Look what the cat dragged in today
| May 15th, 2008A slow worm. Oh joy. I have a real fear of snakes and even though this is technically a lizard of sorts, it’s very much a snake to someone that doesn’t like snakes.
Although these lizards are often mistaken for snakes, there are a number of features that differentiate them from snakes. The most important is they have small eyes with eyelids that blink like lizards. This is a feature that is not found in snakes. They also have visible ears like lizards do, which snakes do not have. They also have a notched tongue rather than the forked tongue of a snake. They shed their skin in patches like other lizards, rather than the whole skin as most snakes do. Also, the pattern of their ventral scales is totally different from that of snakes.
Oscar (our cat) has been bringing in quite a few of these lately and every time it fully freaks me out. Also, “Slow worms are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 from being killed, injured or sold “. Random post over and apologies for the slightly crappy photo - didn’t wanna go too near and leaning made it hard to keep the camera still.
I can’t even look at that picture. Oh thank God I don’t have a cat. I’m scared s**tless of snakes and such
Yep, I really was thinking ‘I hope no-one’s watching me’ as I pretty much pulled up the hall carpet to flick it out the front door. Hello BTW - thanks for stopping by!
yeah I have an ‘issue’ with snakes also. One of my old cats did this trick when I was small but my dad took care of the slow fellas…luckily.