slow worms - crossing roads?

[eekoh]

I've found slow worms in habitat on both sides of a small tarmac road, I was wondering if anyone knows whether its likely to be two separate populations or if slow worms would be happy enough crossing it. Its just about wide enough for 2 cars to pass and doesn't actually lead anywhere so gets very little traffic. There is plenty of good reptile habitat on either side but obviously to get from one side to the other means crossing the tarmac where there would be no cover from predators.

Does anyone know if they would cross the road?

[ViperaBerus]

They will cross roads without any hesitation. They also like basking on the edges too.

[eekoh]

Thanks, thats really helpful. I'm having to learn quickly about reptiles this year, there weren't a whole lot of them around where I used to work but round here they're everywhere!

[wyevilla]

I have just one thing to add - slow worms can get stuck if the road is particularly smooth or dusty. They seem to lose the power to grip the substrate with their ventral scales.

This has happened a couple of times near our house and the slow worm has required assistance to get into cover.

[werdnal]

I rescued a slow worm from our road last week. Came back from dropping my son at cubs, and found one of my neighbour's cats sitting watching something in the middle of the road. Cat ran, and I nearly ran over the slow worm! Thought it was dead at first, but moved when I tried to pick it up, so deposited it in the hedge to prevent the cat getting it again, or anyone else running it over.

Not sure if it got in the road under its own steam or whether the cat brought/chased it there, but it was unmarked, so don't think the cat had picked it up or clawed it, and its tail was intact

Its the first one I've seen in a long time.

[ViperaBerus]

Originally Posted by wyevilla

I have just one thing to add - slow worms can get stuck if the road is particularly smooth or dusty. They seem to lose the power to grip the substrate with their ventral scales.

This has happened a couple of times near our house and the slow worm has required assistance to get into cover.

Yes, they are quite rubbish on smooth surfaces

[zigzag]

Be warned if you're short sighted, I frequently see slow worms basking on the path when I'm out walking the dog, as I've also seen a lot of dead ones (stamped on) I always scoop them up and put them safely in the undergrowth. The largish slow worm I scooped up the other day without wearing my glasses was definitely not a slow worm

[Beekeeper]

Originally Posted by wyevilla

I have just one thing to add - slow worms can get stuck if the road is particularly smooth or dusty. They seem to lose the power to grip the substrate with their ventral scales.

This has happened a couple of times near our house and the slow worm has required assistance to get into cover.

Agreed, i had to give one a shove last week when it got stuck on the concrete slab path running up my garden, he was moving like they all do but getting nowhere.

Ian