Slow worms

Hello everyone,
I've a colony(?) of slow worms living under a very unsightly concrete path. I was thinking of edging the path with wood and covering the concrete with gravel/slate. Would the slow worms be able to tunnel under the boards or should I leave gaps between them so they can get in and out? Also, will the worms damage my garden in any way?
(Just read that back and I sound so stupid!!The Great Escape for slow-worms!They'll be dropping soil out of their trousers all around the garden!) :D :D

 

You are very fortunate to have them in your garden, great perdators of slugs! Little aticle from the Beeb about them here

I grew up around slow worms, lizzards, grass snakes and the occasional adder when I lived in Guildford and used to spend ages watching them.

If they are happy in their present location I would do everything possible not to disturb them because they do so much good. They are also a protected specie now.

 

Thanks for the link Frogesque,
I didn't know they're a protected species, tell that to my cats! It breaks my heart when they catch them, which they seem to do frequently, and I can be often seen coaxing an injured one back under the path while hissing at the cats to keep back and leave it alone! :( I love my cats but sometimes they can be so cruel.
The path they're under really is hideous but perhaps I should live with it a while longer, anything that eats slugs is welcome to a cosy home in my garden

 

perhaps you can place the edging straight onto the path, fixed to stakes at invervals, say every 3 feet?? That way they only have to get round the stakes??? You are soooooooo lucky having your own resident slow-worms.....

 

On really hot days (hard to imagine at the moment) they bask and writhe together on the path, it's fantastic to watch. Unfortunately, my cats spend hours sitting at the edge, staring,waiting to pounce on them. That beeb link says that they can survive without tails so that's good as the cats have worked out that if you take off the tip of the tail they can't move very fast so make better sport. :(

 

Oh dear!!!! :( - you'll have to make lots of mesh tunnels and boxes for them to take cover in......

 

I have lots of ground cover in my beds that our cat doesn't go into ( still uses a litter tray) and I have large flat stones among the beds that Slow worms bask on and also make good anvils for Thrushes to snail bash

 

Thanks for the tips Paladin. think I'll extend the border to the path and hopefully create Slow Worm Utopia! Not sure what reaction a litter tray would get, they're Cornish Country Cats - they can read,they can write and they can drive a tractor! :D

 

Blimey!... :D They is some cool cats!
Typically Cornish

[ 20. May 2006, 11:27 PM: Message edited by: Paladin ]