Advice on slow worms please

lovelyhelen · #1 (**permalink**) 08-04-2008, 05:43 PM

I had a piece of hardboard down to suppress weeds in my garden over winter and lifted it up yesterday to discover 40 plus slow worms underneath it. Whilst I can appreciate them and know them to be harmless and not that common (apart from obviously in my garden!!) I am rather nervous of them and would like to work out some sort of co-existence plan where we don't have to meet that much!

I feel bad for nicking their home - is there any kind of shelter I could build them to replace this which is better than just a flat board. I have looked them up and know they eat slugs so would love them to help me out in my veg patch!

I realise that they are very likely to be in my compost heap which needs turning - does anyone have any tips on how to do this without hurting them.

I live in the Bristol area if anyone wants to log such a large number being there.

Thanks Helen

Dogghound · #2 (**permalink**) 08-04-2008, 05:47 PM

Interesting find, the best thing to do is leave them be, just keep the board there, it is likely they will disperse when it gets a bit warmer and only afew will stay in your garden. Regarding the compost, im unsure you would have to check it and take care.

demicav · #3 (**permalink**) 08-04-2008, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovelyhelen

I had a piece of hardboard down to suppress weeds in my garden over winter and lifted it up yesterday to discover 40 plus slow worms underneath it. Whilst I can appreciate them and know them to be harmless and not that common (apart from obviously in my garden!!) I am rather nervous of them and would like to work out some sort of co-existence plan where we don't have to meet that much!

I feel bad for nicking their home - is there any kind of shelter I could build them to replace this which is better than just a flat board. I have looked them up and know they eat slugs so would love them to help me out in my veg patch!

I realise that they are very likely to be in my compost heap which needs turning - does anyone have any tips on how to do this without hurting them.

I live in the Bristol area if anyone wants to log such a large number being there.

Thanks Helen

Hi Helen, welcome to WAB. Wow you've got to be one of the luckiest people around. I know many folk who would love to change places with you (me included

). The Slow worms (legless Lizards) are really so harmless as you say and such beautiful creatures. I would go with Dogghounds advice and leave some board down for them. They feel safe under it and are able to warm themselves under there quite nicely. They will probably disperse soon enough. Yes be careful with the compost heap, they're probably in there too.

tigger · #4 (**permalink**) 08-04-2008, 09:31 PM

They made me jump the first time I saw one... I went running into the house screaming "snake". Now I pick them up very carefully and put them in the other compost bin. They don't seem to mind. Maybe you can get another bin... and start a new compost, and deposit them in it (if they are in the way of you putting your spuds in). Lucky you! wish I had 40 slowworms. Jane

lovelyhelen · #5 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 08:33 AM

Yes Tigger you're spot on it's the jumping thing. I do need to remove the board to plant my spuds but I'm going to build some other hidey holes around the garden so they can go there and as it's a sunny day hopefully they'll be warm enough to move to them.
I just spend my time chanting lizard whenever I go out there as my fear of snakes is pretty bad and they do look very similar!! Sorry for being such a girl when everyone else seems so excited about them! My friend is going to help me turn the compost heap as he is perfectly happy to pick them up. I promise to try and make little havens for them and take care of them all.

Thanks for your advice and if anyone else has anything please do get in touch

Helen

tigger · #6 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008, 06:18 AM

Hi Helen

I used to be scared of spiders until a friend of mine started photographing them in macro close up. Once I saw how gorgious they looked I started to get over my fear. I even walked under a whole woodland path of golden orb spiders while in Florida lately... I wouldn't have done that last year.

My advice to you would be to look at some of the great photographs in the Gallery of slow worms. When you do touch one it isn't a bit slimey or wet, they are actually beautifully smooth and shiny. They don't bite.... they are loads more worried about you (really they are

)

Don't worry your're allowed to be girlie (it's what us girls do best!) I hope you end up living in harmony with them... maybe even start photographing all the wildlife (including the slow worms) in your garden and uploading them to this forum! We'd love to see what else you have... Jane

lovelyhelen · #7 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008, 08:22 AM

I have got some photos but can't work out how to upload them!

tigger · #8 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008, 08:33 AM

Believe me I've been there Helen... it's a bit confusing.

Go to the Gallery, click on Upload, click on archive, go to the section "upload photo" and click on the drop down (which says members Gallery at the moment) and choose "forum images", click on the first "browse" button, find your picture on your computer and click open. Then click on the next brose button and put in another picture.... etc. Then click on "upload/submit". If you've put more than one picture, it will let you give them titles on the next page. If you've only uploaded one, it will go straight to your image Gallery. Then just go to the bottom of the page (under your uploaded picture) and copy the "forum code" and paste it into a Forum post. Then once you save the entry/post it will show up as a thumbnail, and once clicked on will go to the Gallery.

You will need to make sure that your pictures are not too large before you upload them. I'd make them 500px x 500px and about 20kb.

Hope this helps. Jane

dampflippers · #9 (**permalink**) 13-04-2008, 09:58 PM

Helen,
NARRS (national amphibian and reptile recording scheme) would very much like to hear from you.
There is a survey on reptiles in your garden and also a slow worm one.
http://www.narrs.org.uk/slowwormcompost.htm

(You are very lucky!)

lovelyhelen · #10 (**permalink**) 14-04-2008, 02:22 PM

I've filled in the garden reptile survey and emailed about the slow worms. Couldn't fill in the actual slowworm compost survey as it's just about compost heaps and I've not found them there yet but am sure they will be in there so will let them know when I do.