Can you power-feed a slow worm?/ feed them anything else?

TheShrubbery

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 30, 2016
Messages
62
I currently own a slow worm, or "Anguis fragilis". She is about the length of an Irn Bru bottle. Sorry I don't have exact measurements, so here is a picture of an Irn Bru bottle. :banghead::D

http://img.tesco.com/Groceries/pi/827/0000050107827/IDShot_540x540.jpg

I am wondering if I can, at all feed her any other insects or invertebrates. The recommended diet I have read online is a selection of grey slugs: worms and caterpillars.

Could I feed her crickets? Mealworms? Superworms? Cockroaches? I may sound incredibly stupid, but I really don't know and would appreciate it if anyone else on here has experience with "Anguis fragilis".
 

Kymura

Arachnoknight
Joined
Oct 1, 2015
Messages
182
My understanding is earthworms and slugs are their main fare, also that they are extremely hard to keep appropriately.
How hard have you found it to keep so far?
 

TheShrubbery

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 30, 2016
Messages
62
Honestly mate, not hard at all. Incredibly easy, maybe I've just had experience with pets for a while but I'll list what she has in her enclosure and what her enclosure is:

Items in enclosure:
Thick layer of Compost soil
Medium layer of Peat moss
Quarter of PVC pipe to hide under
several rocks scattered around inside
enclosed cave-like bed with peat moss at the bottom and straw everywhere else inside it
medium water dish (for drinking and bathing) one of those reptile ones you can get

Her enclosure is a big plastic storage box maybe 3-5 litre? Its nice and spacious for her. Making sure that I put ventilation holes in near the top of the lid, but not actually in the lid itself. So that cool air flows down and onto her living area, in case it gets really hot.

Had her for about 2 months now, she shed her skin in the first month. No shed/molt as of yet this month, I'm surprised she is active in such a cool box. (Temperature wise). I am hoping in future to get her a heat mat to warm up the bottom of her box, underneath her cave-bed just to see if it makes any difference to her activity. She is quite easily handleable, is very curious (will try to look at you face on or go up your nose lol) and is very docile. We currently feed her big earthworms we got from yorkshire UK, we keep the worms in some soil in a jar and so far they've multiplied!

Have tried to hand feed her several times, will continue to try but unsuccesful so far. She does hunt the worms underneath the soil in her box as we have observed hunting behaviour. That's about it I guess for my "slow" experience :shy::D:D:D:D:D
 

Kymura

Arachnoknight
Joined
Oct 1, 2015
Messages
182
Sounds lovely. Post some pictures if you get the chance, the legless lizards are rather fascinating. Often considered having one.
 

Najakeeper

Arachnoprince
Joined
Dec 10, 2010
Messages
1,050
If their natural prey items are soft bodies, all that chitin from insects may cause impaction so I wouldn't try. Also, powerfeeding vertebrates is a bad idea in my opinion and experience.
 

TheShrubbery

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 30, 2016
Messages
62
If their natural prey items are soft bodies, all that chitin from insects may cause impaction so I wouldn't try. Also, powerfeeding vertebrates is a bad idea in my opinion and experience.
She can eat Caterpillars too, is that an exception?
 

TheShrubbery

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 30, 2016
Messages
62
Sounds lovely. Post some pictures if you get the chance, the legless lizards are rather fascinating. Often considered having one.
I'll try to with my dads phone camera xD, my phone is currently broken and as a result I can't access the camera.
 

TheShrubbery

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 30, 2016
Messages
62
So here are the pictures as requested @Kymura :)

Some of them of her on my hand, with half of her body on my hand and the other half partly wrapped around my fingers. [Keep in mind I have big hands, I'm like 6'2 and I weigh like 15 stone]
The other pictures of her: are in her enclosure; with her head sticking up out of the soil, she burrows and hunts the worms underneath her bath/drinking water area.




 

TheShrubbery

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 30, 2016
Messages
62
She's awesome :)
Yeah she definitely is, she is quite curious too. I can do household activities and she will happily wrap herself around my fingers and look at what I'm doing. E.g. making a cup of tea, sorting my quilt out or she will look at a piece of clothing. She loves anything "blue" colored and will not resign her attention. :D:D:D
 

Miaryman80

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 14, 2019
Messages
9
Yeah she definitely is, she is quite curious too. I can do household activities and she will happily wrap herself around my fingers and look at what I'm doing. E.g. making a cup of tea, sorting my quilt out or she will look at a piece of clothing. She loves anything "blue" colored and will not resign her attention. :D:D:D
 

Miaryman80

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 14, 2019
Messages
9
Hey I have a slow worm too I saved her from being eaten by a neighbours cat . She's called shimmer I love her she's amazing. Spends loads of time happily eating earth worms in her tank & hiding in her butterfly bush flowers. When she's out she is quite happy too sit on my hand or snooze. Also go off exploring etc... Here's some pics of her !.
 

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Miaryman80

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 14, 2019
Messages
9
More of shimmer my slow worm . Who's loving her tank with her butterfly bush flowers & worms. I'm waiting for a bigger tank for her too come. Hopefully over the weekend. She loves wrapping her tail & body around my fingers . Then snoozing on my hand . She's very fast & inquisitive too..
 

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Miaryman80

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 14, 2019
Messages
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Shimmer is much more amazing then a pot of earth too. Lol !. She happily explores her surroundings. Like the little inquisitive lizard she is ..
 
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