a grass snake in our pond - I lay on my tummy just a few feet away from it and watched it as it ate a frog, then while it rested in the water in the sunshine. Absolutely wonderful.
Unless you garden on dry heathland you're unlikely to see an adder in your garden, so any snake-like creature you see in your garden will be either a grass snake or a slow worm (which is a type of lizard not a snake). Both are absolutely wonderful creatures and totally harmless so don't be scared of them.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I've snakes in my compost bin, but find they soon move , they don't stick around. Much to my disappointment.they are camera shy,I'd love to photograph them.
My son, when he was 11, was bitten by an adder when he went swimming in a French river, he nearly died, so I don't think they are only found on dry heathland.
Highly unlikely to be a Common adder (vipera berus) in a river - but in France it could have been an Asp viper http://www.planetepassion.eu/snakes-in-france/Asp-Viper-France.html , it could be confused with an adder and they do frequent river valleys etc. They're more venomous than the Common adder, which would explain why your son was so poorly BL. Thank goodness he got the right treatment and recovered.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
...but apparently in France more people die from wasp stings than 'viper' bites. Snakes in our part of the world are pretty shy creatures and we were always advised when hiking in the Pyranees to take a stick and bash the rocks as we approached them to warn the snakes away. The same trick applies if you are anxious about rats/mice in compost area; bash the container with a stick each time you pass it and the vermin will soon move to your neighbours bin
Fab advice! Thanks Artjak. I'm off out now to give mine a thorough bit of vibration!
Tootles, your poor rats will get a headache
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.