Snakes basking together

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Snakes basking together

Postby Ilian Velikov » Sat Jun 22, 2013 7:57 pm

Today me and my wife went for a day out in the local nature reserve in Greater London. Weather was crap (surprisingly :roll: ) - strong wind with not so light showers of rain and a bit of sun between them. We went to check our snake spot anyway. We saw something that most of you would be quite familiar with – an adder and a grass snake basking together. This was not a surprise for me because by that time of year the vegetation at this spot is quite high and there are not too many good basking sights. This is how we found them.

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I approached them very carefully to take some photos but the grass snake got spooked and went off into the vegetation. The adder, startled by the grass snake, started to get going but because I stopped moving it decided I’m not a threat and stayed where it was. Literally a few seconds later the grass snake came back. The adder then approached it, they exchanged a few tongue flicks and intertwined together again although there was plenty of space for the two snakes to stay next to each other rather than on top of each other.

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I understand why they bask on the same spot (few suitable basking sights) but I was wondering why they would intertwine like that even though they didn’t have to. It seemed as they enjoyed each other’s company, or benefited from it in some way…maybe it’s easier to retain heat this way? It would be interesting to hear what you think and if there’s any studies done on this kind of behavior.

At the same time just a couple of meters away from them was another grass snake basking alone at a much bigger and more open sight that would have fitted more than five snakes without them having to overlap.

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Thanks.
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Re: Snakes basking together

Postby Mario Schweiger » Sun Jun 23, 2013 7:11 am

Nice observation, Ilian ;)

Yes, if one has time and don't hassle to much, they will stay or come back very soon to the same spot.
I have observed this even in Hierophis v. carbonarius or Malpolon i. fuscus in Croatia and Montenegro.
First seeing a "flash" only, but sitting down for a cigarette lenght, the have been back.
Malp_jun07_ulcinje.jpg
Is everything ok outside there now?


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Re: Snakes basking together

Postby Ilian Velikov » Sun Jun 23, 2013 1:02 pm

Thanks for your reply Mario. Yes, I know most snakes would return to the same basking spot if they are disturbed, but I was wondering why would they seek each other out and intertwine again when there's plenty of space for them to bask separatelly?
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Re: Snakes basking together

Postby Daniel Kane » Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:21 pm

Ilian Velikov wrote:I was wondering why would they seek each other out and intertwine again when there's plenty of space for them to bask separatelly?


Optimal conditions? Best microclimate/close to cover & basking area/two sets of eyes better than one for spotting predators/both parties benefiting from heat obtained by each other.. I'm sure the list could go on...

See "Graves, B., & Duvall, D. (1987). An experimental study of aggregation and thermoregulation in prairie rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis viridis). Herpetologica, 43(2), 259-264." for one possible explanation.
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Re: Snakes basking together

Postby Ilian Velikov » Sun Jun 23, 2013 8:19 pm

Thanks Daniel! Yes, that's what I thought - it must be more than just "not enough good basking spots".

By the way, has anyone observed the same thing with other european species of snakes? It seems that whenever there are different species of snakes basking on top of each othe it's always these two.
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Re: Snakes basking together

Postby Mario Schweiger » Mon Jun 24, 2013 7:23 am

Before some years, on Krk island, we observed a quite dangerous situation for Vipera ammodytes ;) .
The viper was resting on a Pseudopus, basking along a stone wall.
Sorry, no pic :oops:

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Re: Snakes basking together

Postby Kevin Byrnes » Mon Jun 24, 2013 6:23 pm

The usual suspects
Image
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Re: Snakes basking together

Postby Gerald Ochsenhofer » Mon Jun 24, 2013 7:36 pm

I really envy you both for that pictures!
The second berus seems to be quite flattened :D
sporadic news -> http://thxalot.net/v2/
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Re: Snakes basking together

Postby Jürgen Gebhart » Mon Jun 24, 2013 7:47 pm

Mario Schweiger wrote:Before some years, on Krk island, we observed a quite dangerous situation for Vipera ammodytes ;) .
The viper was resting on a Pseudopus, basking along a stone wall.
Sorry, no pic :oops:

Mario


Shame on you Mario! ;)
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Re: Snakes basking together

Postby Francesco Tri » Tue Jun 25, 2013 5:48 am

Report this postReply with quoteRe: Snakes basking together
by Jürgen Gebhart » Mon Jun 24, 2013 8:47 pm

Mario Schweiger wrote:
Before some years, on Krk island, we observed a quite dangerous situation for Vipera ammodytes .
The viper was resting on a Pseudopus, basking along a stone wall.
Sorry, no pic

Mario

Shame on you Mario!



Haahahahahahahah :lol:
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