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Posts by TimL: |
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TimL Member Joined: 03 Jul 2010 No. of posts: 6  View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 03 Jul 2010
Topic: Snake in Boat - Advice Needed
While we were out in our open boat on the Thames today, I looked idly down at the floor boards and wondered why one of the ropes was moving, until I realised it was a snake! I'm 99% sure it's a grass snake. It must fallen into the boat earlier in the week, when I put the boat on my next-door-neighbour's mooring while we had a visitor here. It's now hiding in the bilges at the bottom of the boat, and we're trying to figure out how to get it out! Here's a picture:  The snake is about 50 cm long. In the photo, the grey panel on the left is about 25 cm across. I have to admit that I'm not very keen on snakes! Can anyone offer me any advice on the best way to remove it, as I don't think it will be able to get out on its own. -- Tim L |
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TimL Member Joined: 03 Jul 2010 No. of posts: 6 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 03 Jul 2010
Topic: Snake in Boat - Advice Needed
Many thanks, Vipera I'll try the roofing felt trick and see what happens. After I took the photo, the snake crawled off and has hidden itself somewhere. I don't think it will be able to get out on its own as the inside of my boat has vertical smooth fibreglass sides. My neighbour's landing stage is higher than the sides of my boat, so I think the snake must have climbed or fallen in from above. Currently I have put a shoe box with some grass in it on its side in the bottom of the boat, in the hope that the snake might be tempted to settle there. I've also rested a bamboo stick near it, as a friend once told me that he used to clear adders out of his swimming pool by putting a stick in and letting the adder curl round it - I don't know if that works with grass snakes. Anyway your confirmation that it is a grass snake is reassuring. I'm now off to cut up a bit of roofing felt. -- Tim L |
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TimL Member Joined: 03 Jul 2010 No. of posts: 6 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 04 Jul 2010
Topic: Snake in Boat - Advice Needed
As at 19:30 BST on Sunday 4th July, the snake is still on the boat! We've seen it briefly twice today, but as soon as I approached it hid itself in an inaccessible spot again. It's been cloudy here most of the day, and I'm guessing it hasn't been sunny enough for the piece of roofing felt to become attractive. Any further ideas for enticing the snake out of hiding would be welcome. -- Tim L |
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TimL Member Joined: 03 Jul 2010 No. of posts: 6 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 05 Jul 2010
Topic: Snake in Boat - Advice Needed
Thanks again, Vipera The problem with that is that I won't know if the snake has got out or is still in the boat. The boat's still in shade at the moment, but I'm hoping the snake will show itself again when the sun comes round. -- Tim L |
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TimL Member Joined: 03 Jul 2010 No. of posts: 6 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 05 Jul 2010
Topic: Snake in Boat - Advice Needed
Well, it's not dead. It was out in the sun just now, but I took my eye off it for a few moments and it crawled back into a hiding place. The head looks OK to me, but then I've never been this close to a grass snake - or indeed any snake - before. It probably sounds silly to you herpetologists, but I've got a bit of an aversion to snakes! I'll go back and watch out for it and report back later. |
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TimL Member Joined: 03 Jul 2010 No. of posts: 6 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 05 Jul 2010
Topic: Snake in Boat - Advice Needed
Success! The snake came out to sunbathe again this afternoon, and my wife managed to get hold of it. It's now coiled up under the long vegetation on our riverbank. We don't mind it in the garden, and at least it can go where it wants now. There did seem to be something odd about the skin behind its head - a little bit was stuck up, as if it had been torn. Could it be starting to shed its skin? Thank you all for your advice. -- Tim L |
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