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Quick answer
Confirm identification before doing anything; even if it is an
adder it will probably not remain in the garden.
Further information
Although sightings do occur, the vast majority of reports of
adders in gardens turn out to be harmless slow-worms or grass
snakes. Look carefully for a yellow collar behind the head - if
this is present, it's a grass snake, not an adder. Try and get a
photo of the snake to help with identification. Adders tend to
prefer undisturbed habitat and seem to avoid gardens.
Adders only bite when threatened - most bites are accidental
through the snake being aggressively disturbed or deliberately
antagonised.
When disturbed, adders normally
just move on.
Adders do not form 'nests' - most
live a solitary life moving between feeding areas in the summer
months.
Newly born adders may spend a day or two with their mother
but they then quickly disperse.
Snakes are very mobile and it is
likely to be just passing through the garden.
Death from adder bite is
extremely rare, there has not been a death in the UK for over
thirty years - their venom is for use on prey which is primarily
small rodents, it is not designed to kill people.
Bring pets and children indoors
(if the snake is still around), as they are the most at risk.
Allow the snake to move through
the garden - carefully note patterns down the back or along the
sides, the colour and size; check identification again - it is
much more likely to be a grass snake or slow-worm.
Know what to do in case of
adder
bite in the event of of future sightings.
Adders have undergone widespread declines in the last century,
and they are now protected by law against intentional killing
and injury. Removing adders from gardens is not necessarily a
long-term solutions as other adders/snakes will likely be
present in the area; it can also quite difficult - by the time
someone arrive to collect the snake it may have disappeared
again. In some areas there may be a local reptile expert who is
willing to provide you with further information on where adders
are found locally - try contacting your local
Amphibian and
Reptile Group (ARG).
you can take some simple steps to keep safe:
Where sturdy shoes or boots, not open-toed
sandals.
Keep dogs on leads.
Stick to well used footpaths
rather than straying through vegetation where adders might be
hiding. Keep an eye on the edges of the paths where snakes may
bask.
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