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I've got slow worms!

ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

maggiewinchester

maggiewinchester Report 20 May 2023 23:28

I'm such a happy bunny - and obviously pleased by the simplest of things :-D

A week or so ago, I lifted an old metal cat bowl, with a rubber bottom, off the walled (rather overgrown) bank in my garden, to put water in it, when I saw a huuuge slow worm under it.
I immediately put the bowl back.

Today, i lifted it again- and there were at least 6 baby slow worms under it :-D
So, no water, again.
Tomorrow, I shall be looking for the other two cat bowls I have, to put on the bank.

The irony is, I initially put the bowl of water out for the hedgehog that my neighbour found on her bank last year!

Hedgehogs eat slow worms. We haven't (so far) seen the hedgehog this year.
We think the hedgehog came under the fence from the garden behind ours.

agingrocker

agingrocker Report 21 May 2023 06:21

That's great Maggie, I would have been pleased as well

Von

Von Report 21 May 2023 09:07

Lucky you. I would be very pleased too :-D

Island

Island Report 21 May 2023 09:46

Lucky you maggie :-D I wish I'd kept back a sheet of metal from the scrap man now, didn't think of it.

ArgyllGran

ArgyllGran Report 21 May 2023 10:17

I've had slow worms living in my compost bin for the last few years.

A beautiful silvery-bronze colour.
In warm weather they lie on top of the compost; in colder weather they must be keeping warm somewhere n the middle of it.

It does mean that I feel I can't disturb them by using any of the compost!

LindainHerriotCountry

LindainHerriotCountry Report 21 May 2023 10:19

That is good, we have a hedgehog house. Something was in it last year, but I don’t think anything is this year. We are on a hedgehog trail though, they have been spotted in next doors garden from time to time

Rambling

Rambling Report 21 May 2023 10:42

Lovely :-)

Gwyn in Kent

Gwyn in Kent Report 21 May 2023 11:19

Really pleased for you Maggie.
I remember you have written before about liking slow worms.

It's great when we can be pleased about seeing some natural wonder.

LaGooner

LaGooner Report 21 May 2023 11:29

You are so lucky Maggie, I haven't seen any around here :-(

Caroline

Caroline Report 21 May 2023 11:40

I used to see them in my parents garden on occasion but never any babies, you're so lucky Maggie.

maggiewinchester

maggiewinchester Report 21 May 2023 12:00

I had slow worms, and hedgehogs in the last place I lived.
Then my neighbour put tarp down - which attracted the slow worms, to go under it..
When he pulled the tarp up - he killed the slow worms.
He denied this, when I asked him, but I actually saw him.
However, with no evidence (before smart phones), there was nothing I could do.

He then laid fake grass :-|

My immediate neighbours here. are very 'pro' wildlife :-D

JoonieCloonie

JoonieCloonie Report 21 May 2023 18:27

I'd never heard of this, so I googled. Fascinating!

Unfortunately, it seems their main predator is domestic cats. :-(

The things some people do to wildlife deemed inconvenient, or just in general, makes one hope they encounter something higher up the food chain themselves someday.

Island

Island Report 21 May 2023 21:23

I'm thinking the answer should have be 'you can get tablets for that' LOL

maggiewinchester

maggiewinchester Report 21 May 2023 22:27

:-D :-D :-D :-D