On 28 Aug, 18:46, "Christina Websell"
wrote:
"Derek Turner" wrote in message

...

On Fri, 27 Aug 2010 23:28:08 -0700, harry wrote:

Dismantled the compost heap yesterday and found about thirty grass snake
eggs. *It least that's what I assume they are as we have grass snakes,
they regularly clear out my pond of tadpoles. I've put them in my
propagator in some damp compost. Waiting to see what happens.

The police arrest you for an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside
act? ISTR that they are protected.

Since the compost heap has already been dismantled (or he wouldn't have
found the eggs which he could have no idea were there) I think harry has
done his best for them by doing what he has.
I don't expect the W&C Act exists to punish people who accidentally find
grass snake eggs in their compost heap while dismantling it.
I'd be so thrilled if I had grass snake eggs in *my* compost heap, I doubt
it as I've never seen a grass snake in my garden but hey, I rarely dismantle
my heap, it's 100 yds away so perhaps they are there without me seeing them?
I really enjoyed reading harry's post about this and I hope he gets some
baby grass snakes hatching out in his propagator

Tina

I

I will keep you up to date. We don't often see our grass snakes.
Usually it's when we go down to the pond and they go into the water.
Good swimmers.
Every year we get lots of tadpoles and hen they'd suddenly dissappear.
Didn't realise why for a long time. We have one snake about four feet
long and anther about two feet plus a smaller one. No idea of total
numbers we only see one a couple of times a year.
I have piled some old bits of tree up here and there for our numerous
toads. Maybe they lurk in there.

I have got the propagator running at 80dfah. Apparently they like
heat. Hence compost heap.