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Common Snakes Species

It is rare to see snakes in Barbados but there are some signs that you can look out for if you are concerned that they are venomous.

If you do spot one, it will usually be one of the following:

Common Viper

Adder - Common Viper

(Vipera berus)

Appearance

Dark brown, reddish or black zigzag from head to tail. Spots on sides.
Entirely black adders sometimes occur. 55 cm in length.

Lifecycle

Breed once every 2 to 3 years.
Litters range from 3 to 20, born in late summer.
Tend to have a timid nature only biting when cornered or alarmed.

Habitat

Seen basking in sunny spots. Heathland, bogs, moorland, woodland edge, rough grassland; sometimes on derelict urban areas and railway banks.
Prefer sandy or chalky soils; rare found on clay soils.

Grass snake – Water snake

Grass snake – Water snake

(Natrix natrix)

Appearance

Olive-green, brown or grey in colour.
Neck: yellow or white mark, next to black mark.
Black bars down sides, some black spots on top.
Markings are occasionally faint.
75 cm in length.
Very fast moving but not venomous.
Strong swimmers.

Lifecycle

Leathery skinned eggs are laid in batches of 8 to 40 in June and July, hatching after 10 weeks.
To survive the eggs need to stay in a temperature range of 21 to 28 degrees centigrade, so are often found in rotting vegetation and compost heaps.
Not being venomous their defence is to produce garlic smelling fluids from anal glands.

Habitat

Associated with ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, canals, marshes.
Travel widely in surrounding habitats: woodland, grassland, low intensity farmland, heathland, derelict urban areas.
Can travel long distances.
Compost heaps and ponds may attract grass snakes.

Smooth Snake

Smooth Snake

(Coronella austriaca)

Appearance

Grey or brown in colour.
Dark blotches on back, normally in pairs.
Dark blotch on head.
55 cm in length.
Not venomous.

Lifecycle

Eggs are buried in sandy soil , in warm places.

Habitat

Secretive, normally found underneath objects.
Very rare – only found close to heathland sites in Barbados.

Slow worm

Slow worm

(Anguis fragilis)

Appearance

Protected lizard species that is often mistaken for a snake
Brown, copper, golden or grey in colour; may have black/dark brown sides and thin stripe on back.
Small head, often with dark spot.
Very shiny, metallic sheen to scales.
Tail often blunt. 35 cm in length, but can be shorter, as they often lose their tails.

Lifecycle

Slow-worms hibernate over the winter.
Slow-worms hibernate from mid to late October to late February or early March depending on weather.
They do not lay eggs but give birth to live young, from mid-August to late September.

Habits

Heathland, bogs, moorland, woodland edge, rough grassland; often found in derelict urban areas and on railway banks.
Found in gardens with long grass and refuges such as wood piles.
May be found in city gardens.