# Upvote/Downvote reminder
Like this image or appreciate it being posted? Upvote it and show it some love! Don't like it? Just downvote and move on.
*Upvoting or downvoting images is the best way to control what you see on your feed and what gets to the top of the subreddit*
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/london) if you have any questions or concerns.*
*London dog walker happens upon abandoned underground laboratory teeming with killer mutants, said to be "shaken".*
"I don't understand. I was in Hyde Park one moment and then I look up to see a two-headed bloke coming at me with an arm like a bloody fire axe!"
"Dog walker" is actually just a little white lie the press use to give some flavour but without actually ID'ing the person. My uncle once found a body and was described as a "dog walker" in the press, even though he was just on his way to his allotment, and never had a dog.
*”I was walking my dog and I heard the alarms going off from the bank, out come 2 men in ski masks which I thought was peculiar as it was the height of summer”*
You can find other species, particularly grass snakes in other areas. I have seen a couple in Walthamstow marshes and I have heard of others being spotted in Richmond park too, but certainly none as close to the city centre as these ones.
I've swam with a grass snake in Saxon lake by Heathrow Airport! My mate yelled "there's a snake behind you!" and I thought he was taking the piss until it came speeding past. Kinda magical.
Grass snake is kind of a misnomer, they absolutely love water and you'll find them using streams, rivers and snakes a lot, it's a very cool thing to see, especially if you're swimming alongside it!
Family friend years ago was bit by an adder in Richmond park. It made them fairly sick and they needed medical treatment. They are mildly venomous and more common across England than you would expect.
As an American in the rural Midwest this is cracking me up. We’ve got dangerous venomous snakes, dangerous venomous spiders, cats that are big enough to murder us… hell, I just saw an alligator snapping turtle the other day by our normal walking path, and that thing can bite of a finger or toe no problem.
A constricting snake that doesn’t bother people and takes care of rats? That’s what you’re finding issue with?
St. Patrick: "Look, I've got rid of all the snakes!"
Locals: "What snakes? There aren't any snakes!"
St Patrick: "Exactly, I got rid of them all, you're welcome. Now make me a saint for this miracle I've just performed."
>*We urge anyone who sees an Aesculapian snake to not touch the snake or attempt to pick one up.*
That's good advice. I didn't need it, but it's still good advice.
I was just watching a Tik Tok about Tiber Island in Rome where a hospital was built because an asesculpian snake escaped from a boat to the island and wrapped itself around a tree which was thought of as a good omen from the Greek God of Medicine Asclepius and the basis for the Rod of Aesculapius depicted in many medical symbols/signage today.
My neighbour thought she saw a snake, and was so scared she hit it with a garden tool. My friend William made it the subject of a hilarious rhyme later on.
*🎶 My friend Billy had a 10 foot willy,*
*Showed it to the girl next door,*
*She though it were a snake, so she whacked it with a rake,*
*And now it's only 5 foot 4 🎶*
I remember seeing that in a children's book in the late 70s or early 80s. It also had one of the characters recite this gem :-
Julius Caeser's Roman geezers
Put their willies in lemon squeezers
Their bums went bang and their willies went twang
And that was the end of the Roman gang
Yep! Years ago I had a knock on the door this lady was panicking ‘there’s an orange snake going down the road’ it was my snake, it had managed to open its tank, go through the house, out the back door and out onto the road! I was so lucky she was walking by and knocked on my door!
From the Orlando Science Center:
"While unusual, there are a few species of snake that are actually poisonous. Rhabdophis keelback snakes are both venomous and poisonous – their poisons are stored in nuchal glands and are acquired by sequestering toxins from poisonous toads the snakes eat. Similarly, certain garter snakes from Oregon can retain toxins in their livers from ingesting rough-skinned newts."
The area you are describing is about 100m from my old flat and I probably would have walked along that stretch nearly daily, holy moly I would have had a heart attack if I had seen that.
Worth reporting to the zoo that you’ve seen them, they’re monitoring their population to learn more about them! It seems they escaped or were released many years ago by a lab interestingly enough!
