eastern blue tongue lizard question

[reptilerob]

In my area, NE victoria, we see a lot of blotched blue tongue lizards, almost always around the high country.
Ive never seen an eastern blue tongue lizard, or if i have it was a long time ago.
Today i found a dead eastern blue tongue lizard out the front of a house in NE victoria. (kiewa valley) to be exact. I hope it wasnt a pet!! I drove past it and said to my wife, theres a dead bluey, but as i passed it i noticed the bandings were different from the normal blotched bluetongues we get, so i turned around and had a second look, and sure enough, it was an eastern bluetongue.
So i done a google search, and found this page, which says thay are widely distributed throughout NSW, but says nothing about Victoria!!
So was this possibly someones pet? Or was it a long way from home? Or is the sheet in my link incorrect?
Also, can anybody tell me roughly where these things are seen the most. After seeing the brilliant colourings on this one today, im keen to photograph some.

Eastern Blue-tongue Lizard - Australian Museum

[Acrochordus]

Well my field guide shows me that Eastern Blue Tongues are widely distributed in Victoria and that were you found the died one there should be more as they are known to be in that area. Soo yes that link is incorrect.
Thanks Tim.

[reptilerob]

Thanks for that Tim. The fact that i spend so much time on the road and have never seen one kind of backed up what that link said thats all. Another thing to consider, is that the link says there widely distributed in NSW, and where i was, in a straight line is only about 50-60KM from the NSW border anyhow!!
What field guide do you use Tim if you dont mind me asking, and where do you find them? I would love to have a decent field guide to carry around herping!!!

[Acrochordus]

Thanks for that Tim. The fact that i spend so much time on the road and have never seen one kind of backed up what that link said thats all. Another thing to consider, is that the link says there widely distributed in NSW, and where i was, in a straight line is only about 50-60KM from the NSW border anyhow!!
What field guide do you use Tim if you dont mind me asking, and where do you find them? I would love to have a decent field guide to carry around herping!!!

I use this field guide as it is the most recent one that has been published, you can get it from most book stores but you can get it from the Herpshop for $50 im pritty sure. I find Blue Tongues in my backyard. I have only ever seen 2 different specimens in the bush, but when it cames to suburbia it's a different story i have had up to 30 or more blue tongues came through my yard in one year.
Thanks Tim.

[reptilerob]

Thanks a million Tim, thats just what i need. This forums bandwidth use will slow down when i stop asking questions!!LOL
I will look around in coming days and see if i can get one localy, if i cant i will go straight to the herpshop.
Thanks again.

[Mighty_Moose]

OMG i have that exact book ;D its awesome have not been able to use it lately

[Acrochordus]

Thanks a million Tim, thats just what i need. This forums bandwidth use will slow down when i stop asking questions!!LOL
I will look around in coming days and see if i can get one localy, if i cant i will go straight to the herpshop.
Thanks again.

Haha no problem, that book has the all the reptiles known in Australia ( except a few new species that have been found after the published date), but you could find a book that just has the reptiles that live in Victoria. Yes the Herpshop sell it for $49.95.
Thanks Tim.

[richardsc]

ive seen eastern blueys in your area,as well as the mt beauty area,they do occur in your neck of the woods

[richardsc]

and easterns blueys are found from eastern south australia,through a lot of victoria,right up the eastern seaboard to north qld where there range meets the northern bluetongues,nsw is the middle of there range

[reptilerob]

ive seen eastern blueys in your area,as well as the mt beauty area,they do occur in your neck of the woods

Thanks Richard. The one we saw today was at dederang, between mt beauty and wodonga.
And thanks for the info, i will have to keep my eyes out for them. I never knew we had cunninghams skinks until recently either!!!lol

[Gecko75]

if you are having trouble finding eastern blueys in the bush, try looking just outside of town or on vacant blocks with lots of junk around, I find more blue tongues in town then I do in the bush. they are still about in the bush, just not as easy to find I guess.