[mumofstig]

has it's head in the netting - I've checked online and it's a grass snake. Phew!

But I'm scared of them, what will it's reaction be if I try to free it from the netting?  I don't want to hurt it or to be too frightened by what it does  :blink:

so what's the best course of action please ......................

[JayG]

Is it stuck?

It's totally harmless so won't do anything other than be eternally grateful to you - just shake it free (you don't have to touch it, and there isn't much to damage on the outside of a snake, although you might need a pair of scissors to cut the net if it's been a really silly snake!)

[mumofstig]

and breathe.............didn't like that at all  

I managed to cut the net to get it free round it's head and it squirmed its body further in before I could stop it   *shudder*
and don't thy stink - gross!
I ended up cutting a square out of the netting and moving the snake onto the paving. Left it to calm down and then cut it out again, it's squirmed off into the rockery, so I hope it stays there now.

I still hate snakes  

[JayG]

Well done Mum! 

Hope it's learned its lesson, although if it was stupid enough to get stuck in the first place possibly not! 

[savbo]

and don't thy stink - gross!

did you see Chris Packham on Springwatch talking about snake-sniffing?

[mumofstig]

no, I didn't 

[Growster...]

Dear Mum,

What is it you have against snakes wearing hairnets then?

It took me ages to find one that fits!

Hmphhh!

Yours sincerely,

Sid.

[Goosegirl]

Always wanted to hold a snake! Held a garter snake once and it was lovely - not at all slimy, and moved so beautifully with its little tongue sniffing the air. OH - bring me a boa!!

[galen]

I'm with you on this MOS, think I would have asked someone else to help  though ! 

[Trillium]

Good for you, mum. Snakes do so much good in the garden that it's a shame to lose even one.

[Salmo]

Grass snakes eat slugs but they also eat frogs.

[mumofstig]

Grass snakes eat slugs but they also eat frogs.

They can sort that out for themselves -without my interference, sorry 

[PembsPanther]

ha ha ha well done MOS

I see a few grass snakes around where we are, they are quite common, we also have a population of adders that seem to enjoy the grass embankments on sand dunes at some of the local beaches, they also like forrest and woodland, luckily I have not seen one of these I think they bite if you get to close!

[PembsPanther]

Here are the ************* sweeties

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/nature/species/pages/adder.shtml

[arugula]

luckily I have not seen one of these I think they bite if you get to close!

Adders do bite and they're poisonous, in fact potentially fatal even to humans. They have killed dogs before now.

But mum isn't so likely to find one of those in her garden.