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Help me identify please..

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littleemiss View Drop Down




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    Posted: 26 Apr 2011 at 9:14pm
Hi anyone able to help me determine what kind of snake this is. I am not familiar with snakes but became interested when I found this in my garden it is about 30cm in length and quite skinny. Can upload more pictures if needed. Thank you!


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tim hamlett View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tim hamlett Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Apr 2011 at 9:59pm
hi

it isn't a snake...it's a legless lizard called a slow worm. you're very lucky to have them in your garden.

cheers
tim
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littleemiss View Drop Down




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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote littleemiss Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Apr 2011 at 11:35pm
Thank you very much, yes after more research I'm pretty sure also. One thing that made me think other wise is I have read it should not stick its tongue out and this one did.

Edited by littleemiss - 26 Apr 2011 at 11:36pm
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Noodles View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Noodles Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr 2011 at 10:37am
The best thing that you could do to encourage more into your garden is to leave an area of grassland or a grassland margin unmowed. Preferably this area should be connected to where you found the animal and should be an area with plenty of sunshine. Also a good idea is to create an adjoining pile of composting grass. Flat bits of tin, carpet and board laid in the long grass will attract animals on warm days and can be checked in the morning and afternoon, especially in April/May and September although best in sunshine after bouts of rain or on muggy, warm days.

Your picture shows a mature adult male. They are in the process of mating at the moment so an increase in available habitat will only help the newborns survive come September. 

You are lucky to have them and they'll eat your slugs!
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Liz Heard View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Liz Heard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr 2011 at 5:18pm
hi littleemiss

thanks for posting a wonderful pic!

just to add a little more info to that proffered previously by Tim and Scale, Slow worms have eyelids and can blink (unlike snakes) and are Uks commonest reptiles. often found in gardens although they are quite shy and secretive so not often seen.
females usually have a thin stripe running down the back.
both sexes are harmless although they sometimes poo when handled!

all the best to you,

ben
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Noodles Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr 2011 at 6:54pm
To add to the confusion (as Ben points out) the male can occasionally have a thin stripe running down the back or stipplings similar to, and often has a dorsal stripe running from the mid body down to the tail tip. The females often lack the stripe also! Annoyingly the male frequently has the darker flanks which can be attributed to a poorly marked or pre-slough female (especially the younger males). It certainly did my head in when i first started looking and it still does, although thankfully less so now.

The real trick (in conjunction) is to look at the skull shape and size, which is much larger and broader in the male. The jawline often looks Brad Pittian/David Coulthardian and the presence of a neck is more apparent. On the other hand the skull can be long and more slender with a less defined jawline (i give up!). Put simply if you look at my Avatar to the left you will see female above and male below!

Your photo looked broad enough in the skull and uniform enough in colour and tone to suggest it to be male. Judging by the blade of grass for comparison and its apparent body bulk, a mature adult too. Although i'd be happy to be corrected on all counts!

I love your interest though, you must be bob on to want to handle a lizard thinking it to be a snake!
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Liz Heard View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Liz Heard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr 2011 at 9:01pm
Originally posted by Scale Scale wrote:

The jawline often looks Brad Pittian/David Coulthardian



what an inspired description!
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tim hamlett View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tim hamlett Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr 2011 at 10:08pm
some blue spots too.

tim
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