# Wild caught blue tongue lizard



## cid_python (Oct 14, 2011)

hi everyone 
my friends sister which is about 22 years old found a bluey under her car (she wasnt about to run over it she just found it there) and she caught it and kept it and my friend knows i keep reptiles so they gave it to me while she gets a reptile licence (dont you need paper work from the person your brought it from? so whats the point, i think thats true) also she wants me to buy it of her for $50!!!!! if she decides not to get the licence. What should i do? I want to let it go but shes kinda scary lol, and its the right thing to do so whats your opinion.


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## maddog-1979 (Oct 14, 2011)

you cannot keep wild caught reptiles without the correct licence to capture them, the right thing to do is to release it near where it was found


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## snakeluvver (Oct 14, 2011)

Just because she gets a license doesnt mean she can catch a wild reptile. Tell her that


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## -Peter (Oct 14, 2011)

Unless your in Tasmania.


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## Jungletrans (Oct 14, 2011)

You don't need a license for a bluey .


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## snakeluvver (Oct 14, 2011)

Jungletrans said:


> You don't need a license for a bluey .


That doesnt mean you can catch one... 
And in some states, you do need a license.


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## Riggsy (Oct 14, 2011)

Totally illegal! It must be returned to bushland within 1 km ( Or as close a possible ) to where it was found. You must buy reptiles off licensed breeders with proof of ownership and movement advices.

By keeping it in your house you risk getting caught and the EPA will take you licence off you and also all you animals plus could even give you a hefty fine in the thousands.

Apart from the legal side of things. It's just cruel to take a wild grown animal and put it in cage. They stress out big time and end up sick. Also you jepoardise introducing disease into your private collection.


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## GeckoJosh (Oct 14, 2011)

Jungletrans said:


> You don't need a license for a bluey .


Maybe in Vic and Tas, in other states you most certainly do.
What state is she in?


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## dangles (Oct 14, 2011)

in vic they are on schedule 5 

*A Licence is not required to keep wildlife listed in

Schedule 5 of the Wildlife Regulations 2002.

* 
A licence is not required to keep, possess, breed,

buy, sell or dispose of wildlife taxa listed in

Schedule 5 (Part A or Part B) of the of the Wildlife

Regulations 2002 for private purposes, as long as

the wildlife have come from a legal source.


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## serpenttongue (Oct 14, 2011)

cid_python said:


> my friends sister which is about 22 years old .



"Which"?


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## Jeffa (Oct 14, 2011)

If it is illegal in your state then dob her in. We dont need clowns that give us a bad name for crappy illegal reptile keepers. If it is legal then so be it. Just educate her on husbandry etc.


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## GeckoJosh (Oct 14, 2011)

No need to dob her in, just educate her that its immoral and illegal and then release it for her in a suitable habitat.


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## Australis (Oct 14, 2011)

Certainly needs to be educated... no way is it worth $50!


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## cid_python (Oct 14, 2011)

In NSW im pretty sure you do need a licence for a bluey, ill tell her thats its illegal and ill let it go where she found it.


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## Sel (Oct 14, 2011)

Australis said:


> Certainly needs to be educated... no way is it worth $50!



You beat me to it lol


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## maddog-1979 (Oct 14, 2011)

cid_python said:


> In NSW im pretty sure you do need a licence for a bluey, ill tell her thats its illegal and ill let it go where she found it.



hopefully not exactly whear she found it


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## snakeynewbie (Oct 14, 2011)

Find a local park near her house and let it know near some fallen timber. Yes you definately need a licence in NSW.


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## Elapidae1 (Oct 14, 2011)

Riggsy said:


> Apart from the legal side of things. It's just cruel to take a wild grown animal and put it in cage. They stress out big time and end up sick. Also you jepoardise introducing disease into your private collection.



Thats a broad statement and not neccessarily correct


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## Cabb11age (Oct 14, 2011)

i agree with elapidae1, how do you think reptiles came into captivity? let the bluey go away from traffic. read up before even getting a licence so you know what your in for.


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## cid_python (Oct 14, 2011)

i have a licence, i already have a bredli 2 bearded dragons and 1 murry river short necked turtle it was my friends sister who found the bluey.


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## Tassie97 (Oct 14, 2011)

You do have to have a lisence in tasmania its just free quick and easy then you can catch wild herps TASMANIA IM TALKING ABOUT to avoid confusion


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## ianinoz (Oct 14, 2011)

If it was in her driveway, then it's territory includes her yard. 

If she must release it (a wild lizard will certainly be happier free to come and go) then let it go in the yard. Nothing wrong with her leaving treats for it and trying to befriend it if it hangs about.... it'll be doing her a favor by eating bugs, spiders, roaches, snails and spiders it finds under her house or in the garden.


If it stays around, that's great, if it wonders off, then that's OK too.



Cabb11age said:


> i agree with elapidae1, how do you think reptiles came into captivity? let the bluey go away from traffic. read up before even getting a licence so you know what your in for.


Yep. People loose sight of this while being self righteous and trying to lay down the law here.

