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By breaking the laws on protected species.
to be fair, if they were unaware of what Slow Worms are, from the name alone, they might sound like a pest, like some outdoor type of tape worm
It's interesting though how many customers see any creature within their garden territory as an intruder .
Fear of the unknown perhaps ?
Must admit though the unfortunate label of slow worm does them no favours .
I talk to customers and do my best to gently subvert them into taking more care over their 'neighbours'. I point out piles of little stones that show the entrances to worm burrows and where ground and wall bees are nesting.
Most are fascinated and are eager to know more but I do get the occasional 'What fresh hell is this?!' comments. One time I told a customer that there were robins nesting in a shrub in his garden and he grasped his head and said 'What shall I do?'. I told him he didn't need to do anything, the birds would do what was needed, adding 'They're very discreet, you know'. We laugh about it now, but at the time his reaction was really strange.
I tend to look at things from their perspective, whilst also hoping to educate them of the benefits of a thriving ecosystem - so in your case, I'd have probably started with questions right back like "why do you want to get rid of them?" or "what do you know about them?"
Depending on the answer, I'd probably then move onto a) they eat slugs and snails b) they're harmless before extolling the merits of these beautiful creatures!