Slow Worms (1 Viewer)

[tystie]

Found these round the West Coast of scotland last w/end,found 3 in the same area also a Lizard but he was camera shy,picts taken then back under there stone.

 

[Mabel]

Amazing shots! Over here, we only get Slow Worms in one spot, the Burren, so I don't think I'll ever handle them... They are amazing creatures!

 

[AdamT]

A nice find Interestingly the Slow worm is neither a snake or a worm! It is infact a lizard with no legs :0 hope you didn't already know that

 

[MlZad]

Interesting. Adult Anguis fragilis Males don't have the dorsal stripe. They can sometimes have several small blue spots on their back. Females & juveniles have the brown stripe, no spots.
I've got a couple of questions:
1. Did you find them on the same spot (all 3 Slow Worms)?
2. were they thrashing about when you picked them up? Did any stuck their tail spike (used for easier movement above ground, nothing dangerous) into your hand? Or were they calm?
3. How big were they?
4. did any of them poo on you when you picked them up?

 

[tystie]

hi MiZad
Two under one stone and about 20meters away another,the 2 together were very calm and hardly moved the lone one was a bit more frisky and yes it did poo all over my hand,never got spiked and i would say10 inches long,amazing little things

 

[MlZad]

i would say10 inches long

? They look larger than that... Do you mean 10 inches from snout to vent or snout to tail?

I asked if you found them all at the same spot because in the South of France and in Montenegro (I think) the live in family groups (2 adults and several young), while here at Vugrovec they live solitary lives...

 

[tystie]

Mabe slightly larger than 10 /12 tops,but one had a stumpy tail that it must have lost at some time in the past.Do they drop them like Lizards do !!!Spoke to some of the locals who said ther used to be a lot more in previous years but the area that they were in had been cleaned and the bits of wood etc had been taken away,so only a few stones left.

 

[MlZad]

Do they drop them like Lizards do

That explains it. Yes, they do drop their tails like other lizards, only theirs doesn't always grow back...
If there were piles of grass lying around, that'd be much better than stones 'cause it would be more moist.

 

[Beany]

in the South of France and in Montenegro (I think) the live in family groups (2 adults and several young), while here at Vugrovec they live solitary lives...

I don't know about the rest of Europe, but in the UK you can find large groups living together. I've attached a picture of a group a friend found under a roof tile in a garden in Devon.

 

[MlZad]

I don't know about the rest of Europe, but in the UK you can find large groups living together. I've attached a picture of a group a friend found under a roof tile in a garden in Devon.

WOW! So they also live in colonies in the UK? I'll have to ad that to my page (not published yet). They have very diverse colours! red, pink, yellowish and... is that an ALBINO I see????

 

[Beany]

is that an ALBINO I see????

No, I think it's just a very light male- I've seen a few that colour.

 

[Isurus]

seconding the wow! I'm dead jealous.

I've only seen one in the wild but it was self found by me, aged 10, on a wildlife watch group walk looking for adders and grass snakes to the surprise of the then very impressed adult volunteer guides. I was sooo proud and hence I'll always have fond memories of these. Wish there were more about in Lincs, lovely animals.