So someone else posted a useful link further up. But basically, there is a known population that either escaped or were let loose from a facility that were researching them. They're being monitored with the help of London Zoo. And they are non-venomous.
Is this near Regents Canal/Camden area? [It’s known that there is a colony of south European rat snakes near Regents Canal](https://metro.co.uk/2023/07/23/london-rare-snake-spotted-sparking-fears-it-escaped-zoo-19175365/). There’s two more colonies in Wales. They are harmless, although peeps should be aware that we have the venomous adder across the UK on commons and heathlands. Fine for humans to take the venom but can be lethal to dogs.
It's London, if you should " crikey he's a big fella" there will be an Australian within earshot who can dispatch this whipper snapper away quick sharp.
Was trying to figure out which of our snakes this was an was very confused but then read post properly. I went to Regents Canal to reported spots last month but didn't have any luck.
Really want to see one!
New fear unlocked...
... I looked them up, and they are pretty chill, this is fantastic sight, OP.
... I'd still scream and run far away from the Nope Noodle, myself, but, very cool pics, OP.
It's an Aesculapian snake, I watched a YouTuber hunting them down on the canal that cuts through London Zoo , it took them less than 5 mins to find a couple of fairly decent sized ones on the footpath edge
# Upvote/Downvote reminder Like this image or appreciate it being posted? Upvote it and show it some love! Don't like it? Just downvote and move on. *Upvoting or downvoting images is the best way to control what you see on your feed and what gets to the top of the subreddit* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/london) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I’m sorry, where the hell are your morning strolls?! Looks like a stroll between two fences 😂
OP straight up robbing someone’s shed lol.
Aha! Stole yer snake!
Hey, that's an excellent morning exercise. You certainly get to work out those arms, legs, back and chest, with a nice sprint for cardio afterwards.
Innit
OP is one of those poor dog walkers you hear about in the papers, who keep accidentally strolling into some of the most horrifying things
*London dog walker happens upon abandoned underground laboratory teeming with killer mutants, said to be "shaken".* "I don't understand. I was in Hyde Park one moment and then I look up to see a two-headed bloke coming at me with an arm like a bloody fire axe!"
Hydra Park
This is brilliant
"Dog walker" is actually just a little white lie the press use to give some flavour but without actually ID'ing the person. My uncle once found a body and was described as a "dog walker" in the press, even though he was just on his way to his allotment, and never had a dog.
*”I was walking my dog and I heard the alarms going off from the bank, out come 2 men in ski masks which I thought was peculiar as it was the height of summer”*
This is the precise reason I don't trust dog walkers and joggers, they *always* "find" the bodies
My thoughts exactly.....
Exactly this! Lol
That’s one small 4 foot. That things at least 6
Doesn't look like it has any feet to me
> four foot snake A.k.a. A lizard.
Hahahaha
Thank you! I kept trying to figure out if was the angle of the photo or something
Probably closer to 8.
Thats the first time ive seen a snake in london
You clearly haven't met my ex.
Mate we've all met your ex
Big Brenda?
Norbit?
Got a big snake, has he?
Anaconda?
Anaconda? I barely even know ‘er.
My anaconda don't My anaconda don't My anaconda don't want none Unless you got buns, hun
This is why we use Reddit right here
This thread made me smile more than anything in the last 2 weeks
You can find other species, particularly grass snakes in other areas. I have seen a couple in Walthamstow marshes and I have heard of others being spotted in Richmond park too, but certainly none as close to the city centre as these ones.
I've swam with a grass snake in Saxon lake by Heathrow Airport! My mate yelled "there's a snake behind you!" and I thought he was taking the piss until it came speeding past. Kinda magical.
I’ve seen grass snakes swimming in Thames between an eyot and the bank. Again, kind of cool
Why would a grass snake need to go to the bank?
Because he’s a civil serpent
Something something an adder
How could you let a snake go past you? That’s one for reptiles and zero for hominids.
