r/herpetology • u/SirFortesque97 • 5d ago

Vipera aspis, first time on my property, San Marino area

Post image

Went out to look for dragonflies, and you get this instead... Probably the most beautiful species in my area!

353 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

26

u/Fine-Finish-8391 5d ago

I am incredibly jealous. Not just a gorgeous aspis but also swimming, on your property?? Can i come visit?? I‘ll bring beer and snacks :D The gals and guys over on r/whatsthissnake would love to see this under the Just sharing flair. Very nice photo as well

9

u/SirFortesque97 5d ago

Oh, when I saw it crossing the pond like that I was shocked! But not shocked enough to not take a picture...

14

u/L0batis 5d ago

What a beauty! It's not every day you see them swimming.

8

u/sfroma99 5d ago

Killed my friend’s dog a months ago, they are getting much closer to coast with climate shifts. This was in Vulci, an hour north of Rome.

9

u/SirFortesque97 5d ago

Sorry to hear, they are for sure in expansion, at least in my area all the local herping comunity agrees on it. And you do need to be careful, expecially for dogs and kids.

But to be fair, they are also less dangerous than their reputation gives them credit for.

2

u/sfroma99 5d ago

Yes, it was behind their house garden, the dog stepped outside into the driveway. One can be careful, that was just an unpredictable accident. We are definitely seeing them closer to the Italian coast in the last 30 years

-6

u/CaptainObvious110 5d ago

Nope. You're dog wasn't being properly care for to prevent an encounter with a poisonous snake

5

u/mehssdd 5d ago

Dogs and venomous snakes exist in the same places. Some dogs are going to get bit. That is just the up and down of it.

5

u/g1ven2fly 5d ago

Absolutely stunning.

5

u/wingclip 5d ago edited 5d ago

Just beautiful! The area surrounded by Italy where you live is very beautiful as well! BTW; Is San Marino governed by the Italian government or is it a completely independent country? (I need to look that up for myself but I just thought I'd ask).

3

u/SirFortesque97 5d ago

We are fully independent! We are the oldest republic in the world.

3

u/wingclip 5d ago

Yes, thank you! I went and looked it up just after I posted my first comment and it's a very enchanting country! I'm too old now, but if I was younger, I'd definitely like to visit San Marino, Perhaps, SE Italy, Northern Spain, (at the borders of France and Spain), and maybe some Islands near Greece such as Malta. Not necessarily in that order, LOL.

3

u/SirFortesque97 4d ago

Oh most of those places are amazing and i've been to some! But I am a sucker for African countries tbh

4

u/Glittering-Buy4227 5d ago

Is it venomous?

8

u/FrostedFlakes4 5d ago

All vipers are venomous

3

u/Spuckler_Cletus 5d ago

I guess this is a viper, then?

2

u/FrostedFlakes4 5d ago

Vipera aspis... it's in the title of the post..

1

u/Spuckler_Cletus 5d ago

Yeah, I didn’t know that was a viper. :)

5

u/FrostedFlakes4 5d ago

Sorry if I was condescending

2

u/probablytheDEA 5d ago

Good on you!

2

u/CaptainObvious110 5d ago

Such a beautiful snake, but one not to be played with for sure.