[andy hood]

Skipwith Common Yorks 23/3/12

First one ive ever seen

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...r005edited.jpg

[trappeddownsouth]

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x...ay=437685&lm=0
is this the area you found them Andy?

[Keith Dickinson]

Get down to Hatfield Andy, I went from never having seen one to having seen six including fighting males all in the same day.

[Trystan]

Originally Posted by Keith Dickinson

Get down to Hatfield Andy, I went from never having seen one to having seen six including fighting males all in the same day.

What time of year is best for them?

[Mike Richardson]

Originally Posted by Trystan

What time of year is best for them?

A sunny day in April is good. I've seen males in combat around April/May in Yorkshire. Can't remember the actual date Keith is referring to although I was with him on the day as it was a BF meet. Keith will know.

[birdieboy123]

Originally Posted by skink1978

Can't remember the actual date Keith is referring to although I was with him on the day as it was a BF meet.

25th April

[James Thomas]

... and you backed the wrong snake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZnGBMPxuA

[huntoctober]

Is the adder a venomous snake? I had heard that the UK had no venomous snakes.

[Trystan]

Originally Posted by huntoctober

Is the adder a venomous snake? I had heard that the UK had no venomous snakes.

It is venemous but not particularly potent, a quick trawl on the net suggests that bites are very rare and there have been no deaths in over 20 years.

[Trystan]

Thanks for the date information guys!

[Steve Babbs]

Originally Posted by Trystan

It is venemous but not particularly potent, a quick trawl on the net suggests that bites are very rare and there have been no deaths in over 20 years.

No deaths but quite a few comas.

[dave123]

Originally Posted by Steve Babbs

No deaths but quite a few comas.

last death was 1976 if i remember right

[kennethwfd]

they are quite common in my part of the world, also grass snakes, which are larger and olive green, and will also rise up and hiss if cornered, although harmless. Common lizards and slow worms as well, and rarer sand lizard and smooth snake.

Adders usually get out of your way, the danger lies in treading on one, or attempts to pick the snake up. They can be a bit dopy at the beginning and the end of their active season (due to cool days), so care needs to be taken then. While not necessary lethal to humans, an adder bite can be fatal to a dog.

I know one person bitten by an adder, the tennis net had been taken down in preperation for the winter, and a sudden shower occurred, so he picked up the net to put it under cover. An adder must have taken refuge in the net, and becoming trapped, bit him. Noone saw the snake, but the bite marks were there, and his arm swelled up.

Following article on girl recently bitten by an adder on the Forest. I don't think her clothing appropriatehttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ew-Forest.html

[dampflippers]

There have definitely been some dog deaths.

[kennethwfd]

yes, I know someone whose dog was bitten by an adder, as soon as the vet was contacted, the order was "bring the dog to the surgery IMMEDIATELY" and was waiting in the car park with a syringe of antidote.

The weather we are having now is just the sort where care needs to be taken - they have been lured out of hibernation by the warm spell, now the temperature has suddenly dropped

[bennyy]

Originally Posted by Keith Dickinson

Get down to Hatfield Andy, I went from never having seen one to having seen six including fighting males all in the same day.

Crikey never new they were common in Hatfield, i live quite close so it would be rude not to take a look.
Thanks for the heads up.