BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Just wondering if I might be able to draw upon the collective wisdom of folks on the list for tips regarding outdoor enclosure designs. ie. materials, wall heights, covered vs. open air, aesthetics, floor coverings anything else that might be useful. Any picture would be great for inspiration.

Thanks

Scott

Only thing I could say would be screen of some sort to cover it, protection from birds, cats, etc. I'm building a BTS pit this spring.

Yeh last year a Brown Gosshawk took out a native pigeon in my backyard in front of me. Also Kookaburras and foxes, feral cats - everything wants to eat blueys.

Scott

Yeah, and I just saw a Red-Tailed Hawk in our back yard a week ago... not to mention the neighborhood cats.

-- Celeste

also when making an outdoor encloser be mindfull that blueys are keen diggers make sure they cant dig out.

Scott,

There's a pick of my old pit in the enclosure gallery. Have a look in my personal gallery too - all the pics were taken in an old enclosure.

Pity you do not live near me (Torquay) I have 2 old above ground pool surrounds you could buy off me for a minimal price. - They are brilliant for bluey pits. I usually put 100 mm in the ground which leaves 500 mm for the wall. - never had a bluey climb out.

Contrary to other's opinions I do not put a lid/screen on my outdoor pits. What is more important is enough cover for the bluey to escape to.

Here's a list of things to consider.

1. Ample sunlight during the day (8 - 10 hours)

2. Provide shade to allow the bluey to cool. - small tree/bush. (in my old pit there was a small lemon tree.)

3. raise the middle spine to allow for drainage during rain and a dry spot on top.

4. place a layer of pebbles around the edge to assist drainage and keep vermin from digging into the pit. Also would stop a bluey from burrowing underneath (I doubt they would try it anyway).

5. Plants - a good selection of Aussie native grasses - Dianellas, Lomandras, Ficinia, Poas
All of them are available from any good nursery.

Dianella berries are eaten by blueys too.

Other small native shrubs/ground cover forms. Correa reflexa is excellent to help in shedding & picks up dew.

6. Hide boxes - with a hinged lid for easy access.

7. Obviously logs and rocks.

8. Perhaps an area for a leaf/grass pile.

If i think of anything else I'll post again or PM you.

Hi Geoff

What you have described is my garden which is basically set up as a wildlife garden. I was even contemplating just putting up a swimming pool surround around a section of it and chucking some blueys in.

I was also thinking of including salt bushes ie. ruby salt bush which are prolific with edible berries.

What is your current setup like? My current cage is a bit spartan given I've removed all the good stuff due to my little mite problem which I haven't declared over yet. This was only a temporary accomodation.

Basically it is just a rectangular cage covered in wire. I had to staple some plastic sheeting to prevent the solitary bluey from climbing which works well except that I missed one little section with the staples and he climbed through and damaged his nose scale. Bugger.

Currently about the most bluey unfriendly part of my garden is the actual cage.


Scott

Scott,

Your garden sounds like bluey heaven. I presume the Ruby saltbush is 'Enchylaena tomentosa'. The edible berries are a particular favourite of stumpies so you might wish to get a few stumpies too.

At my old home i did exactly what you are contemplating. I joined two pool surrounds and placed them around a section of my garden that was a community of coastal heathland plants.... obviously a perfect habitat for lowland blotchies.

My new residence was completely landscaped as a wildlife garden during July - August and was setup to provide varying habitats for the beautiful ll birds in my area - rosellas, gang gangs, wrens, pardalotes, thornbills and various honeyeater sp to name a few.

As usual the project was delayed so the blueys had to live in tanks in the garage. Most of the time they were asleep.

The garden is now 95% endemic natives with a few feature plants which I like - eremophilas sp. xanthorrhoea sp., Melaleuca incana and some dwarf eucalypt cultivars.

As most of the plantings are from 'tube stocks' for now I have placed a small temporary pit in the grassland section - poas, austrodanthonas, ficinia, Themedas with hide boxes, logs and small standstone slabs.

The lowland blotchies will live in there until the garden develops enough to provide shade and protection from predatory birds- mainly currawongs, magpies, crows, ravens & the odd kooka. ( I watched a goshawk hammer a starling in my backyard then stare at me standing on the back deck.)

Once established the lowland blotchies will be able to roam anywhere in the backyard - approx 18 metres x 16 metres. My Alpines will remain housed in a small pit during the summer and brumate in the garage.

I'll PM you some images.

Here is a photo of part of my garden looking from my veranda, you might call it a native collectors garden rather than strictly indig. Combines local native tussock grasses (Poa labs, austroanthonia, austrostipa etc), hollow logs, local dianellas (several species) and other species ie. bursarias, grafted grevilleas, banksias, hakeas, lambertia, eremophilas, xanthoreas etc etc. About 40 species and hybrid grevilleas. Also small Euc species.

The area was stripped to nothing 2.5 years ago and has developed since. Had my first bluey visitor last year and I suspect there is a resident one now but haven't been able to find it.

I do most of my own native grafting.

Who knows might be able to get to Torquay in foreseeable future.

Scott

very nice Scott.

How big is your yard?

you must get a few avian visitors too.

...and do your own grafting as well. I am impressed.

I'll take the odd cutting from the local heathland and put it into the yard with a bit of rooting hormone on it... nothing too scientific.

I don't like too many grevillias (or other copious nectar producers) in the garden. I've found that the wattlebirds defend them to the exclusion of nearly every other species. Whilst the eremophila flowers are smaller and although visited by wattlebirds they are not so protective of them.

I'll be back online later...gotta bath the 2 year old then put him to bed.

Yard is about 3/4 acre in total which is not bad in town with all services. Part is in transition from Euro gardens when we moved in, so potential to incorporate a bluey enclosure when the garden is developed.

Yeh lots of wattle birds but the sucessionary process is starting with more species coming in as some shelter develops. The wattle birds dominate in spring but are absent in Winter when a lot of the grevs are flowering - hence blue faced honeyeaters etc.

Unfortunatley many of the local grasses are quite tall and sparse and Poa australis (a few small remnants around) I'm looking to incorporate. Poa labs I have growing in clusters and provide good bluey habitat. Although had to remove a tiger snake last night from a motel room in Tat- let it go in a local wetland park. So in creating a bluey garden there is obvious need to balance the ideals with the practical concerns

Scott

Very nice. I new .. just wanted to stop by and say 'Hello"!

Yeah! I got an avatar now!

G'day

Scott

Great information.