Need Help With Slow Worms...

[Showboat-King]

Hello There...

Ive recently been working on a school project, in which I have to find a slow worm!

I live on the Isle of Wight, and for the last couple of nights, ive been looking in long grassy fields, and meadows in the Wootton area... but with no luck

are there any tips anyone could give me to find a slow worm?

I really need to catch one!

Thank You

[Meta menardi]

I really think it would be good to change your need from catching to watching and perhaps photographing. Slow-worms are legless lizards and will often shed their tails if handled.

Can you tell us any more about your project, it seems to have got your interest, but there should be a better way of studying Wildlife than catching it.

Welcome to the site, people here will help you if they can.

[djackso]

I agree - I think you should have a word with teacher about the rights and wrongs of this sort of project. Sounds crazy that the kids in your class should be all out hunting slow worms in your area.

How many others are doing the same thing?

[Showboat-King]

I do agree with you, but my project requires to catch one, obviously I would release it afterwards, but the whole class has been told to find one, for a special nature class presentation

[dampflippers]

Your best bet is to look for places that they will hide in during the day eg compost heaps.

Look on the NARRS site. http://www.narrs.org.uk/index.htm
There is a section about slowworms, and a section about doing a compost survey.: http://www.narrs.org.uk/slowwormcompost.htm

Another good thing to do is to lay down some artificial refuges. They are nocturnal, and hide away somewhere warm during the day.
http://www.narrs.org.uk/Documents/nr...hods_guide.pdf
Always wear gloves when you lift them (slowly and preferably with a stick)

You might also consider putting a poster or postcard in a shop window asking for sightings (but check with your parents/ teacher about doing this, and always take an adult if invited to look in someone elses garden).

[Showboat-King]

thank you

going out soon for ANOTHER search... will record my results when back

in the meantime, are there any other odd tips on finding them?

because as of late, I cant even find one, let alone catch one

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Meta menardi

I really think it would be good to change your need from catching to watching and perhaps photographing. Slow-worms are legless lizards and will often shed their tails if handled.

Can you tell us any more about your project, it seems to have got your interest, but there should be a better way of studying Wildlife than catching it.

Welcome to the site, people here will help you if they can.

I agree- not showboats fault - but it sounds like madness to send out a class of children to catch endangered wildlife - a great shame teacher didnt come here to check the project out first.

Slow worms are protected by law and although they can be legally captured and handled it is an offence to injure them so great caution is required.

[marvin]

hi there

i don't really have a problem with the project in principle, in fact i think it's a great idea to get kids into reptiles...it might help address some of the ignorance, fear and persecution that exists at the moment. The caveat, however, is that the kids have some supervision and/or training in how to handle delicate reptiles first.

i think observing wildlife from a distance is something you mature into. i certainly let my kids catch and handle slowworms and i am sure they will develop a better respect and affinity for wildlife in the long run as a result. how many of us can honestly say they didn't do the same when they were kids?

slowworms can be found in the open but they are much more frequently found under refugia. if you find a suitable habitat start looking for flattish objects lying on the ground around rank vegetation and cover. things slowworms can be found under include tin sheets, flat rocks, logs, pieces of board in fact anything flat that absorbs and retains heat. as for time of day, it has to be warm enough for the reptiles to be basking but not too hot. however, because they bask under cover, slowworms do tend to be found at times when, for example, snakes may be hiding so they are more accessible than other reptiles.

good luck and let us know how you get on.

tim

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Showboat-King

I do agree with you, but my project requires to catch one, obviously I would release it afterwards, but the whole class has been told to find one, for a special nature class presentation

If you agree, perhaps if you had some good descriptions of what they do and pics of them doing it, you could make a point about observation being better than the physical presence of something that does not need to be there and will probably be harmed by being there.

Hope you don't get any projects on Tigers! Show and tell could become a headline news episode.

[Showboat-King]

just got back from looking, couldnt find one!

found a hedgehog and a frog, but no slow worm!