# Reminder about snakes



## Bodger (Oct 9, 2011)

Has anyone come accross snakes when walking their cockapoos. Hubby saw one today, sunning itself and it slithered off, as they prefer to do, before he could get a photo. He has seen grass snakes before and this one was different, he thinks it was a viper.

Of course their bite is rarely fatal but we hadn't thought much about it until today as sadly they are in decline and of course protected. Just glad Bodger didn't notice it as he may have wanted to investigate.


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Thanks for the warning xxx


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

Funny you should say that, I saw my first snake ever whilst walking Betty at
the look out in Bracknell on Sunday.no idea what it was but was black with green spots....yuk hate any kind of reptile!! Glad to say Betty did not notice it..heaven forbid if she had!!


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## Bodger (Oct 9, 2011)

That's where hubby saw the snake too. Just wish we could be sure what it was, looked I up on the internet.


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## KCsunshine (Apr 16, 2012)

I live in Northumberland and we have ALOT of Adder's on our heather covered hillsides, so many that people tend not to walk their dogs on the hillside once the weather gets warmer.


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## francesjl (Mar 24, 2011)

In Britain the only venomous snake is the adder. It has a zig zag pattern running down it, I once saw one years ago on Kelling Heath in Norfolk. I always keep my eyes peeled when we visit the New Forest but I guess they probably hear us coming !!


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## Bodger (Oct 9, 2011)

In Uk we have adders and vipers.


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## francesjl (Mar 24, 2011)

Think they're the same thing !


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

Whatever it was it was horrible!!!


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## Bodger (Oct 9, 2011)

Yes they are the same snake


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## strof51 (Sep 26, 2009)

They are the same, only one venomous snake in the UK.
http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/adder.htm


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Hope I don't see one ... more to the point my cockapoo don't come too close to one...


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Never come across one...although feel I may have just jinxed myself x


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

I must admit I let out a manly yelp as I almost stepped on it


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

lol I would let out a really girly squeal .. and practice our recall in a high pitched panicked voice


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

JoJo said:


> lol I would let out a really girly squeal .. and practice our recall in a high pitched panicked voice


Perhaps we will need to review our venue for our late spring / early summer 
Poo meet....squealy cockapoo owners might not be good


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Funnily enough I saw my first snake on Sunday, walking from Hengistbury Head in Dorset to Southbourne Beach. Luckily Millie ran straight passed it. I'm pretty sure it was an Adder as it had the zig-zag pattern on its back.


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

colpa110 said:


> Perhaps we will need to review our venue for our late spring / early summer
> Poo meet....squealy cockapoo owners might not be good


Virginia Waters may be snake free Colin


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## Jedicrazy (Apr 26, 2011)

MillieDog said:


> Funnily enough I saw my first snake on Sunday, walking from Hengistbury Head in Dorset to Southbourne Beach. Luckily Millie ran straight passed it. I'm pretty sure it was an Adder as it had the zig-zag pattern on its back.


Yikes, I'm glad we didn't see one on that same walk. I'm not a fan and the kids would have freaked!


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## Bodger (Oct 9, 2011)

I walk there a lot and not seen one yet, it's a bit busier too.


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## Sezra (May 20, 2011)

Intereting thread. Thank you


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## Janev1000 (Oct 4, 2011)

Not wishing to scaremonger but I heard that a dog was bitten by an Adder the other day in the woods near where I live. Turns out it was my friend's dog who I met walking on Sunday. This dog spent a few days at the vet and is now suffering from extensive nerve damage in its back leg, so much so that it may have to be on permanent painkillers (he is 2!) and the worst thing of all is that he is having problems with bowel movements and needs constant medical assistance. In fact, if he doesn't improve, she is talking about having to put him to sleep. I think this is a very rare, isolated case but just so sad if he doesn't improve.


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## anndante (Oct 26, 2011)

The dunes where we will be staying in Norfolk in May are said to have adders. Have been trying not to worry about Polly getting bitten....