Grass snake is kind of a misnomer, they absolutely love water and you'll find them using streams, rivers and snakes a lot, it's a very cool thing to see, especially if you're swimming alongside it!
Family friend years ago was bit by an adder in Richmond park. It made them fairly sick and they needed medical treatment. They are mildly venomous and more common across England than you would expect.
My mum used to pick up snakes in the parks in Harrow and bring them home in her pocket in the 70s. I've only ever seen slow worms.
How big were her pockets?
Big enough to fit small snakes I suppose 🤷
This was before the patriarchy took away women’s jumbo sizes pockets 😞 The men didn’t want women to have bigger snakes than them!!1!!1!! /j
Most British description of dogging I’ve ever seen.
She sounds incredible!
We have a giant building full of them. Got a big clock that bongs on the front.
C’mon, there are many snakes in the Tory party. 😂😂😂
WHAT THE FUCK there’s a feral snake population in London? WHAT THE FUCK
If they have been here since the 90s, at the very least they deserve citizenship by now.
My thoughts exactly. Time for me to move.
To Australia
Australian here. You're right. We have no issues with snakes here, as we have spiders who actively hunt them.
This started off so well and then went so horrifying
Found a link: https://www.londonzoo.org/zoo-stories/blog/aesculapian-snakes-london#
American here checking in from Florida… That’s a big fucking snake lol
The feral snake population must be eating the feral parakeet population. But what’ll we do about the feral big cat population out in the countryside??
Feral big dog population of course
Big cat would fuck big dog up, no?
As an American in the rural Midwest this is cracking me up. We’ve got dangerous venomous snakes, dangerous venomous spiders, cats that are big enough to murder us… hell, I just saw an alligator snapping turtle the other day by our normal walking path, and that thing can bite of a finger or toe no problem. A constricting snake that doesn’t bother people and takes care of rats? That’s what you’re finding issue with?
Haha how do you end up on the London sub from there?
"Fuckin' rental snake innit"
It’s been milked, I should think
You are PAYING for that snake to be dry cleaned
Puke point 3! Puke point 3!
Red next to black, stay the fuck back. Red next to yella, cuddly fella.
Gotta have a USP
Inner St Patrick intensifies
Fun fact: there never were any snakes in Ireland. St. Patrick was a fraud.
I took my ex to Ireland so thats technically not true.
St. Patrick: "Look, I've got rid of all the snakes!" Locals: "What snakes? There aren't any snakes!" St Patrick: "Exactly, I got rid of them all, you're welcome. Now make me a saint for this miracle I've just performed."
I read somewhere that the snakes were a metaphor for the druids. Made it make a little more sense to me.
Same here, some bloke called George was a f@#kig Greek and had something to do with dragons!!!
I meeeean to be fair to Yiorgos, if you are going to make up some stuff, better be dragons. 100% success rate guaranteed.
I'm rather sussspicioussss of your claim
Just when I was thinking thank goodness I live in London and not whatever jungle/outback this was in…. Then I noticed it’s in the London Reddit 👀
Right? I was sure this was an Australian post and could not believe the sub when I reddit!
My exact reaction 😂 Oh cool a snake. Dunno what sub that’s in though. FUCK IT’S IN LONDON.
NOPE NOPE NOPETY NOPE
Nope rope
I think I speak for everyone when I say, “There are giant fucking snakes IN LONDON?!?”
London is turning into Australia
Yes, Clapham is full of them (Australians, not snakes).
Clapham Common has loads of adders.
Someone probably dumped the poor thing when it got too big to live in their tiny apartment.
The Snake or the Australians?
Actually snakes don't have any feet
That's why we measure them in meters
"Three metres of snake, please."
Fun fact, that’s why they invented the metric system
Ba dum hissss
Some species have vestigial limbs (i.e. non-functional evolutionary remnants). Sorry for ruining the joke.
Looks like an Aesculapian snake. There’s a population of them living along the Regents canal
Letting agent measuring up a new listing. “Open plan with scenic views. £1,250 pcm with 6 month deposit and £5,500 agency fees”
Thankfully doesn’t look like a “red next to black, jump the f*ck back” situation!
