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Grass snake scars |
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stuart 
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Joined: 26 May 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 31 |
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 Topic: Grass snake scarsPosted: 06 Jul 2011 at 8:44am |
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Hi
Many of the adult Grass snakes that I find have these old scars on their bellies that seem to have healed. Any suggestions as to their cause?
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Caleb
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Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Status: Offline Points: 660 |
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Posted: 06 Jul 2011 at 9:36am |
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umbilical cord?
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stuart
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Posted: 06 Jul 2011 at 9:50am |
Thanks for your reply, but there are other similar scars further up the body, and some individuals have more than others.
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liamrussell
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Posted: 06 Jul 2011 at 10:00am |
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looks like an appendectomy to me...
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Noodles
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Posted: 06 Jul 2011 at 11:10am |
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It does indeed look surgical, how odd
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Mark_b
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Posted: 06 Jul 2011 at 11:46am |
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I have seen numerous grass snakes with these 'scars'? Could it be some genetic mutation?
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stuart
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Posted: 06 Jul 2011 at 1:53pm |
I suspect that they have been caused by some sort of physical injury that has healed. I wonder if they may have been caused by buzzards talons in failed attacks. I have queried their origin for a few years now and never really had any idea. Over the last three seasons a pair of nesting buzzards have moved in to a site that I observe and twice this week I have witnessed buzzards carrying live grass snakes to their nest site. Does anyone have any evidence/thoughts on whether they think this is likely to be the cause?
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Noodles
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Posted: 06 Jul 2011 at 3:08pm |
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It sounds feasible. The talons may tear lengthways with the downward pull of gravity or as a result of a gravity influenced struggle when being carried off. Might explain the precise, surgical marks. It might be an idea to look out for any small puncture wounds associated with the scar, perhaps that have more quickly healed. Just an idea.
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Robert V
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Posted: 06 Jul 2011 at 5:37pm |
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Sliding over brambles I reckon
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RobV
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stuart
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Posted: 06 Jul 2011 at 5:59pm |
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Caleb wrote: