Hypomelanistic Bobtail

[waruikazi]

Im not the sharpest tool in the shed, but hes in WA...

I kinda worked out that he was in WA considering rugosa rugosa. It isn't legal to go and collect what ever you want in WA, so my question is still relevant and isn't answered by his location. Perhaps i should refine my qustion.

Who did you get it off? Or do you have a permit to collect?

Edit: Aha!

Not sure about being under weight - he eats constantly but doesn't look as chunky as some bobbys - he's not mine though but we were wondering if its lacking pigment.

Seems i need to stop skim reading lol. So i'm assuming now it's a care animal?

 

[stencorp69]

Why argue with the answers when you have asked a question??? I don't think it is a hypo just sickly. How has it come to be in your collection if it is a wild animal??

umm who's arguing Dukes? I was just providing further clarification for consideration based on my observations. If the answer as simple as saying it came the from Perth area I would have been able to determine that by walking out my from door and observing the 20 or so that live on my property.

It maybe thin but it isn't sickly in its behaviour - eats well, has normal responses but I did acknowledge earlier that the worming might prove a good idea to get condition on.

Its not a wild animal its in captivity - its wild caught though as are most reptiles in WA, but for that matter I see that you come from the NT and there are a lot of wild caught animals in collections there as well (although many WC would have been exported to other state as in WA)

SW

 

[stencorp69]

stencorp69,

I think its a stunning looking shingleback.
However i wouldn't bother using the hypo
label.

You could easily call 99% of just about
any population "hypo" on the grounds
that other animals exist that are darker
thats all it takes..which is why i think the
usage of the label isn't worth much.

Not to degrade that animal at all btw.

NP, I'm not that bother if it is hypo or not it is more a curiosity question cause it is different from others that I seen.

 

[stencorp69]

I kinda worked out that he was in WA considering rugosa rugosa. It isn't legal to go and collect what ever you want in WA, so my question is still relevant and isn't answered by his location. Perhaps i should refine my qustion.

Who did you get it off? Or do you have a permit to collect?

Edit: Aha!



Seems i need to stop skim reading lol. So i'm assuming now it's a care animal?

Wow - "shakes head"

 

[Nagraj]

Just because it's within the normal range of colour/pattern for a given area doesn't preclude it from being hypomelanistic. Hypomelanism might be the dominant trait for that area and the best survival strategy.

It certainly looks like it's reduced black to me.

 

[waruikazi]

Wow - "shakes head"

Phew- *Gyrates hypomelanistic hips* :lol:

Just because it's within the normal range of colour/pattern for a given area doesn't preclude it from being hypomelanistic. Hypomelanism might be the dominant trait for that area and the best survival strategy.

It certainly looks like it's reduced black to me.

That's a good point, here's what some crocs can look like in the rivers that have pale mud.

 

[richardsc]

definatly isnt a hypo guys,looks like a hills type rugosa rugosa,it is slim looking but i wouldnt say it looks sickly,they have long skinny tails compared to the eastern shingle back,looks like a slim male that could use some bulking up though,there highly variable in color to,from drab dark colored like eastern shingles to orangey reddy headed and bodied to really bright orangey red desert form(goldfields) just like rugosa aspera the rugosa rugosa sub species can vary in color tremendously through out its range,even in the same locality
nice stumpy though

 

[mcloughlin2]

I agree with the majority in this thread. It is not what I'd call a hypomelanistic shingleback. It is quite a normal colour variation and while it may have less black on it then the ones you have seen it definantley wouldn't cut it for a hypo in my eyes.

 

[seanjbkorbett]

haha and that croc is a albino...iv seen that photo b4

 

[waruikazi]

haha and that croc is a albino...iv seen that photo b4

Nah it's not actually an albino, You haven't seen that pic before, I took it yesterday.

 

[Pinecone]

It maybe thin but it isn't sickly in its behaviour - eats well, has normal responses but I did acknowledge earlier that the worming might prove a good idea to get condition on.

Hummmmmm, two misconceptions:
1-Worms are the cause of weight problems in reptiles 2-It is eating, so it is well.

1-Many emaciated (thin to the extreme) bobtails that we post-mortem are ill because of a good reason!, reproductive related infections are very common in the girls as well as ground poisons, unknown viruses, parasites not covered by your worming product.
2-Many a thin bobtail has dropped dead with the food in its mouth, that's reptiles for you, slowly shutting down, the reflex to eat and survive is too powerful.

We all know that financially it sometimes makes no sense to spend a fortune at the vet , perhaps this animal would have been better taken straight to a wildlife rehabilitation centre where the tests would be run FOC, fixed and released back to the wild.
Oh but it could be hypomelanistic.... $$$$$$$$ . :evil: not really, we see very pale bobtails like that in the West commonly, some even have partially pink tongues.

XXXX

 

[m.punja]

I want. If it is for sale please PM me.

 

[stencorp69]

Hummmmmm, two misconceptions:
1-Worms are the cause of weight problems in reptiles 2-It is eating, so it is well.

1-Many emaciated (thin to the extreme) bobtails that we post-mortem are ill because of a good reason!, reproductive related infections are very common in the girls as well as ground poisons, unknown viruses, parasites not covered by your worming product.
2-Many a thin bobtail has dropped dead with the food in its mouth, that's reptiles for you, slowly shutting down, the reflex to eat and survive is too powerful.

We all know that financially it sometimes makes no sense to spend a fortune at the vet , perhaps this animal would have been better taken straight to a wildlife rehabilitation centre where the tests would be run FOC, fixed and released back to the wild.
Oh but it could be hypomelanistic.... $$$$$$$$ . :evil: not really, we see very pale bobtails like that in the West commonly, some even have partially pink tongues.

XXXX

I have spoken to Ruth from Kanyana regarding the animal at the last WAHS meeting - I'm not overly concerned about its health as its putting on plenty of condition. One point Ruth did raise was that they often see sick Bobtails in the spring that have lost pigment, she didn't elaborate on it enough for me to raise it here. Your misconceptions though are IMO misconceptions several articles and several book mention parasite load imbalance as the root cause many captive husbandry related issues including weight loss.

Captive animals on license can't be released into the wild only animals taken on reg 4/15 are legally able to be released.

As for the hypo = $$$ I'm not really that bothered, the question was a general one and as its not my animal its a bit hard for me to be motivated by $$$ when I asked the question.

Be great to stay on topic (sigh)

SW

 

[Bushfire]

"... The hypomelanistic gene reduces the amount of melanin or black pigment. Unlike the Amelanistic gene which eliminates all black pigment"

Ive seen a fair few WA Shinglebacks and for me it fits the description and is entitled to called hypomelanistic. The only way for it not to be would be for it to regain pigment as it regains condition. As someone above said it doesnt have to be rare or uncommon to be considered a hypo.

 

[shane14]

My friend had a Hypomelanistic bobtail.

 

[richardsc]

theres a guy from wa on the bluetongue skinks forum that rehabilitates wild western stumps sufferin stumpy flu,his name aludes me,but he has quite a few very pale ones to,paler than the one in this thread,i still wouldnt call his hypo,s,he didnt either,and pale ones are common in certain locales,stumpys of the same species have a huge range,and vary tremendously through out that range,just like eastern shingle backs,there like licorich allsorts,more color forms than u can poke a stick at

 

[richardsc]

oh personally,the goldfield stumpys are my favourite lookin ones,bright orangey red and black with white here and there,mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[LizardKing]

Yeah, that shingleback is severly underweight! I'd put guesses on internal parasites too. Get him to the vet for sure. Good to hear he's still eating though.