New Project: Northerns!

[Dakota]

As some of you are aware, I was offered a pair of Northerns. There is no lineage information, but the previous owner said they were "long term captives", so I assume they are quite old. The previous owner is a former herpetologist at a zoo somewhere in TX back in his day. He offered them to me a few days after Ema passed. He said that he wanted to send them to someone who he thinks will finally breed them (he hasn't). At first I was going to decline, but Dad said he wanted some Northerns after seeing Ray's at the show, so I took them. I'm not into Northerns, but I will try to breed them as the previous owner and my father wishes. The previous owner thinks they are two males, but I'm not so sure about that. One has the biggest head I have ever seen on a skink. It live's up to Richard's "boofy-headed" Northerns.

Here are a few pictures. They really look nice in person; pictures do not do justice. They are very "peachy" in coloration. Not very yellow, but not orange. Sorta in between.

Big-headed dude:



Broad-banded one:

[Ray Gurgui]

Haah ! About time you got some real skinks ! Just kidding they are all great.
It was only a matter of time , after you saw mine.

[Dakota]

Haha! I couldn't pass up on an offer of $500 worth of skinks for free! I am glad I got them, they are nice looking for Northerns.

I took some crappy phone pictures for anyone wanting to take a stab at guessing gender. I think Skull is male, but not sure about the other one.

Big-headed dude named "Skull":






No name, but I like this one the best:

[Scincoides]

Very nice. Welcome to real tiliqua. Nothing beats a northern. Both look male.

[Dakota]

I was praying they were a pair so I didn't have to get anymore. I am going to cool them this year and take a stab, maybe will breed them in 2017 after I locate a suitable female for each, if they are both males. I would like to keep to the peachy ones with defined black portholes.

[Jbolar]

... don't have to get more? Man Dakota I really can't understand that statement. Anyway, I really do hope you are following a proper Quarantine procedure with these new animals considering the recent passing of one of your animals and the other issues you have had with them. they very much need to be kept away from potentially ill animals or introducing new pathogens to your existing skinks. now every animal is different and some need more time than others for instance Quarantine on emerald tree boas is 160 days at least for me it is. New skinks when they come in with me get on average a 30 day depending on where they come from, some may require more time especially if wild caught.

[Richard.C]

Oct 22 2015,jots that down as the day dakota finally steps out of the scincoides closet

Haha

Both do appear to be males,one thing to keep in mind with breeding is that litters often can be variable in looks,some that seem fugly to one can actually throw out some great looking babies

Both look nice to me

[Dakota]

Their tails are so tiny. I'm so used to long tails, when I look at the overhead pictures, I feel I have taken it at a forward angle making the tails look stubby, but they were taken straight down! Inception for a gigas-minded enthusiast!

A lot of people seem to doubt my love for the gigas - admittedly, they are beautiful. But I still love my gigas better. This was just supposed to be a side project, nothing more. They are in a room to themselves. Still got to figure out how I am going to cool them, if I actually do.

[Susann]

I was praying they were a pair so I didn't have to get anymore.

You know you don't HAVE to breed them, right?

[Dakota]

Yeah, I realize that. I'm not under any sort of urgency. But the previous owner gave them to me to propagate, it is the least I can do IMO.

[Susann]

Why is he so concerned about breeding these two? How long did he have them?

[Scotts1au]

They look like Zachs Peach babies.

[El Lobo]

If you think that is a "boofy head" it is obvious you haven't seen enough Blotchies or Shinglebacks.

[DianaBlueTongue]

They do both look boyish, though im right about 0% of the time so who knows.

Just be careful with the behavior sexing you told me you tried already, male northerns are BRUTAL to other male skinks. Plus since its not breeding season quite yet it won't really work yet to introduce them even if the meraukes are in season.

[splashy07]

Nice ones! As a former Gigas-only keeper I can only say you will want more. I came across my first by accident and now I'd have a hundred if space allowed. My white one looked perfectly normal as a baby, so like Richard said, you never know how they will turn out. Best of luck whatever you decide to do.

[Dakota]

If you think that is a "boofy head" it is obvious you haven't seen enough Blotchies or Shinglebacks.

Well, I have seen one Blotchie in person! It was a beautiful! Quick to attack, but so laidback at the same time.

And Scott, I agree. I thought they looked quite similar! But it will be impossible to find out without going back to every litter and trying to match a pattern ... or would it?

[Dakota]

Now onto the Northerns this thread was supposed to be about. I took some pictures of the one with large portholes:




I wonder what evolutionary advantage the portholes have?

[Dakota]

Well, my hands are tied down at the moment. Not in the market for new skinks currently.

I'm not totally sure what I will do with this project. The previous owner said I could trade/sell one to get a female, but I don't like the idea of rehoming one. I'm sure some time in the future I'll cross paths with a few suitable females.

[Richard.C]

Yeah definatly no rush ,bide your time,you never know when something may pop up,often happens out of the blue anyways,14 years later and im still looking for a female for my rugosa rugosa male,lol,may have finally found one though

One bonus of tiliqua is they can live for many many years so never need to rush

[DianaBlueTongue]

Oooooh yep yep! hahahah I most certainly learned my lesson back then when I did the very same thing putting a merauke in with a northern right off the bat! So am definitely speaking from experience.

Sometimes the only way to learn is to make mistakes.

I think you'll really learn to love northerns now, especially with two so nice examples. No rush to breed, when youre ready they will be too. Pick up a baby or two next year to raise up and hope for a girl!