Skink Combination

[bobthefish]

Hi all,

I've never kept skinks, and am kicing around getting some (after the Murray Darling, the Bredli and the red-light camera ticket I got this weekend.) Can you combine the following in a 220x80x100 enclosure?

Pink Tongue
Eastern Blue Tongue
Blotched Blue Tongue
Cunningham's Skink

What about adding a dragon?

Too crowded?

Compatible, or blood bath?

Thanks guys!

 

[MrBredli]

I'd leave the Pink-tongue out. The other three should be compatible, but i still wouldn't recommend you house them together.

 

[peterescue]

Wouldnt house them together, Bluetongue will kill the Cunningham if it can catch it, all will eat the pinktongue and the two species of bluey will interbreed. Worse case scenario.
Actually, I can think of worse things but that will do for now.

 

[salebrosus]

Leave the Pink Tongue out and do not add a dragon. I was told of somone who had a pair of Frillies that got killed by a land mullet..... Some skinks can be really be feisty.....But i have kept Land Mullets, King Skinks Cunninghams and Blueys in the same pit without a problem. Others might have had problems but i'm only going by how mine were.

Simone.

 

[peterescue]

I dont think they are talking pit Simone.

 

[salebrosus]

hahaha i think i've had too much to drink this evening.....thanks for pointing that out Pete.

Simone.

 

[steve6610]

no and no and no, way to crowded and i can see a blood bath coming on,

or as the others have said..........

just not worth the risk..........

all can be kept in 4 or 5 foot fish tanks, and you could keep a pair or trio together,
the pink tongues you could use a smaller tank for a trio,

just my opinion though,

cheers,
steve..........

 

[bobthefish]

Thanks guys- I'll stick to one species or maybe go the monitor way.

Love this board, great advice, quick like.

 

[jordo]

Bluetongue will kill the Cunningham if it can catch it

bluetongues and cunninghams are similar size, I have kept them together in a pit but I would say if there is a problem it would be the cunninghams which are more aggressiv e. I don't think cunninghams could kill bluyeys especially with cunninghams being slightly smaller in size but they may fight in breeding season if you have a few males housed together so it isn't recommended
PS I';ve been drinking

 

[bobthefish]

Sheesh- everyone's drinking except me! lol

 

[peterescue]

Re: RE: Skink Combination

Bluetongue will kill the Cunningham if it can catch it

bluetongues and cunninghams are similar size, I have kept them together in a pit but I would say if there is a problem it would be the cunninghams which are more aggressiv e. I don't think cunninghams could kill bluyeys especially with cunninghams being slightly smaller in size but they may fight in breeding season if you have a few males housed together so it isn't recommended
PS I';ve been drinking

I have found that Cunninghams dont have the jaw strength of bluetongues and I have seen first hand what a bluetoingue can and will do to an adult Cunningham, also had shinglebacks ear juvenile cunninghams. I have no idea how they caught them but they did.

 

[nathanbrisvegas]

screw the skinks and get a monitor then u wont have any problems lol itll eat everything

 

[jordo]

RE: Re: RE: Skink Combination

I've had first hand experience of the jaw strenght of cunninghams (bloody painful, and if blueys are stronger then they must hurt a lot), cunninghams are very quick so so I can picture what you mean although I don't think a bluey will attack unless its a male in breeding season, (I've never had a problem with mine) I kept 2 male, 1 female cunningham with 3 female, 1 male blotches in a 3.5m x 1m enclosure, the male bluey would sometimes bite the cunninghams but not super aggresively.

 

[JasonL]

RE: Re: RE: Skink Combination

Ive kept all of these and beardies in a out door enclosure, the pink tongues were large at about 50cm TL. I saw a wild Blotched Blue Tongue sunning itself with three cunninghams one of which was draped across it's back! I never had a problem with them. Also it would be unlikely that blotchies and easterns would interbreed as I have a few friends who keep breeding groups together in pits and they have not interbred, but it is possible, someone in Sydney bred Cunningham/Easterns a few years back. The only trouble I had with skinks to date was with a land mullet, it got attacked by the cunninghams which I figured because it was a similar colour and cunninghams can be very aggressive towards each other, but then my eastern bluey attacked it as well. I have taken the Pink Tongues out at the moment but they may go back in over summer. the enclosure is 1.5m by 1.5m by 2m high and is full of hidy holes.

 

[peterescue]

RE: Re: RE: Skink Combination

I have been keeping for a considerable time now. I have been party to the death of too many animals to say it is ok to keep different species together. Sure, you can trot along and nothing will happen but it does sometimes. When it does it is for various reasons but the overriding factor is that you are responsible.
You need to ask yourself, "is there a possibility that this may occur" (whatever this is)
If you can 100% say the answer is no then go for it otherwise think about how you ill decrease the % of it happening. Thats my two cents worth.
Easterns and blotchies cross in captivity all the time.

 

[NoOne]

Whats the point in keeping them together? If it was an outdoor pit which was large enough yes you could but in a small indoor cage....don't even think about it.

I kept cunninghams for years and they are no where near as agro of powerful as a bluey, they also don't reach they same size of bluies, or no where near as hefty.
Bluies will eat anything they can catch even other bluies.

Theres no point in risking something like that, if you want to keep them together keep them outside in a large pit.

 

[lacemonitor92]

RE: Re: RE: Skink Combination

they should be alright but get climbing branches, rocks, stumps 4 the pinky and the cunningham. Also keep males away from each other though. Things can get tough in mating season.
My male cunningham and male eastern bluey got into a fight. They both got out ok but if they were bigger they could of kild each other