A farmer in Co. Donegal was left surprised when he found a snake in one of his fields, while he was out checking livestock recently.The farmer, who is from close to Milford, found what is believed to a corn snake - a species native to North America - sitting in the grass, according to a post on LK Pets Facebook page.This type of snake doesn't generally bite and it is a popular choice for people who wish to keep a snake as a pet. It preys primarily on small rodents, which it subdues by constriction.An American corn snake can grow up to 6ft in length. However, the one found in Co. Donegal is presumed to be quite a young snake.The most likely scenario is that the snake is a pet that somehow escaped its owners.The snake is currently residing in the pet store in Letterkenny. Once it was collected, the snake had to be heated up.As of yesterday morning, August 9, the snake was "in good form and easily handled". However, the snake still hadn't eaten - but that is easily expected after a few days of being out and about, the post added.

He will take a few days to get properly heated up and functioning again but he is a lovely wee lad and we hope to find his owner.

Meanwhile, last Friday (August 4) a rare sighting of a bearded seal on a river bank near Timoleague in west Co. Cork was reported.A sighting of this type of Arctic seal is very rare and it has only ever been recorded once before in Ireland, when one was spotted in Co. Galway in 2002.[caption id="attachment_186847" align="aligncenter" width="960"]

Image source: Shearwater Wildlife Tours[/caption]The sighting was made by the Chairman of Birdwatch Ireland's West Cork Branch, Paul Connaughton.

Articles by tag: Snake

Farmer finds a snake on his land while checking livestock