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Captive slow-worm: |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416  View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 23 Apr 2003 I seem to recall reading somewhere that a slow-worm was once kept in captivity for over 50 years. Has anyone else read/heard this , or was it some crazy dream? Alan O-> O+> |
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Gemma Fairchild Krag Committee Joined: 14 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 193 View other posts by Gemma Fairchild |
Posted: 24 Apr 2003 "Longevity. In the length of its life the Slow-worm exceeds all other lizards that are known of. There are instances of Slow-worms living for 27, 30, 32 and 33 years; but the record is easily held by one that lived in the Zoological Museum, Copenhagen , from 1892 until 1946 - 54 years. It is not known how old it was when first obtained. At the age of 45 it mated with a female known to be at least 20 years old"
Malcolm Smith, The British Amphibians and Reptiles, New Naturalist 1951
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Caleb Forum Coordinator Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 448 View other posts by Caleb |
Posted: 24 Apr 2003 Gemma beat me to it... but I'll just add that there's a database of herp captive longevity (mostly from zoos) at http://www.pondturtle.com/longev.html |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416 View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 24 Apr 2003 Thanks Gemma , Caleb. What amazing little creatures Glad to hear it wasn't one of my dreams Alan O-> O+> |
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Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps |
Posted: 24 Apr 2003 Just to say, one large male slow worm has been caught more or less under the same tin for 15yrs he is very blue spotted, it is one of the ID pics in the forum. I have also seen him eating young slow worms - little devil! Regarding longevity male smooth snake 31yrs still alive female adder 34yrs still alive, gave birth last year 69cm (female not the young)
Tony |
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betty Member Joined: 28 Aug 2003 No. of posts: 3 View other posts by betty |
Posted: 28 Aug 2003 The report of the over 50 year old individual was published in Deryk Frazer's Reptiles and Amphibians in Britain, New Naturalist series, 1983. I thought I found that published in the British Herp Journal, but can't find the reference. Dr. Renata Platenberg Reptile ecologist |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090  View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 09 Sep 2003 Frazer only appears to state "in captivity, a life of 30 - 50 years is almost commonplace" surely in recognition of Smiths original account, though I only have the '89 reprint as reference. Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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ben rigsby Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 No. of posts: 337 View other posts by ben rigsby |
Posted: 30 Apr 2010 comparatively-speaking i wont live as long as Mr A Fragilis Snr if i dont give up smoking. Diversity. |
- Captive slow-worm |