Her yard should be fine for it. Taking a 1km away and releasing outside it's territory will put into conflict with other blueys who are already there, will unnecessily expose it to dog and cat attacks, and it has a high risk of getting run over on the roads while trying to find it's way back to it's own territory.


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## snakeluvver (Oct 14, 2011)

ianinoz said:


> Yep. People loose sight of this while being self righteous and trying to lay down the law here.


People are simply saying its illegal to take a lizard from the wild, theres no two ways about it.


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## dihsmaj (Oct 14, 2011)

ianinoz said:


> If it was in her driveway, then it's territory includes her yard.
> 
> If she must release it (a wild lizard will certainly be happier free to come and go) then let it go in the yard. Nothing wrong with her leaving treats for it and trying to befriend it if it hangs about.... it'll be doing her a favor by eating bugs, spiders, roaches, snails and spiders it finds under her house or in the garden.
> 
> ...


Mate, out of curiosity, can I please have some evidence that Tiliqua sp. claim territory and actively find their way back to it? I know of one Shingleback that has done this, but I'm wondering if it is the same for others.
Also, I'm not a troll. Don't ignore me. I doubt you know what 'troll' means.


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## MesseNoire (Oct 14, 2011)

+1 to the post above as I thought that blueys were just came and went as they pleased?


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## gillsy (Oct 15, 2011)

Riggsy said:


> Totally illegal! It must be returned to bushland within 1 km ( Or as close a possible ) to where it was found. You must buy reptiles off licensed breeders with proof of ownership and movement advices.
> 
> By keeping it in your house you risk getting caught and the EPA will take you licence off you and also all you animals plus could even give you a hefty fine in the thousands.
> 
> Apart from the legal side of things. It's just cruel to take a wild grown animal and put it in cage. They stress out big time and end up sick. Also you jepoardise introducing disease into your private collection.



Where is the proof they stress out and end up sick. Most wild reptiles I have rescued or cared for through the wildlife organisation I work for calm right down and become very quite and tame.


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## ianinoz (Oct 15, 2011)

Snakeluvver3 said:


> Mate, out of curiosity, can I please have some evidence that Tiliqua sp. claim territory and actively find their way back to it? I know of one Shingleback that has done this, but I'm wondering if it is the same for others.
> Also, I'm not a troll. Don't ignore me. I doubt you know what 'troll' means.



I've been using message boards longer than your 13 years on this earth. So I wont be entering into a discussion on what trolling is. Refer to the guidelines for this and other boards and you'll find indicators of what a troll is.

I've have a blue tongue (been the same one) living on my property for several years, I know it's the same lizard because of the unique patterns on it and because it's become friendly enough to take fruit pieces I leave for it sometimes as treats while in my presence.
My mother has a very cheaky bluetongue who she has often had to carried back outside and let go in her garden because it comes inside to raid her dog's dinner and then goes to sleep on the spare lounge in her back room (under the cushions - her dog gets very anxious when the big scary lizard has come inside).
I also know of a blue tongue who lived under my aunti's patio for over 10 years and who also kept coming back when they took away to a local park (she was scared of it).They eventually reached a mutual understanding, she left it alone and was fine with that and only came out when she was inside or working in her veggie patch (it liked checking the stuff she had pulled out - for worms and beetles and edible vegetable cuttings).

I'm sure pleny of people know of or even have resident bluetongues who are long term residents in their yards, gardens and who may have become quite comfortable around them, some may even have become quite tame.

Not everything you read in books or in specialist (herp) mags, or on the internet is accurate or even correct.


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## dihsmaj (Oct 15, 2011)

ianinoz said:


> I've been using message boards longer than your 13 years on this earth. So I wont be entering into a discussion on what trolling is. Refer to the guidelines for this and other boards and you'll find indicators of what a troll is.
> 
> I've have a blue tongue (been the same one) living on my property for several years, I know it's the same lizard because of the unique patterns on it and because it's become friendly enough to take fruit pieces I leave for it sometimes as treats while in my presence.
> My mother has a very cheaky bluetongue who she has often had to carried back outside and let go in her garden because it comes inside to raid her dog's dinner and then goes to sleep on the spare lounge in her back room (under the cushions - her dog gets very anxious when the big scary lizard has come inside).
> ...


I'm sorry, it's just you've called everyone who has disagreed with you so far a troll.

Anyway I was just asking for some evidence.
Also, as Australis' signature says, and I quote, 'the plural of anecdote is not evidence'.

Finally -- 
how do I know your post is accurate? You state that not everything you read on the internet is correct... how do I know if you are accurate, Ian?
How 
do
I
know?


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## ianinoz (Oct 15, 2011)

Snakeluvver3 said:


> I'm sorry, it's just you've called everyone who has disagreed with you so far a troll.
> 
> Anyway I was just asking for some evidence.
> Also, as Australis' signature says, and I quote, 'the plural of anecdote is not evidence'.
> ...


Only the trolls.

Science is based on observation. 

