Sneaky brumation photos

[Lea]

Snug as two bug in a rug! I was just checking that the recent rains hadn't left the enclosure awash and i saw several noses poking out from hides, edging towards the weak sunshine!

DSC_0003.JPG

DSC_0004.JPG

DSC_0005.JPG

DSC_0006.JPG

DSC_0008.JPG

[Richard.C]

thats some bright yellow on lava and lutea,very pretty,they all look in great shape,not long now and they will be up and at em,lol

amazing how they remain active in the cold,sluggish but active

[Jeff]

Very nice! I am anxious for everyone to wake up so we can see some proper pictures!

[Lea]

Lol, these pictures were a little amateur, but as soon as they show themselves, i'll be diving in there with them and happily snapping! i miss their cute faces! Cant wait for spring!

[Jeff]

The picture quality is great! I am just looking forward to the close ups of their faces etc. You know, the kind of pictures you can't take without disturbing the subjects!

[Lea]

Yes, I know the ones! I had to tiptoe up to get these, fortunately the only unhappy response was from Kiah, who had wedged himself behind their hut. I knocked the roof tile with the camera to get the photo which met with a good huff of hissing and puffing out. He settled really quickly, though, I think the effort of getting grumpy was a bit too energetic to be bothered with on a cold day, like today!

[El Lobo]

They look almost ready to come out. There is no action around this way yet, still too cold.

[Lea]

I got to hold Kiah the following day! It was nice and sunny, although I didn't expect to see anyone because of the cold, but Kiah was out, lounging around in the sunshine! He felt quite cold, but was still wary and alert, flicking his tongue ever-so-slowwwwwwllly. He would have made some great tongue pictures, but the camera was inside and I didn't want to wake him up too much! I am excitedly looking forward to some longer spring days when I can hold them a bit longer and see them a bit more each day. Winter is a loooooong time when the skinks are all sleeping.

[GetCoiled]

Hi Lea, during brumation do the Shinglebacks burrow in their refugia as many reptiles do or just hide into hollow branches and rocks?

thanks

Stef

[Lea]

Hi Lea, during brumation do the Shinglebacks burrow in their refugia as many reptiles do or just hide into hollow branches and rocks?

thanks

Stef

They scrabble a bit in the dirt under the hides and dig more of a ditch, than a secure hole or burrow. The hides are watertight and have stayed dry even during some torrential downpours. I think they feel secure enough in the above ground hides, but Kiah and suunto sleep mostly in the hut, made out of an upturned polystyrene box, with roof tiles over it to stop rAin splashing into the "doorways". I've found all of them on top of the tiles, at one time or other- they get very toasty after the sun has been on them and the high viewpoint seems a favourite place to hang out in dry weather.

Theyeach seem to have a preferred place to sleep, lutea likes the log, nippy and lava sleep in a ditch under one of the dry hides and Kiah, the hut or the tiles- but he has always been one to find a slightly elevated spot to keep his eye on things.

In the wild, the shinglebacks seem to take advantage of small rocky outcrops and dig into them to find shelter, but again, it's not really burrowing down, just digging in, to feel secure and still leave a good viewpoint. In the sand dunes, I'll often find both easterns and shinglebacks, in shallow dugouts in the sand. They find a dense shrub and seem happy to kick out a little sand for a shallow pit, probably to stop the wind getting in. The shrub sheltering them from predators and keeping off rain and in the hot summers, the extreme burning temperatures.

[Richard.C]

blotchies dothe same lea,but even in grass exposed to the elements,wet /colddamp they seem to thrive in compared to easterns and shingles

[GetCoiled]

Thanks really a lot for your truly informative descriptions
Regards
Stef

[GetCoiled]

...reading your detailed account on Shingleback brumation seems that, keeping them indoor as we use here in Europe, the best way to mimic the whole natural processes would be to give them a daily access to a little, delimited area of light in order to bask before coming back into their hides, instead a real cold/dark 4 weeks period. Isn't?

