RAUK - Archived Forum - Posts by Rex Sumner:

Would smaller ones be more attractive because escape routes are closer?

I have tended to find slow worms nearer the edge of a tin than in the middle - perhaps that would be for a similar reason?

There is currently a debate going on as to UVB requirements in snakes as the RSPCA are reportedly about to issue a guideline that all captive snakes must be kept with UV.  This is of great concern to many keepers, as we have a number of snakes blinded by being kept with UV lights.

As on this forum there are many scientists who have studied snakes in the wild, I was hoping that some of you may be able to offer some relevant information with regard to UV and snakes in the wild.  For example, do any basking snakes routinely cover their eyes while basking, exposing their body but not the head.

Has anyone doen any research into the use of UV by wild snakes, and the importance of UV in calcium absorption and the development of bones?

While temperate snakes clearly bask to adjust their body temperature, what other benefits do they derive?

Many thanks in advance for any contributions.

What is the current situation with 'set aside' for farms?  Surely many farmers who are currently enjoying income from set aside but have a dearth of reptiles, would welcome being beneficiaries of translocation?

It seems to me that the major problem here is there is no obvious place for the developers to translocate the reptiles which is why they are dumping them.  Surely the first objective should be to have locations that can receive the translocated animals, the second to educate the developers that they are available.

Carp are opportunistic feeders but definitely omnivorous.  They feed avidly on snails, slugs and worms in addition to vegetation while anglers create high protein mixes to tempt them.  However they hunt mainly by smell, or whatever you wish to call the sense using their tendrils.  I would imagine that an inactive newt would be happily consumed, but one that chose to swim away would get away.  Evolution therefore dictates that the carp would become predators of sickly and dying newts rather than active ones, but a high stocking level of carp could easily change this feeding behaviour to hunting by sight and chasing, which would eradicate the newts in short order. 

A succesful fishing fly has been developed to catch rainbow trout based on the GCN!

Thank you David, that is very useful.  Particularly interesting your observations on the use of blacklight.  May I post your response on some other sites where discussions have taken place?  I would of course include your name.

The blind snakes are in the possesion of Maureen Collinson who runs a reptile rescue centre.  I do not know the regime that caused it, and I doubt that she does either, but I suspect that shops have sold individuals snakes and told them they needed UV lights for all reptiles.  Other people have reported cataracts in lizards.