Should we introduce snakes back into the wild in Ireland?

Pherekydes

Pythons being accidentally introduced into the Everglades is working out well. And Guam is lucky to have the brown tree snake.

Yep, should work out well for our native wildlife.

Chuck Stone

There's loads of snakes in the Dail!

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heyjude

As regards introducing snakes here, I think we should learn from what happened in Guam.

iDave

Yes please introduce an animal that can squeeze me to death and swallow me whole. Cant wait.

sesswhat

kylith wrote: »

Yeah. Lets introduce more non-native predators to decimate our wildlife. What a genius, genius idea.

What's that? Not another German shooting party?

corktina

crockholm wrote: »

What would st. patrick say?

yakki dah look you Boyo, yes indeed,

Elmer Blooker

qwert2 wrote: »

Every other European country has snakes in the wild, even the Scandanvian countries. Is it time to re-introuduce them here?

The snakes native to Scandinavia would hibernate during the cold winters so those snakes couldn't be introduced to Ireland, as snakes live on the ground I would think the Irish climate is too wet for them to thrive. There must have been hundreds if not thousands bought in pet shops here who were released or escaped into the wild but the fact that they didn't multiply (like mink and grey squirrels) means they could never thrive in Ireland.

gobnaitolunacy

Elmer Blooker wrote: »

The snakes native to Scandinavia would hibernate during the cold winters so those snakes couldn't be introduced to Ireland, as snakes live on the ground I would think the Irish climate is too wet for them to thrive. There must have been hundreds if not thousands bought in pet shops here who were released or escaped into the wild but the fact that they didn't multiply (like mink and grey squirrels) means they could never thrive in Ireland.

The uk does have three native species of snake and one introduced (no more snake jokes pls) so I don't see why they couldn't survive in Ireland.
I'm not suggesting for a minute to bring a crate of em over here and let them off!

topper75

super_furry wrote: »

Only in the Burren. Then we can have Snakes on a...............Plain.

The Burren has a 'slow worm' - a poor man's version of a snake (legless lizard). It will have to do you for the meantime.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Anguis_fragilis

qwert2

Forget my stupid question.......

Nightmare scenario

Tom1991

Would it mean we have to give up getting mortal on St Patrick's day?

Where To

MadsL wrote: »

Wut? You mean you believe St Patrick drove them, and any evidence of snakes existing in Ireland, out of the country.

I have a bridge for sale if you are interested.

Yous finally admitting yous bought the wrong one over there in Arizona?:pac:

jester77

Mad idea, it would only take all the meaning out of St. Patricks day and we'd only end up using the day as a pissup down the pub instead.

For Forks Sake

jester77 wrote: »

Mad idea, it would only take all the meaning out of St. Patricks day and we'd only end up using the day as a pissup down the pub instead.

Keep May 10th free... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whacking_Day

pipie

qwert2 wrote: »

Forget my stupid question.......

Nightmare scenario

This should not be revelant to Ireland as this scenario is not the case in the UK.
A main for point is that I believe snakes woudl lower the rat population.
A proper study into this could be worthwhile.

qwert2

pipie wrote: »

This should not be revelant to Ireland as this scenario is not the case in the UK.
A main for point is that I believe snakes woudl lower the rat population.
A proper study into this could be worthwhile.

I'm not sure if the sort of snakes in the UK feed off rats. Could be wrong

tfitzgerald

No. I can't see the benefit of this, it would only cause problems for everyone here

Micky Dolenz

There was an old woman who swallowed a fly...........

There is a lesson in that story somewhere.

Where To

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

There was an old woman who swallowed a fly...........

There is a lesson in that story somewhere.

I dunno. Why?

pipie

Where To wrote: »

I dunno. Why?

It's about horses for courses

Are there snakes in Iceland?

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Are there snakes in Iceland?

No.

Iceland, Ireland and New Zealand.

Slashermcguirk

wish we did have snakes in Ireland. Also, if they can survive in Scotland and England, then they can definitely survive here. They are the only countries it seems with equally wet weather to us. Worth noting which surprises some people that London has more rainfall days every year than Dublin.

I think snakes would surviver here no problem, no extreme cold in winter to worry about and plenty of prey items, mice / rats / frogs etc.

I would never keep a snake as a pet but I do find them fascinating creatures. Amazing how they have adapted to pretty much every environment possible.

It's not our climate that has kept us snake free! This is a nice article about why Ireland has no snakes:
http://www.rte.ie/tv/scope/SCOPE4_show03_snakes.html

JJayoo

I would rather not have snakes to be honest, would freak the crap out of me if I stood on one.

gobnaitolunacy

JJayoo wrote: »

I would rather not have snakes to be honest, would freak the crap out of me if I stood on one.

It wouldn't be good for the snake either.

JJayoo

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

It wouldn't be good for the snake either.

Lol, I almost did stand on one in the south of France, scared the bejayus out off me.

MadsL

Why has this thread come Slitherin back? -5 points for Gryffindor.

studiorat

Hissterical thread BTW.

Capt'n Midnight

topper75 wrote: »

The Burren has a 'slow worm' - a poor man's version of a snake (legless lizard). It will have to do you for the meantime.

It's been done already but I can't resist



Snakes on a plain \o/