Boyd's Forest Dragons

[beknluke]

Hi Guys

A few months back, I wrote to the Dept of Sustainability and Environment, requesting that the Boyd’s Forest Dragon be added to our ‘schedule’ here in Vic.
They have FINALLY gotten back to me, but in the following reply from them, they have requested some info that I don’t have on hand, so I was wondering if anyone could help me out.

“Thankyou for your letter of 14 September 2004 regarding the addition of Boyd’s Forest Dragon, Hypsillurus boydii, to the schedules of the Wildlife Regulations 2005 to enable this species to be kept privately in Victoria. The Secretary, Department of Sustainability and Environment has asked that I reply on his behalf.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment has a process for submissions for additions to the schedules. Unfortunately your letter does not provide sufficient detail for your request to be considered further.

If you wish to pursue your request you will need to include the following information in your submission: numbers available in captivity, conservation status, ease of husbandry [including breeding], pest potential and human health and safety issues. Please submit your submission to” blah blah blah

So – who can help me?? Or at least, who can tell me where to find all of the above info?? My letter was really quite basic, just station that they are kept in other states, but for ‘some reason’ they are not on our list here, yada yada.

Anyones help will be MUCH appreciated, and who knows, we may actually be able to keep them here in Vic one day!!

Bex

[Ricko]

yeah help us we want boyd's, good stuff on sending them a lettter to bex

[westhamsc]

ask AGAMIDAE he keeps these guys i think

[ad]

Hey Bek,
Good to see action taken by someone!
I keep boyds and they are fantastic animals, I will try and attempt some answers,
numbers in captivity, I would say up to 1000 nationally atm - could be as low as 3-400 - availability is scarce at the moment though should be common or at least more readily available in 2-3 years. Conservation status would be rare to stable, they have a wide range but i think colonies are fairly isolated, small range when compared to a lot of our herps though, husbandry should be compared to angle heads as they are very, very similar animals with the boyds in fact being hardier, exactly the same humidity requirements etc, boyds just likes a bit warmer, they breed readily in 3 years laying 3-6 eggs, health issues should be again directed to angle heads and pretty well all lizards.
Push the angle head similarity, because I have kept both and I believe boyds are a lot tougher, angle heads can be sooks, boyds can handle it a bit warmer but still as cold, so you have a larger zone to keep them in heat wise. It has me baffled why they only allowed angle heads in the first place.
Hope this helps,
Ad

[westhamsc]

that our government for you AD there idiots

[farmdog]

and they have no consevation knowledge in Victoria, all the state govenment know is to sell national parks for housing estates ie port nepean, and its up too organisation like us to provide that conservation regrow and plant around watercourse repair past mistakes

[Magpie]

Boyds were considered to be fairly rare as they mostly occur in places where people don't. However they have now been shown to be relatively common and free from immediate extinction.

[AGAMIDAE]

I wish I had these guys, I have been looking for a long time with no luck

[beknluke]

I am just frustrated that rather than the Vic authorites contacting their QLD offices or something to confirm that 'yes - we allow people to keep them here', they ask us to try and track down info that would be a SNAP for them to get.....
Thanx for your help though everyone!! It's MUCH appreciated - and PLEASE, keep it coming
Bex

[hey_im_sam]

Just an idea... but could you try contacting other states to get more accurate numbers on amount in captivity? Like when Jeff posted the list from the 2004 returns. There were 13 carried forward at that time... j.i.c. you need more accurate numbers, could be an idea

[beknluke]

Yeah - thanx for that Sam I have also posted this thread on AussieReptiles and Hugsta has suggested the same thing I will probably be doing all the ringing around in the next few weeks. Can people plz post the contact # for their states relevante department??
Thanx
Bex

[hey_im_sam]

you posted it WHERE??!?!?!?!?!

[Magpie]

on www.aussiereptiles.com

[soulweaver]

was that www.aussiereptiles.com?

[africancichlidau]

Yeah, I went there once, nothing happened