BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Posted: **Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:42 am**

Hi all,

After a recent purchase of some western bluetongues I was shocked to see just how large my shingles are. Excluding the gravid females I don't think any of them are over weight, but on weighing them there was an average weight of 800 grams. The westerns come out at an average of 375g.

I find it funny how your perception changes over time. After catching wild western a few years ago and seeing a few captives I had in mind that they were larger on average than shingles. Now I have them next to each other the shingles are giants. I also have in mind that the easterns I use to keep were larger than my shingles as well. I know some of the rugosa aspera I've seen are larger than my shingles.

The goldfields are also considerably larger than the coastals/hills form that I see. Both with wild and captives of each form the goldfields seem to be much more stocky with larger thicker scales.

I was hoping people could post the weights of their captives to give an idea of avergae weight range for healthy animals. Pictures may help to give an idea if the animal is overweight or not.

800 gram male

Posted: **Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:50 am**

I don't have an answer but I've been wondering about this too. I'm afraid of my Northern getting fat....

Posted: **Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:00 am**

My rugosa have just recently come out of brumation. I have weights and lengths for them, but I just took some quick pictures in their enclosure because they are almost to breeding time and I didn't want to disturb them too much. Two of these belong to Jasjmm27, but I am pretty sure he won't mind me including them.

#1 Max - 37cm 473g (2008 male)

#2 Boris - 38cm 611g (2008 male)

#3 Cyx - 38cm 475g (2006 female)

#4 Bruiser - 36cm 530g (2001 male)

#5 Cooper - 35cm 398g (2008 male)

All of these are coastals except #5 Cooper. We believe that he is a hills form. I hope some day to have some of those monstrous goldfields to compare them to!

Posted: **Sat Mar 05, 2011 2:28 am**

Hi Mate,
Most of my female WA westerns weigh between 450 to 500 grams (non breeding). I had one beautiful black and white girl that was always larger, 580-600 grams when non breeding. NT westerns tend to be smaller than WA's (400-450) and my northern SA's are similar to WA's . Here are some pics of my WA's . The first one was the largest western I've ever seen when pregnant. She rescently died with 7 babies in her belly ( I have post mortum pics)the second girl is standard for my other WA' females (470). I agree, goldfields are heavier and bulkier looking.

Posted: **Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:39 pm**

sorry to hear about your western occi,she was a lovely looking one to,and pretty stocky,7 would have been a good litter to

Posted: **Mon Mar 14, 2011 5:55 am**

Oh, yes, sorry about your western, Occi! That is tragic, with all those babies, too!

On the shingle subject, I have to weigh mine this week, before they wind down for winter, so I will update with you all. But I do know that mine have generally ranged in the 500-900gram region, the exceptions being Lizzie, who was obese by many standards, but healthy when vet-checked. She ate what the others did, but was just hefty! In the wild I am often coming across big shingles, that have to be well over a kilo. I should take my scales out, it would be a fascinating study to compare the captive to wild weights. Has this been documented in any form, does anyone know?

BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Weight range

Weight range