Blue tongue captivity status

[Monitors_R_Us]

It seems every year the common ( eastern ) blue tongue skink has been getting cheaper and cheaper gradually at where it is now the point of them being given away for free in an increasing amount of cases. With the price of feeding these animals ( not the cheapest etc because of their diet and appetite ) to raise and house i just wonder how many people will actually just start throwing these poor creatures away. Also with the growing amount of morphs in blueys and their prices slowly starting to drop it makes me curious as to what lies for the common python etc childrens.

 

[Stevo2]

No need to throw them away, simply reduce the amount of breeding.

 

[Monitors_R_Us]

No need to throw them away, simply reduce the amount of breeding.

But people do breed them without any preparation or thought of the future of the babies, i know it sounds like common sense but i see it happening more and more now.

 

[disintegratus]

Probably a similar thing that's happened with crossbred dogs: They'll be worth nothing, and destroyed in the thousands annually, until some bright spark has the idea to give a poorly bred animal a fancy label, then they'll be worth squillions, but people will still throw them away. Tiliquoodle anyone?


I hate people.

 

[Bluetonguesblack]

I won`t be throwing mine away.

 

[Monitors_R_Us]

I won`t be throwing mine away.

I should hope not

 

[Grogshla]

I think the eastern form is one of the most beautiful forms of bluey available.
It is a bit sad when people just breed for the sake of breeding. It is true the market is being swamped with cheaper and cheaper reptiles bred by inexperienced breeders but this is something we can't help unless a different legislation is introduced.
The only thing we can really do is be more selective when purchasing and only go with proper breeders.
Each to their own tho.

 

[Monitors_R_Us]

I think the eastern form is one of the most beautiful forms of bluey available.
It is a bit sad when people just breed for the sake of breeding. It is true the market is being swamped with cheaper and cheaper reptiles bred by inexperienced breeders but this is something we can't help unless a different legislation is introduced.
The only thing we can really do is be more selective when purchasing and only go with proper breeders.
Each to their own tho.

I think the eastern form is one of the better ones also but the only way i can see SW getting around this problem would be to follow VIC in making them off licensed in the first place.

 

[Snowman]

Same thing that happens with all animals that are over bred... Budgies, dogs, cats... they either get put down or let loose.

 

[JasonL]

I dont think anyone keeps normal blueys to make money or for what their financial worth is... ten years ago they were still cheap as chips.... though you do raise a good point with unwanted pets that cant be sold, as reptiles usually outlive the keepers desire to keep them.

 

[Monitors_R_Us]

I dont think anyone keeps normal blueys to make money or for what their financial worth is... ten years ago they were still cheap as chips.... though you do raise a good point with unwanted pets that cant be sold, as reptiles usually outlive the keepers desire to keep them.

Never said they did but still 6 years ago they were worth $80-$120, now i see $40 max and yes that seems to be another big problem.

 

[solar 17]

I dont think anyone keeps normal blueys to make money or for what their financial worth is... ten years ago they were still cheap as chips.... though you do raise a good point with unwanted pets that cant be sold, as reptiles usually outlive the keepers desire to keep them.

+1

 

[JasonL]

80-120??? not in the circles I was in they weren't lol, the most I have ever seen one go for was $70 at an AHS charity auction about 7 years ago, the second one that night went for $50, and at the time we couldn't believe how much that was for a bluey as the average price around Sydney was $30 - $40, now its about $0 - $20

 

[treeofgreen]

It seems every year the common ( eastern ) blue tongue skink has been getting cheaper and cheaper gradually at where it is now the point of them being given away for free in an increasing amount of cases. With the price of feeding these animals ( not the cheapest etc because of their diet and appetite ) to raise and house i just wonder how many people will actually just start throwing these poor creatures away. Also with the growing amount of morphs in blueys and their prices slowly starting to drop it makes me curious as to what lies for the common python etc childrens.

Im pretty sure childrens/spotteds/stimsons are at the same or very similar price they were 10 to 12 years ago. I got my first snake about 10 or so years ago (spotted hatchy) for around $150-200. If anything its probably the pet shop trade keeping the prices of the Ants up, this is just a guess though as i have no real idea

That being said, i still see people trying to sell eastern blueys for over $100. Coastals are cheap as chips too these days. Bearded dragons are being bred like crazy aswell. Heaps of people selling their babies for $50 or so. Decent looking adult BDs still fetch decent prices it seems tho.

 

[Monitors_R_Us]

Im pretty sure childrens/spotteds/stimsons are at the same or very similar price they were 10 to 12 years ago. I got my first snake about 10 or so years ago (spotted hatchy) for around $150-200. If anything its probably the pet shop trade keeping the prices of the Ants up, this is just a guess though as i have no real idea

That being said, i still see people trying to sell eastern blueys for over $100. Coastals are cheap as chips too these days. Bearded dragons are being bred like crazy aswell. Heaps of people selling their babies for $50 or so. Decent looking adult BDs still fetch decent prices it seems tho.

Ok well we can say different prices all we want but the point is eventually they're going to be worth in cash value, not enough to keep and raise to sell off etc and that is where the problems will occur.

 

[JasonL]

Six - 4 years years ago I was breeding 300 beardies a year and selling them for $25 - $50 each... the thing with beardies is at 90% of them die in their new homes within 2 years, they are like the goldfish of the reptile world...

 

[serpenttongue]

1st prize - one litter of blue tongues.

2nd prize - two litters of blue tongues.

It's a shame, since blue tongues are such a great pet lizard. Even though I no longer keep them, I still hold them dear to my heart. They were a huge part of my childhood.

 

[GeckoJosh]

It seems every year the common ( eastern ) blue tongue skink has been getting cheaper and cheaper gradually at where it is now the point of them being given away for free in an increasing amount of cases. With the price of feeding these animals ( not the cheapest etc because of their diet and appetite ) to raise and house i just wonder how many people will actually just start throwing these poor creatures away. Also with the growing amount of morphs in blueys and their prices slowly starting to drop it makes me curious as to what lies for the common python etc childrens.

Actually the prices of Childreni have remained pretty steady over the last 10 years when compared to other species

Edit: sorry someone already brought up this point

 

[Monitors_R_Us]

Actually the prices of Childreni have remained pretty steady over the last 10 years when compared to other species

Edit: sorry someone already brought up this point

Steadily dropping yes, even if it may be only $5 to $10 a year.

 

[disintegratus]

It's the same as most other pet animals. Hopefully there will be enough people who are passionate about them to ensure we continue to have a pool of high quality, viable animals aside from all the poorly bred rubbishy ones.