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Original poster

to think slow worms are lovley

155 replies

suzziearoundtheworld · 30/06/2015 21:14

I have a lot of them in my garden, I've left parts overgrown for them and have made a great deal of effort to stop cats coming in. But no one else seems to like them, almost every friend is shit scared of these lovely things. Its such a shame they are native and at risk

OP posts:
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12
willowtree62 · 01/07/2015 21:38

Okay so Hampshire, Kent and Sussex are off the moving list! Anywhere else have them because I really cannot live along side them. Sorry to all the people that love them but I am terrified enough of worms!

girliefriend · 01/07/2015 21:41

Are slow worms snakes?

CrabbyTheCrabster · 01/07/2015 21:49

girlie no, they're legless lizards!

willow you'd want to avoid Dorset too then - anywhere with heathland is great for reptiles. We have all of the native species in Surrey...

Grass snake
Adder
Smooth snake
Slow worm
Common lizard
Sand lizard.

Talc lovely pic.

ShipwreckedAndComatose · 01/07/2015 21:50

Slow worms are legless lizards. Their faces are more lizard like and they have eyelids, whereas snakes do not.

DarylDixonsDarlin · 01/07/2015 21:51

Omg I love slow worms! I could happily fill my Sunday as a child hunting for them in the back garden, then I used to keep it an an ice cream tub for the afternoon to look at it, then let it go in the evening. Blush mum wasn't keen on them in my bedroom though. Haven't seen once since I left my childhood home Sad

Twooter · 01/07/2015 21:51

I saw one in the Dalby Forest, about 1 week before someone got bitten by an adder in the same spot.

eatyouwithaspoon · 01/07/2015 21:51

We often see them (live in Cornwall) they are beautiful

CornChips · 01/07/2015 22:02

Oh I love slow worms so much.

Last time I saw them was the summer 5 years ago when I was pg. I have a clear memory of picking one up and cradling it in my palms and taking it inside asking DH if it was a snake or a slow worm. After he pointed out that I should not pick up a reptile I could not recognise Blush ... especially when pg..... he said it was a slow worm, and we tickled it. They are GORGEOUS darling things.

OscarWinningActress · 01/07/2015 22:13

Jesus Christ! WTF? They are SNAKES.

Jux · 01/07/2015 22:14

I'm in Devon. There are definitely some down here, Willow. You'll have to plump for a city centre with no garden. Mind you, I understand we have poisonous spiders down here now but I don't think about that at all ever never ever ever.

CornChips · 01/07/2015 22:16

No, they are lizards!!

And so lovely.

Spydra · 01/07/2015 22:20

We get lots in our garden. Cat is pretty scared of them, I think it must be an evolutionary anti-snake tactic.

I've read they can eat 50 slugs a day each, so they are very welcome in my garden! I love their little faces, pink bellies and cute glittery eyelashes!

To encourage them to breed, I've put some black bags and stones around - hoping for a colony of them!

Vagndidit · 01/07/2015 22:21

I have Googled, yet fail to see the loveliness you all speak of.

Those are snakes, people. Snakes.

CornChips · 01/07/2015 22:25

Lizards.

Not a matter of opinion by the way! Matter of fact.

UptoapointLordCopper · 01/07/2015 22:26

Slow worms are lovely. We have some in the garden and feel really privileged when they let us see have a glimpse of them. Smile

Has anyone said: To distinguish snakes and lizards: one blinks and one doesn't. No idea which does what but I don't think either I or them have ever stayed long enough to find out.

CornChips · 01/07/2015 22:28

mmmmm....I wish I could see more slow worms, Might need to go looking hard, We have cats, dogs, hedgehogs, foxes and a resident badger in our compost heap, so slow worms might be hiding with all that going on!

UptoapointLordCopper · 01/07/2015 22:30

Badger! Envy I've never seen a badger. Sad

pixiestix · 01/07/2015 22:35

Um, Jux. I'm in Devon (and have a slow worm). Please tell me there aren't really poisonous spiders.

CornChips · 01/07/2015 22:35

Yes!!!! I LOVE it. We first realised over winter when the dogs were whining in the middle of the night, and DH went to see what was wrong. He came back and said; 'Come quickly it is a badger...' ... I went down and peeked and it was eating from the dog food bowl, with it's little stripey face. It was amazing. We found it's set, which is in the compost heap, and we protect it. It is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen! I feel so lucky. And..... we live in the middle of a built up village/town!

eleventybillion · 01/07/2015 22:37

Crabby fantastic pics! I run round fleet pond most Saturday mornings. Ridiculously excited to hear there are slow worms there. I've never seen them obviously running too fast

Any tips for spotting them? Where's best to look?

GerundTheBehemoth · 01/07/2015 23:30

I've mostly found them in compost heaps or under refugia (bits of corrugated metal or squares of carpet that are placed in suitable spots in nature reserves, as places for reptiles to shelter).

wigglylines · 02/07/2015 00:19

I think they're great too :)

Oldsu · 02/07/2015 00:45

Not sure why they are called SLOW worms the one my Pug was chasing in the kitchen looked pretty zippy to me.

Think the stupid dog bought it in as a pressie for me

Garlick · 02/07/2015 02:58

There was a beautiful, iridescent gold one outside my house (West Mids) the other day - sadly, it had been run over and, when I came back, had been savaged by cats. Poor thing. It was the first pure gold one I've seen.

ajandjjmum · 02/07/2015 07:51

Thank you Talc and Willow - not looking good for me. And until Garlick's post I thought I was pretty safe in the Midlands! Looks like a move to Ireland is on the cards then! Grin