BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

This is something that has worried me for a while, I've got a friend who keeps BTs and for years (She's even older than me!! Oh horrors!!) has kept pairs together. She is completely off the radar, does not use computers, smartphones, etc., so sending her even an email is not an option. She only keeps Gigas types (Classic Indo, Merauke, Halmahera) and keeps two together, I am assuming each are m/f pairs, but has never had them breed. (?) Maybe all females? Just don't know.
The Halys I bought for her two years ago, and have been together since babies. The Meraukes are four years old, said were from an out of state reptile show, I believe Hamburg, and the classic Indos are fifteen years old. She swears that the bluey bible says you can keep Gigas types together. (I guess I should read it again?) I'll print your answers and show her, but I still don't think she will listen to anyone! Any input appreciated!

The bible does mention they keep them in pairs or small group. However, that was the specific keeper's opinion, not a fact. Tiliqua gigas do tend to do fine in group, but like with every species, there is a type of "hierarchy" with doing so. There will be a dominant of each gender, and likely one over the whole cage. This is why it is dangerous to introduce adults together because there isn't a level of respect for each other. They don't know each others' boundaries. This is why you hear all the horror stories of them tearing arms off, etc. But with babies, nips are light, though sometimes they bite tails off. They grow up knowing the other skink's boundary. This is why you rarely hear horror stories from animals that have been together since birth. But if a person should decide to cohab, the cage should be large in case a fight does appear.

Cohabitation is always risky, regardless of species.

That's what I keep telling her, and all I hear is 'fifteen years!!'
cages are 36x18, two in each. Says she doesn't like Northerns because 'they don't get along'
Guess if I were 76 you wouldn't be able to tell me anything either. Difficult to now.

Even northerns are capable of living together

Just housing them together wont give u breeding sucess,they still need environmental manipulation on top of being compatible

One odd thing ive noticed from my northerns kept in groups is none are interested in mating there cage mates,but give the males access to females in other cages and they are very keen,move the female cage mates into other males cages and same thing,non familiarales are suddenly very keen,it might just be me this is happening to,but with 4 groups of repoductively active northerns living in groups,thats the pattern im seeing

That's what I love about shingles. They almost seem to enjoy each other's company (although I wouldn't complain if their reproductive rate was even half of a northerns). They also seem to quite different to others when it comes to socialising and breeding. A theory based on current research suggests that the females only become reproductively fertile after a prolonged period (6-8 weeks) of close interaction with a male.

Even with plenty of sunny spots, shingles will usually all be at one end piled on top of each other.

I never found westerns to be the same. Even in a big enclosure there was always a risk of them taking a sudden dislike to each other, and it wouldn't take long for real damage to be done.

Mu blotchies do something veru similar tristen,but not so much spread out theu can pile on top up to 4 skinks deep,and the easterbs,cunninghams and water dragons often join un on it,often preferably on top for the non tiliquas,possably a way of conserving heat

I will say though that i have witnessed minor intimidation between aspera together which resulted in one male bulldozing another away ftom the female,when j were showing interest in the lead up to her being ready which resukted in bulldoze victom shutting up shop and showing no further interest,two males raised together from birth in there 11th year

Also similar to shingles,for weeks before mating signs,the males often hang off the female blotchies,like they can sense that a females likely to cycle long before shes ready

I took a few pics of it last season and when they finally srarted mating,the ones i witnessed mating anyways and was the same ones that had been hanging around each other

Low lands and eastern pile

Well, looks like more positives than negatives, she'll never separate them now, and I think I'll stop bothering her about it.
Matter of fact I'm not even going to tell her I questioned this on an internet (YOU DID WHAT???) site!
Northerns kept together? Interesting, Thanks, Richard!! Must be huge enclosure?
And I'd trade my entire reptile collection, my two trucks and car, and all my vintage collectibles for those Shinglebacks!!!
So jealous of you Aussies!!!! My GOD they are gorgeous, and I also love their gregarious nature.