W/C in the UK ??

[stuart]

In the UK, can u catche and keep wild caughts, im sure there is a law against it, does anyone know for sure ?
I caugh a grass snake hatchling once, it was in bad shape, really need food, but i did not keep it or try to feed it as i ws sure that there was a law involed sumwhere??

[Chip]

I'd nurse an ailing snake back to health in a heartbeat. I've kept an indigo without a permit, and was willing to call it a black milk in the extremely unlikley event anything was ever said about it. In the US, we have the DOR (Department of Natural Resources) and Fish and Wildlife who enforce these laws. I'm pretty high profile (member of herp society, do presentations, and advertise) and I've never gotten so much as a phone call. I do believe you are supposed to fill out a form once you have over 5 reptiles in my state, but I've seen no reason to do so.

[niki]

i would definitely just keep and nurse the snake in the long run you are probablly doing it the favour of a longer and easier life.

[Alex Dew]

There IS a law againts keeping w/c grass snakes and adders in the UK, but if I was you and I found an ill one, I would nurse it better. The bad thing about both those snakes are that grass snakes stink badly and adders are venomous.

I have seen a few grass snakes and adders in our fields, but I have never kept one.

Alex

[stuart]

this is wot kills me, the grass snake i caught was so docile, just like my corn, he didnt play dead, bit or let off his oders. he was perfect, no ticks, no visual problems. he was only about 7 inches long.

[stuart]

are grass snakes rear fanged ? im sure they are, cos they eat frogs as their main diet, and u dont ever see a snake constricting a frog. ????

[Shaky]

They aren't rear-fanged, they just grab and start swallowing. However, some mild allergic responses have been known to occur in natricine bites.

[Chip]

They are a close relative to the US garter and ribbon snakes, Thamnophis genus (unless that has been changed). They swallow all food live and whole, even frogs. If they are anything like their American counterparts, you can keep them easily on minnows and earthworms.

[mattsnake]

If they are like garters, their saliva is toxic to their small prey. If a human that is allergic is bitten by a garter, the saliva will cause a harmless rash.

[So Pirate55]

Where in NC are you? (if you dont mind me askin)
and how can i go about gettin in one of the herp organizations around eastern NC?

[Chip]

I'd check the Internet to find a herp society. I'm sure there is one around there, if not in town. Try a search for "herpetological societies, NC" under Google or Dogpile. If Asheville and Hendersonville each have one, there has to be one around you. Good luck.