GerritS Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Today when caching I came accross a baby snake. He was only small but they do get bigger... I understand a UK Adder (I dont know what this was) bite is not fatal but, I might enjoy Caching but I am starting to wonder if its worth the risk! I have had several toad jump out at me recently and had wondered about snakes... Now I think I have good reason to be worried... How often do you put your hand down into dark holes, is thatnot where scared (hence dangerous) Snakes go? http://img.geocaching.com/cache/log/440904...60321c5293f.jpg I was wondering if there have been any UK Caches that bit back? Quote Link to comment
nobby.nobbs Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Adders are rarely fatal but it can happen. Simple rule. Don't put your hand where you can't see it. Quote Link to comment
+molfrew-mosstoad Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 We keep a torch in our cache bag to check out dark holes first also its worth keeping a pair of those rubber gardedning glove too Quote Link to comment
big_bob Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I recently started geocaching and have just stumbled across this forum. This is my first message so please be gentle with me. While doing the caches I have found I had to cross a road on which there were things called cars. I understand these can hurt you if you get too close to them. I think cachers need to be warned. How often you you go where these dangerous beasts canbe found? Now I think I have good reason to be worried. Come on folks, I'd love to find a snake on my travels but these days what's the chance. There are way more dangerous things to worry about than snakes. This is an outdoor activity and humans have managed to survive the outdoors for millenia so stop worrying. Quote Link to comment
+keehotee Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I grew up in the New Forest, and I've never been too concerned about adders. However - just realised my back garden and shed are full of these - - Tube Web Spiders - with a bite that feels like a wasp sting...... Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaghhh Quote Link to comment
+JeremyR Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 (edited) The OP can relax about the snake, it is just a harmless grass snake... A nip from one would probably be painful but certainly not poisonous. Adders have a really distinctive black diamond pattern on their back, like this... ...and are best given a veeeeery wide berth A pokey stick is a good idea in dark holes, particularly on moorland, especially where you see ferns Edited June 23, 2008 by JeremyR Quote Link to comment
+gazooks Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 My only exposure to snakes has been 3 times while caching in Norfolk. On each occasion I found that the snake was more afraid of me and all 3 slithered off. Quote Link to comment
+Geo.Kitten Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I'm origanly from south africa alot more wild life to worry about - and I'm still more worried about the nettles :< Quote Link to comment
+t.a.folk Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Saw an adder very recently along the wide track that leads to your cache ! I try to remember to look where I my feet as well as my hands because once, when I was climbing over a stile, I was in the process of putting a foot to the ground and something made me think snake .Good job too because I was about to put my foot down on an adder .Not sure how I managed to divert my foot in mid motion to avoid the adder.But I did and the adder slowly slittered away from my foot beside it ,like they do ,because they are very timid . And I keep reminding myself they are timid ,because living with so much heathland and forest around we regularly see them in all sorts of locations . (Didn't expect to see the adder I did see on a rocky beach ,but it had crumbling clay cliffs and that's where it slithered to when I stopped in front and let out a little shriek !) Recommend a visit to the repitillary in the New Forest to help get used to the sight of adders and to to learn to recognise the different sorts of patterning . Some have almost black zig zag on almost black background ,yeap solid black . What to do if you do accidently put your hand on an adder is apparently NOT to whisk your hand away . One day we overheard two forestry workers chatting,while we were visiting an open day demonstration of wood splicing at the Knightwood Oak .The forestry workers were chatting about a colleague who had accidently put his hand on an adder . Somehow the colleague had had the strength of mind to leave his hand in place ,and not jerk his hand away. The adder then slowly slithered away without biting him. Tale ended with some joke about clean trousers Quote Link to comment
+SidAndBob Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 We haven't seen an Adder since... ooh, let me think... yesterday. Our second whilst caching. We have Wild Boar round here. I have bumped into them, but not whilst caching. One was shot at a school earlier this year and 3 domestic dogs have been found to be savagely killed by them. Although not proven it is widely thought that there are big cats too. I have personally seen several sheep kills consistent with those from big cats. Stags have even been known to attack on occassion. Quote Link to comment
GerritS Posted June 23, 2008 Author Share Posted June 23, 2008 Adders are rarely fatal but it can happen. Simple rule. Don't put your hand where you can't see it. Nobby, I apprechiate your advise, can I request that Cachers put caches where I can see them... I guess having seen snakes in the forest several times, I have become much more aware off thier presence. This one was actually beside a busy car park, T.A. Folk that was the area I was in when I saw this one . Another visit to reptillary may be required, but then if I see one I won't go near it anyway! It seems the reason for concern is there, although the advice seems to be they will try and get out of your way . They wont stop me caching but then neither do nettles even when I am wearing shorts , or do prickles when I am retrieving a cache without gloves . Maybe thats my true concern, the Snakes and other creatures out there might be smarter than me Quote Link to comment
