Ticino - Ice sucking snake

[Jürgen Gebhart]

The first one-Day-Trip is over. I was in Ticino/Switzerland.
Of course I was looking for Viperas and as usual I found not one!

I saw a lot of Podarcis muralis and a few Lacerta bilineata.

The only snake I found was a half grown Coronella austriaca, it looks like it was sucking water from the snow.

What do you think? Any doubt at my Theory?

[Jimmy Lundqvist]

Great observation, it sure looks like its "drinking" from the ice!
Congrats for great finds!

[Gabriel Martínez]

Cool Jurgen!

[Jürgen Gebhart]

Indeed the snake took some water from the Ice.

After I came a little bit to close (sorry for that), she bit in my direction, I was too far away that she can get me, but she lost some water after that action.

[Guillaume Gomard]

Hi Jürgen,

2 years ago I observed the same behavior on a V.aspis drinking water from a small piece of ice in the Savoie region (France). thanks for sharing those pics