RAUK - Archived Forum - Posts by B Lewis:

Hi there,

Yes I had a great time out looking for adders today... 3 in one of my survey sites including a gravid female, one just post-slough and one about to slough with cloudy eyes, of course I was snapping away with the camera..

On my second site, I was following up on a record I gathered some years ago. I re-visited over a year ago to find the Forest Enterprise had been doing some extensive clearing work and all the best areas were cleared or heavily damaged... However, visited today and the works have done a fantastic job and opened up some great glades with superb brush piles. Well done to them, I really had a good time.

Found 2 females, one just sloughing with the 'zig-zag' pattern merged into a single stripe running 2/3 of the way down the body, nice animal. The other had obviously just fed and was really cranky, after a couple of strikes at me she managed to leave her fang out and of course I was on hand to take a picture of that as well... I am told this often happens in vipers but in another strike or two they soon retract it again..

Anyway, enough said.. Good luck with tomorrow. Weather does look good and I'm hoping to go looking for grass's...

Brett

Hi Gemma,

Yes that's right, all the others were 'normally' marked. Just this one and only caught her the once.

Brett.

Hi There,

I think I have had a vivip' feigning death on me or least stayed completely motionless.

I was carrying out a survey in Swanscombe in Kent 2002. I wanted to take a picture of the belly colour of the lizard and when I lifted it up it just went limp. I subsequently found a large tub to put it on and it stayed lying on its back for a while whilst I took the picture. Then I picked it up and returned it to where I caught it and as soon as I put my hand to ground level it was off like a rocket.

I don't know if you've seen similar things done with croc's, when turned on their backs and you hold them in place for short while they will often stay in the same place until you disturb them again. I tried it once with a caiman whilst a prepared a rope, it worked. Anyway, similar scenario here me thinks..

Brett.

Hi Matt,

She looks really egg bound to me, but what can I say.. WOW!!

Hi there,

Be very careful with Frontline, it works well and contains the active ingredient fipronil. Althoug it's not a systemic drug it has a very high alcohol content and this can cool the animals as it evaporates.

I have used a dilute solutions on mammals, diluted with isopropyl alcohol and yes it does work very well. However, there are simple little gadgets called 'pro-tick' removers that you can buy from your local vet and you can use these to pluck off the ticks without leaving mouthparts behind etc.. I have used this extensively on wildlife casualties and humans as well, and to date no problems.

Kind regards

Brett.

Nice picture,

I really like the marbling effect around the face, great for mark recapture episodes.

Here's one I took last year. Your right about the handling, although I find juveniles a little less co-operative.

Thanks for sharing

Brett.

Hi Rob & Tony,

I have regularly photographed 'Grassies' without catching them and enjoy the sport. I agree it can be tricky but that's what makes it more interesting.

I will send one to the admin.. that I recently took in Sussex. I was out on a survey and it was resting up in the middle of a field an hour or so before the sun had moved around to warm it up.

Enjoy!

Brett L.

(sorry about earlier posting error of piccy)

Hi Paul,

I think I am inclined to agree with earlier comments and that the problems arose during early stages of development. It may be something as simple as metabolic bone disease which occurs from lack of vitamins. It moved about freely and appeared to be doing ok in every other respect.

The survey has only been going a few days and only felt tiles are being used. This is also something the animal has contended with for quite some time. I can see that the area of the thoracic/lumbar junction might have indicated being caught under say a tin, but as the problem is not localised I think we can rule this out.

Kind regards

Brett.

Hi Robert,

I like the picture and the snake seems to be a fine specimen. Was this a chance encounter or was you on a survey or looking for G. snakes in particular.

Interestingly I have had a few problems with light and photos this summer especially on bright days and the animals are sitting in very dry grass or hay. The contrast plays havoc.

Anyway, nice to see others have had the opportunity to get some nice pics. Thanks for sharing it.

Brett.

Since we are showing some great pictures I thought I'd share a few more to encourage more people to photograph animals in-situ.

This will be my last on this subject as I feel I could swamp the administrator in pictures. Do forgive me..! :o)

Enjoy.

Brett.

Hi Rob,

I am now using the Canon 300D it has the capability of remote release by cable and through infra-red technology. It really pays however to shop around as I have made some big savings on both body and lenses when compared to high street prices. This model is compatible with their EF lenses only so old ones can't be used unless there is some kind of adaptor (?)

