# Advice on baby grass snake



## Jayney1 (Jun 6, 2018)

Hi there we found a baby grass snake last week under an old board in our garden. It was abot 15cm long and also under the board was a burrow - would this be a nest? Also when the snakes hatch do they just move on or stay with their mother for a bit? We ve not been near tbe board since as didnt want to disturb them if it is a nest. Any advice would be greatly appreciated - thank you


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## Diplo (Mar 15, 2017)

Jayney1 said:


> Hi there we found a baby grass snake last week under an old board in our garden. It was abot 15cm long and also under the board was a burrow - would this be a nest? Also when the snakes hatch do they just move on or stay with their mother for a bit? We ve not been near tbe board since as didnt want to disturb them if it is a nest. Any advice would be greatly appreciated - thank you
> View attachment 187034


The burrow you saw is likely made by a mouse, not the snake as they don't make nests. The eggs are usually laid in a mound of vegetation or a compost heap where heat is produced as a by product of the decomposition process. The juvenile snakes are fully independent from the moment they hatch and don't receive any assistance from the adults. As all reptiles in the UK are protected it's best just left alone but, you can enjoy watching them in your garden. 

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


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## Matt Harris (Aug 21, 2007)

It's too early to be one of this year's young so most likely hatched last year. It may well be using a disused rodent burrow but this doesn't necessarily mean that others are doing the same. Mothers don't 'incubate' eggs and the young are fully independent from birth, so whilst adults may be nearby, there is no interaction between the juvenile and its parents. You're lucky to have these in your garden and I hope you can retain some 'wild' areas so they can continue to live there.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Snakes tend to hide under boards etc, so he'll just have been hiding away keeping safe until he needs to find something to eat. Lucky you!! 

We're too far north to have grass snakes here - only adders, but I'd love to have some happily living in my garden! :2thumb:


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## Jayney1 (Jun 6, 2018)

Thank you to everyone who passed on theit advice - greatly appreciated!🤗 I thought it may have been last years snake but it seemed too small ? We're pretty lucky as we have a large natural pond in the garden plus ***** running round the land so ideal habitat. I ve only ever seen adders here and never a grass snake. I think after all the advice ive been given the nest was probably in the compost heap at the back of the pond - thanks again everyone !


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