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Just slow worms!

imintauntonimintaunton Posts: 23
in Wildlife gardening
Hi folks.  I thought I'd open my account by discussing a creature that, while not exactly rare, is seldom discussed.  We seem to have an unlimited supply of them in our newish garden and they're wonderful.  So smooth; such an amazing colour and so docile.

Does anyone else have them in their garden - and what do you know about them?
Inherited an amazing garden in Taunton, Somerset, stuffed with wonderful plants, shrubs, trees and creatures
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Posts

  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    We only have them at our allotment, and are only rarely seen there. You are very lucky to have them at all, especially on a regular basis. The ones we encounter are not docile, they wriggle and desperately try to get away from us (but they are London Slow Worms!).

    We once discovered about 8 in one day, when clearing a spoil heap on our plot, and this included baby's. Very, very lovely creatures. Makes me so happy when we see one.
  • Jenny_AsterJenny_Aster Posts: 945
    Last week I saw something I've not seen before. It looked like a worm but was the biggest worm I've seen, it looked nothing like a slow worm. I disturbed it when gardening. It was nearly a foot long when it was stretched out. It quickly made it's way to the lawn about 3 foot away where it disappeared down a hole. It stretched out then pulled it's rear up, then the front stretched out again moving quite fast for a worm.

    What was weird was that it looked like it knew where it was going, like it was on a mission, normally when a worm is disturbed it wriggles about. This didn't, there was a sort of intelligence there.  Maybe this is normal and I've not been paying attention.
    Trying to be the person my dog thinks I am! 

    Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    No, I wish I did, we have lizards and adders but no slow worms that I have seen. We've got plenty of habitat for them and they do exist in the area, hopefully some will turn up eventually.
  • skankinpickleskankinpickle Posts: 119
    Unfortunately they do not seem to live around here.

    Maybe too cold and wet?

    One would think they might like to live somewhere where there are a zillion slugs - as slugs do not seem to have any other predators apart from humans.  :|
  • CatDouchCatDouch Posts: 488
    We moved our log pile the other day and one slithered out, absolutely beautiful.  I picked it up as our dogs were far too interested and moved it under a hedge where I’d seen one last year.  I love to see them as it’s such a rare occurrence.
    South Devon 
  • imintauntonimintaunton Posts: 23
    Jenny_Aster said:
    What was weird was that it looked like it knew where it was going, like it was on a mission, normally when a worm is disturbed it wriggles about. This didn't, there was a sort of intelligence there. 


    Hi Jenny,
    I reckon you'd better change the password on your router!  The worms have been eavesdropping and are learning!
    Chris
    Inherited an amazing garden in Taunton, Somerset, stuffed with wonderful plants, shrubs, trees and creatures
  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    We have Schrödinger's slow worms, we definitely had them, they were living in a scant plastic dalek compost bin, it had to go! I made a big box out of pallets, and we got two of them out and back in the new box - that was 4 years ago, and they were there last year, but it's very rare we see them. I made a secluded basking spot for them behind the box, so maybe they go out there - I hope they're still living here.
  • imintauntonimintaunton Posts: 23
    CatDouch said:
    ... our dogs were far too interested ...

    At least dogs 'might' just look at it and perhaps have a sniff - unlike cats.
    To my annoyance we have 4 felines (thank you Missus!) and they have an incessant interest in anything small and wriggly.
    We also have loads of newts - just common newts - in the pond here and I'm doing my best to safeguard them from our cats.  Fulltime job unfortunately.
    Not sure what I can do to protect slow worms - they get around everywhere - two were even in our garage (which is attached to the house)!

    Inherited an amazing garden in Taunton, Somerset, stuffed with wonderful plants, shrubs, trees and creatures
  • rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
    We have had them in the garden for years. This year, we have two families. I found the second family at the bottom of my sand box - an old compost bin with bags of sand. Such a delight.
  • imintauntonimintaunton Posts: 23
    What I can't work out is just what it is that attracts them to our garden - what's so special?
    Of course, the couple who lived here before were very elderly and fairly infirm.  No gardening would appear to have been done for several (if not many) years so perhaps it was just the peace that they liked.
    Inherited an amazing garden in Taunton, Somerset, stuffed with wonderful plants, shrubs, trees and creatures
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