+Primitive Person Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Whereabouts in the UK are snakes found? I've never come across any snakes in Britain, adders or otherwise. My son managed to get himself covered in ants while we were out caching on Saturday. Didn't do him any damage, but it upset him a lot...I'm not quite sure how it happened, but hey. Lee Quote Link to comment
+Geo.Kitten Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Whereabouts in the UK are snakes found? I've never come across any snakes in Britain, adders or otherwise. My son managed to get himself covered in ants while we were out caching on Saturday. Didn't do him any damage, but it upset him a lot...I'm not quite sure how it happened, but hey. Lee did he by any chance sit on an ant nest? Quote Link to comment
+t.a.folk Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Whereabouts in the UK are snakes found? I've never come across any snakes in Britain, adders or otherwise. Lee For starters ..we've seen addders On Dartmoor ,Devon. Purbeck Coast ,Dorset. All parts New Forest and surrounds ,Hampshire .( and grass snakes there) Can't escape them in town .Friend got bitten picking up a her dogs ball from the long grass in a playing field in a built up area near Troop ,east edge of Bournemouth ,Dorset . Quote Link to comment
+scottpa100 Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Whereabouts in the UK are snakes found? Anywhere where there is a chance to hide and somewhere to sunbathe as they are cold-blooded and cannot generate their own body heat. I've seen grass snakes in grassy fields and they just slither off. I've seen adders and I've always seen them on a gravel type path or track sunbathing and when walking along they slither off into the nearest grass verge and just disappear. Its something to be aware of - but I wouldn't get to hung up about it. Like others have pointed out we all deal with dangers all the time (crossing the road, cooking chicken properly, not mowing the lawn with your electric mower in the rain) and we just learn. We just need to do the same with the great outdoors. Quote Link to comment
+Donmoore Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 St. Paddy sorted out Ireland he got rid of them all so you'll not be finding any around my neck of the woods. I'd love to find some to prove that old myth wrong! I know of few large escaped snakes in the area but I assume they die quickly with the cold climate but maybe not. Quote Link to comment
+Primitive Person Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Whereabouts in the UK are snakes found? Anywhere where there is a chance to hide and somewhere to sunbathe as they are cold-blooded and cannot generate their own body heat. I've seen grass snakes in grassy fields and they just slither off. I've seen adders and I've always seen them on a gravel type path or track sunbathing and when walking along they slither off into the nearest grass verge and just disappear. Its something to be aware of - but I wouldn't get to hung up about it. Like others have pointed out we all deal with dangers all the time (crossing the road, cooking chicken properly, not mowing the lawn with your electric mower in the rain) and we just learn. We just need to do the same with the great outdoors. Absolutely - as I tried to explain to my son whilst busily removing ants from inside his trousers (don't ask!) the worst thing you can do when confronted with potential danger is panic. Keep a level head and an awareness of your surroundings, and when something happens, just stop, think, act rationally and do what you need to do. 99.9% of the time you'll be fine. Lee Quote Link to comment
+t.a.folk Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 [ Maybe thats my true concern, the Snakes and other creatures out there might be smarter than me Like the pannaging pigs in the Autumn . http://naturenet.net/blogs/index.php?p=311...;more=1&c=1 Hasten to add we've never been chased by one ,but we steer well clear of those with young piglets . and if in doubt I hide behind me ol' man because he's bigger than me Quote Link to comment
+pirate_matt Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I had a snake strike at me while replacing a cache, luckily it missed and once i had got over the shock i was really happy as it stayed around long enough for me to get some photos of it. i love spotting wildlife while out caching, it's one of the reasons i go out. as long as you are careful and watch where you are putting your limbs you will be fine! Quote Link to comment
big_bob Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 (edited) Nobby, I apprechiate your advise, can I request that Cachers put caches where I can see them... But I thought the idea was to hide caches, not to make them visible. Have I got it wrong? Edited June 23, 2008 by big_bob Quote Link to comment
+kennamatic Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I once saw a Gecko whilst caching. Actually, it was a very small lizard that ran across a path in front of me. That was quite close enough to nature for me! Quote Link to comment
+keehotee Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I once saw a Gecko whilst caching. Actually, it was a very small lizard that ran across a path in front of me. That was quite close enough to nature for me! I used to see one quite often when I started caching. Oh, no - sorry - that was a Geko............ Quote Link to comment
+Alibags Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 St. Paddy sorted out Ireland he got rid of them all so you'll not be finding any around my neck of the woods. I'd love to find some to prove that old myth wrong! I know of few large escaped snakes in the area but I assume they die quickly with the cold climate but maybe not. Q: What did Saint Patrick say as he drove all the snakes out of Ireland A: Are you fellers OK in the back there? Quote Link to comment
