The tail of the unlucky slow worm...

[JonnyP]

I am not sure where mods draw the line about wether a thread should be in Fair game or not...
Hopefully this one will be ok here but please move if nec...

I was looking out the kitchen window when I saw a rook jumping about in some long grass. It was behaving really weird and I wondered what was going on.
Anyway, it came out of the long grass and I could see it had a slow worm and was struggling with it... It looked like it wasn't too sure about the slow worm, and it didn't seem to like it wrapping itself around its neck, but it persisted.
I suddenly remembered the camera, so I ran to get it... When I got back the rook was still struggling with it, but my batterys were dead in my camera... I got some more in there pretty quick, but just as I was turning the camera back on the rook flew off....
I then remembered that slow worms often drop their tails when threatened, so I ran out there, hoping to find the head end of the slow worm, but this was not a lucky slow worm as all I found was its tail...


For those that do not know.... A slow worm, being a leg less lizard can drop off its tail, and when its dropped it will wriggle, while the main body will keep still... This can make the predator pick up the tail rather than the head, so the slow worm can live another day... They will then grow a new tail...

[hedgepig]

Poor bugger, but at least the bird got a meal out of it. Shame about the camera batteries - could have had a nice pictorial of the battle. Ah well, you live and learn.

[Matt Weir]

Nice wee story, cheers Jon

[bikething]

For those that do not know.... A slow worm, being a leg less lizard can drop off its tail, and when its dropped it will wriggle, while the main body will keep still... This can make the predator pick up the tail rather than the head, so the slow worm can live another day... They will then grow a new tail...

Well I've just learned something new !

cheers

[firecrest]

unfortunatley they can't grow a new head

[bikething]

unfortunatley they can't grow a new head

neither can I.... or I wouldn't be wearing this one

[Beer Monster]

Skin it and tan it and you could have a .......... slow worm leather pen holder? ....... or maybe a firesteel holder! - bet that would be the only one in the country!

[slowworm]

Someone call? I've chased off magpies and cats from slow-worms round here and I've managed to rescue a few. Some seem to make a full recovery even with some horrible wounds on them.

Here's a photo of some of our locals if anyone's interested.

[JonnyP]

Someone call? I've chased off magpies and cats from slow-worms round here and I've managed to rescue a few. Some seem to make a full recovery even with some horrible wounds on them.

Here's a photo of some of our locals if anyone's interested.

Nice one.... I used to be involved in reptile surveying and would often find a nest of them like in your pic...

[Lucyc]

Slowworms freak me out.. they're like giant worms

[bikething]

Slowworms freak me out.. they're like giant worms

they aren't too slow either!!

[Earlyturtle]

I love slow worms, I've only ever seen one once but I think they're great. My brother used to see them in the garden of my house some years before I was born, but never after (my rugged charm must have intimidated them!).
Great golden colour on the juveniles in that pic.

[Silverback]

Their big brothers make good pets - Glass Lizard

[Pignut]

Used to be involved in survey/relocation of Slow Worms (Well all of the big 5 actually) of all our natives the slow worm does have a certain charm!

And as you say they are anything but slow!