the online meeting place for all who love our amphibians and reptiles
Home Page Live Forums Archived Forums Site Search Identify Record Donate Projects Links
Forum Home Forum Home > Herpetofauna Native to the UK > Adder
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Juvenile adder diet
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Juvenile adder diet

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <123
Author
Message
axel View Drop Down
Member
Member
Avatar

Joined: 16 May 2006
Status: Offline
Points: 31
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote axel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2008 at 5:11am

Yes, we found a couple of lizards during surveys, but I certainly don't think there is a particularly large population. There are also grass snakes, frogs, toads and palmate newts within the grounds. No slow worms or adders though.

Sticking with the adder thread... All the adder populations I have visited have lizards present. Most of my herping is around Anglesey, North Wales, and I have also noticed that sites with adders typically have a low density of lizards. Sites where adders are absent or declining seem to be teeming with lizards, so there certainly would appear to be some sort of correlation.

Back to Top
dave fixx View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 13 Mar 2007
Location: Wales
Status: Offline
Points: 411
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dave fixx Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2008 at 6:05am
the site I see most adders in in north wales has a huge supply of lizards ,you find lizards not even looking for them,there is also a huge population of toads at this location and frogs,as you can see from a picture adamanteus sent in this summer on another thread whatever they are eating there they are enjoying it.
Dave Williams
davewilliamsphotography.co.uk
Back to Top
Vicar View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 02 Sep 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 1184
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vicar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2008 at 7:12am
Only an anecdotal comment...

One particular adder site here in Surrey comprises two forest rides. Presumably the adders use the woodland and margins to hunt, but are forced onto the rides in order to bask. There is also a fair number of common lizards along these rides.

The adders are almost exclusively found at ground level, whilst the lizards make more use of the third dimension, climbing high, through the heather borders more than is usual at other sites. Uncommon to see a ground basking lizard at this site, although it does happen.
Steve Langham - Chairman    
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group
Back to Top
Vicar View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 02 Sep 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 1184
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vicar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2008 at 6:55am
Interesting historical text from the Isle of Wight:

HISTORY OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT.
By the Rev. RICHARD WARNER;
1795

Many vipers indeed are met with in
the chalky and ftony places, and the largeft I ever
faw, I had nearly trodden upon, in the parifh of
Wootton, in the outfldrts of Coombly wood, in
Auguft, 1792. Had my foot, however, come in
contact with this animal, no injury could have
cnfued to me from the preffure, as it was utterly
incapable of revenging the infult. This incapacity
had been produced by its voracioufnefs,
as was evident on an examination of the reptile.
We then found that it had attempted to gorge a
frog, (at leail three times as large in circumference
as the thickeft part of its own body,) but
being unable to accomplifh the tafk entirely, one
of the legs and thighs of its prey continued to
depend from the viper's mouth, and effectually
prevented it from clofing the jaws and excluding
its poifon. The animal indeed (as is the cafe
with all the ferpent kind after fatisfying their
voracity,) was in a ftate of torpor, which rendered
it apparently infenfible of our approach or obfervation,
and unable to exprefs any tokens of
indignation when we deftroyed it. On meafuring
it when dead, it was found to be exaclly
twenty-nine inches long.
Steve Langham - Chairman    
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group
Back to Top
Alan Hyde View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 17 Apr 2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 1437
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Alan Hyde Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2008 at 7:06am
Hi Steve,
That's a great read. However, are you sure the author is correct? Maybe Toyah Wilcoxth or Chriff Eubank?

I reckons he foundeth a graff snaketh ferpent

Edited by Alan Hyde
O-> O+>
Back to Top
Vicar View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 02 Sep 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 1184
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vicar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2008 at 8:28am
Hi Al,

Hard to tell how accurate the ID was. Nothing descriptive was stated that definitely secures the ID. AT 29 inches (74cm) it is within recorded adder size range (top end), and he does state that it was the largest specimen he had seen. But then we don't know how many Grass snakes he'd seen either!

Modern records confirm Vb presence at the site, but no Nn records in the immediate vicinity (>2Km radius)...so maybe an OK ID?

He then goes on at length describing the effects of the venom and cures...apparently salad oil, some warmed and applied to the wound, and drinking the rest does the job! :P
Steve Langham - Chairman    
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group
Back to Top
Alan Hyde View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 17 Apr 2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 1437
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Alan Hyde Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2008 at 8:46am
Hi Steve,
It does indeed sound like it may have been a correct id then , nice big adder

Great remedy for adder bite !
O-> O+>
Back to Top
AGILIS View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 27 Feb 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 1689
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AGILIS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2008 at 11:07am
Bygad eftsoon a most venomouse serpent layeft on the path chewing upon the devils spawn putting fear into fair maidens harlots and all , more likly a large sloworm in the wrong place at the wrong time lolkeith
   LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID
Back to Top
tim hamlett View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 17 Dec 2006
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 1062
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tim hamlett Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2010 at 1:40pm

hi

sorry for resurrecting an old thread but there's still one bit of it i want to be absolutely clear about. can neos survive their first hibernation without feeding?

cheers

tim

Back to Top
Jonathan View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 08 Sep 2009
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 71
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jonathan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2010 at 12:15pm
They are pretty well nourished when born.  I would have thought that it would depend on the length of time between birth and the time they went into hibernation.  The longer the period, the less chance.  The neos I've observed are pretty active hunters that tackle a range of prey and sizes of prey too.  Their chances of survival would increase dramatically the more they eat before hibernation for sure.
"England Expects"
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <123
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 11.06
Copyright ©2001-2016 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.191 seconds.