wild blue tongues

[darkangel]

i have just picked up a blue tongue off the road in front of my house and was wondering if i am allowed to keep it. i don't have any plans on breeding them but my son saw me showing the other half and fell in love with it.
if i can't keep it where would be the best place to let it go and would it stick around if i let it go in my yard somewhere?

[Australis]

You cant keep it.
But you could just release it in your backyard, might hang around.

[channi]

they have em for $45 at pet city mt gravatt

[Caramel]

I know what you mean with falling in love - my family saw some in the back yard -we have at least 2 and a bunch of babies and a day later we went shopping for one! Love at first sight!
Create a garden for them and they will stick around.
BTW I stopped my family from keeping the wild one by explaining that it would be like putting it in jail in solitary confinement since it was used to being free

[darkangel]

didn't think i could he is soo placid though. what do they eat. i'll give him a feed and let him go in the morning.

[scorps]

just buy one you can pick them up from 15 bucks each their a lovely lizard

[darkangel]

i was thinking it would be a bit cruel to keep him after he has been used to having freedom. he looks really healthy so he must know where to go for some good tucker lol
i have 2 backyards. one side would probably be better suited but we get magpies and kookaburras on that side quite often and i don't want to see him become a meal.
what do they eat in the wild? that might help to find a good spot to let him go.

[CGSwans]

Originally Posted by darkangel

i was thinking it would be a bit cruel to keep him after he has been used to having freedom. he looks really healthy so he must know where to go for some good tucker lol
i have 2 backyards. one side would probably be better suited but we get magpies and kookaburras on that side quite often and i don't want to see him become a meal.
what do they eat in the wild? that might help to find a good spot to let him go.

Provide him with a hiding spot (any pvc pipe you have hanging around would be ideal) and put it in a quiet, semi-enclosed section of the backyard and he's probably not going to be at any more risk of being taken by a bird than he is in the bush. Besides, if you picked him up off the road in front of your house, then he was already living in their range anyway.

Give him a hiding spot, make sure your son doesn't bother him too much, leave some food out every once in a while (but not too often, don't let him become dependent on it), and he should stick around.

[Renagade]

we used to pick up bob tails (shingle backs) on the way ome from school when we were kids to put the kangaroo ticks out. the first two we released in out backyard, the rest we re released in bushland (that was demolished for housing a few years later) soon after the original two were released, we had a baby one. so cute. we would see them all the time in summer, for years. gave them fruit and egg sometimes.

[Renagade]

oh did i mention... no dogs

[Caramel]

They like fruit (at least mine will climb walls for strawberries, blueberries and grapes and cherry tomatoes!) and eat all kinds of insects and snails(just make sure you don't give snails that have eaten bait!!!)

I sometimes put out bit of catfood or a bit of fruit and it always gets gobbled up. It is really fun to watch them go for a grape or lick the last bit of catfood off the flat stone I feed on.
My baby indoors gets fruit and vegies cut up mixed with catfood and I have bought baby crickets and mealworms but he/she thinks live food is a bit weird.

[darkangel]

do they eat lettece, carrots and cabbage? i have a salad pack i had for dinner but didn't eat it all. could he have that for tonight? i also have some grapes.

[Caramel]

No iceberg lettuce, they will take grated carrots and love cabbage. He probably won't be feeling like eating tonight (stress) but you could also try him with a bit of egg if you want to. Just put some vegies and fruit out and see what he likes - they are picky like kids and my one outdoors gobbles up banana but the other turns up his nose at it. I cut the grapes in half as they are huge.

[darkangel]

i might pop a few grapes in and see how he goes. i'll buy a few things for him tomorrow so i can let him go as safely as possible.

[Caramel]

Keep in mind their digestive system is slow especially in the cooler hours and at night so don't be worried if he doesn't eat. I'm sure he will be very happy to stay in your garden if there is protected spots and the odd bit of food - just don't let a wild animal become dependant on handouts! It makes them very vulnerable.
He is a lucky fellow to have been picked up by someone who cares for his wellbeing!