Adder Snake, Vipers berus

The background colour of adders is highly variable but as a general rule males tend be relatively grey while females range from a pale creamy mocha through to a dark bronze brown or even rich red. Occasionally khaki coloured animals are found. More strikingly coloured animals may turn up, and their colours can look especially beautiful after shedding due to scale iridescence. These examples may include copper females and males that appear a velvety blue. The other occasional colour morphs to occur in Britain are melanic individuals that appear almost totally black, although the zigzag markings are still usually present if looked for closely. The underside of an adder is typically uniform dark grey/black, though often with coloured mottling present that gets more expansive in older animals. The ventral scales themselves are large and pronounced. Adders of both sexes frequently have white labials regardless of their background colouration.

Advice for adder snake

For instant advice please contact us or call our team on +44 (0)1952 740333.