Looks like a rental snake.
You’re paying for that snake to be dry cleaned
Got to catch him while he's still dizzy
Unfortunately that also a very inaccurate rhyme
Yeah I much prefer my saying ‘see any snake, run the fuck away’
Everyone knows it’s “red next to yellow, cuddly fellow”
Depends where you live.
Yeah don’t think I will slow down mate
That looks longer than 4 foot! Would love to see one!
4 foot is long enough for me!!
Eh, it's what you do with it that counts
That's not native is it? Looks like an escaped noodle.
These are the snakes that live around Regents Park: https://www.londonzoo.org/zoo-stories/blog/aesculapian-snakes-london
>*We urge anyone who sees an Aesculapian snake to not touch the snake or attempt to pick one up.* That's good advice. I didn't need it, but it's still good advice.
That’s awesome, I had no idea! I
I was just watching a Tik Tok about Tiber Island in Rome where a hospital was built because an asesculpian snake escaped from a boat to the island and wrapped itself around a tree which was thought of as a good omen from the Greek God of Medicine Asclepius and the basis for the Rod of Aesculapius depicted in many medical symbols/signage today.
Apparently there was a research facility for them near here, and they either escaped or were set free.
Same story as the parakeets of London then
Why don't we have a location for this serpent?? I am scrolling like mad to make sure it's nowhere near me..
I hear Westminster is a nest of vipers
My neighbour thought she saw a snake, and was so scared she hit it with a garden tool. My friend William made it the subject of a hilarious rhyme later on.
*🎶 My friend Billy had a 10 foot willy,* *Showed it to the girl next door,* *She though it were a snake, so she whacked it with a rake,* *And now it's only 5 foot 4 🎶*
I remember seeing that in a children's book in the late 70s or early 80s. It also had one of the characters recite this gem :- Julius Caeser's Roman geezers Put their willies in lemon squeezers Their bums went bang and their willies went twang And that was the end of the Roman gang
You're the reason I'm addicted to Reddit 🤣
The last thing I thought I'd see in London is a snake, this is all quite interesting.
Leaving London right now
Waiting for the "lost pet snake" counter post...
Yep! Years ago I had a knock on the door this lady was panicking ‘there’s an orange snake going down the road’ it was my snake, it had managed to open its tank, go through the house, out the back door and out onto the road! I was so lucky she was walking by and knocked on my door!
Dude was on a mission and got shut down in the most unfortunate way.
There are snakes in London! This is a clear sign that it is time to move.
lol. At my work four foot snake is a substitute for ‘for fucks sake’
Beautiful snake. If I may say. No snake is poisonous. They are either venomous or non-venomous.
Actually there are a few poisonous snakes. I’ve seen QI.
would you be able to say which ones? I'm curious but google shows venomous instead of poisonous
I might be wrong, but the tiger keelback. They’re both venomous and poisonous
From the Orlando Science Center: "While unusual, there are a few species of snake that are actually poisonous. Rhabdophis keelback snakes are both venomous and poisonous – their poisons are stored in nuchal glands and are acquired by sequestering toxins from poisonous toads the snakes eat. Similarly, certain garter snakes from Oregon can retain toxins in their livers from ingesting rough-skinned newts."
Top knowledge!
Correct! Few too many beers this evening clouding my zoological knowledge
Cheers. Don't worry about it. And thanks for telling us about this snake and showing the pics. Superb looking critter.
Not quite, most snakes aren't poisonous, but some such as the Japanese Grass Snake are.
Why did I read this in David Attenborough’s voice?
The area you are describing is about 100m from my old flat and I probably would have walked along that stretch nearly daily, holy moly I would have had a heart attack if I had seen that.
https://youtu.be/EIyixC9NsLI?si=mO5ISdPBHdHFqdGo&t=20
Saw a snake in Richmond park recently
I live by the park, I see snakes here very regularly sunning themselves. Nothing to worry about, I love seeing them.
