Slow worm behaviour

Some clips of slow worm behaviour, mostly feeding.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Slow
• worms
• behaviour
• slugs
• earthworms

[XToni619X]

Is ok to keep these as pets, as long as you have the habitat and environment it needs? Because i know these are protected spicies, but keepin one as a pet is not hurtin it or killing it is it? and i heard from many people you can... :D BECAUSE THERE SO CUTE :DDD

[MountainlionWales]

@XToni619X Well, there is no law as such to stop you keeping one as a pet but someone could argue that keeping it is causing it to be unnecessarily stressed as it cannot look for a mate, bask when it wants eat what it wants etc and will never live the life it is supposed to have. Some people would argue that keeping it can lead to injury or killing it (which would be breaking the law) if it 'accidentally' died in your care, so to be honest I'd advise against it to be on the safe side.

[XToni619X]

ok thanks, that told me a bit lol, well if i'd notice it had look stress or anything i will put it back where i found it.

[MountainlionWales]

@XToni619X best not to wait to find out - it's hard to notice - as they're wild animals they don't act stressed until it is really bad, as in the wild showing stress is a sign of weakness and conveys to other animals including predators that the animal is weak and hence an easy meal, so they will do their best not to act stressed. You also wont be able to see other indicators of stress, such as internal parasites and inability to digest food properly due to inappropriate basking temperatures etc

[EdTheBadass]

@MountainlionWales

There is a law that you cant keep protected animals as pets without special permisisons.

I assume the worst can be an administrative fine, unless they are highest protection category species

However I truely believe, that noone cares in this case.

I mean.. you would have to keep tons of these lizards and live in front of some nature protection law centre to get in trouble.

[MountainlionWales]

@EdTheBadass it depends on the species. These slow worms are protected from killing, injury and any form of trade under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). You would not be able to keep an adder (legally) without a home office licence to keep a venomous (and native) species. Punishment you can get for killing or injuring a slow worm is a large fine (per animal) and/or imprisonment. The sad fact that 'no one cares' is why these laws are implemented.

[killerbanshe3]

And wow, never seen that rolling behaviour in limbless lizards, thats dead cool

[killerbanshe3]

3-4 generations after the parental generation could potentially be 'tame' within captivity. since most animals had to go through a breeding process which, with human contact, allowed them to become less violent or stressed with that contact or the lack of freedom (for example a study on artic foxes, how dogs came to be). I did write a report on the status of this species and how to potentially boost its numbers (suggesting captive breeding). with experiance, i think owning one should be no issue

[MountainlionWales]

@McSteamhammer thanks! :)

[McSteamhammer]

Interesting video....... like the backing track too.

Leo