I've seen several posts on these boards about resident bluetongues who have definitely staked out territories and stuck around for extended periods.

I may be mistaken, but this seems to be common attribute of skinks (not just bluetongues).

I think that this tangent is finished unless someone else wants to add something.


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## dihsmaj (Oct 15, 2011)

ianinoz said:


> Only the trolls.
> 
> Science is based on observation.
> 
> ...



I have read that Gidgee Skinks and Cunningham's Skinks maintain communities in an area.


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## MathewB (Oct 15, 2011)

Snakeluvver3 said:


> I have read that Gidgee Skinks and Cunningham's Skinks maintain communities in an area.



I have heard similar, communal lizards they are. 

I agree with ian's last sentence


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## -Peter (Oct 15, 2011)

Snakeluvver3 said:


> Mate, out of curiosity, can I please have some evidence that Tiliqua sp. claim territory and actively find their way back to it? I know of one Shingleback that has done this, but I'm wondering if it is the same for others.
> Also, I'm not a troll. Don't ignore me. I doubt you know what 'troll' means.



There have been several papers on the subject. Males have an area of aproximately .5 square kilometre with several hides. Within this area are usually located several females that are mated with regularly. Females seem to have a smaller range( so the bluetongue you see in the same spot is probably a female. Males sometimes have overlapping ranges with females in each others range.

As a rescuer I work on the principle that if I cant release a reptile within 500 metres Its going to have problems.


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## GeckPhotographer (Oct 15, 2011)

> I know of one Shingleback that has done this
> 
> I have read that Gidgee Skinks and Cunningham's Skinks maintain communities in an area.



Being a pedant for the sake of being a pedant. ;P I think lots of the Shinglebacks being worked on have shown either home range connections or preferences to use of particular hide sites of several years. 

You forgot Egernia kintorei, they apparently live in social groups. ;P


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## snakeluvver (Oct 15, 2011)

Never mind


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## ianinoz (Oct 15, 2011)

EWS are very territorial in that the females stick to a small area, which may overlap with other (related ?) females (the ones on property do anyway) and the males, like bluetongues have a larger territory which includes a harem of girls (I know this because my resident alpha male who visits my place regularly to have daliances with Lizzy and other girls) and who I have seen next door and has even been spotted a few houses away somtimes. He's cleavour, seems to use the underground stormwater pipes to go from one property to another and to avoid dogs and cats, or he uses the downpipes as hides and for quick get aways.

EWS seem to maintain communities in an area (mostly females and babies and juviniles (males and females). I have at least 6 - 8 individuals living on my property.
My next door neighbour who as several dogs too, tells me he thinks he's got a couple of dozen (he often sees EWSs raiding the dog's food-bowls), these EWSs never pass up an opportunity for some easy food.

Same applies to the common brown garden skinks that are everywhere. These little guys even have communal egg nurseries.


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## Tassie97 (Oct 15, 2011)

whites skinks live together in a big mound sharing alot of tunnels together i seen it with my own eyes :shock:


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## dihsmaj (Oct 15, 2011)

Thanks for the evidence guys. Skinks are interesting, aren't they?


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## Tassie97 (Oct 15, 2011)

and....
i hate to prove ian right but there are blue tongues at a friends house he has acres
he moves them down to his "sanctuary" so his dogs dont mess with them
he said there was heaps of them they must be coming back
he put a dot of red nail polish on the ones that came up to his houses tail and took them back down to the "sanctuary" and sure enough they came back up 

lol i cant believe im agreeing with ian :/


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## waruikazi (Oct 15, 2011)

Not in NT.



Goldmember said:


> Maybe in Vic and Tas, in other states you most certainly do.
> What state is she in?


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## dihsmaj (Oct 15, 2011)

Tassie97 said:


> and....
> i hate to prove ian right but there are blue tongues at a friends house he has acres
> he moves them down to his "sanctuary" so his dogs dont mess with them
> he said there was heaps of them they must be coming back
> ...


Same thing with the Shingleback. It kept returning to someone in WA's house, they kept putting it into the bush, it kept coming back, etc. They then put some red nailpolish on it's head, and it was the same one.


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## waruikazi (Oct 15, 2011)

Snakeluvver3 said:


> Same thing with the Shingleback. It kept returning to someone in WA's house, they kept putting it into the bush, it kept coming back, etc. They then put some red nailpolish on it's head, and it was the same one.



You inbox is full bro, need to empty it.


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## dihsmaj (Oct 15, 2011)

waruikazi said:


> You inbox is full bro, need to empty it.


Done.



ianinoz said:


> Only the trolls.


Troll
Noun



style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium; width: 475px"
|- style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px"
| colspan="2" style="vertical-align: top; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; padding-right: 15px; line-height: 1.8; padding-bottom: 10px" | One who posts a deliberately provocative message to a newsgroup or message board with the intention of causing maximum disruption and argument
|-


(thanks to Urban Dictionary)

Now, Ian, as you can see in figure one, it doesn't state 'One who disagrees with you.'


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