+ddr1711 Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I'm South African and we have lots of nasty snakes, scorpions and bugs and much larger dangerous creatures back home so we learn to be aware of nature and snakes in particular from a young age. My partner, who's British, has never seen a snake here in the UK but I've had the privilege of meeting an adder whilst doing a CITO event at Seven Sisters... Poky stick for feeling in holes and the like, a good torch to light dark spots and proper boots if you're out walking. Quote Link to comment
+Beds Clangers Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Trust me a bite from an adder is very painful and the jabs you get afterwards are even more so, well I am a big chicken!!! Not sure if I was bitten or just sat on the dadgum thing but it did bite me OK, while working in the new forest, mobile phone site, had just come off a tower and a "flopped" down on the grass/heather. Had my full working harness, fall arrest kit on and something bit me in the very high part of my right leg, if you get the general area!!! Lept up, saying "Oh dear something just bit me" well not those exact words, but think you get my drift!!! Work mate came over and that's when we saw the snake, looks like I had sat on it but my harness/steel fixings had done quite a bit of damage to the snake. . It was about 1m long but had the tell tale "black diamond" markings. Over loads of laughing from my mate and the obvious jokes about "I'm not sucking the poision out, It was only a little prick, etc etc!!! My leg was starting to get very painful, red and had an obvious bite mark. OK, off the nearest A&E somewhere near Ringwood. Limped in and explained what had happened. "How do you know it was an adder?" enquired the nurse. "Well it looked lke an adder and it did bite me!!" I replied At this pont my mate nipped back to the van and came back with a bag and "YES" dumped the now very sick looking ADDER on the floor!!! We almost emptied the A&E dept' but they did confirm it was an adder!!! Bite was very painful and sore, took quite a while to settle down Nick Quote Link to comment
NickPick Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Trust me a bite from an adder is very painful and the jabs you get afterwards are even more so, well I am a big chicken!!! So, Nick, is there anything you haven't been bitten/stung/injured by? As Ali said the other week, can we look forward to your reports of having your arm broken by a swan? Quote Link to comment
+Beds Clangers Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Trust me a bite from an adder is very painful and the jabs you get afterwards are even more so, well I am a big chicken!!! So, Nick, is there anything you haven't been bitten/stung/injured by? As Ali said the other week, can we look forward to your reports of having your arm broken by a swan? Urban Myth, never been a case reported of a swan braking a man's arm, well not yet!!! I keep well away from Beford river, 100's of the blighters down there!!!! Never met a swan near a mobile phone mast, now there's a story Nick Quote Link to comment
Vimes Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Apparantly, in the last 10 years, no one has died from an Adder bite in the UK, but 8 people have been killed by cows Quote Link to comment
+Malpas Wanderer Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Just as well this is a multi as I'm more likely to read the cache page for multi's than trads. Quote Link to comment
+Simply Paul Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 A girl died of an Adder bite in 1977 - that's the last time anyone died from a domestic snake bite here. As they said on Friday's QI, you're more at risk from a peanut. You've also a better chance of being hit by lightning. Much better. It's a caching danger, especially at this time of year, with sudden summer storms. Yes, be careful, but keep things in perspective. Duck! Quote Link to comment
+hiho9 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 quack, always have a torch and a walking pole handy for sticking in them dark holes that usually contain a micro Quote Link to comment
+Delta68 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Cows are our number 1 fear/hate. They are inexplicably drawn to the dogs. Mrs D was bitten by a spider while out caching though. During a recent trip to Germany/Holland we were very wary of ticks though. I don't know just how how bad the risk is but an awful lot a caches have the tick warning attribute... Quote Link to comment
+sTeamTraen Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 During a recent trip to Germany/Holland we were very wary of ticks though. I don't know just how how bad the risk is but an awful lot a caches have the tick warning attribute... Risk of getting bitten: quite high. I attract the little blighters - with other insects such as mosquitos normally I'm the last member of the family to get bitten, so ticks apparently work on a different smell. Risk of catching anything nasty: objectively quite low. But living in that delightful zone where both Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis are endemic, I got the jab for the latter after my son "possibly" had a bout of it (the doctors still don't know for certain and probably never will) and I'm careful to check for the famous rash allegedly produced by the former (although not, it turns out, in all cases ). There are other rarer miscellaneous nasties too. (Tick-borne encephalitis is not native to the UK, as far as I know.) Quote Link to comment
+careygang Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Just count yourself lucky regarding things that bite or sting. We've been out here 8 months (time flies when caching) and we love caching on hikes in the local desert and beyond. But, there are few more things to watch out for... Nevada Rattlesnakes I especially like the warning " Check under your car on hot days in case a reptile is seeking shade. " Don't forget the Spiders and Scorpions too. So as far as caching in the UK goes, I'd call it safe... Quote Link to comment
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