Snakes on a Plain

[johnr]

Well, the Wanstead Flats, east London, to be precise, but I couldn't resist the pun.

One of my best friends mocked me a few years ago when I ranted 'they're re-introducing snakes into Epping Forest and the South Downs, it's insane, they're horrible things, they serve no point...' blah blah.

I was listening to a report on the World Service this morning; apparently, every 5-10 minutes somebody is killed by a snake, dying a terrifying death. Many more are maimed. There's a big WHO operation in sub-Saharan Africa to get medicines to people quicker in remote areas.

My friend told me the other night that, having seen three adders (or one adder, three times) on the Flats, she's now worried about her small dog being bitten. I agree.

Ooh, I don't like them fuckers. Give me the creeps.

[Toby Gymshorts]

Adders didn't need to be reintroduced, but I'm sure you knew that.

Snakes are fine, I can deal with those. Spiders, however, can fuck right off into Room 101 along with Peter Andre and iced coffee.

[San Bernardhinault]

I'm totally chilled out about weak, harmless Eurosnakes. I'm mostly relaxed about North American snakes - even the few who're venomous don't want much to do with people and you'll generally only get bitten if you do something silly. I see a fair amount when out for walks, and unless they coil up and hiss at me I'll just walk past giving them a few feet of wide berth.

African snakes, though, scare me shitless because all they want to do is kill me and eat me, and they camouflage themselves as trees or hoses or pretty much anything. They've probably evolved to disguise themselves as crockery or white goods by now. I've never encountered South America, Asian or Australian snakes, but my guess is that I'd react to them like African snakes.

[Sits]

Maybe it’s best I don’t contribute, other than to say the only poisonous snake I’ve ever seen in the wild was an adder in Tunbridge Wells.

[johnr]

Adders didn't need to be reintroduced, but I'm sure you knew that.

Snakes are fine, I can deal with those. Spiders, however, can fuck right off into Room 101 along with Peter Andre and iced coffee.

I didn't know that. I think - in that I remember reading some story about it - that they were nearly extinct in parts of the UK, and so were 'replenished' (maybe not reintroduced).

Spiders are nice. Except the ones that get into your shoes in faraway countries. It's one of the reasons why I won't go to Australia, since as Aussie friend said he checked his shoes every morning.

Peter Andre should be culled, just like snakes.

[Toby Gymshorts]

Where do you stand on iced coffee?

[hobbes]

Why would you stand on iced coffee? You'd get cold feet.

[johnr]

Don't like coffee, in any format. So, yes, cull that too.

[Toby Gymshorts]

Why would you stand on iced coffee? You'd get cold feet.

Better than drinking the fucking stuff.

[Jah Womble]

Spiders are great. Apart from the poisonous black ones that make you jump out of your skin.

Coffees are great, too. Apart from the poisonous black ones that make you...etc.

[slackster]

Maybe it’s best I don’t contribute, other than to say the only poisonous snake I’ve ever seen in the wild was an adder in Tunbridge Wells.

Yep. Plenty of the blighters around the High Weald heaths and commons. Our mutt - a stupid big brown Lab - doesn’t seem to notice snakes and has walked over a few basking on paths in the springtime without (luckily) treading on them, although some dogs apparently can smell them and go sniffing them out.

[Nocturnal Submission]

What with your recent headwear choices you really should change your posting name to High Weald Drifter.

[Furtho]

I was listening to a report on the World Service this morning; apparently, every 5-10 minutes somebody is killed by a snake, dying a terrifying death. Many more are maimed. There's a big WHO operation in sub-Saharan Africa to get medicines to people quicker in remote areas.

In May the Wellcome Trust announced some work on researching and delivering treatment for snakebites, which they describe as "arguably the world’s biggest hidden health crisis, [killing] between 81,000-138,000 people every year." https://wellcome.ac.uk/press-release...-health-crisis

[Gangster Octopus]

My brother-in-law's labrador was bitten by an adder up on Roseberry Topping a few years back. He had to carry it back to the car, which wasn't easy. A quick trip to the vet, and the dog was fine, living for a few more years.

[Nocturnal Submission]

My brother-in-law's labrador was bitten by an adder up on Roseberry Topping a few years back. He had to carry it back to the car, which wasn't easy. A quick trip to the vet, and the dog was fine, living for a few more years.

I didn't know that adders were that common in the North.

[Sits]

Nof to be frivolous over such an alarming incident, but Roseberry Topping sounds like something you'd find on a cheesecake.

[hobbes]

Spiders are great. Apart from the poisonous black ones that make you jump out of your skin.

Coffees are great, too. Apart from the poisonous black ones that make you...etc.

If you'd just said something about Spurs being a likeable team, you'd have had a perfect hattrick of wrong.

[hobbes]

Nof to be frivolous over such an alarming incident, but Roseberry Topping sounds like something you'd find on a cheesecake.

Or the name of a suburban domination service.

[Jah Womble]

If you'd just said something about Spurs being a likeable team, you'd have had a perfect hattrick of wrong.

The mistake you’re making here is in trusting your own current positions of judgement.

You'll thank me one day.