Snake - advice please

A friend of ours is having trouble with a snake. It's coming into her garden and catching the frogs in her pond and eating them .

The other day she saw it with a frog sticking out of its mouth and, without thinking, touched it and yelled at it. It dropped the frog back into the pond, which swam away, and slithered out of the pond and away.

The snake was approx 18 inches long, biscuit coloured and had a diamond shape on it's head.

What type of snake is it and what can she do to stop it?

 

Thanks Stu,

She's wondering what to do about it because she's worried about her cats.

 

Your friend sounds like quite a brave person, Shiney, actually touching the snake to startle it into releasing the frog, most people. including big strong strapping fella's, usually go white in the face and do a hundred yards in 6.5 seconds! Since the snake has not yet really been identified it's probably wisest not to do that again, although an Adder's bite is not usually fatal to humans it can make them quite ill. Unfortunately for cats a Adder bite can be fatal.

Snakes do have their own territories and if they find a steady source of food they will return to it, which is only natural. [I keep returning to the fridge!]. So no doubt the snake will come back. A friend of mine, in Hastings, used to go to a place called Fairlight Glen on the East Hill in Hastings, clearing and capturing the numerous snakes that abounded on the heaths. He'd walk slowly up to them while they were sunning themselves on a rock or hot area, reach down grabbing them behind the head, and then calmly drop them into a sack. Then he'd let them go farther afield in area where walkers didn't go.
In your friend's case, unless she's brave and quick enough to do it herself, I would advise contacting the local council who should be able to provide the service or know someone who can.

 

Yes, there are some lovely walks along the coastal paths there. The East Hill was notorious for the number of snakes residing there. My brother used to live on the top road [Tackleway} of the East Hill in the Old Town, and his dog was forever bringing his wife presents in the kitchen of upset snakes.!!!

The snake in question probably is a Grass Snake, as suggested, but it would be wise to get an ID of it before attempting anything. I once came upon a very big female Grass Snake that had got into the sun on a doorstep. The only trouble was that it was the entrance to Midland Radar where I was working and the WAAF's were not too happy about trying to get around it, which consequently made the snake very unhappy and it was coiled up and striking at anything that moved. We opened a fire door [against regulations:D] and closed off the path until about an hour later the snake moved off.

 

Thanks for all your comments.

Her main concern is for her cats. Otherwise she is quite happy to have it in her garden.

The reason she doesn't think it is a grass snake is the colour and the facts that it was eating the frog feet first (they usually take them head first) and that none of the fish seem to have been taken but a lot of the frogs have gone.

 

Probably is a grass snake, but they usually have white & yellow around the neck Grass snake orrrrr, it is one of our rare Smooth snakes as they are a biscuity sort of colour & also have a sort of heart shape on the backs of the head.. Wow wonderful if it is..!! This is a photo from the Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Trust

Here is the link to the site as they will be very interested to hear from your friend..
Smooth snake

If of course it isn't then it must have been one of the following if it is native to UK..
This is our adder..
Adder

& of course our Slow worm although it is a lizaerd really not a snake..
Slow-worm

 

Thanks Marley,
She'll be round here in a couple of week and I'll show her your post.

 

okey dokey shiney..