BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

started waking a few species up from brumation,my gidgee skinks have been oddballs the last 2 seasons,mating when they sense winter coming,so i had been hesitent in cooling them,but bit the bullet this year and shut them down even with the late mating

today i returned there heat and low and behold,within 1 hour the male started trying to secure the female,hopefully this season they get it right

this is there first proper cooling,normally give my temperate forms 4 to 6 weeks full shut down,with the coolness in melb,theres a good month either side of the full shut down when they are still rather inactive to,depending how i go about heating them,i have most sucess letting back ground temps rise gradually

they share alot of there range with stumpies and westerns,so a good cooling goes alongway

I have had these two Gidgee's of unknown sex in separate cages for a few years,and away from my proven pair. So this winter during cooling , a few weeks in I put them together in an old Ackie trauf, to see if they would get along. No fighting for 6 weeks, I let them warm up and after a few months they still get along but stay out of each others way. Caught them like this on June 6 . Well I guess I have another pair !

Fingers crossed for little Gidgees. Heartwarming to know they have a chance of propering outside of Aus.

Jason's stokesii seem to reproduce every year no matter what he does with them. I don't know if he just has a magic touch or what, but I think he has had 3 consecutive litters of 4 now.

nice ray,a very good sign

Keeping my fingers crossed for both you guys. These little skinks are so awesome!

This year mine seem to be late...usually the female drops in Mid-June...nothing yet. Of course I did a MAJOR tank overhaul. I have had litters of 4, 4, and 6 so far. I thought it was just 5 until this cage overhaul and I had an EXTRA young Gidgee! I usually do a cage cleaning (remove 100+ lbs of rocks and clean thoroughly) after I see babies and/or in early Summer every year, so last time I must have JUST MISSED the birth of this last Gidgee...

At any rate...bo babies this year...oddly enough this is the only year I have actually SEEN them breeding...Oh well...plans to attend a local reptile show may be falling through anyway, so it won't be all that bad to give the poor girl a break this year!

A few picks...

small aspera jas?

love the pics,your lass is probably just late

mine have been fooling around abit,males grabbing female,no signs of copulation though,but could be missing it,just glad to be seeing signs after a cooling instead of before for a change

Is that Gidgee skink really that big to be almost the size of a shingleback? Geez, mine must be midgets as they top out at about 8 1/2 inches. I remember when Phil Tremper brought some to the 2009 Daytona show. Ray and I were looking at them and amazed at how huge they were. I think they were over a foot long. He must be giving them steroids or something.

Jason, that's a large group you have there. They look good. I think you are the Gidgee King in the states.

Kim

Jason is on vacation right now, so might not see this to respond. I can tell you that guy really is that big. Definitely a very impressive animal. I agree about Jason being the gidgee king. He really does have a way with them.

My female gave birth to these today. It's almost seems sad to take away the babies from the parents.

KL

nice one kim

Thanks.

It's a shame that they are not more appreciated here in the states as they are in Europe. Outside of breeders, Egernia have a bad reputation with the people who are looking for a pet lizard because they think they cannot be handled. That might be true with many Cunninghams but adult Gidgees can be very friendly and handling them is fairly easy (sounds like I'm making a sales pitch!).

Does Jason house all his animals together, including babies?

KL

there behaviour makes up for less handability

Congratulations Kim!

I THINK Jason has them in two groups now. I'm only answering because he is on vacation, and likely won't see this thread for awhile. I am stopping by his house tomorrow to check on things, so I can tell you for sure after that.

I would love to get some Gidgees.. they are just so darn expensive!

Richard.C wrote:small aspera jas?

love the pics,your lass is probably just late

mine have been fooling around abit,males grabbing female,no signs of copulation though,but could be missing it,just glad to be seeing signs after a cooling instead of before for a change

Richard,

The aspera is what I believe to be a "broken hill" locale (or thereabouts), so they are "smaller". From what I have seen, some of the smallest...

BUT, that doesn't mean the Stokesii is small!