Odatria_14_NOV13 - Victorian Herpetological Society

LONGEVITYThe Egernia genus is believed to be long-lived, with reportsof individuals reaching 25 to 26 years of age (Brown, 2012;Chapple 2003).DISCUSSIONI feel that it is important that husbandry practicesare modified over time, as new information becomesavailable. The above descriptions and observations detailmy experiences, although this is by no means the only(or best) way to keep and breed the Cunningham’s skink.Danny Brown, 2012, provides some excellent informationon outdoor housing alternatives, diet and behaviouralcharacteristics of the Cunningham in his publication’A guide to Australian skinks in captivity’, as does SavTimpano in his 2011 ‘Scales & Tails’ article, ‘Happy dayswith the Cunninghams’ and Mike Swan, 2008 in ‘Keepingand breeding Australian lizards’ . The above article aimsto provide a basic description of husbandry practices andhas also provided me with the opportunity to share someof my ‘Kodak moments’, and interest in keeping thesebeautiful skinks ......(Reptilia: Scincidae). Zoological Journal of the LinneanSociety, 154, 781-794.Greenwood, J. (2008). Keeping Blue Tongue lizards.Thrifty Vet, Blue tongue lizard care sheet, 01-05.Michael, D., & Lindenmayer, D. (2010). Reptiles of the NSWMurray catchment: A guide to their identification, ecology,and conservation. CSIRO Publishing. Collingwood, Vic,Australia.Simpson, S. (2013, February 16). Common problems in(captive) Bearded Dragons. Lecture presented for theVictorian Herpetological Society Expo, at Town SquarePavilion, Melbourne Showgrounds, Epsom, Victoria.Scheelings, F. (2013, May 11). Common diseases incaptive reptiles. Lecture presented for the VictorianHerpetological Society/Healesville Sanctuary HerpHusbandry Conference, at The Brolga Room, HealesvilleSanctuary, Healesville, Victoria.Stow, A. (2004) Long-term family-group structuringin a lizard changes the way we view these Animals:Cunningham’s skinks. Nature Australia, 28(1), 35-39.Stow, A. J., & Sunnucks, P. (2004) a. High mate and sitefidelity in Cunningham’s skinks (Egernia cunninghami) innatural and fragmented habitat. Molecular Ecology, 13,419-430.Stow, A. J., & Sunnucks, P. (2004) b. Inbreeding avoidancein Cunningham’s skinks (Egernia cunninghami) in naturaland fragmented habitat. Molecular Ecology, 13, 443-447.Stow, A. J., Sunnucks, P., Briscoe, D. A., & Gardner, M. G.(2001). The impact of habitat fragmentation on dispersalof Cunningham’s skink (Egernia cunninghami): evidencefrom allelic and genotypic analyses of microsatellites.Molecular ecology, 10, 867-878.REFERENCES‘Drucilla’, adult, southern Vic formBrown, D. (2012). Crevice skinks and their allies. In A guideto Australian skinks in captivity (pp. 201-226). ReptilePublications. Burleigh, Queensland, Australia.Chapple, D. G. (2003). Ecology, life-history, and behaviorin the Australian scincid genus Egernia, with comments onthe evolution of complex sociality in lizards. HerpetologicalMonographs, 17(1), 145-180.Cogger, H. G. (2000). Family Scincidae, Egerniacunninghami. In Reptiles & amphibians of Australia (6thed., pp. 457-458). Reed New Holland. Frenchs Forest,New South Wales, Australia.Gardner, M. G., Hugall, A. F., Donnellan, S. C., Hutchinson,M. N., & Foster, R. (2008). Molecular systematics of socialskinks: phylogeny and taxonomy of the Egernia group17Swan, M. (2008). Keeping and breeding Australian lizards.Mike Swan Herp. Books. Lilydale, Victoria, Australia.Swan, M., & Goodall, D. (2010). An introduction to keepingand breeding Australian reptiles. Mike Swan Herp. Books,Lilydale, Victoria, Australia.Swanson, S. (2007). Field guide to Australian reptiles. SteveParish Publishing Pty. Ltd. Archerfield, Qld, Australia.Timpano, S. (2011, November). ‘Happy days’ with theCunninghams. Scales & Tails, (20), 05-09.Wilson, K. J., & Lee, A. K. (1974). Energy expenditure of alarge herbivorous lizard. Copeia, 02, 338-348.NEXT VHS MEETINGWednesday 4th December 2013