Is it safe in Cinque Terre

Definitely not, so I wouldn't recommend going there. Spread the word.

Imported asps as an economical attempt to reduce the masses.
Be afraid.

As a snakeologist, I wonder if the snake is safe.

I read this as a snake with 4 feet.

Nigel, they have those snakes in the UK too. I looked up venomous snakes in Europe and there are 7 different types. Of course, 2 years ago I had a timber rattlesnake in the shrubbery in front of my house so close to the window I could see his pits. Nowhere is safe except Ireland and Hawaii.

Have the four foot snakes eaten all the tarantulas?

I read this as a snake with 4 feet.

Actually, there are a lot of snakes with 2 feet.

And there are giant attack scorpions:

Clash of the Titans

Hopefully the 4 foot snakes will eat the pickpockets and then we'll all be safe.

Imported asps as an economical attempt to reduce the masses.
Be afraid.

Imported asps arrive by boat by the thousands every week.

@Nancy, I laughed out loud.

Snakeologist my foot. Norma, you are a Herpetologist. And if you made the snakes look pretty, you'd be a Herpetological cosmetologist.

Thanks for the day brightener Nigel!

Snakes like to show up when you don't expect them. I was playing disc golf last month and my disc landed in the weeds, as I was looking around for my disc I saw a copperhead about 2 feet away from me all coiled up and ready to strike. So I think if you stay out of the weeds and watch were you are going you will have no problem. Also snakes don't like the cold, about 60 degrees or less.

No snakes in Alaska either!

Yes, thousands of them. Tourists should avoid the CT at all costs.

(Nigel, this is brilliant)

Nigel, thank you so much for posting this; and thanks, too, to all who contributed to the humor and cleverness of this entire thread! Best laugh I've had so far today!!

Vipers are the only venomous snakes in Italy and are common throughout the country, except for Sardinia which has no venomous animals (another reason to visit that beautiful island).

Although vipers’ bites are rarely fatal, however they should be taken seriously.

September/October is when they mate, so there are often reports of bites at this time of the year, also because this is mushroom and truffle season, so many Italians venture to the woods. September through December is also when most regions allow hunting.

If you venture to the woods in the countryside at this time of the year, statistically you are more likely to be killed by a hunter who thinks you are a boar, than by a viper. If you are overweight, very hairy, and dark, take that into consideration especially in Tuscany, the region which has, by far, the highest number of hunters in Italy (and probably in Europe). And you know Tuscans love boars.

Below an article on snakes of Italy.

https://www.maremmaguide.com/snakes-in-italy.html

Remind me not to move to Alabama or take up disc golf.

"Remind me not to move to Alabama or take up disc golf. "

With that in mind, you probably shouldn't move to the Okanagan either - https://www.bcreptiles.ca/snakes/n_pacificrattle.htm .

There are snakes here but in 30 years I've yet to see one (except in captivity). I've been involved with people that have been bitten though. Incidentally they're considered a "protected species" here, so it's illegal to harm them.

If you are overweight, very hairy, and dark, take that into consideration especially in Tuscany,

From that I assume that Luciano Pavarotti avoided truffle hunting in Tuscany in the fall.

Oh, you all have made me laugh!
💕💕💕

"If you are overweight, very hairy, and dark, take that into consideration especially in Tuscany,

From that I assume that Luciano Pavarotti avoided truffle hunting in Tuscany in the fall."

Oh man.... :))

@Rachel If you avoid the states that usually have hurricanes, you will also be avoiding many of the states that have venomous snakes. However, there are way more species of rattlesnake in Arizona than in the Southeastern U.S.-check out the glass enclosures in the Biology Building at Arizona State.

Here in Florida, we have pythons up to 18 feet in the Everglades.

Florida wins for the best snake population!