Slow worms

[Scally Samurai]

Has anyone ever kept slow worms as pets or knows anything about them?
what do they eat etc. only ask cos the kids keep bringing them in from the garden and i've been toying with the idea of keeping on ina viv as a pet for them and to learn more about them. i'm guessing they don't need any form of heat sourse as they live wild in this country?

[joe190]

sorry mate but it illegal

[Scally Samurai]

how come didn't think they were indangered?

[lil05]

its not illegal to actualyl keep them .. i did read it somewhere its just illegal to kill or harm them .. they eat slugs and worms and snails .. would live on a dampish soil substrtae and need lots of hides but heating is not needed as they live outdoors in england

[TCReptile]

Because there are so few left it is illegal to keep slow worms, or to even pick them up! We have a few by the river in our back garden but don't touch them unless they are in the middle of our driveway, and even then we only touch them to move them to safety.

[Axel01]

Used too keep them a long time ago.

They love those white/ grey slugs that eat lettuces and hostas and carrots and tomatoes.....

Moist substrate (eco earth) loads of bits of cork cool room temp.

And if anybody breeds them..

[Scally Samurai]

guess that answers that question, thanks guys. i'll make sure i tell the kids to leave them alone from now on, just wish could get the cats to leave them alone to

[lil05]

just read it is illegal to take them out of the wild but if it is captive bread and can be prooved it is captive bread its ok

[Ally]

It is not illegal to collect or keep them.

It is illegal to harm them or sell them (unless 2 generations cb).

They make very nice little pets! Care is covered nicely a couple of posts up.

[Ally]

Here you go...

"Legislation relating to the slow-wormSlow-worms are protected against killing, injuring and sale under UK legislation:

• Bern Convention 1979: Appendix III
• Wildlife & Countryside Act (as Amended) 1981: Schedule 5
• Countryside Rights of Way Act 2000 (CRoW 2000)

Following an amendment in 1988 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, part of Section 9(1) and all of Section 9(5) apply to the slow-worm’s listing on Schedule 5 of the Act. Consequently, under parts of Section 9(1) slow-worms are protected against intentional killing and injuring but not ‘taking’. Under Section 9(5) it is an offence to offer for sale, transport for sale, advertise for the purpose of trading any live, dead, part, or derivative of, slow-worms. Section 9 applies to all stages in their life cycle."

From wildlife-landscaping.co.uk