Thanks
Stef

[BruinsEv]

Wow! Are these wild ??

[Robyn@SYR]

Cool to see.

[Lea]

I'm not sure I understand your question, stef, but yes, it is good to give natural sunlight and warmth, wherever possible, but not everyone has access to a garden or safe area to let their skinks bask. If you can, go for it! They do act quite differently in natural light and don't spend time on trying to escape their enclosure, generally seeming more content to bask and let the world happen around them.

BruinEv, no these ones are my own skinks, but three of them were wild rescues that I have looked after since dog attack and respiratory infections. I keep the skinks outside when they are healthy,if they can't be released back into the wild again. I have been so lucky to live in an area that's heavily populated with wild easterns and shinglebacks, though, and have had lots of opportunity to observe them through the years. At home, I try to mimic their natural habitat as much as possible, which means they "do their own thing" come winter and I let them brumate. I've found that even in the wild, there are some who choose to remain semi-active for most of the cold season.

Richard, they occasionally lay out in the rains and even a light frost! Against my better judgement, they seem to know when extreme is that bit too extreme though and have had one skink almost completely frozen solid, who then defrosted and lived happily for a long time afterwards! It's incredible what they endure, where many other creatures would perish.

[El Lobo]

blotchies dothe same lea,but even in grass exposed to the elements,wet /colddamp they seem to thrive in compared to easterns and shingles

I think Scott mentioned some time ago he found blotchies who brumated virtually at the surface did not suffer RTI's like the Easterns that tend to burrow down further into the soil where it is damper.

It would have been 4-5 years ago I picked up from the backyard a split log of firewood with a small hollow in the middle and curled up asleep underneath was a blotchie only about 1 month old. I just put the log back exactly where it had been and wrote on it with a marker "do not disturb". When the first warmer weather came I checked under and he had gone.

[GetCoiled]

Sorry Lea for my poor English but I meant that during brumation Shinglebacks seems enjoy some sunny warm spot to bask a bit despite the low temperatures around. So I asked if you agree, during brumation in indoor accomodation, to expose them daily to a few hours of light and a low wattage hot-spot (not to rise the temperatures too much) to let them enjoy coming out from their hides (i.e. a sweather box full of hay/dirty), instead providing a complete 4 weeks brumation period in a dark/cold cage with no chance to choose.

[Lea]

Sorry, stef, I hope I didn't offend you, I just wanted make sure I answered you properly.

I see what you mean now. Umm, well, for the most part I have kept the well skinks outside and only sick ones indoors, that I have kept warm and awake, for their health. I think there will be a few different approaches to brumation inside, but I have used nature as a guide, with sleep/wake cycles (light on/off), as close to the number of actual daylight hours. Therefore shortening light cycle in winter and just mirroring natural daylight time throughout the year.

For heat, during winter I've left the heat off, as temperatures naturally wane slightly from day to night, just using the light to guide the skinks through until spring. I saw a little movement, but probably less than when keeping them outside with the warmth of the sun to encourage them out of hiding.

I think RichardC has all lights and heat off, from what I understand. I've done this for short periods, when it's cold and wet for a while, with no natural sunlight anyway, but not really more than a couple of weeks. I don't know that my method would be any better, but I know that with Richard's success in breeding, his methods obviously please his skinks plenty.

There is obviously not much point running lights if your skink stays buried under a log for weeks on end, so the benefits of UV during this time is arguable, too.

You could start a topic asking this question, if you want to know more. My views are a bit one sided because I mostly keep them outside all year. Hearing about other's experiences, particularly the breeders and how sleep/wake cycles have affected number of successful breedings , would be a great topic for discussion. Using richardC as an example again, sorry, Richard! But he has been experimenting with waking his skinks at different times and is watching and waiting to see if this affects breeding patterns! He will definitely be a good resource in the coming months!

[GetCoiled]

Thanks Lea! You answered me fully