Species: Slow Worm Anguis fragilis

Expected lifespan: 30-50 years

Eirinn

DOB: Unknown

Eirinn is a very odd little animal and many people do not know that slow worms are in fact legless lizards rather than snakes. Sadly they are sometimes killed in the UK as many people mistake them for adders which is the UK's only venomous snake.

In the UK it is illegal to trade or sell one of our native slow worms and Eirinn actually came from Germany originally. She was bought from a pet shop in 1998 and was one of our first ever pet reptiles. Since then she has become as tame as a lizard is likely to get and will often rush to the front of her enclosure when she sees someone around. This is because she has learned to associate people with the bringing of food and will sometimes open her mouth hoping you will pop something tasty into it.

Slow worms are called the "gardener's friend" as they enjoy eating things like slugs and snails in the wild though they will also eat earthworms, spiders, woodlice and millipedes. They are quite laid back little lizards and Eirinn is usually quite happy to go to sleep on a warm hand or in a warm pocket. If you disturb a slow worm in the wild it will most likely stay still hoping that you haven't seen it though Eirinn was quite wriggly when she first came to live with us.

Eirinn lives in a 28x12x12" glass vivarium with a wood pile hide, water dish and moss/organic compost to burrow in.

Slow worms are one of the longest lived lizards with individuals living up to 50 years. Eirinn was an adult or sub adult when she was bought so she is at least 13 years old. Unfortunately the shop she was bought from was unable to provide us with a likely DOB. She is just as lively as she was when she was bought though so we assume she has a good number of years left to live.

Like all lizards slow worm have the ability to drop their tails if they feel threatened and Eirinn had lost her original tail before she was bought. It has re-grown to an extent but will never get to the length of the original tail.

Eirinn at the vet
Eirinn has never had to visit a vet in the 11 years we have had her.