Slow worms

[Mark75]

I was just reading through the lizard classifieds and found this thread http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/lizar...ilis-sale.html

What exactly is the status of slow worms and them being sold?

Conservation status
Slow worms are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 from being killed, injured or sold and are less common than they used to be.

Does this apply to CB slow worms too?

I'm not interested in buying, just want to know from people much more knowledgeable than myself.

[Lucifus]

4th generation onwards can be sold.

[Mark75]

Originally Posted by Lucifus

4th generation onwards can be sold.

How would you prove that they are?

[Ssthisto]

With great difficulty, Mark.

Ideally you'd need your adults chipped, photographic proof of which animals came from what parents... but since slow worms don't have amazingly distinctive markings, not like corns or beardies, it'd be difficult to prove that THIS little silver neonate grew into THAT brown and copper adult female.

[bluetongued]

This is exactly what I would like to know...how to proove they are 3rd gen??

My idea would be to contact which ever governing body who regulates this and ask them to come and verify your animals...state you will be breeding and have them follow the project with you giving written proof..etc.

Captive breeding of slow worms has to be a good thing and encouraged I would think....if there were millions of captive bred animals surely animals taken from the wild would stop (We would hope).

I will google info in a bit just want to know if anyone has had experiance keeping them and what requirements they need feeding, husbandry ect.

[Matt Harris]

Originally Posted by Lucifus

4th generation onwards can be sold.

Crikey - it started off on these forums as 2nd generation, then 3rd generation, now 4th generation! Can't wait to see what generation you can sell in 2 year's time!.

But seriously, as on the other thread and many before it, I've seen nothing in policy, advice or law to suggests that 1st generation cannot be sold.

[pollywog]

I've seen nothing in policy, advice or law to suggests that 1st generation cannot be sold.

The Wildlife & Countryside Act (1981) states that a license is not required to sell or keep them if Captive Bred. Their definition of captive bred states that the parents of the animals being sold / kept must also have been born in captivity.
I don't know if or how this will now change under the new Habitats Directive.

[Matt Harris]

Originally Posted by pollywog

The Wildlife & Countryside Act (1981) states that a license is not required to sell or keep them if Captive Bred. Their definition of captive bred states that the parents of the animals being sold / kept must also have been born in captivity.
I don't know if or how this will now change under the new Habitats Directive.

I wasn't aware that there was a new 'Habitats Directive' due. There were changes to the Habitats Regulations last year but remember we're talking about WCA species here.

I haven't seen a specific definition of 'captive-bred' in relation to herps on any legislation, but as i have posted on another thread, section 9(5) prohibits trade of 'wild animals' listed in Schedule 5. 'Wild animal' is later defined in S. 27(1) as '...any animal (other than a bird) which is or (before it was killed or taken) was living in the wild'. This implies that F1 offspring are legal to sell, as they were never living in the wild.

Furthermore, is you extrapolate from birds to other animals, S. 27(2) says ' A bird shall not be treated as bred in captivity for the purposes of this Part unless its parents were lawfully in captivity when the egg was laid.'

[SiUK]

so they have to be second generation then.

[Matt Harris]

No, 1st generation (F1 - 1st Filial ) i.e the sons and daughters