Delighted to be in The Sun last weekend talking about snakes. I love snakes, they are incredible creatures, but coming face to face with one on a walk did freak my daughter out. My advice was stay calm, stay away and move on.
Original Article written by Journalist:
Pet owners are being warned to look out for snakes in their gardens as they may attack.
Thanks to lockdown and less people being around in their usual habitat, brave snakes have been spotted slithering around on country paths, moorlands and beaches.
There’s even a chance of finding a snake in your garden – and if your dog, cat or small furry gets to it first, it could get nasty.
Animal behaviourist Sarah-Jane White explains: “Usually snakes are secretive and prefer to avoid humans, but in lockdown they’ve become a lot more bold.
“There are three species of snake in the UK that can cause harm and they are adders, grass snakes and smooth snakes.
“The adder and grass snake are the species you are most likely to come across. enjoying the sunshine under long grass and in sunny spots in woods.
“If you spot one in your garden, they are most likely to have been hiding in your compost heap where it is warm and damp, and that’s when it can be a worry for your pet.”
Sarah’s advice is to keep dogs, cats and other small furries and snakes apart, but if your pet disturbs one and gets bitten, to take them straight to the vet.
According to the Animal Poison Line, signs of an adder bite include rapid, progressive, local swelling around the bite site, lethargy, collapse, vomiting, panting and lameness.
Sarah added: “If you suspect your pet has been bitten by a snake even though they may appear fine at first, don’t wait, get to your vet immediately.
“Keep them calm and don’t make a huge fuss as this can make the bite’s effect worse. In most cases, if given anti-venom the prognosis is good but it’s important to get help straight away.”
Comment Supplied by Sarah-Jane White to Journalist:
As temperatures warm up and summer is upon us our native snakes are coming out of hibernation and are on the move looking for mates.
Snakes are secretive and prefer to avoid humans whenever possible, but during the Covid lockdowns they have become less fearful as there have been less people around.
There are three species of snake within the UK that can cause harm to humans: adders, grass snakes and smooth snakes. They can be identified by the colouring and patterns on their skin and live in different habitats. Most of the snake species found across the UK cause minimal harm to humans and our pets, but the adder is the one to watch out for as it is venomous.
Normally seen in woodland and heathland the adder and grass snake are the species you are most likely to come across. The smooth snake is rarely spotted and only lives in a few heathlands in the UK. If you spot a snake in your garden, they are most likely to have been hiding in your compost heap where it is warm and damp. At this time of year snakes will be basking in the sunshine under the cover of long grasses, crops and in sunny spots in the woods.
Spotted a snake? Don’t panic. Just enjoy it from a distance. The biggest risk for pet owners is if your dog finds a snake and disturbs it, they may get bitten, but this risk is very small. If you’re not sure if you live in a known adder spot, you can check here: https://species.nbnatlas.org/species/NBNSYS0000005075.
If you suspect your dog has been bitten by a snake even though they may appear fine at first, do not wait. Get to your vet immediately for attention. Ideally, call ahead and send them a description or photo of the snake if you have it to help identify which snake has bitten your dog.
Keep your dog calm and don’t make a huge fuss as this can make the bite’s effect worse if it is an adder bite. In 70% of cases there is no envenomation, which means no venom was injected by the snake, so your dog should be fine.