Did you hear about the Man who picked up an Adder?

[Matthew Storrs]

I picked one up when I was 10 and visiting friends in Epsom. Always had a love of reptiles and hadn't seen an adder before. A swift bite, followed by a swifter visit to the local hospital ensued. It was all quite funny (doctors and nurses rushing around me, calling London hospitals for advice) until I started to projectile vomit and blacked out.

 

Stayed in overnight, monitored but no anti venom administered. Right hand swollen to 3 times normal size for about 6 weeks. Lots of pretty colours and unable to do any school work for the duration!

 

Result! Sounds nasty though, I guess different reactions different people?

[aquatoo]

When I was at school in the fifties we used to have an adder in an aquarium tank at the back of the classroom.

 

If you put a ruler in it would take no notice but if you put your hand anywhere near it would strike. We were pretty good at moving fast then!

 

There wasn't any HSE to interfere with our fun in those days. Adders were fairly common on Hackney Marshes at that time and pretty easy to catch.

 

We also had a form member who came to school quite often with his pet Python wrapped around his waist under his shirt. Happy days.

[hedgesparrow]

they if they can will avoid humans very shy animals and only seen two and that was down in the new forest. one sat by me when i was fishing i left him alone and he did not bother me. in the end he slipped into lake and swam off as for dogs a st bernard was bitten in forest and it floored took six people to carry it to car and down to vets vets got anti venom from southampton general. it did recover from its ordeal. so how a smaller dog would react do not know. but picking one up well once bitten twice shy yet he let him bite him three times teach him to pick snakes up. leave:001_rolleyes: them alone wild animal

[Graham]

Chap I know of used to handle them as part of his job and hobby. He was bitten several times but I don't think he had a bad reaction. His Jack Russell was also bitten. He was ok but he used to suffer nervous reactions for some time after.

[Ty Korrigan]

2009, I had just returned from 4months cycle camping across Oz. Proper outback stuff, dingo, camel and wild horses passing close enough to hear them breathing.

I saw all sorts of massive snakes, reptiles and amphibians on my journey from Melbourne-Adelaide to Darwin.

 

Once back in France, I was visiting friends in Brittany when their dog tried to attack a viper sunning itself in the garden.

I grabbed the dogs collar and the snake bit me on a finger.

2 days and a night in hospital as a result and an arm the size of my leg.

Rigid skin like a drum, unable to move my fingers.

 

Now, I am very allergic to bites and stings with even mosquitos causing a serious reaction.

Merde alors...

Ty

[Daniël Bos]

I've been bitten on the toe after standing on one whilst barefoot (was walking through peat, very good for foot issues) and it was like a bee sting. Forgotten about it an hour later and no I'll effects.

 

Same field a few months later we had a cow die after she got bitten on the neck and it swelled so much she choked.

[ArthurBottlesworth]

People on other side of valley can't cut grass because it's full of snakes

 

We never see them, but girl who trains her horse says she saw grassnake 3feet long, seemed a bit excessive to me ....

[Johny Walker]

Heard this on local news today.

 

BBC News - Doncaster man bitten by adder three times in Dalby Forest

 

anybody got any experience of Adders?

 

We used to see them all the time whilst working in Kyloe woods near Holy Island in Northumberland.

 

only the black one

[Tim Stobart Tree Surgery]

Last time I saw one it was on my chest. An ex and I were sunbathing/snoozing in a post coital fashion along a secluded spot of the dorset coast when she jumped out of her skin, leapt up, and brushed an adder onto my bare chest. I'm not sure who was more scared me or the snake, but i brushed it off and it slithered away. I was very lucky to escape a wee nip.

[IanW]

one for the Darwin awards me thinks!!

 

 

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