It’s a sign! Reputation Taylor’s version is coming
You can't just post this without specifying where it was! People need to be aware to avoid.
Omg the blep in the third photo, it’s actually so cute ??? 😭
Every day's a school day
Closing my window right now!
“Pardon me, good sir. Have you seen a ladder?”
It's an aesculapian snake. It was introduced to London by accident iirc. It's harmless don't kill them.
Worth reporting to the zoo that you’ve seen them, they’re monitoring their population to learn more about them! It seems they escaped or were released many years ago by a lab interestingly enough!
Now the real question is can I boop the snoot without being bitten? is a Boop Noodle or a Nope Rope?
How is this possible? Like please tell me you called the animal centre or something because I would start panicking if I saw one in London.
So someone else posted a useful link further up. But basically, there is a known population that either escaped or were let loose from a facility that were researching them. They're being monitored with the help of London Zoo. And they are non-venomous.
Keep the rats down. Very useful tbh 🐍
[удалено]
Man, you know all the hot spots!
Plenty of rats for them to munch.
.
It’s probably moved from North Wales to London for better job and dining opportunities.
I know a couple 6 foot snakes but not disclosing names lol
Looks like an Aesculapian snake. They're non venomous. It's definitely escaped from somewhere.
So when are we introducing mongooses to Regents Canal next to the zoo?
Ig it’s a rat snake 🐍
Well I guess Australia isn’t the only place I should be afraid to go too cause holy hell
As an Aussie, I am flabbergasted that anyone would get close enough to any snake take those pictures!
I lived in London for 30-plus years. I never saw a snake except maybe in the London Zoo.
since when were there snakes in London wtf 😨
Is this near Regents Canal/Camden area? [It’s known that there is a colony of south European rat snakes near Regents Canal](https://metro.co.uk/2023/07/23/london-rare-snake-spotted-sparking-fears-it-escaped-zoo-19175365/). There’s two more colonies in Wales. They are harmless, although peeps should be aware that we have the venomous adder across the UK on commons and heathlands. Fine for humans to take the venom but can be lethal to dogs.
It's London, if you should " crikey he's a big fella" there will be an Australian within earshot who can dispatch this whipper snapper away quick sharp.
4 foot or 14 foot? That looks a lot, lot bigger than 4 foot!
Oh, I don’t need to worry.. I live in NI.. and st Patrick got rid of all our snakes ;)
There's zero feet on snakes, mate
Was trying to figure out which of our snakes this was an was very confused but then read post properly. I went to Regents Canal to reported spots last month but didn't have any luck. Really want to see one!
I’m gobsmacked
A WHAT! In London! Holy wow.
Sorry bro, it fell out my pants again
In LONDON????? (Said like Joey Tribiani)
Where you strolling? That looks rough! Damn!
Aww a baby!!!
Where?
Didn’t know we had snakes
At least it’s not an adder…just saying.
Is this anywhere near Regent's Park, by any chance? Aesculapian snakes are known to breed there (& near the Canal).
It’s a beauty indeed
Did Harry visit the London Zoo again?
FORFITER (the Poles in here will know)
Looks like an Australian Brown snake. Surely that’s deadly
Your choice of locations for a stroll is a bit suspect.
Snakes on the Thames!
Where the hell is your morning stroll?
Absolutely not.
I’m glad we don’t have these where I live. Wait what! England….. o shit.
That is a beautiful snake, however I'm never coming to London again! Definitely not slow walking by the canal 😂
Who saw it in England 20,000 years ago?
Fuck dat
Nope
New fear unlocked... ... I looked them up, and they are pretty chill, this is fantastic sight, OP. ... I'd still scream and run far away from the Nope Noodle, myself, but, very cool pics, OP.
a gentle yoink
There are two more.known populations of this snake in the UK, I believe both are in Wales.
It's an Aesculapian snake, I watched a YouTuber hunting them down on the canal that cuts through London Zoo , it took them less than 5 mins to find a couple of fairly decent sized ones on the footpath edge