SHINGLEBACKS at Sydney Wildlife World (DUW)

[Lisa]

We went to Sydney Wildlife World the other day. I'd highly recommend it if you're in Sydney and have a couple of hours to kill. The exhibits were top notch (most were floor to ceiling, many the size of an average bedroom), the animals all looked healthy, and because it's newish and poorly advertised it's not very crowded.

They had some of the BIGGEST shinglebacks I've ever seen. I'm prone to exaggeration, but when I described them to someone else as being the size of puppies within earshot of Conor who usually rolls his eyes when I describe something, even he agreed.

Here's some pics. Unfortunately the glass on the skink exhibit was rather dirty due to them being ground dwelling and so people can get right close to them.








Some of the other animals.

Spider for Renee:

Froggie:

Frilly:

Ackie:

Eastern Brown:

Red Belly:

Boyds:

Diamond:

Perentie:


Example of an exhibit. This one had just two bredli's in it:

They also had mammals.
Stoned koala:

Yellow footed rock wobbly and some Cape Barren geese:

Snake food:



Oh, and they also had....

An awesome Alpine


A special shingle


They let the awesome alpine and special shingle share an exhibit

And a rather elusive eastern

[Blotch]

I'm waiting for the comments on the shingle being kept on the red dirt/sand.

Didn't see you over the GP weekend Lisa.

[Lisa]

I'm waiting for the comments on the shingle being kept on the red dirt/sand.

Didn't see you over the GP weekend Lisa.

Nah mate, you contacted me too late. We spent the Tuesday night in Sydney because it's a two hour trip from home to the airport.
Talk about feckin hot down there!! Every other year it's been freezing or raining or both. I love the heat but even I struggled walking around in it. Will be back down there for a few days in June for a wedding.




There was also centralians and westerns in with the shingles. Couldn't spot the centralians and this was the best I could do on the westerns:

[shingleback aus]

nice shingles! looks like a good place to visit ill have to pop down there some time

[Scotts1au]

Go Ralphie

Thought you'de fallen off the planet Lisa

Scott

[Tattoo]

Hey the Lisa the exhibit is great. Thanks for sharing it with us. Of course as usual your lot takes the cake.

[Blotch]

An awesome Alpine

Is this Ralphie?

He's grown HEAPS!!!

[Funda]

Great pics lisa!
Though i worry about the shingles in sand substrate.
Thats not right is it ?

Oh by the way, love your display pictures!
So cute


f.C

[Blotch]

Though i worry about the shingles in sand substrate.
Thats not right is it ?

It's fine mate. they live on Sand and Dirt.
Personally I'm indifferent to Sand and Dirt.
I don't think it's a big deal. If Impaction is a worry - just feed them on a big plate so the likliness of sand/dirt getting on the food is Little to none.

The problem only really occurs when the food gets covered in it and then it's ingested. If the plate it large enough, then the food should stay clean.

[Richard.C]

great pics lisa,ltns to,that ackie is actually a varanus tristis,black headed monitor,and a lovely example to,those stumpys are cute as,similar coloring to mine,look at ralphys tail,omg

[evil pixie]

JUBBY!!!!

Great pics; if I ever get over to Oz, I'll be sure to visit.

[SailleSkinklover]

Happy Birthday, Ralphie! I love his chunka-tail!
And ohhhhhhhhh Santos. . .

Those shingles were cute as well, ( why are they soooo very?) I only wish there had been something in the pic to give a relative scale for how big they were.

Shingles the size of puppies! Could you imagine their poo?!?

[Raven_Vivi]

omg TURDS!!! >_<
I wanna huggle them. ^^

When I am rich and famous*cough*, I shall fly to Aussie and buy that zoo and all it's contents >;D

Seeing those pictures makes me jealous ;_;

[shingleback aus]

Happy Birthday, Ralphie! I love his chunka-tail!
And ohhhhhhhhh Santos. . .

Those shingles were cute as well, ( why are they soooo very?) I only wish there had been something in the pic to give a relative scale for how big they were.

Shingles the size of puppies! Could you imagine their poo?!?

there poo is already gigantic they do not need to be the size of a puppie

[Lisa]

I think there's no problem with sand. In an enclosure as big as this one. If you had a small tank I wouldn't use it, but mainly for the reason that it's harder to keep clean than other substrates. The whole impaction thing, I have my own thoughts on that. I think it's the combination of eating on sand and being in a small space such as an average size tank. If they're in a big area to roam, move about a bit, I think that impaction is less of a problem. In a small tank, where they're just eating and lying, I think you may have problems. Just my thoughts.

No Scott, not off the planet .... close though .... down in Vic

Thanks for the correction, Richard! I have some more shots but coudn't remember what they were so I didn't post them That monitor was going mad chasing crickets or something. He was fun to watch.

Yeah Luke, that's Ralphie! Two years old next week! Not his best angle, eh?

Saille, tape measure first time around next time

Oh, and one was doing a poo when I was there. I got all excited and went to take a picture but I must've been embarrasing Conor too much and he dragged me away. Apparently I have a poo fixation .... which in private is tolerated. .... But not in public or when talking to other people

[Leigh]

Great photos Lisa,nice to see your thre out an about.Ralphies stocked up for winter early hehehe.

[shingleback aus]

ralphie's tail is huge like my sharkys

[Richard.C]

monitors are amazing animals hey lisa,apart from skinks,monitors are my faves,well they both share a similar love from me,lol,its called addiction i think,actually waiting on a call to go pick up my new adult western bluey female from the airport as we speak,ralphy and jubby are looking great lisa,both fine examples of there species
i think sand is very under rated as a substrate,heck half of them live in it in nature,as lisa said it is the small size of the cage and how u feed the inhabitants thats more the issue i guess,but i use sand and im sticking with it

[Dragontears]

Spider!

[rachel]

poo fixation? you're telling me it isn't normal!