What should I do

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   Hello Everybody,
Early last year we saved 2 female slow worms from a new housing devlopment in our area. There were many slow worms and common lizards in the scrub land that has now, sadly, been totally cleared. We have no other slow worms in our garden (I realise that many people wrongly believe this, but I am a keen gardener and know my garden well). I have built a large tank and feed them on the many varities of slugs and they seem to be doing well.
 I would like to put them back in the wild however since the new houses were built we have not seen any others around the area they came from. My kids also think they are terrific and enjoy feeding and watching them.
I see my options as finding somewhere suitable to release them or trying to get a male so that they can breed and hopefully build up a big enough colony so that they can survive wild in our garden.
By the way I live in Rochester in Kent

Thanks for any help you can give me.
Graham

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graham Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 01 May 2008 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote graham Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: What should I do Posted: 01 May 2008 at 8:00am
	Hello Everybody, Early last year we saved 2 female slow worms from a new housing devlopment in our area. There were many slow worms and common lizards in the scrub land that has now, sadly, been totally cleared. We have no other slow worms in our garden (I realise that many people wrongly believe this, but I am a keen gardener and know my garden well). I have built a large tank and feed them on the many varities of slugs and they seem to be doing well. I would like to put them back in the wild however since the new houses were built we have not seen any others around the area they came from. My kids also think they are terrific and enjoy feeding and watching them. I see my options as finding somewhere suitable to release them or trying to get a male so that they can breed and hopefully build up a big enough colony so that they can survive wild in our garden. By the way I live in Rochester in Kent Thanks for any help you can give me. Graham

tim hamlett Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 17 Dec 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1062	Post Options Post Reply Quote tim hamlett Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 May 2008 at 2:57pm
	hi graham. wasn't there a formal survey and relocation? i think most people on the forum would agree that releasing the slowworms into appropriate habitat is the best thing to do. however, many would also admit to keeping some themselves as temporary pets at some point in the past so i don't think anyone would be too judgemental if you did decide to keep them for a bit. as for where to eventually release them. if your garden hasn't attracted them in the past but is very close to where they were, for some reason it might not be suitable for them. you may be able to do something to make it more attractive to them, e.g. compost heaps and suitable refugia next to more rank vegetation/cover. it would also be worth ensuring there are suitable 'corridors' leading from the garden to other appropriate habitat so if they don't like your garden the slowworms can 'vote with their feet' and move on. if you're not sure the garden is suitable it may be safer to release them somewhere where you know there is already a population. good luck with it. tim

Suzi Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1025	Post Options Post Reply Quote Suzi Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 May 2008 at 7:04pm
	Just to say don't be too sure there are no slow worms in your garden. I should think I have at least 40 living in my compost heaps but I never see them in the garden, day or night.
	Suz