I regularly use the 100-300mm EF USM which is a very quiet lens as it doesn't turn like previous lenses, it uses an ultra sonic motor. Images are achieved fast and with good clarity. My previous cameras have all been Minolta but I have no regrets about making the leap to digital and to Canon.

Also it would be worth shopping around for memory as you can now get great deals on the web and save upto 50% again on high street prices.

Kind regards

Brett.

Hi there,

Here are a couple of Viv. Lizards that I recently observed during one of my surveys in Kent. Poor little blighters try all day to dodge the pheasants then a human comes along and grabs it and moves it to a new home, a specially built three story habitat pile no less.

Anyway thought you might like them

Brett.

Hi Gemma,

Can I suggest that you add some cuttlefish bone to the diet also. I know prawns offer a good protein boost and some calcium but often cuttle fish as whole chunks in the water or powdered and sprinkled onto dampened food will help reduce any difficiency problems. Though this will only be effective if it receives enough sunlight to promote Vit D. Phosphorus is also indicated when helping to restore proper bone, beak, claws,plastron and carapace growth.... I'm sure that I am saying things that you already know but thought it was worth mentioning.

Kind regards

Brett.

I once had a total of thirty of the little critters that had been rescued from sewers, ponds, waterways and mindless people. It's a thankless task but I agree with Justin, it's not their fault....

I would go with Grass snake, the greyish brown is a description I've heard before but is often more like an olive green. The yellow patch should be confirmation enough as you don't find this variant on slow worms.

Can I suggest you look at the 'Creeping up on Grassies' forum to see some pictures of grass snakes and also have a look at the ID pages of this website for some great information on both the mentioned species.

Click on the following links:

http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/identification.htm

or

http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=697

Kind regards

Brett.

I think it's quite interesting to see just how GCNs can survive and breed in very poor conditions. I have surveyed a number of ponds this year that have been way off the mark of the the 'text-book' GCN pond even with bits of engine and asbestos in them. Some eutrophic and some with good fish populations esp. Stickleback.

GCNs appear to be quite hardy little critters and it would seem that they can cope with quite 'harsh' and varied conditions especially in the metapopulation scenario.

I read a paper recently on the ability of Carp to increase the villi on the lung walls in order to make better use when obtaining oxygen from poor water quality  (environmental pressure response). Does anyone know if this happens with other water-based animals, particularly amphibians.

Brett.

Caleb,

It depends on how you define 'breeding success'. There were adult male and female animals, eggs, then larvae. But to estimate breeding success would be difficult from the single season survey. They were obviously reproducing.

One pond in particular was within proximity (50m or so) of a pristine pond that was every bit a breeding pond. It was this pond that had asbestos, rusty metal etc... with reproducing animals that was drawn to my attention.

Another one recently surveyed was of similar poor quality and had been deemed, from desk-top surveyors, to be unlikely to contain GCN's however first visit and a quick netting revealed the presence of GCN larvae. Now this pond again was linked by a network of waterways, but had recently been separated due to its ephemeral qualities.

I have also seen reproductive success in ponds containing fish such as stickleback. I am therefore often wary to committing myself to say that it is likely or unlikely to contain GCNs when fish are present. It really depends on the rest of the habitat suitability and waterbody connectivity.

It just goes to show you need to be out in the field to see these thingsà nature never really follows the text book..! :o)

Brett.

Hi Alan,

If the tree was quite exposed could it be that the trunk held the heat from insolation and the animal was trying to obtain some radiated benefits.

Just a guess as I've never seen adders do that before...

Brett.

Just read through this scenario...

Interesting situation and some good advice. Lin, you've halfway proved youself in getting over this phobia just by finding out more about the animals. Well done...!

Sorry to hear about the pond going though, but pleased to hear you might build a new one.

You might want to consider getting a local herp. group involved and perhaps you could even set up a mini project. Grass snakes can be individually ID by their belly patterns, now I'm not suggesting you take the pictures...!! but if someone with experience and knowledge shows you how it's done this will perhaps help regain your confidence in the animals harmless nature and at the same time produce some great data. A long way off I'm sure but something to think about.

There is a project close by here where some individuals have been tracked over a number of years.

Glad to hear that you are willing to try again, your perseverance and interest will pay off in the long run. Good luck.

Brett.