On 20 Sep, 07:45, harry wrote:
I'll turn tem out when it's warmed up a bit so the can find a place to
hide. They are torpid in the cold.

They iover-winter in my grass-cuttings pile (most urglers would turn
up their nose at me calling it a compost heap!) or in the pile of
brushwood cuttings and the like that I keep next to it (on top of the
last heap). I abstain from bonfires in the autumn and winter,
prefering to give shelter to the wild life, and having a burn-up early
summer.. Biggest problem is that there are toads there too, and I am
not sure but I reckon a toad would eat an young grass-snake. 's OK,
though, 'cos grass snakes will eat toads.

They will definitely need to feed up very quickly, as they will be
looking to hibernate in about 6 weeks, and won't survive the winter
unless good and plump.

My neighbour reports young (around 5cm) grass snakes sunning
themselves on the stile at the end of my garden, so mine have the
problem too. I likes old Natrix Natrix, and wish mine and yours well.