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Posts by shandy: |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18  View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 02 Sep 2007
Topic: Slow Worm Care help needed
Hi, I'm new and I could do with some advice please. I have been keeping 'Tarantulas' for years, on and off, and have kept all manner of inverts, reptiles, amphibians etc... however, the advent of adulthood and a rake of children over the past six years put paid to all that. However, I was in my local pet shop buying food for my spiders when I innocently asked 'anything interesting in?' And was told no, 'well, except for some slow worms.' My heart leapt, I used to hunt for slow worms under corrugated sheets on the local railway embankment as a child and was always fascinated by them and, on an impulse (I know, the worst possible thing to do) I bought all three. I also bought a couple of boxes of small earthworms. My garden is (unfortunately) something of a wildlife sanctuary for slugs and snails, and I am a fisherman so regularly propogate my own worms in several compost bins, so I figure I have the feeding side sewn up. However, I could do with some advive on the following... First the legality. I was told that these were Italian Slow Worms (feel free to move my thread, admin  ) and were therefore perfectly legal to
trade, though I only have the shop's word for this. This also raises another point: I know, from reading several threads on here, that the advice would generally be to release them back into the wild after some time observing, but surely this would then be illegal as they are (supposedly) non-native? More practically, what is the ideal size of viv? I have three slow worms, btw. Substrate and 'decor'? Temperature? Should I provide a hibernation period or simply maintain a temp and let them get on with it? I guess a fairly varied diet of slugs, worms, crickets, mealworms, waxworms etc would be required - do I need to supplement with calcium etc? I'm sure I have forgotten something but any and all advice would be very much appreciated. All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 03 Sep 2007
Topic: Slow Worm Care help needed
Hey Gemma. I thought the thread may get booted.
As regards the pet shop selling them... well, the DID tell me that these were Italian and (I presume) captive bred, I really have no way of knowing, unless someone can ID them from the photo. This shows two of the three - I think they are male and female?
The other question I missed was depth of substrate?
Cheers. All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 03 Sep 2007
Topic: Slow Worm Care help needed
Thanks Gemma, I thought I did have a male and a female. I'll try and spot the third this evening to see what he/she is. Would it be problematic if there were two males and a female? I shall buy a new viv this weekend and give them plenty of space and, as you say, provide something of a gradient - as well as more of a choice of habitat... Slugs will NOT be a problem, more's the pity. Do I need to worry about over-feeding? I'm not overly concerned about breeding (although it would be lovely if they did, of course) - after all, what on earth will I do with the young?! argh! Long-term? I like the sound of that! Having more of a background in arachnids and inverts, it would be nice to keep a creature that doesn't pop its clogs as soon as you get attached to it! I'm at work and I just keep looking at the pictures... they are as beautiful as I remember! All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 03 Sep 2007
Topic: An amazing elephant story...
 All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 03 Sep 2007
Topic: Slow Worm Care help needed
Ahem... You are not going to believe this, but I was just checking the tank to try and judge the sex of the third slow worm when I spotted... a baby. Two babies. Three. I have put the lid back the viv, dimmed the lights and left them alone. Bugger. BTW, I think it's a male and two females... I don't really want to disturb them too much at the mo though... All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 03 Sep 2007
Topic: Recommended reading
I wonder if you good folks could advise on any titles that may be available covering slow worms? Preliminary searches on amazon etc have yielded no results. I'd really appreciate your help on this one. Many thanks in advance. All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 04 Sep 2007
Topic: Slow Worm Care help needed
Will do. I didn't want to disturb them this morning, so it was off to the gym and then straight to work... is there a danger of the adults eating the young? I will be home before evening, which is when they seem to be most active. Best food? Is there anything commercially available that I can get ordered today? Talk about dropping myself in at the deep end. Impulses, eh?! All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 04 Sep 2007
Topic: Recommended reading
Thank you John, I appreciate your help. Time to get e-baying!
[EDIT] God bless Amazon! Found and ordered, thanks again John. All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 04 Sep 2007
Topic: COMBINING INTERESTS ALL AT oNCE
Blimey! Once is enough for me. Three kids kinda saps the energy when it come to all that! All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 04 Sep 2007
Topic: Recommended reading
Dave, thanks! I'll look out your recommendations too. I do have Chris' 'Lizards of the World' (in fact he is a friend of a friend, so I may have to hit him up for some info! Thanks all, and please do keep the info coming, I really do appreciate it! All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 04 Sep 2007
Topic: Recommended reading
Thanks Caleb, I have indeed ordered the Stafford title, but would be really very keen to lay hands on Dave's article, if at all possible. Is Dave Bird a regular, or should I message him (newbie alert!) All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 05 Sep 2007
Topic: Slow Worm Care help needed
Thanks Gemma. Yes, I separated the young out (there were 11 of them!) into an old pet pal that I had in the loft. I will sort out more suitable permanent accommodation at the weekend! Hi St Rick. Yes, I guess it was amazing luck, really. Although I do feel that I am running before I can walk!  It may well be the case that I will need to
find good homes for the young and I will post on here if I do - although for now, I want to make sure that they feed etc. Keep you posted! Thanks all for the advice. All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 05 Sep 2007
Topic: Recommended reading
Can anyone put me in touch with Dave? I don't know his username... Thanks! All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 05 Sep 2007
Topic: Slow Worm Care help needed
Hi Caleb, I put a few crickets in with the adults (pre-birth) as well as a handfull of earthworms, and although there are still a few wandering around the tank, there are definitely fewer than were originally put in! Bear in mind that I took the adults out temporarily last night whilst I went through the viv looking for the young, and therefore went through the substrate etc with a finetooth comb, I can be fairly certain that a couple have indeed been eaten. Although I haven't actually witnessed this. All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 05 Sep 2007
Topic: Recommended reading
Caleb, thanks. I was looking at 'Dave' - didn't occur to me to look at 'David'... d'oh. I have sent him a message, thanks. Thanks too for looking out the Bulletin article - again, I very much appreciate your time and look forward to reading it. Have a great day! Shandy All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 11 Sep 2007
Topic: Recommended reading
Just a quick note to say 'thanks' for all yur suggestions, I have been dipping in daily! Also, if anyone knows David Bird (or if you are reading this Dave Many thanks! All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 25 Sep 2007
Topic: Slow Worm Care help needed
Bit of an update. The other female has now given birth...
All your bass are belong to us |
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shandy Member Joined: 02 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 18 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 26 Sep 2007
Topic: Slow Worm Care help needed
I've not tried, tbh. Thought I should try and feed them up a bit... At this rate, though, I am going to have to! Watch this space. All your bass are belong to us |
- Posts by shandy |
No, I have no intention of releasing them into the wild, as I intimated. I also appreciate the unwise course of action in purchasing them at all... I think it was a middle-aged attempt at regaining the Enid Blyton glory days of my youth...
