Cunningham's Skink

​Scientific name: Egernia cunninghami

Distribution: Australia. South east Queensland to northern NSW with populations in Victoria and SA.

Habitat: Rock outcrops, dead trees and hollow logs. Shrubland, wind swept heath areas and river valleys.

Brief description: A very personable and long lived species. Adults reach 13-14 inches total length. The group I work with originates from a collection in Europe and has been producing since 2002. The adult color mainly consists of a black body with white faded blotches. Juveniles are more strongly patterned. With a two month cooling period, females produce 3-8 young within a litter. Since the species can be aggressive with each other, it is best to raise a group of babies up together, as they will form a breeding colony. Males will pick on each other until one finally submits and should be seperated.

They are by far one of the easiest australian skinks species to kept. A group of adults should be kept in a cage with a floor dimension of 2x4 feet. Substrate consists of cypress bark mulch, with large rocks and cork bark flats and tubes. An isolated hot spot of 110F is suggested, with a nightime drop into the 70's. A water bowl should be present as well as good lighting, such as ZooMed 10.0 UVB bulbs. Their diet inlcudes - crickets, superworms, dubia roaches, cat food, babyfood, and any seasonal fruit and leafy greens. Supplements that should be used are RepCal D3 and Herptivite, 1-2 times per week. A very enjoyable lizards to have.

Egernia stokesii zellingi 

​Scientific name: Egernia stokesii zellingi

Distribution: Interior of Australia and populations in WA, including island's off Shark Bay.

Habitat: Dry to semi arid habitats. Rock out crops, dead trees and logs and under limestone rock slabs.

Brief description: Still an uncommon and desirable skink in herptoculture. Adults reach lengths of 9-10 inches for females and 7-8 inches for males. The body color usually consist's of a rich red/rusty/brown with small light tan broken markings. The tail is impressive with sharp spines, which is used as a defense. If you have the goal of breeding, which most of us do, then they should be setup as pairs only. The cage should have floor dimensions of 24"X36". Substrate can be cypress bark mulch, with rocks and cork bark flats and tubes that compliment the interior. They need a hot spot of 125F and low humidity. Always use ZooMed's 10.0 UVB bulbs for lighting. Water should be provided once or twice per week. They can be fed 3-4 times a week with mainly insects, such as crickets, superworms, and dubia roaches. One can provide small amounts of fruit and leafy greens as well. RepCal D3 and Hertivite are the choice for supplements.

Pairs should be cooled for two months and females give birth to 1-5 babies in a litter with a gestation of three to four months. Babies are delicate at first and are very shy. A must for serious lizard collections!

Egernia hosmeri

Scientific name:  Egernia hosmeri

Distribution:  Australia,  Queensland

Habitat:  Shelters in rock crevices and dead hollow timber or rock cliffs.

Brief description:  SVL of 180mm with a total length of 270mm.  Body color is a light grey/olive with white, black, and brown flecks.  The head is a striking red/brown with white markings.  Scalation on the head is impressive, looking very "dragon".  One of the most tamest Egernia.  Specimens will come to the hand that feeds it and not shy at all.  May be kept as pairs in a large dry terrestrial cage.  Furnishing's may be large round cork bark tubes, bricks arranged to resemble crevices, and various dry logs.  A small water and food dish completes the cage.  A hot spot of 120F is reccomended along with plenty of UVB light.  Offer a varied diet of insects, greens, and fruit.  Supplement with RepCal D3, Herptivite, and Mineral indoor.

With a 2-3 month cooling period, females may produce 1-4 live babies.  One of the nicest lizards to work with.  Serious inquires only!

Tiliqua scinciodes intermedia

Scientific name: Tiliqua scinciodes intermedia    
Distribution:  Australia. N. Western Australia to Northern Territory to Queensland.
Habitat:  Open forest, Eucalyptus woodlands, shrublands and just about anywhere else they can exist.   Utilizes dead leaf litter, hollows, dry dead wood, garbage piles, old metal, gardens, and burrows.
Brief description:  35 cm SVL for an average.  However some specimens may exceed that.   The form I work with is the True Sunset that originated from Andrew Seilke.   Not many pure lines are around but I have secured this form and have been breeding them for a few  years now.  Both sexes sport a beautiful bright tangerine orange body color with bands on the flanks.  All mine are housed individually in 40 gallon breeder tanks with aspen bedding.  I provide good UVB and fluctuating heat.  Food is offered 2-3 times per week and I provide a natural diet with good supplements.  Females usually give birth in late May or early June.  Limited.   

Tiliqua occipitalis

Scientific name:  Tiliqua occipitalis

Distribution:  Australia.  SA to WA to Northern

Territory to NSW to Victoria.

Habitat:  Flat open habitats. Utilizes various shrubs for cover, dead wood, metal piles, burrows, and thickets.

​Brief description: Around 40 cm total length. A beautiful Tiliqua with white for a base body color with dark brown or chocolate bands and orbital eye stripe. A medium stocky lizard. Housed individually in 40 gallon all glass cages with a substrate of aspen bedding. A large hide and water/food dish completes the furnishings. They need an isolated hot spot of 110F with good UVB. Females give birth to 2 to 6 babies in late spring. This species was first bred and produced in the U.S. for the first time in 2008 at my facility. Still rare in collections. One of the most sought after and rewarding lizards to have! Limited.