What was i bitten by?

Question

While climbing on the headland of the local bay on holiday in Northern France in Brittany, I found a snake or slowworm under some heather and (foolishly) grabbed its tail, clearly having watched too much Austin Stevens. It tried to dive away into the bushes but i pulled it out. It was quite aggressive and clearly didn't like being handled, and I tried to grab it behind the head when it turned it's neck and bit me with its two main fangs. I don't know whether slowworms have fangs like these or not, which is why i ask, because it is similar to a male slowworm in nearly every other way. It was a beige colour, about the correct length with seemingly randomly dotted spots on its back. It had round eyes and pupils, although i didn't notice whether it had eyelids or not. Once it bit me, i let go and it slunk away quite quickly and we did not find it again. It does not seem to resemble a smooth snake or grass snake, nor any of the other snakes of France, because of its minimal patterning and light colour...

Answer 1

From what I could find, I'd guess it was a Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis).

This website says they are common in France.

http://lizards.suite101.com/article.cfm/...

The following website has a lot of good info. about them, including a photo of their teeth. Their teeth curve backwards and are quite sharp. (I'd suggest that you get a tetanus shot if you haven't had one in recent times).

Here's the webpage:

http://www.surrey-arg.org.uk/cgi-bin/SAR...

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

you need to get your . > you know what in <  to the doctor. if the snake was foaming at the mouth. could of had rabbies. you need to be treated.  

Answer 3

I don't know what it was by your description, but, to relieve your fears, reptiles CANNOT catch Rabies.  Rabies is exclusive to mammals.

If the animal "had" true "fangs" then it was venomous, and you should get to a doctor.  If it had eyelids it was NOT a snake.  Real fangs are two long teeth, usually located at the front of the mouth on the upper jaw.

Next time, ALWAYS look carefully "before" you grab.