Is this illegal?

[marc]

Quite recently near my house there has been a increase of the spotting of slow worms. Are these illegal to be kept in captivity in South Wales ?

 

[ryan]

Yes it is illegal they are protected, look here http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/nature/sites/wildlife/pages/slow_worm.shtmlgal

 

[marc]

Thanks for that. It says here http://www.naturenet.net/law/herps.html that its not illegal to keep them scroll down to Protection against killing, injuring and sale, etc it says there. Thanks for replying

 

[ryan]

I'd still not keep them, just leave them be in the wild.

 

[marc]

ok i will do this, thanks

 

[alex]

actually, i would say, it depends what you intend to do with them.
if all you want to do is keep it as a pet, then leave them be. however, if there is a pet market for slow worms in wales(im not sure, but i havent heard of many people breeding them) then i think it would be good if they are not protected that you collect a pair and then sell them. i am not sure whether many people want slow worms as pets, however, it is far better to have a breeder, coz that stops other taking wild animals, where maybe they are not as prolific as in your area.

 

[ian]

There won't be a market for them as its not illegal to collect them but it is to sell them...

 

[alex]

in that case i see no reason for taking wild animals and putting them into captivity.

 

[marc]

Thanks for all you replies on this topic. i Greatly apprieciate what other people think on a matter such as this

 

[william]

if there are plenty of slow worms in the area i don't see any problem in taking a couple. They are easy to keep an feed and are not difficult to breed in captivity, although the young can be a bit tricky to feed as they need small slugs especially the white ones. Just so you know if you did breed them then it WOULD be illegal to sell the young, however if you bred from those young then their young would be legal.