Snakes Alive ! (1 Viewer)

Thought I'd post an observation I had on Thursday.

Driving towards Watton in Norfolk, along the B1077 near Caston (near the sharp left hand bend, if anyone knows it) I saw a snake laying on the other side of the road, so with my curiosity aroused I pulled up and reversed back onto the verge for a better look. Sure enough, there it was .... an Adder, it didn't move at all, just laid in the road in the sunshine. I'd guess it was about 2.5 - 3 ft long, but coiled up.

The next thing I know there's a car I hadn't seen come round the corner and was nearly on top of it, at which point my mind was thinking ''yep, one dead snake coming up''. and so then the car proceeded to run straight over it. A real running over - front and back wheels, not just a glancing blow or anything like that, but right over the coiled middle of it.

After the car had gone I fully expected to see the snake firmly plastered to the road, But no, all that happened was that it slowly lifted its head and looked about..... almost as if to idly say ''did someone say something ?'' .... and slowly slid off down the road and eventually into the undergrowth opposite, apparently unharmed, no tyre marks or obvious injury whatsoever.

I've read about snakes having a sort of 'elastic' body, so they can swallow big stuff and let it digest inside them, and presumably that was the reason it wasn't killed outright, but still I thought that was pretty amazing.

That is an amazing observation Carlos. I can't follow up with any more info except that frogs have a similar ability if accidently stood on which thankfully I havn't done much in my life!

Amazing!

Hi Carlos.
you had a very lucky sighting the snake was probably warming
its self up. they are cold blooded Reptiles and need to get their
body tempreture up to function, they do not have bones in the sense as we think of them, but have muscles called ribs which
gives them their movement as you saw as the snake moved to the undergrowth. hence when the car ran over the snake its
body would just flatten out, if the car had stayed on the snake
then it would have died but it just went over it. so no harm done.
the venom of the Adder is only mildley venomus and no worse
than a bee sting to a human, the only time it can cause a problem
is to asmatics and people with weak hearts.
when a snake has its prey in its mouth it dislocates its jaws to
allow it to swallow the prey whole, as it then enters the body of the snake the very strong digestive juices get to work, the meal
will useually last the snake for up to a few weeks.
I hope this is of some interest, as i said you were very lucky to see this snake out in the open.

Adders in Norfolk? Oh dear, I'm going there next week (and I have a sort of phobia about snakes since someone put a grass snake down my shirt when I was 10!). Still, hopefully the birds I see will make it worthwhile!

Well it looked like an Adder, Henry though I certainly wasn't going to get out of my van to have a closer look !

As to how common they are I haven't a clue

bert, yes very interesting, thanks

Hi Carlos.
they are widespread in great britain, and the zig zag markings
down the back make Identification easy. Redddish brown or all
black specimens are somtimes seen. length. 50-60cm.
Hibernates from October to march. prey small mammals and lizards, did you get a good look at it?
regards bert.

Yes, bert, I'm fairly sure thats what it was. Did a bit of searching around online and matched it up when I got home.

Henry H, I live in a place with plenty of venomous snakes and scorpions and even a venomous lizard. They are much more difficult to see then birds and I have only found myself at risk due to personal foolishness, i.e. trying to shoo one off the roadway with my bare hands. While not belittling your phobia, I would strongly urge you to relax and enjoy your trip.

bob

Agree with Bob,

I have lived and worked in Africa and Asia for most of my life, and there are some really venomous snakes there. Had very few run-ins in all those years. A snake will always move away if you give it room, they only become a concern if accidentally cornered. And a couple of the nocturnal snakes are very sluggish, e.g. Puffadder, you might want to look where you step at night.