What Native Reptiles Have You Seen

[Fangio]

Originally Posted by darkdan99

i have seen them all, apart from the smooth snake...

Saw 3 common lizards today...walking home from the train station. Now i know they are there, i will have a look every day.

Wanting to get a few for a breeding project...Hmmmmmmmm Whats the laws RE captive breeding, and relese of the animals. If i use only outdoor stuff, and am careful with hygene etc, i wont be introducing microbes into the populas, and i could give the local populas a huge boost.

Hmm i could also collect from further afield, as i know a few places, so as to deepen the gene pool. I will be off researching this now, but if anyone knows, please comment, and help me.

Dan

I believe all of our reptiles are protected and therefore collecting not allowed. I may be wrong but I'm fairly sure this is the case. Smooth snakes you're not even allowed to photograph as it's classed as disturbing them! I definately didn't break any laws by holding one! *shifty look*

[ratboy]

Originally Posted by Crownan

I've never seen a native UK reptile

Hope I get time to go looking for some this year.

Crow... go up to Lightwater park. Or Horsell common is full of 'em

[darkdan99]

I know the Cresties, and the Smooths are covered by "if they see you, your breaking the law"..Meaning you cannot legally walk in an area they live, since you could disturb them!

But i think the laws with the others is "do not sell etc" but you can keep them.

[Fangio]

Originally Posted by darkdan99

I know the Cresties, and the Smooths are covered by "if they see you, your breaking the law"..Meaning you cannot legally walk in an area they live, since you could disturb them!

But i think the laws with the others is "do not sell etc" but you can keep them.

I'm not so sure, you'd better check that out. Try e-mailing DEFRA.

[CBR1100XX]

Protection
All native reptiles are protected in Britain under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 . This protection under law helps counteract the decline of all the species. The law makes it an offence to intentionally kill, injure, sell or advertise to sell any of the six native species. There are some exceptions relating only to those bred and kept in captivity or other extraordinary circumstances - in the past collecting reptiles for the pet trade severely depleted local populations. The 1981 Act also protects the rarest reptiles in Britain, the smooth snake and the sand lizard, by making it an offence, to possess, handle, capture or disturb them.

Info above from British Reptiles


We have quite a few things pop up around the wooded area at the back of are garden. Last month managed to get a pic of a cute slow worm.

[SuperTed]

i believe as far as the protection go's its only protection against selling/injury theres not actually a section that covers the keeping of wild caught! im pretty sure thats how it is!

[corvid2e1]

not seen any live yet this year, although I found a dead grass snake on the road a couple of weeks ago. for that mater I have never seen a live, wild snake, in any country. I was called over last year to identify a baby grass snake someone had caught in there garden but by the time a saw it, it was sitting in a jam jar so I don't realy count that as seeing it in the wild. I have seen plenty of slow worms and common lizards in previous years, and plenty of other lizard species in other countries.

[Schip]

Moved a load of gravel boards in my garden a couple of weeks ago and found common newts as well as great cresteds right there under the boards and concrete posts, needless to say they soon got themselves under cover again when we put the boards in their new position!

Loads of frogs too which kept the cats paws off the newts not that he could catch anything the speed they were going in all directions. Poor dogs couldn't even have a drink the other morning coz their water bowl was 'otherwise engaged!'

[HABU]

we have a law prohibiting keeping navive snakes too. you need a permit and pay $45. it's a joke and being a typical american, we pay no attention to it. it's only enforced if you want to sell them at a show. so the government as usual can kiss my #ss! they should be out rounding up the crackheads a little bit more.

[yellow_rat_gal]

As far as laws go, adders and smooth snakes are fully protected, ie do not disturb, catch, kill, sell, etc.

The majority of others (grass snakes, common lizards) you ARE allowed to catch them, you can breed them, however you ARE NOT allowed to sell the parents or first generation offspring.