2013/2014 breeding season first litter...Easterns

[mark_w]

Keep it coming guys - I too find it fascinating to see pics of easterns from known locales.

Mark

[Jeff]

Great pictures! We really need to get these over to the species photo gallery section of the advanced discussion forum. They are all great examples of know locales.

[RoryBreaker]

Ok Jeff,

Here's a Sydney locale.



Another Sydney locale.




And lastly,
A Central Queensland locale (the previous owner kept it with Northerns and they gave her a flogging)

Virtually non-existent eye banding.


If Eastern Blue tongues were as popular as Carpet Pythons, some bright Phd student would have split them up into sub-species by now.

Cheers

[Richard.C]

Love the lightness of central qld ones

[RoryBreaker]

Love the lightness of central qld ones

I hopefully I can get them established. I also have 3 sub adults from that girl. Her mating partner was 'dispatched' by the mentioned Northerns under the previous owners care. He must of had more dark pigment in him as the sub adults aren't as pale as she is.

[Richard.C]

20131107_192206-1.jpg

20131107_192249-1.jpg

To keep ball rolling heres 2 mornington peninsula victorian easterns,green and silver phases,it varies alot out from these to

[Vengeance]

Easterns would have to be my favourite subspecies of Tiliqua, and while I might be biased in my opinion, the sheer diversity in their appearances by locale is amazing. I assumed there were a few different locales by the varied appearance of the ones I saw in Townsville, Brisbane and now in Sydney, but never this many. Even if they are 'common' I can't help but appreciate just how much of an eye opener this thread was. I had my heart set on a hypermelanistic Eastern, although seeing these pictures has me wanting to delve into keeping locale specific Easterns instead. Thank you to all those who posted images with of locale specific skinks, fantastic shots!


Congratulations on this years first litter RoryBreaker, quite a few of babies have interesting patterns! The little one closest to the mother's head in the fourth picture is my favourite, although the mother is a stunner too.

[Richard.C]

Scary thing is whats shown in this thread is just a wee example of the variety in these guys

[RoryBreaker]

Easterns would have to be my favourite subspecies of Tiliqua, and while I might be biased in my opinion, the sheer diversity in their appearances by locale is amazing. I assumed there were a few different locales by the varied appearance of the ones I saw in Townsville, Brisbane and now in Sydney, but never this many. Even if they are 'common' I can't help but appreciate just how much of an eye opener this thread was. I had my heart set on a hypermelanistic Eastern, although seeing these pictures has me wanting to delve into keeping locale specific Easterns instead. Thank you to all those who posted images with of locale specific skinks, fantastic shots!


Congratulations on this years first litter RoryBreaker, quite a few of babies have interesting patterns! The little one closest to the mother's head in the fourth picture is my favourite, although the mother is a stunner too.

Thanks Vengeance.

Most Aussie keepers are oblivious or just don't seem to care. It's only in the last few years that my interest in them has grown, before that I was mainly a python and elapid keeper that dabbled in a few skinks.

Got any pics of the north queensland Easterns?
Apparently the ones from the cape are huge.

Cheers

[Vengeance]

Thanks Vengeance.

Most Aussie keepers are oblivious or just don't seem to care. It's only in the last few years that my interest in them has grown, before that I was mainly a python and elapid keeper that dabbled in a few skinks.

Got any pics of the north queensland Easterns?
Apparently the ones from the cape are huge.

Cheers

No pictures sadly, I was about 12 years old when I last saw them up there, our property backed right onto bushland. We had one that used to venture into our yard, I didn't see it often as we had a dog, though from memory its appearance had similarities with the Sydney and Central QLD locales. I don't remember seeing any yellow colouration, although the browns and blacks were present, the skink could have been dusty or in shed when I saw it. It was a fairly large skink, easily average length for an adult bluey, wasn't afraid to use its tongue in a threat display. In all possibility, it's likely its appearance is different from what I recall, as my memory is not the best, I should have clarified that earlier, my apologies. The ones I saw in pet shops there sometimes had eyebands, could have been imported or a result of mixed locales, perhaps not.

My experience with keeping reptiles is very limited, I've only had the privilege of keeping a Blue tongue and a Jungle python for 7-8 months now, I've got so much to learn. What other species of skink have you kept (or are keeping)? Does their appearance differ greatly with locale in a similar fashion to Blue tongues, or is the difference subtle?

On topic; In regards to the young, is seven a small, large or average number for as far as your experience goes? With larger litters is there a greater risk of unhealthy young? Mostly interested from reading that Easterns have the largest litters, with different websites saying they can produce up 21-25 young. If that number is truly accurate, that sounds like a phenomenal amount of young for a viviparous species.

Scary thing is whats shown in this thread is just a wee example of the variety in these guys

After seeing the pictures in this thread, I believe that statement. I would love to see just how varied they get, but with their distribution range I wouldn't be surprised if some go unnoticed for a long time.

Edit: I do however, have some pictures of an Eastern we had living in our front yard in Logan (Brisbane southside), taken in April. This would therefore be a SE QLD locale?

BTS1.jpg

BTS2.jpg

[Richard.C]

7 babies is probably average litter size for young females in first couple of litters,bigger girls for me have been between 11 and 15 babies,had quite a few litters oF 17 babies and biggest of 19 babies for victorian easterns

Ive heard the north qld easterns are one of the largest of blueys,not sure on truth in that,but from a couple of pics ive seen they can be pretty solid

[RoryBreaker]

Another litter of Easterns were born today, 14 this time. Still no Northerns have dropped yet.







Cheers

[donkeybuff]

Mama looks skinny after dropping all those little skinks!

[Ophidiophile]

We really need to get these over to the species photo gallery section of the advanced discussion forum.

Where's the "species photo gallery section of the advanced discussion forum"? How did I miss that?

[xxmonitorlizardxx]

We really need to get these over to the species photo gallery section of the advanced discussion forum.

Where's the "species photo gallery section of the advanced discussion forum"? How did I miss that?

viewforum.php?f=25
Probably because no one uses it...

[Jeff]

Congratulations again Rory! I have a question for you guys who see wild bluesy. I have been told in the past that the small spots like what you can see on the throats of these babies is an “eastern” trait. Meaning that “pure” northerns don’t have these specks at all. Can anyone verify that? Many of the northerns that we have over here in the U.S. have some of these specks on their throats. According to some old-timers, this is an indication that they have some eastern blood in them from some point in the past. Of course there is also a chance that some animals that come from the integrade zone where the ranges of T.s.scincoides and T.s.internedia overlap, might be identified as northerns yet still have the specks. I have no idea if there is any validity to this claim, just thought that it would be interesting to know if there is any truth to it.

[AquaaAllure]

Omgggg look at the little baby in the last pic!!!

Are you selling?

[Dakota]

We really need to get these over to the species photo gallery section of the advanced discussion forum.

Where's the "species photo gallery section of the advanced discussion forum"? How did I miss that?

viewforum.php?f=25
Probably because no one uses it...

Says I cannot view it..

[xxmonitorlizardxx]

Works for me

[Dakota]

....