Snakes - Adders In Particular, Uh oh. Options

[Helen]

Just been reading camp site rules....

"There are adders present in the woods, please take appropriate cautions".

ADDERS??

Are adders dangerous? :o :blink: :unsure: And what appropriate precautions are those? :unsure:


Signed,
The Girl With A Fear Of Snakes Of Any Variety.
:unsure: :(

P.S. Avoiding the woods is not an option... one of my duties on camp is keeping the fire going so I got to get wood some how :unsure:

[maggiemay]

Helen,
from the bbc nature website:

Adders are not aggressive snakes, and will only attack if harassed or threatened. Although an adder’s venom poses little danger to a healthy adult human, the bite is very painful and requires urgent medical attention.

Plenty of other information there too, including what they look like!

Good luck - hope you don't meet one ...

[Helen]

Although an adder’s venom poses little danger to a healthy adult human, the bite is very painful and requires urgent medical attention.

:o :unsure: (not at all relieved).

Good luck  -  hope you don't meet one ...

Yes I hope I don't either.

[janexxx]

Well even if you are scared of snakes, be sure the adders will be soooooo much more frightened of you, and will make themselves scarce if they hear a human approaching. So make LOTS OF NOISE (she shouts) as you go about the woods.

I don't think one would even consider attacking you and you are only likely to get bitten if you inadvertently tread on one, and that is one who wasn't fast enough to go and hide when he heard you coming making lots of noise.

They can't bite very easily through tough leather boots or the like, so just in case there are any slow and deaf adders in those woods, (which is unlikely, slow and deaf ones are likely to have already been caught by predators) don't go in in open sandals or flip flops, but wear walking boots or tough shoes.

I think you are more likely to win the lottery than meet an adder, especially if you are noisy.

[Helen]

Well even if you are scared of snakes, be sure the adders will be soooooo much more frightened of you, and will make themselves scarce if they hear a human approaching.  So make LOTS OF NOISE (she shouts) as you go about the woods.

I don't think one would even consider attacking you and you are only likely to get bitten if you inadvertently tread on one, and that is one who wasn't fast enough to go and hide when he heard you coming making lots of noise.

They can't bite very easily through tough leather boots or the like, so just in case there are any slow and deaf adders in those woods, (which is unlikely, slow and deaf ones are likely to have already been caught by predators) don't go in in open sandals or flip flops, but wear walking boots or tough shoes.

I think you are more likely to win the lottery than meet an adder, especially if you are noisy.

Slightly comforting.... rightio, thats sorted then. I'll take loads of guides with me to make noise...

[janexxx]

Yeah and send them on ahead....just in case!

[thouston]

Wear good thick boots - it'll give your feet protection and make you feel better. They'll also help with the second precaution:

Make plenty of noise. If they hear you coming they'll go away and hide, so you'll never even see them. They would never come after you, so don't worry about that!

You will almost certainly not come across one. I live and work in an area supposed to be quite high in adders and have never seen one in 20 years. They don't like trouble any more than you do and will keep out of your way if they possibly can.

Quite honestly, depending on where this wood is, your biggest problem is more likely to come from much smaller beasties - mosquitos, ticks and such like (not that I want to put you off even more...) so take plenty of anti-histamine cream and make sure you know how to remove ticks.

[Oddball]

Adders are not deadly, but yes, the bites can be painful (so I've heard) but even the footsteps of a few people would send Adders scattering.

I happened to meet an angry Adder on Dartmoor....I nearly accidentally stabbed it!!

Yeah, just make loads of noise and go stamping round, and you'll be fine.

[Helen]

Quite honestly, depending on where this wood is, your biggest problem is more likely to come from much smaller beasties - mosquitos, ticks and such like (not that I want to put you off even more...) so take plenty of anti-histamine cream and make sure you know how to remove ticks.

I don't have a problem with smaller beasties, just snakes. Urgh *shudders at the thought*

[janexxx]

I have actually met 2 adders in my life. They were both very small, but babies, very scared and desperate to get off the footpath and back into the bracken. Neither stayed around to be introduced.

I live in the country and walk my dog in the woods very regularly, so the odds of you seeing one on one week in the country are so remote.

And yes ticks might be an issue (though less dangerous), and not very pleasant things. You need to remove them properly as bits can get left behind and that's when there is a danger of infection. But then again in my life in the country etc, I've never picked one up, although my dogs have from time to time....might be because they go running about in the undergrowth and I stay on the path.

[saxlover]

ARGH!! I'm so scared of snakes...eew!

[elmo]

I've held a snake a couple of times, an anaconda in Brazil and the one which squeezes you to kill you, when i was little! They're really not that bad!

There's supposed to be lots of Adders in the place where my grandma lives and in places that I go lots and I've never seen one once.

[Helen]

Hi everyone!

Im back from camp now (well I got back yesterday but was far too tired to poston here!). I have a fab and completely adder free time!
:lol:

[janexxx]

Hi everyone!

Im back from camp now  (well I got back yesterday but was far too tired to poston here!). I have a fab and completely adder free time!
:lol:

Phew that's a relief.... I bet they saw you though :D

Welcome back Helen glad you had a great time

[maggiemay]

Pleased you had a good time Helen - and that the camp was adder-free!