They are widespread throughout Britain but are more common in the south and east of England.
Found in a wide range of habitats and tends to take refuge under anything lying on the ground. They are commonly found in gardens, especially in compost heaps where food is plentiful and the rotting vegetation provides a source of heat.
Slow Worms hibernate during the Winter and emerge around March.
Courtship takes place around May and June when the males can become very aggressive towards each other in a bid to mate with the female. During courtship, the males takes hold of the female by biting and gripping her around the head or the neck. They then intertwine their bodies for up to 10 hours before copulation occurs. Females tend to mate every two years and up to ten young are born live between August and September. The young take up to 8 years to mature to adulthood and are sexually active at around 4 years of age, 5 years for females.
Slow Worms hibernate during the Winter and emerge around March.
The Latin name for the Slow Worm, Anguis fragilis means fragile snake and refers to it's ability to shed it's tail when grabbed by humans or predators. The tail continues to move when detached from the body and distracts predators, allowing the worm to escape.
