Misinformation re: Blotched Bluey on site

[Scotts1au]

hey blotch -now that is your typical road squishy blotchie.

Scott

[Blotch]

road squishy blotchie? as in commonly found dead on the road?

[Scotts1au]

Yeh just trying to say that if I had to picture a typical a blotchie - that would be it though most of the ones I find at least are squished on roadsides .
I drove up to Yackandandah yesterday and didn't find a single live one on the road. Only one dead Eastern near Wang. I even had a quick hunt around Beechworth but found zip.

Scott

[Blotch]

they are in hiding! I went on a hunt the other day, and found zip. An where I went there's normally HEAPS!

[tiliqua]

And Tiliqua, thanks for the PM's, and please forgive my absence and lateness to this thread and your previous messages. As soon as possible, I'd like to add a section to the Blotched page that really demonstrates the differences between highland and lowland. Thanks again, man!

Thanks very much Zach. Much appreciated.
Apologies for the excessive zeal with which I've pursued the changes.
My love for this species and the highland form in particular, has led me to specialize in this lizard above all others. Obsession is an understatement!


I was always amazed growing up, that this beautiful Australian skink that early literature like Griffiths (1987) describes as:-

one of Australia's most handsome reptiles

and Swanson (1977) as:-

perhaps the most brightly coloured of the Blue-tongue lizards

was so rarely kept in Australia (at least in Sydney) and abroad!

Especially when other early herp writers like Keith Davey in 'Australian Lizards' (1970) wrote:-

This lizard is one of the hardiest kept in captivity readily settling down...within a few weeks.

I find them not only very beautiful but fascinating as well.
For example, did you know that they have a unique habit of stiffening their body towards you to appear more stick-like (whilst freezing) in an attempt at camouflage.
As you walk around them they contort their torso to keep a thin profile and therefore maintain the appearance of a stick towards the viewer/predator (it's a bit hard to explain in words).
They also tuck themselves into a very tight curve when sleeping to help withstand the usually cold nights (sometimes below freezing) they endure within their natural range.
Also some individuals seem to prefer to curl in a clockwise direction and others in an anti-clockwise direction.

Anyway, I'm raving again and behavioural quirks and traits are not part of the species profile page.

So thanks again Zach for creating such a great site for bluey keepers worldwide and for accepting the changes proposed in this thread.

All the best and a very happy festive season to all.

[Zach]

I've heard that quite a bit! (About the curling) That's funny they stiffen up while others flatten out like a pancake.

[Scotts1au]

they pretend they are a stick when a car is coming. At this rate they will naturally select themselves out of existance.

I wonder how red or bright pink colouring helps alpines camouflage?

Scott