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Cunninghams Skink


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I don't know much about what happens in jaffaland, but air nz wouldn't ship them to or from and trademe wouldn't sell them and who knows what Mr Brown is up to. I think many people ring MPI who say "yea no problem" but don't realise it is the Council.

True that. I have sent the council an email earlier today. Will let you know what they say.

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I rang up the Auckland regional council and talked to the biosecurity officer and he told me that they are legal to be kept as a pet in Auckland and that i can bring one into Auckland. But i cannot breed from it. He was very unsure about the rules and at the start told me we couldnt breed water dragons in auckland. LOL.

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What he says is true except he should have added can't sell or advertise for sale. They grandfathered ownership (meaning if you owned them before the restriction came in you can keep them, but not breed, sell or advertise for sale). Also cannot bring into the region. I think it only applies to jaffaland.

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Yea thats true about the blue tongue, definitely not illegal if you already have one in Auckland (I meant they are trying to not have anymore in Auckland).

But lets head back on topic and let me tell you a little story about the cunninghams skink (stop me if you have heard it).

There was once a wildlife sanctuary that had a group of cunninghams that had to close down, one half of the group went to Ivan(reptile park) and the other went to the fella i got mine from, they sat there and ate their cat food for about 24 years and finally the females gave live birth. The 6 or so generations of babies were kept and sold only to friends of this guy.

Unfortunately I didn't get to see the parents as they aren't kept at his house but im very happy with my new little guy who is very tame and will sit on my hand as long as he can but is a speed demon when he wants to be. :slfg:

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One of my males got jealous and posed for a close up. :slfg:

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Thanks guys :bggrn: sorry my camera battery is dead but my cage at the moment is just an exo terra 45x45x60 with wood and other decorations and a UV tube, hes just in there for a few months before the leo eggs hatch and then off to the 120cm and ill never find him again. :slfg:

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  • 2 weeks later...

i had 2 adults a couple of years ago n the strangest thing happened! when they were in me monster enclosure they went mental and were chasing and dominating the adult female waterdragons aaaand even saw one take a flying leap at male waterdragon n he was close to 1m long. so i downsized them to a 3m enclosure on there own n they were calm as. note to other keepers, hatchling cunninghams will happly snack on hatchling inland,costal or water dragon tail tips,unlike bluetongues who will eat the whole lizard :sage:

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  • 4 weeks later...

True that. I have sent the council an email earlier today. Will let you know what they say.

The council got back to me the other day ..

Blue tongued skinks are a surveillance pest and as a such may not be bred, sold, exhibited or offered for sale within the Auckland region.
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  • 4 weeks later...

I wouldnt say most captive reptiles 'hunt', but yea the warmth during the day is enough for them to have the energy to efficiantly digest thier food when fed :thup:

I have been feeding him predominantly high protien cat food mixed with calcium and vitamins as the breeder has fed cheap catfood to his and they have lived over 30 years (thier expected age limit).

This surprised me as cat food has an ingrediant that can irritate the lizard's insides.

He seems less keen on live food too, has the occasional mealworm.

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Oh ok, so no heat lamp or heatpad for them to bask under/ontop of to warm up before hunting for prey?

Sound like an easy care skink then :)

do put in low wattage heatlamp or light bulb at one end of the tank so it can thermoregulate its temp,otherwise it will hibernate or be too warm to hibernate but too cold to feed/digest. the other dudes got a mecury vapour lamp so supplys much heat . go low wattage depending on the size of your enclosure and where you live. :sage:

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do put in low wattage heatlamp or light bulb at one end of the tank so it can thermoregulate its temp,otherwise it will hibernate or be too warm to hibernate but too cold to feed/digest. the other dudes got a mecury vapour lamp so supplys much heat . go low wattage depending on the size of your enclosure and where you live. :sage:

:gopo:

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