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Moving slow worms

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sandhyandoo View Drop Down
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Joined: 08 Sep 2017
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    Posted: 08 Sep 2017 at 9:58am
Hi, I work as a gardener and was contacted by a potential client whose father has 3 compost bins with lots of slow worms in in his garden.  Unfortunately the father suffers from dementia and has begun to be afraid of the slow worms to the point where he will no longer use his garden.  I have a large garden with a big, hot pallette compost bin in and lots of long grass and mess.  If I could carefully scoop them into a bucket, move them about about 5 miles and put them in our compost heap should they be ok?  I love slow worms and don't want to kill them.  There are some cats which pass through our garden but it is very big with lots of hiding places.  Any advice would be very welcome.  Thanks!

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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Sep 2017 at 11:47am
I cannot see any reason not to though removing them from the clients compost bin may not reduce the local population density by much. So it is likely if the composters were kept they would attract more slow worms again.

My own take on it would be 5 miles is a fair distance for a translocation. If the surrounding habitat was good around the clients house, perhaps just empty the compost bins and release  the slow worms locally.

If there is no good connective locally with suitable habitat then do as you say and move them to your garden.

I moved a small but concentrated population 3 miles to our garden a few years back. It was a site I knew very well that got planning permission for a large warehouse. We removed all we could, they are still around so it seems to have worked out OK for them. Smile


Edited by GemmaJF - 08 Sep 2017 at 11:48am
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chubsta View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chubsta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Sep 2017 at 4:30pm
I have nothing to add on the issue of relocating them, but just thought i would say 'well done' for taking the time to think of a decent solution rather than just thinking of wildlife as being expendable, very nice to see.
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PondDragon View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PondDragon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Sep 2017 at 10:28pm
In reply to sandhyandoo, I suppose the important thing is to minimise any sightings of slow-worms by your client's father, rather than trying to remove the local population entirely. Is it just the compost bins where he tends to encounter them, or is it also other areas within the garden?
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