Name that snake

[cooperlola]

And more importantly, is it poisonous?  Cosworth the cat - and that's her paw in the picture - has dug two of these up in the last few days and thinks that they are wonderful toys, but are they poisonous and should we be worried (apart from for the poor snake, of course?)  We've looked him up on the internet but can't get a good match.

 

[IMG]http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q103/cooperlola/DSC_69771.jpg[/IMG]

[Théière]

The yellow collar is the giveaway, A grass snake I would say.

I thought Cosworths used timing chains not snake belts [:)]

[cooperlola]

Thanks, Mr Teapot.  We had assumed (and hoped) so - especially as Cosworth is alive and healthy in spite of playing for hours with her new toy - but nothing we've looked at on t'intnernet convinced us totally.  I think now that Mr C will be more inclinded to rescue the snake from her clutches!

[idun]

There are many sorts of couleuvre in France, is this one the couleuvre a collier?

[Loiseau]

Yes, that looks like a couleuvre (grass snake).  They rather like water; I have seen them swimming in a small pond.

Here's a page about distinguishing vipers from grass snakes.  The two most reliable differentiating features seem to be the eye (round pupil in grass snakes and slow worms; vertical slit-shaped pupil in vipers), and the scales on the head (fewer and larger on the head of a grass snake than of a viper).

Angela

[woolybanana]

Pick them up and look them closely in the eyes until you are sure which is which!!!

[cooperlola]

[quote user="woolybanana"]Pick them up and look them closely in the eyes until you are sure which is which!!![/quote]Oh, ta!

As it happens, the round eyes are very evident in the original picture so we're now 100% convinced it's a grass snake.  Thanks one and all. 

[idun]

[quote user="woolybanana"]Pick them up and look them closely in the eyes until you are sure which is which!!![/quote]

 

That should work with humans too, it would be neat if it did, and we would be able to tell the venemous ones just by 'looking into their eyes'.

[cooperlola]

[quote user="idun"]

[quote user="woolybanana"]Pick them up and look them closely in the eyes until you are sure which is which!!![/quote]

 

That should work with humans too, it would be neat if it did, and we would be able to tell the venemous ones just by 'looking into their eyes'.

[/quote]If only that were so, how many mistakes in my life might have been avoided.[:D]

[Iceni]

How would one perform a naming ceremony for a snake, particularly one that looks not much larger than an earwig? In these straitened times wasting a bottle of champagne would seem a tad OTT as well as not doing much for the snake.

You may care to ponder this on Friday instead of wondering why Willy is too tall for his hair.

John

[cooperlola]

We just sprinkled the dregs from a glass of Saumur on him in the end, John[:)]

Who is Willy?[8-)] 

[Théière]

William Windsor [blink]

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Théière"]William Windsor [blink][/quote]Oh, right.  Is that this week?[:-))]

[JSKS]

[quote user="Théière"]William Windsor [blink][/quote]

 

Ah yes.

 

Prinz Wilhelm Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

[Théière]

[quote user="JK"]

[quote user="Théière"]William Windsor [blink][/quote]

 

Ah yes.

 

Prinz Wilhelm Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

[/quote]

Some how JK your post was missing something.

[JSKS]

Theiere,

It's 'cos I used Opera browser instead of IE. The quote function goes all weird.

[kelric]

Everyone

can't understand the language of your eyes. Hope one is that lucky to

have relation with the sort of people who know him by their heart and

can understand him without he say any words.

[Rabbie]

[quote user="JK"]Theiere, It's 'cos I used Opera browser instead of IE. The quote function goes all weird.[/quote]I get the same effect with IE if I don't click the compatibility icon. Then it works OK