BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

At my friends shop today trying like all get out to configure the space to buy them all....

Nice …. what are they and where is their natural range ?

Egernia, or their common name Gidgee skinks. Native to Australia, (of course, where all the coolest stuff is). Western regions I believe.

splashy07 wrote:Egernia, or their common name . Native to Australia, (of course, where all the coolest stuff is). Western regions I believe.

I thought they looked familiar ,, but wasn't sure with you being o/seas .
Probably not likely to find a breeder who has a genuine captive breeding colony of captively bred gidgees outside Australia .
Is the breeder sure they are gidgees ? , as they look more like egermia depressia (Southern (pygmie) spiney tail skinks ) on checking my Skink bible by Dr.Brown.
Check out p202 in Brown if you have access to a copy.
More rounded snout, stockiness, patterning (spots) and coloration.

Native range
https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid ... 6e9600f56e
or
https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid ... 0#overview
or
http://www.arod.com.au/arod/reptilia/Sq ... a/depressa


and

and


Last time I saw some gidgees for sale were
http://www.reptileclassifieds.com.au/ad ... dgee-pair/ wanted $300 for the pair.
http://www.reptileclassifieds.com.au/ad ... -babies-2/ wanted $120 for a baby ( in SA so too far away for me ).
http://www.reptileclassifieds.com.au/ad ... enclosure/ wanted $150 for 3yr old ( Brisbane ).
http://www.reptileclassifieds.com.au/ads/gidgee-skink/ wanted $170 , was a local sale and I missed out , was sold when I called them (bummer) , would have preferred a mixed pair .
Look similar http://www.reptileclassifieds.com.au/ad ... nk-colony/ but at $2500 for E. cygnitos is way too expensive for me.

What do they demand for them where you are ?

Around here, all Egernias are called Gidgees. We have a handful of breeders working with them. I will find out their exact locale when I go back on Sunday.

Did some research and realized this species is definitely for me to work with! Didn't make it in time to get them all, but I've got three on hold until I do some trading and setting up. Egernia Stokesii are said to be quite abundant in many areas in Australia, frequenting areas around the Gidgee trees, which gives them the common name of Gidgee skinks. Possibly they like the insects that are found around these trees. A lot of interesting facts have my interest piqued, such as they're livebearers, and instances of monogamy have been recorded with these. They also live in groups and family units. Was informed that they should not be kept individually, which suits me fine as I can never have just one of anything! Omnivorous too, they eat literally anything and I've observed this!
Should be coming home in about two weeks, will post pictures as soon as they're here. I believe someone mentioned price, they retail for around $500 here. We have a breeder right here on LI that I've known forever that's been working with these but my interest in this species only began a few weeks ago when a colony arrived at my friend's shop! Wish me luck with this project, would like to make enough of these for all to enjoy! Unfortunately their litters are small but OMG the little ones are SO adorable.

One of my friends has a colony of 3 adult females and 1 adult male and 8 new born babies of these in his big outdoor pit ( that he also has a breeding group of northern bluetongues and a breeding pair of shingle backs living in).
His pit is a converted Colorbond oval end raised L shaped garden bed (3m x 2m + 3m x 2m ) x 0.4m sitting on a bed of concrete pavers. He has no sharp corners , all corners are radiused ( reckons his skinks are all climbers and they can't climb these sides).

He reckons his adult skinks are all mega tame and very chill when handled . But new borns ( only born a few weeks ago ) are a bit wary of him but all come a running when he puts the food in for them .

I've asked him for a shingle back baby next season (when my home and yard improvements are finished) , I want to find another from another breeder ( of the opposite gender ) so I wont be breeding siblings.

A shingleback baby is one of the few still on my bucket list! Unfortunately, no one here is eager to part with any. Mine show no interest in breeding, I'm thinking they're all males or the one that was supposed to be female is simply uninterested. I'm sure they'd rather choose their own mates anyway.
If all goes well should be picking up my new guys this weekend!

splashy07 wrote:A shingleback baby is one of the few still on my bucket list! Unfortunately, no one here is eager to part with any. Mine show no interest in breeding, I'm thinking they're all males or the one that was supposed to be female is simply uninterested. I'm sure they'd rather choose their own mates anyway.
If all goes well should be picking up my new guys this weekend!

likely you have two females , I think like "all" skinks, it's very dangerous to house two adult male skinks together even if close relations , territorial critters, one ends up savaged or dead if they aren't separated. Females seem very tolerant of each other.

They're males alright, I've seen proof of that! (With two of them)