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RAUK - Archived Forum - Communal basking

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Communal basking:

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yellowhammer
Member
Joined: 13 Jun 2006
No. of posts: 22


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Posted: 25 Aug 2006

Hi all,

Found these three basking together yesterday. The grass snake was originally basking in the same spot as the adder until it was shoved out of the way. you can't really see from the photo but the grassie is in blue, and very nervous. At one point the adder actually climbed on top of the grass snake, then lay parallel alongside and began furiously tongue-flicking, almost like a courtship behaviour. When the grassie moved away the adder ignored it. Has anybody else seen any sort of interaction between the two species?

The neo viv. lizard didn't hang around much longer! Apologies for the rubbish photo...

cheers, Ian


Cheers, Ian
herpetologic2
Senior Member
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
No. of posts: 1369


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Posted: 25 Aug 2006

 

Excellent observations shame you didnt get a picture of the adder on the grass snake -

Jon

 


Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant -
visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife
Vicar
Senior Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2004
No. of posts: 1181


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Posted: 25 Aug 2006

Ian,

I really like this photo !

Adders and Grass snakes basking in close proximity is very common. They share similar basking requirements, so I guess its not that surprising. On some local heaths, its so common, that when I see an Adder, I'll scan carefully for any grassies before I approach closer.

I quite often see Common lizards basking close to Adders, but they don't like the Adders geting too close ! I can't remember seeing a Common lizard under the same tin as an adult snake of any species.


Steve Langham - Chairman    
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG).
Suzi
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
No. of posts: 860


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Posted: 25 Aug 2006
I have never seen a common lizard under a tin with or without snakes.
Suz
herpetologic2
Senior Member
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
No. of posts: 1369


View other posts by herpetologic2
Posted: 26 Aug 2006

 

I have seen plenty of lizards under tins - it is what we use to capture some of the animals in a rescue say - though most of the animals in the later part of the day would be captured off things like anthills, tussocks, fence posts, log piles etc.

Often you will find animals preferring natural habitat to felt or tin though they do use them during their day - with high numbers of ACO's you will find them under tin or felt during rain etc

Regards

 

Jon

 


Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant -
visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife
GemmaJF
Admin Group
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
No. of posts: 2090


View other posts by GemmaJF
Posted: 26 Aug 2006

Many moons ago long before I had a camera of any kind I came across a grass snake coiled perfectly on top of an adult female adder, and just to top it all off a neo adder coiled perfectly on top of the grass snake on a brash pile at Hindhead commons. I doubt if I'll ever see that again! At this site both species are relatively abundant and it is not too unusual to find them basking in close proximity or in direct contact with each other.

PS I like the picture too, you have really captured the three species together well


Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant
yellowhammer
Member
Joined: 13 Jun 2006
No. of posts: 22


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Posted: 26 Aug 2006

 

This is the only half-decent photo I've got of the two of them together, again not very clear. In my defence I was trying to lean over an electric fence at the time! Both snakes were basking in the same place again yesterday. The adder spent some time rubbing the sides of his head along the logs andlooking, for want of a better word, uncomfortable. Possibly also about to slough?

Suzi + Jon, I've also never found lizards under the tins here, although they're common under logs less than a metre away. On a site in north Kent I know they are regularly found under old carpet with slow worms.

cheers, Ian


Cheers, Ian
yellowhammer
Member
Joined: 13 Jun 2006
No. of posts: 22


View other posts by yellowhammer
Posted: 26 Aug 2006

Steve,

Thanks for your comments, looking back over my records for this site it's clear that adders and grassies are found in roughly the same areas and I'd not really made the coonection, so ta for that. The grass snake finally gave up trying to bask peacefully when another adder turned up and pushed him out of the way. there was also an adult viv. lizard basking about a metre away who shot off when the grassie moved.

cheers, Ian

 


Cheers, Ian
Chris Monk
Senior Member
Joined: 21 Apr 2004
No. of posts: 157


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Posted: 30 Aug 2006
When we (John Newton & I) found the one grass snake up on the Peak District Moors this spring it was in the same small area of heather above a stream that had 7 male adders basking around it. No doubt it had shared the same hibernaculum with them over the winter and been " booted out" by them when they decided it was time to emerge for the spring. Unfortunately it didn't seem to stay around to bask with the adders, as on seven subsequent visits only the adders were present.
Chris
Derbyshire Amphibian & Reptile Group
www.derbyshirearg.co.uk
Morpheus
Senior Member
Joined: 30 Apr 2006
No. of posts: 54


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Posted: 12 Sep 2006
I cant believe you were able to see two spieces of snake and one lizard in one day! being Honest now i have only ever seen one lizard and about 17 slow worms through out my whole life
Gloucestershire`s first exotic pet show!
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/general-herp-chat/320967-glou cestershire-reptile-show-2010-a.html
Suzi
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
No. of posts: 860


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Posted: 12 Sep 2006
Do you live in an area where adders and grass snakes are present? However much you look if they are not present you're going to draw a blank. Why not ask around locally and find out. Adders like a more particular habitat I'd say than grass snakes. We have grass snakes within the country town I live in - Devon - also slow worms but no lizards or adders. Adders tend to be more on heaths and moorland or woodland edges. Also you need to approach snakes very quietly and in the right conditions to have a hope of seeing them.
Suz
Morpheus
Senior Member
Joined: 30 Apr 2006
No. of posts: 54


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Posted: 16 Sep 2006
There isnt many big places for wildlife but the places that are good for wildlife seem perfect but theres nothing there   
also i think the only reptiles and amphibeans around me are smooth newts, some great crested newts ,common frogs and the odd slow worm
Gloucestershire`s first exotic pet show!
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/general-herp-chat/320967-glou cestershire-reptile-show-2010-a.html
Caleb
Forum Coordinator
Joined: 17 Feb 2003
No. of posts: 448


View other posts by Caleb
Posted: 19 Sep 2006
A friend's just given me these pictures of a couple of groups of slow-worms (and a single grass snake) from his parents' garden near Kingsbridge in Devon, taken earlier this year:



One group were under a roof slate, the other under carpet.
Not quite basking, but definitely communal...
Suzi
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
No. of posts: 860


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Posted: 19 Sep 2006
The slow worms look like mine in the compost heap - a plate of spaghetti. Occasionally I get a grass snake - size varies - often in August. A 2ft grassie I had one year made itself a little depression in the compost and it would disappear every third day or so (to feed maybe) and then return and lie in precisely the same position each time.
Suz

- Communal basking

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