Any one with Cryptoblepharus sp?

[hornet]

I'm hopefully getting a couple of C. pulcher in the near future but just wondering if anyone else keeps them and if there are any other species in captivity?

 

[cris]

Havnt heard of any others available.

Would be really keen to get some of the saltwater ones if they could get into the system somehow, maybe someone could catch a heap and send them to DERM and hope the give them to private keepers :lol:

 

[snakeluvver]

Cryptoblepharus virgatus should be common in captivity as they're really common in the wild. But for some reason they're not. I have a colony of them running round my garden, in wish I could legally catch one and keep it. They're flipping fast though!!!

 

[hornet]

C. virgatus is only found up north qld. Around here we get C. pulcher which i should be getting shortly

 

[snakeluvver]

Are you sure? C.virgatus (Fence skinks) are in my field guide of Australian Reptiles and it says they live down here. Cryptoblepharus virgatus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[hornet]

The genus has been split so thought i would confuse you by using the new name lol. Virgatus has been split into 3 species.

C. virgatus is found from cairns north to the cape
C. pulcher is found from around townsville around the coast to southern wa
C. adamsi is from townsville to up north of cairns

AROD > Reptiles / Squamata / Scincidae / Cryptoblepharus | ReptilesDownUnder.com

 

[snakeluvver]

Ah thanks for clearing that up hornet They look cool, how much do they cost?

 

[hornet]

if i manage to get them i'll be paying $60ea

 

[snakeluvver]

Jeez... Seems like a bit for something so small and common

 

[hornet]

small and common in the wild yes, rare as hens teeth in the hobby

 

[snakeluvver]

Any idea why? Maybe people dont really find them appealing?

 

[hornet]

Thats it, people want big showy reps, not much interest in these smaller skinks. Untill you keep them you wont know what your missing out on

 

[dihsmaj]

Thats it, people want big showy reps, not much interest in these smaller skinks. Untill you keep them you wont know what your missing out on

I'd love a Blue-tailed Skink.
I hate Christmas Islands.
It's part of Australia legally, but when it comes to wildlife, nope.

 

[snakeluvver]

I'd love a Blue-tailed Skink.
I hate Christmas Islands.
It's part of Australia legally, but when it comes to wildlife, nope.

Sucks ay? I do like the look of small skinks, what's so great about keeping them? I would like to keep one and I can sorta see the appeal... And I would like a sand swimmer or something, but what do you like about them hornet? curious to know.

 

[hornet]

They are really quite fascinating to watch, they are so underrated. Many small skinks are pretty much mini monitors with the way they behave

 

[Nephrurus]

Plumpy, Blue-tailed Skinks are borderline extinct. I'm not even sure they got any into a captive breeding program before they disappeared.

And hornet, why not just watch them in the garden? they're always there. We have a heap of big thumping Crypto. buchanani that patrol my back fence here in Perth. They're (along with Hemiergis quadrilineata) the common garden skink here.

If you must get a crypto, get one of the rock dwelling group- megastictus are very cool.

-H

 

[hornet]

The garden skinks i can watch out my bedroom window but the crypto's are a little more shy and rarely get them to do their thing. In saying that i am still chasing lampropholis on licence. I just love the smaller skinks. All the personality of a monitor crammed into 1-2grams lol

 

[Nephrurus]

try feeding the cryptos. They quickly learn that you're not really a threat, and the wingless flies you throw them are excellent eating. Then you're able to get a photo of them.

This is mine...
Cryptoblepharus megastictus photo - Henry Cook photos at pbase.com

This is more or less what i was aiming for...
Cryptoblepharus juno (?) photo - Alexander Dudley photos at pbase.com

 

[hornet]

Mate, those are bloody great pics