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Baby Adder? |
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Martin_
Member Joined: 17 Jun 2012 Location: Liverpool Status: Offline Points: 11 |
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Posted: 12 Feb 2013 at 2:45pm |
I found this little snake in Suffolk last August and looking at the eyes it looks like a baby adder but just thought I'd check to be sure.
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GemmaJF
Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359 |
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Your identification as an adder is correct.
Edited by GemmaJF - 12 Feb 2013 at 5:07pm |
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Wolfgang Wuster
Senior Member Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 374 |
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It is indeed a baby adder. Handling it like this is not really a good idea. Although a baby that size is unlikely to do serious damage, you never know how your body will react.
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Wolfgang Wüster
School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor http://pages.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/ |
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GemmaJF
Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359 |
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I agree with Wolfgang, I would never free handle an adder, even a baby.
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Martin_
Member Joined: 17 Jun 2012 Location: Liverpool Status: Offline Points: 11 |
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Thanks, I thought it'd be ok when I picked it up with it just being a small one but I'll keep that in mind in future.
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GemmaJF
Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359 |
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The problem can be that even with a little one if you get tagged and happen to be allergic to the venom you could go into anaphylactic shock, which could be fatal.
There are threads on here discussing the various effects some of us have had from adder bites, varying from no effect at all, to some pretty painful and unpleasant experiences. The small ones venom is as far as I know just as potent as the adults, so personally I take care with all of them.
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will
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830 |
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- agree with the comments above - babies can be just as painful/dangerous as adults, in my personal experience...
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Richard2
Senior Member Joined: 01 Dec 2010 Status: Offline Points: 285 |
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What I was told when doing licensed volunteer work clearing animals from doomed sites was that baby adders were in one respect more dangerous. You can pick up an adult by the tip of its tail, and it won't be able to loop up and bite you (though you should only hold it like this for a few seconds in order to drop it into a bag - longer could damage the snake's muscles). A baby, however, can double-up vertically on itself and reach your hand.
Richard
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GemmaJF
Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359 |
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Yep, agreed with tailing adults, though I always use a snake hook to support the body weight so as not to harm them.
Babies, cupped in a gloved hand I've found the safest way. They are very unlikely to bite right through a suitable gauntlet. The ones that got me were both sub-adults, able to double back and tag me even though they were tailed. Again here the snake hook is the answer so the head can be controlled.
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