# cunningham skink info and enclosure



## aj33340 (Nov 30, 2014)

hey everyone im getting a Cunningham skink next weekend would love some information on them and how to setup there enclosure i know they are a rocky outcrop lizard so i have that in mind thanks in advance


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## RoryBreaker (Nov 30, 2014)

Specify whether you are going to keep them indoors or outdoors.

My preference would be to put them outdoors, they are very cold tolerant. They also work out what the big yellow thing in the sky is used for pretty quick too.


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## aj33340 (Dec 1, 2014)

im hopefully going to be keeping him/her outside


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## Native_EWD (Dec 1, 2014)

If you can, I would purchase more than one, only if they are very young or have been kept together by the previous owner, if you only buy one you probably wont be able to house more with him/her in the future, they are extremely aggressive towards other cunninghams they are not familiar with.


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## aj33340 (Dec 1, 2014)

its about 30cm long and there is only one up for sale

- - - Updated - - -

im gonna keep him outside and setup a big rock pile for him to hide in and bask on would it be fine to put chip bark on the ground or just use grass ?


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## DanLM (Dec 1, 2014)

Chip bark will be fine. I keep mine outside, in a modified rabbit hutch, housed as a young pair with a rock pile on coco mulch and I filled the hutch part with pine shavings and hay for when cooling comes around. If it's outside, just make sure there's something they can get into to get away from bad weather.


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## aj33340 (Dec 2, 2014)

got any pics of your modified rabbit hutch that you keep them in?


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## RoryBreaker (Dec 3, 2014)

Hardware shops and irrigation suppliers are your best bet in finding durable UV stable plastic suitable for turning into a pit for skinks. The advantage of going plastic is that it is light and when it comes time to move the cage to another part of the yard, its easily done. Here's some pictures of some that I use for Cunninghams.






















Obviously you need to drill plenty of holes in the bottom for drainage. Also vertically stacked rocks and wood gives them choice for which temperature they want to reside in.


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## aj33340 (Dec 3, 2014)

thanks Rorybeaker they look good what if i took the bottom of and dug it into the ground a bit are you just using pebbles as your substrate?


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## RoryBreaker (Dec 3, 2014)

aj33340 said:


> thanks Rorybeaker they look good what if i took the bottom of and dug it into the ground a bit are you just using pebbles as your substrate?



A mixture of washed river sand and some larger smooth pebbles. It's just so that it drains well. I wouldn't cut the base out, it the lessens the security of the skinks. Either they digging out or something else breaking in. Cunninghams are marvellous climbers and will test any cage.


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## aj33340 (Dec 3, 2014)

im gonna shade half of the enclosure so he/she can escape the heat and cool down.
do you know how to sex them?


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## RoryBreaker (Dec 4, 2014)

aj33340 said:


> im gonna shade half of the enclosure so he/she can escape the heat and cool down.
> do you know how to sex them?



It can be hard to determine sex on adults, juveniles virtually impossible.

Single adults that come up for sale are usually someone's spare male that is causing trouble amongst their group. 
Hence why most people who are going to keep Cunninghams long term buy a good handful of juvys to grow up together. They are also aggressive skinks that do not play nicely with other Cunninghams which are strangers to them.

Anyway, I took a few pictures of some of my adults for comparison of the subtle differences that can be seen between genders.





















With females that have bred for a few seasons, scarring on the shoulders can be visible too.





My outdoor Cunninghams tend give birth either side of xmas. This one is getting very close.





Hope some of this helps.
Cheers


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## aj33340 (Dec 5, 2014)

thanks i found out that the one im getting is 6 months so to young to tell im guessing, at 6 months old if i got others will the be fine because its still young?


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## Native_EWD (Dec 5, 2014)

Probably not. I learnt the hard way with some of my cunningham offspring. Do not underestimate there aggressiveness towards unfamiliar individuals. There will be a fair few cunninghams available in the next few weeks, if you want a group or are looking at breeding, I'd wait. They are very entertaining and much bolder kept in groups. Chances are with one it will take months for him to even bask with you in sight.


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## aj33340 (Dec 5, 2014)

yeh might have to wait hopefully someone in vic will have some


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