Facts About European Adder Snake

Most widespread snake at all
European adder is the most widespread snake of Europe and most widespread snake at all. The habitat of this snake is spread across the whole of Europe, through Russia to the Pacific coast. It can be found in Sweden and in the Arctic zone.

Eat only dead prey
Its poisonous teeth lie folded in the jaw and thrown forward when the snake attacks. After the attack, adder waiting for the poison to take effect, they will eat only when prey is dead.

One of the most toxic poison in snake world
The venom of the common adder is hemotoxic, which means that it causes disintegration of tissue and affects the blood system, and some scientists believe the more toxic than the horned viper snake poison. It rank among the most toxic poison in the snake world, but it is believed that due to the small amounts of which can be injected into the wound does not represent a great danger.

The bite is not so dangerous
Numerous statistics indicate that in most of Europe people are more likely to die from bee stings than from the bite of this snake, and a healthy adult would most likely survive a bite without medical help.

Good swimmer
Unlike most poisonous snakes; European adder often enters the water. It is good swimmer and is active especially at night and in wet weather. During the day, curl up and sunbathing or resting under a pile of rocks, roots, or in mouse holes.

Hibernating together in one place
Adder mostly live in colonies and all the snakes of one collony hibernating together in one place. In the spring, the males emerge first from the place where they hibernate to intensive sunbathing, and two to three weeks later the females come out and then begin mating ritual.

Black European adder – melanistic in 50%
Females are brownish or reddish with dark patterns. There are other color combinations (gray-brown …) and are possible all-black (melanistic) forms (in the polar regions 50% of the population may be melanistic). Belly is gray, gray-brown or black, sometimes with white spots. Tip of the tail is yellow, orange or red below.

They can grow up to one meter
Their body is thick and usually grow to 60-90 cm (23-35 inch). The largest specimens are about one meter. The eyes are large and round, reddish, have vertical pupils and angry look. Largest specimen of these snakes is recorded in the Balkans when was killed a snake of almost 1,5 meter (60 inch).