Can someone please ID this slough.

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   Hi everyone. I found a slough yesterday in Dorset and I'm hoping someone can confirm its ID for me. If I had been anywhere else in the UK then I'd have instantly said "Slow Worm" but because I was at a site that has Smooth Snakes present I don't want to instantly rule them out either.

Thanks,
Jason

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JaySteel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 07 May 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 157	Post Options Post Reply Quote JaySteel Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Can someone please ID this slough. Posted: 29 Sep 2012 at 6:46pm
	Hi everyone. I found a slough yesterday in Dorset and I'm hoping someone can confirm its ID for me. If I had been anywhere else in the UK then I'd have instantly said "Slow Worm" but because I was at a site that has Smooth Snakes present I don't want to instantly rule them out either. Thanks, Jason

GemmaJF Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359	Post Options Post Reply Quote GemmaJF Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30 Sep 2012 at 12:50am
	Hi Jason, Without a doubt that belonged to a slow-worm. Pointers are the total lack of elongated ventral scales in the pictures and also the head scale pattern. All three native snakes have elongated ventral scales, slow worms have much more uniform scales around the whole girth of the body as pictured. There is a good picture in The British Amphibians and Reptiles by Malcolm Smith in my copy labelled 'Plate IX', if you have a copy compare your slough with that and the other plates for snakes. The book is old now of course, but still very useful!

AGILIS Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1689	Post Options Post Reply Quote AGILIS Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30 Sep 2012 at 3:13pm
	[QUOTE=GemmaJF] Hi Jason, Without a doubt that belonged to a slow-worm. AS GEMMA SAID KEITH Edited by AGILIS - 30 Sep 2012 at 3:14pm
	LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID

JaySteel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 07 May 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 157	Post Options Post Reply Quote JaySteel Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30 Sep 2012 at 4:03pm
	Thanks Gemma. The scales did look like slow worm to me but the head scale patterns didn't seem to quite match the slow worm photos I tried comparing them to. I guess I was struggling because the head of the slough isn't complete. I've been surveying sites with good slow worm numbers for a couple of years now and this is the first slough I have seen from one. Usually I just find small pieces instead. I thought they would shed in pieces like most legged lizards do. Jason

JaySteel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 07 May 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 157	Post Options Post Reply Quote JaySteel Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30 Sep 2012 at 4:04pm
	Thanks for the confirmation Agilis. Jason

GemmaJF Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359	Post Options Post Reply Quote GemmaJF Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30 Sep 2012 at 7:11pm
	Hi Jason, You are right, it is unusual to find a slow worm slough looking like this. They are usually either just 'bits' or really folded back on themselves, it is though for sure from a slow-worm. I can see though why you would want to confirm it, as it appears much more how you would find a typical snake slough rather than a lizard slough. I had to give it some thought before replying last night because of this. The other pointer is all the UK snakes have more eliptical body scales than shown in your pictures, so it is definitely from a slow-worm. I totally agree though, unusual to find such a complete example. Perhaps due to very damp conditions this year?

JaySteel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 07 May 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 157	Post Options Post Reply Quote JaySteel Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30 Sep 2012 at 7:36pm
	Thanks again Gemma. I never doubted your confirmation of what I already suspected, that it was indeed from a slow worm. It came from a very damp site too. Before I had visited any smooth snake sites I always had it in my head that they would be very dry and sandy habitat. It was quite a revelation and a surprise for me to see how damp and marshy the heather covered sites are. I have only seen a couple of these sites in Dorset for the first time this year so I don't know if they are usually this damp or not at other sites where smooth snakes are found? Jason

GemmaJF Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359	Post Options Post Reply Quote GemmaJF Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30 Sep 2012 at 9:11pm
	Keith, Will and others will give much better answers Jason as I don't go smooth snake hunting. I do though remember both Tony Phelps and David Bird discussing damp smooth snake habitats in the past on here though.

Suzy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1447	Post Options Post Reply Quote Suzy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 2012 at 5:42pm
	Although I have masses of slow worms in my garden I hardly ever see sloughs, and then only bits of them.
	Suz

GemmaJF Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359	Post Options Post Reply Quote GemmaJF Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 2012 at 7:38pm
	It's a rare find Jason, frame it under glass and keep it!