housing bts with other reptiles?

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shingleback aus
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housing bts with other reptiles?

Postby shingleback aus » Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:59 pm

hey all im considering buying a cunningham skink and im wondering if it can be housed with my easterns and if they will get along??
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Postby evil pixie » Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:31 pm

Most everyone here will recommend NOT to house bts or any other reptiles together. You just never know what can happen when two animals are housed together in a small environment.
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Postby Fatal_S » Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:44 pm

I can't remember who but there's at least one aussie who has a big outdoor pit with BTS and other lizards. If you want to do it in an indoor tank though, I'd say no.
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Postby NomadOfTheHills » Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:54 pm

In a big pit, it would probably work.
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Postby shingleback aus » Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:28 am

well this is in a big outdoor encloser with plenty of free space.
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Postby Geoff Gates » Thu Jan 10, 2008 2:08 am

not an issue.

Have you got a few large rocks for your Cunningham Skink?
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Postby shingleback aus » Thu Jan 10, 2008 2:29 am

one side of the encloser is full of rocks so you think it will be okay??
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Postby thesilverbeast » Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:28 am

i had a friend who had an eastern and a cunningham in the same enclosure, i dont think they really knew what they were doing but the cunningham used to dominate the food and the blue tongue didnt get much.

they were both wild caught (illegally) and the blue was released back to where they found her.

im very against taking them from the wild and even more against releasing them again but i just thought that story might be something to consider.


just feed them separately.
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Postby Geoff Gates » Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:50 am

shingleback aus wrote:one side of the encloser is full of rocks so you think it will be okay??


Cunningham skinks inhabit crevices in rocky formations.
They are also extremely good climbers.

Also they are gregarious lizards so I would get more than one.
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Postby shingleback aus » Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:18 pm

okay thanks for the info it has been a big help i will definatley consider getting one or two lol :D
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Postby Scotts1au » Fri Jan 11, 2008 12:02 am

I think you will find that a cunningham will stress out a lot more and exploit any escape opportunity. I the wild they live in community groups. I had one years ago that ended doing a starfish impression in a neighbours pool. I thought the enclosure was escape proof and search every centimetre and still couldn't find how it escaped.

The feeding side of things might more difficult in a communal setup.

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Postby shingleback aus » Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:21 am

did it survive??
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Postby Scotts1au » Fri Jan 11, 2008 3:46 am

Unfortunately not. I come across them in the wild occassionally through work in Central Vic, I'm happy to watch them go about their stuff and see them on their way. Quite commical watching them chase each other around the granite outcrops, often in the middle of a barren paddock with a few rocks. Needless to say well away from standing water. I think that a couple would be better to stop them fretting- that probably sounds weird talking about reps.

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Postby shingleback aus » Fri Jan 11, 2008 3:57 pm

im sorry that is Unfortunate although it must be cool seeing them in the wild? :D
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Postby Scotts1au » Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:46 pm

Like Beardies, and Stumpies I only find them when I'm not looking for them. Still pretty cool, they really wedge themselves between the rocks. I think you would really have to kill them to get them out to have a proper look. :-)

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Postby shingleback aus » Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:07 am

really they wedge themselves that good?? :D
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Postby Scotts1au » Sat Jan 12, 2008 3:00 am

Sure do, that's what they use the spines on their backs and tails for.

If you're gunna get me out, its gunna have to be in bits. :-)

Scott
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Postby shingleback aus » Sat Jan 12, 2008 3:02 am

how do they go with handling??
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Postby Scotts1au » Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:04 am

Sorry can't answer, can't find much on the subject on the net either take a look at

http://www.bluemts.com.au/reptilepark/a ... D=10&ID=75

By all accounts they are not happy about additional introductions though once they establish a family group.

Scott
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Postby shingleback aus » Sat Jan 12, 2008 5:04 am

thanx for the info :D
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