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## Jedicrazy (Apr 26, 2011)

Janev1000 said:


> Not wishing to scaremonger but I heard that a dog was bitten by an Adder the other day in the woods near where I live. Turns out it was my friend's dog who I met walking on Sunday. This dog spent a few days at the vet and is now suffering from extensive nerve damage in its back leg, so much so that it may have to be on permanent painkillers (he is 2!) and the worst thing of all is that he is having problems with bowel movements and needs constant medical assistance. In fact, if he doesn't improve, she is talking about having to put him to sleep. I think this is a very rare, isolated case but just so sad if he doesn't improve.


Oh no thats awful  It probably is a rare occurrence but better for us to be more aware.


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## Kirsty (Sep 9, 2011)

And there's me innocently wandering with Cara; our biggest concern being all the little curly lambs - I'm convinced she thinks they are poos to play with.

Thanks for the warning will be more observant now. I can assure you all I will be a proud member of the screaming poo club. Xx


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

Gosh Jane , that is shocking. I didn't realise it could be so serious!! I'm going to have to take much more care. Betty is always sticking her head in the bushes!!


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## Kate.E.P (Aug 9, 2011)

Our neighbours Lab cross (large dog) recently got bitten by a snake in our local meadow - They didn't realise or see him get bitten. About an hour after they got home he was being unusually hyperactive. As it was out of character they decided to go to the vet who confirmed it was a snake bite and that if they had left him a few more hours it could have possibly been fatal. The vet said that snake bites can be fatal to smaller dogs in a shorter amount of time and recommended that they always carry piriton allergy tablets..... We always use the meadow and have not yet been in the path of a snake but Mollie always wanders off being a beagle... we keep an eye on Mollie and check that she isn't acting "off" as you can't always see whats happening if you have a wander prone dog!


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## Bodger (Oct 9, 2011)

Thanks for all your imput. I am going to keep an eye on Bodger from now on in certain areas. I think my concern was you may not know they have been bitten and you can be some distance from help anyway.


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## Janev1000 (Oct 4, 2011)

Bodger said:


> Thanks for all your imput. I am going to keep an eye on Bodger from now on in certain areas. I think my concern was you may not know they have been bitten and you can be some distance from help anyway.


Yes, I wondered how you would know but the lady who told me said the dog starting yelping as soon as it was bitten and carried on afterwards so I guess it must have been in quite some pain. Maybe some swelling around the bite too which was immediately obvious to the owner. I forgot to ask the owner when I met her as she was telling me about his current problems. I think he must have just been very unlucky.


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## francesjl (Mar 24, 2011)

The piriton allergy tablets is a good idea ! Will carry some from now on - you never know, and when they are off lead in the distance you might not see what's happened !


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## francesjl (Mar 24, 2011)

anndante said:


> The dunes where we will be staying in Norfolk in May are said to have adders. Have been trying not to worry about Polly getting bitten....


Where in Norfolk are you going ?


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## carwin (May 5, 2011)

We go to Hailing Island a lot and have seen adders in the dunes behind the golf course at the ferry boat end of the island but they move of quickly as we approach.


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## DONNA (Jan 7, 2011)

Gosh this is all very scary ,i saw my first snake yesterday while walking with a friend luckly Buddy was on his lead my friends dog wasnt she went to investigate and we wondered what she was looking at ,it turned out to be an ADDER!!!

It was in a clump of long grass and was quite big,im sure had Buddy been off lead he would of tryed to pick it up .


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

We thought we saw a snake a couple of weekends ago. It had a head like a snake, a forked tongue and moved like a snake but we googled it when we got home and it was a slow worm!!!


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## Green Fairy (Oct 31, 2011)

JoJo said:


> Virginia Waters may be snake free Colin


Sorry it's not!  Saw one in our path when we had that warm week back in March (remember that lovely sun?). Think it was just a grass snake though, not very big, green (safe?)


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## anndante (Oct 26, 2011)

Sorry for the late reply, Frances! The first part of the holiday we're staying in Winterton-on-Sea, where there are dunes with the 'occasional' adder, it says online!!!! Then we stay in Cromer for one night before moving on to another cottage in Wells-next-the-Sea. It's the dunes that am a bit worried about, as not sure if I'd know if she got bitten if she's over the top of one! But I'm sure all will be well.... I think!


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