[3] The species is found in Great Britain as far north as southern Scotland,[4] and in the Netherlands, western Germany, Switzerland, Italy and France.

Since barred grass snakes inhabit the cooler climate of northern Europe and Great Britain and live near bodies of water, they will spend a significant portion of the year hibernating, typically throughout the coldest months.

They will find any sort of shelter where they can seek refuge from the harsh weather, or may burrow underground in order to maintain a stable body temperature, and remain there during hibernation.

This may be a tactic to maximise sperm production, as the males mate with the females as soon as they emerge up to two weeks later in April, or earlier if environmental temperatures are favourable.

After breeding in summer, barred grass snakes tend to hunt and may range widely during this time, moving up to several hundred metres in a day.

Snakes which have recently eaten rarely move any significant distance and will stay in one location, basking to optimize their body temperature until the prey item has been digested.

In defence they can produce a garlic-smelling fluid from the anal glands, and feign death (thanatosis) by becoming completely limp[11] when they may also secrete blood (autohaemorrhage) from the mouth and nose.

However, barred grass snakes have the ability to triangulate their heads in defense to trick potential predators into believing they are venomous and could fight back.

In Great Britain, they are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and cannot be killed, harmed, taken from the wild, kept in captivity or traded without a licence.

[16] In 2007 (before reclassification), the grass snake was included on the updated UK Biodiversity Action Plan as a species in need of conservation and greater protection.