RAUK - Archived Forum - Posts by LCOX:

Can someone help! 

I had a grass snake last year which I found out about when I was about to take what I thought was debris out of my pond, when it hissed at me.  I've got to say up til then I thought I was fine with snakes, although I would never keep one.  Since then I have found myself nevous to say the least.  Myself and my dad managed to catch the snake and take to a wooded area with a large pond where I hope it is very happy.

This year a had myself another visitor.  It's been in my pond off and on for the last couple of months.  Unfortunately, he now seems to have made himself or herself at home, so much so that almost every lunchtime I go home to find him basking on my lilypads and yesterday I went home to find him with an adult frog half in his mouth and his skin on the pebbles.  He's also decided that my dog (which wouldn't hurted a frog let alone a snake) isn't welcome in the garden and has hissed at him.

The problem I have now is that I want to put my house on the market and I don't think people would be to happy when they walk into my garden and see a snake either basking or, even worse, eating a frog.

We have tried to catch him but he's very quick and has obviously found somewhere to hide which we can't find.  I think s/he may also be living under my waterfall.

Please can someone advise me on hows the best way to catch the snake and whether putting him by a lake is the best place for him.

Can anyone tell me how many grass snakes I could have in my pond.

We managed to move a grass snake out of my pond about a week ago and moved it to a wood with a lake a few miles away.  I've just gone into my back garden again this lunchtime and there's another one.

At the beginning of the season I had about 20 to 30 frogs and toads in my pond.  Now all I can find is one baby frog.  Will my fish be next on the list?  Is there any way to discourage them from my pond? And is there likely to be any eggs/nests under my waterfall?

I live backing onto woods and am unsure whether they are travelling to my pond for food or whether they've made home in my garden.  All I know is that I'm very nervous of them since one hissed at me last year (silly I know, but I can't help it).

I'm going on holiday soon and afraid I may come back to find my garden infested and all my fish gone.  What can I do?

Hi Robert

Thanks for your reply, but I am a little worried because my Dad and Son have already caught one last year and a big one last week (apparently, it was about 4ft).  Unfortunatley, it seems to take them several weeks before they manage to caught one, as they seem to be very fast in the water and slip away without notice.

The long one (well we thought it was that one) even hissed at my dog.  My dog being so brave just legged it!

Is there any way of discouraging them from my pond?

The other problem I've got is that my house is on the market at the moment and although I know they aren't likely to harm me, if I was a viewer and saw a snake I wouldn't be interested in making an offer however much I liked the house.  Also, I am also concerned because even though I dislike them (in fact I've never felt this way about anything before, I don't know whether it's a fobia, but I shake and feel like I'm going to have a heart attack everytime I see one), I am concerned that other people may not be as tolerant as me because I won't allow anyone to harm them.

How would you be able to catch them?  We've only been able to when I've been luckly enough to have someone around at that moment?  Are they creatures of habit?  Can you predict when they're likely to return?

L

Lin

Hi

Thanks for all your advise. 

Lisa if you want to buy a house in Berkshire complete with snakes, I know a very nice one for sale!!!

My Dad has moved the snakes to a large lake which is about 3 miles away, surely it won't travel back from there, would it?  The two that he's and my son have caught so far have been slightly different in size and markings.  The first, which I admit was the latter part of last year was about 3ft long and the one this year (which I think was the one that left its skin on my pebbles) was at least 4ft long.  I also sighted another one yesterday which looked no longer than 3ft long although I can't be sure because it slid off my lily into the water as soon as I went into the back garden.

Robert, I wouldn't mind so much if my pond was the size of a lake, at least I would be less likely to see them! But the pond's only about 9 to 10ft long and about 6 or 7ft wide.

I was really proud of my garden, it's the first one I've designed myself and everyone loves it.  I have built my pond myself and took great pains in trying to fit it in with the landscape and at the same time make the whole garden a place to enjoy and relaz without having to spend hours working on it each week.  I have watched the frogs and toads each year and have really enjoyed watching both the tadpoles and the baby fish grow, whenever I mow the lawn I first carefully pick up all the baby frogs/toads (I'm no expert on which they are, but I have had both types of eggs in my pond each year) and place them on the lilypads out of harms way.  In a way they have all become my babies.  Now all I have left is one baby frog and I have only seen one adult frog.  I know from previous years that about a month or so after mating some of the frogs and toads go off, but I can usually see at least half a dozen at any on time.

I have tried staying out in my garden when I first see the snake and after a while my heart does seem to slow down, but the next time it races again and I feel as if I'm about to have a heart attack or something.  I know it's completely irrational and my head tells me it's stupid but I can't help it.  I'm fine with most wildlife and I thought I was OK with snakes (although I would never have one as a pet), but it seems to be since last year when I was about to take what I thought was a piece of debris out of my pond when the snake hissed at me, before I had actually touched it.  I didn't know anything about grass snakes then and didn't realise they liked water until I spoke to the RSPCA, the first thing I thought was that a snake had escaped from somewhere, goes to show my ignorance on the subject. 

It does make me wonder whether I could have coped better had that snake not hissed at me.  Usually I'm quite sensible about these things.  My son says he always knows when I've seen a snake because my voice is totally different, but I am determined that this isn't going to beat me and although I think we will still try to move any out of my pond, I will not allow them to get hurt and will not allow them to keep me out of the garden, I must admit I am nervous putting my hand into the pond now.

Anyway, if there's anyone out there that's looking for a garden complete with snakes, point them my way, they're welcome to it!

Hi everyone

Just got back from holiday on Saturday and so far I haven't seen the snake(s).

The other good news for me is that I have sold my house (luckily no snake encounters during viewings)

The bad news for the snakes is that I received a phone call today asking if I could empty the pond as the buyers have young children (what difference that really makes I don't know as I brought mine up with a pond, personally I prefer to teach children so they are more aware of dangers when they go elsewhere (but we won't get on that soap box!!))

So, although I think I was starting to get used to them (although they still frightened me to death), they will now have to find a new hunting ground.  I just hope they don't follow me to my new house (would be just my luck)!!!!

Anyway, thanks for all your advice.

All the best to you all and hope you all get your snake visitors!

Rob

I have about 40/50 fish to re-home so a pond is a necessity, and as much as the snakes scare me, I won't let them put me off my pond. You never know, as long as they leave my fish alone, I might even get to like them!!  I do like a challenge!!

Anyway, thanks for everything this forum and all of you have helped me to cope with them.