Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis)
We have a couple of adult and sub adult slow worms, Anguis fragilis. Fawkes is our beautiful chunky adult male with blue spotting, then we also have Myrtle, Hokey and Nagini.n Slow worms are one of three native lizards to the UK, commonly mistaken for snakes due to their lack of legs. They are a beautiful metallic brown in colour, with the males being uniform all over whilst the females usually sport darker flanks and a dark dorsal stripe.
Slow worms can be found in many habitats, with some lucky people even getting them in their gardens or allotments. Unfortunately they are currently in decline and are listed as a UK BAP species, meaning their decline is of enough concern that they are now a priority of conservation efforts. Our slow worms were bred in captivity by captive bred parents belonging to a breeder in the UK, and came to us as adults so we are unsure how old each one is. They have the potential to reach the grand age of 50 years in captivity! Our slow worms live in an outdoor enclosure, meaning they have access to natural British weather which is perfect for them to thrive. They have a varied diet of fish, amphibian and rodents. They are don't often show themselves as prefer to stay under cover, however they are very calm and docile to handle and work with having grown up around people - with the exception of Myrtle who seems to be the only grumpy slow worm I've ever met! |