Tortoises and snakes
- Thread starter Mookins
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How small is your tortoise? As a general rule, snakes have more to fear from tortoises, then tortoses from snakes.
Yeah, I don't think any of the 4-5 native snakes in the UK are any danger to any chelonian. We have a couple over in the U.S. that have been known to eat hatchling turtles & tortoises, but not little grass snakes. 
I agree with Jacqui. Are you going to keep your tort outdoors year round?
As long as she isn't a tiny hatchling, she should be just fine.
Snakes, especially the ones that you have in the UK, are generally very shy. I highly doubt it will even come close to your tortoise.
Snakes, especially the ones that you have in the UK, are generally very shy. I highly doubt it will even come close to your tortoise.
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- Mar 24, 2013
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the tortoise will eat the snake before the snake eats the tortoise
Thanks everyone, my husband says im silly to panic about snakes here...i just like to be prepared lol
no,she wont be out all year round tooo cold here, im currently building indoor enclosure, then when it gets warmer i can make a start on outdoor enclosure, even then during the Autumn and winter and most of spring she will be indoors...stupid weather at the moment supposed to be spring and most of UK is covered in snow!!, we quite lucky here in Norfolk( East Coast of UK) didnt get much thankfully, cant stand the white stuff
thanks again everyone xx
no,she wont be out all year round tooo cold here, im currently building indoor enclosure, then when it gets warmer i can make a start on outdoor enclosure, even then during the Autumn and winter and most of spring she will be indoors...stupid weather at the moment supposed to be spring and most of UK is covered in snow!!, we quite lucky here in Norfolk( East Coast of UK) didnt get much thankfully, cant stand the white stuff
thanks again everyone xx
Sounds like a good plan you have! Show us some pics when you get everything built! I'd love to see them!!
have ditched the homemade home, never was good at woodwork, have bought an enclosure, just waiting for it to be delivered, lights should be here any day, then when temps are regulated Il go collect Ana...sooo excited
photos asap i promise
photos asap i promise
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- Jan 23, 2013
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Hi what type of tortoise are you getting, I'm from the north east of uk, so I suppose on this global forum were practically neighbours.
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Hi, neighbour Ha ha
beautiful tortoises and yeah they grow some size, I was tempted to get one but we don't get the kind of weather you need up here in newcastle. Looking forward to seeing some pics.
beautiful tortoises and yeah they grow some size, I was tempted to get one but we don't get the kind of weather you need up here in newcastle. Looking forward to seeing some pics.
Hi, another UK member here-Wiltshire. As said, our climate means they will have to spend a fair bit of time inside and when adult you will need a large heated shed.
I agree. Your tort shouldn't be in any danger from snakes. I have heard that here in AZ desert tortoises sometimes share their burrows with rattlesnakes in the wild.
I live in Denver, Colorado, USA. Growing up, I used to keep three-toed box turtles (Terrapene carolina triunguis). One day, when I went out to the garden to check up on my adult, 5-inch-long three-toed, I found a relatively large, adult garter snake (Thamnophis sp). It was about a meter long, and about an inch thick, which would make it too small to eat her, but large enough to bite her. Fortunately, it was no problem. The snake was only "sniffing" at her with his tongue, and she wasn't frightened or withdrawn into her shell. If she had felt threatened, she would have been able to protect herself from such a creature.
I would only be concerned for the safety of tortoises or box turtles that are small enough to be swallowed by the snake. If they're too big for the snake, then they're safe. It's the mammalian carnivores like foxes and dogs, as well as coyotes and raccoons here in the States, that are the real danger. I also once saw grackles walking around my box turtle. When I came out, they flew away. I don't know if they were capable of killing a tortoise or box turtle, but my hunch would be that they could inflict some damage while trying.
Yep, it's true. Gopherus tortoises in both the Southwestern and Southeastern USA share their burrows with snakes, including rattlesnakes. The snakes are commensals, meaning that they benefit from the tortoises, and while they don't benefit the tortoise in return, they pose no threat, either. Again, I think only very young tortoises are at risk.
I would only be concerned for the safety of tortoises or box turtles that are small enough to be swallowed by the snake. If they're too big for the snake, then they're safe. It's the mammalian carnivores like foxes and dogs, as well as coyotes and raccoons here in the States, that are the real danger. I also once saw grackles walking around my box turtle. When I came out, they flew away. I don't know if they were capable of killing a tortoise or box turtle, but my hunch would be that they could inflict some damage while trying.
Mookins said:
Yep, it's true. Gopherus tortoises in both the Southwestern and Southeastern USA share their burrows with snakes, including rattlesnakes. The snakes are commensals, meaning that they benefit from the tortoises, and while they don't benefit the tortoise in return, they pose no threat, either. Again, I think only very young tortoises are at risk.
This has been discussed before. The only snakes documented as to have eaten hatchling turtles and tortoises are the eastern indigo snake (endangered species) and cottonmouth moccasin, both endemic to the southeast US.
There are certainly other snakes out there large enough to swallow young tortoises/turtles, such as rattlesnakes, ratsnakes, and the Pituophis genus (gopher/pine/bull snakes), but these snakes as adults are almost exclusive mammalian carnivores, and prefer warm-blooded prey.
There are certainly other snakes out there large enough to swallow young tortoises/turtles, such as rattlesnakes, ratsnakes, and the Pituophis genus (gopher/pine/bull snakes), but these snakes as adults are almost exclusive mammalian carnivores, and prefer warm-blooded prey.
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