# Pygopods



## Radar (Feb 17, 2012)

Just starting to get into keeping. Have always had an interest, the other Id thread on on Delma tincta reminded me where my interest started. Figured I'd throw a few pics up, I know there's other people on here with them so feel free to add your pics if you feel so inclined .

These are apparently the only pics that want to work - so this is all you get :lol:
Hatchling clutch pair of Pygopus schraderi:





I like animals with a bit of personality, and while these aren't on the same level as small monitors etc, they are pretty cool little critters. They all take food from my fingers and tweezers, the young ones even wag their tails in the same highspeed vibrating way that knobtails do when they are about to pounce.


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## Pilbarensis (Feb 17, 2012)

Wow, awesome little Delmas you have there! Any pics of the setup maybe?


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## Radar (Feb 17, 2012)

Sorry mate, these are Pygopus schraderi - I edited that out by accident before, will stick it back up there....
Thanks anyway


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## Manda1032 (Feb 17, 2012)

CUTE! and so little. Their personalities sound like so much fun! So interesting


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## Pilbarensis (Feb 17, 2012)

Doesn't mater mate, they still look totally awesome. Hopefully more pics soon!


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## Radar (Feb 17, 2012)

I've only got the one other adult male at the moment, will have to work out why the site doesn't like his pics, might just take some more tomorrow.

EDIT - Well there you go, all credit for this pic to Danny Brown, his photo, not mine - better pic than I could ever take anyway :lol:


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## solar 17 (Feb 17, 2012)

Are their lateral vent scales any different at this age/size as to where they get part of their name from?
........solar 17 (Baden)


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## Pilbarensis (Feb 17, 2012)

He looks like a real stunner! You're very lucky to have them.


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## Radar (Feb 17, 2012)

He's a nice little bloke. 

Baden, they definately have 'flaps', but you only really notice them when they are trying to steady themselves/exerting themselves, like trying to climb against something with their body too rigid or when you pick them up they sometimes push them out. Still very, very small at this stage though.


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## Smithers (Feb 17, 2012)

I love these guys and will be getting some when the breeder puts them together hopefully this yr. There's a few here that keepem.


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## Radar (Feb 17, 2012)

Sorry Scotty totally missed the second part of your post in my rush to amend my first post. They are pretty easy to keep, this species is not really any different from smooth knob tailed geckos husbandry wise. The older bloke is in one end of a 4ft fishtank with a few cm of washed sand on the bottom, a couple of different types of hides (upturned ceremic saucers, gecko hides, etc) and a bunch of different rocks and stuff for him to explore around. He will happily come shooting out and chase my hand around the tank for a cricket, spends a lot of time with his head and a few inches of body out of his hide watching me move around the house as the tank is in the loungeroom. They juvies are just in a small tub at the moment with a few hides and sand, big enough for room but small enough that they can hunt and catch their food if I don't have time to hand feed them on any particular night. 

Money well spent Smithers


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## Pilbarensis (Feb 17, 2012)

Sounds like a great species, one day hopefully.


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## Darlyn (Feb 17, 2012)

Hey they're bonza little critters!


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## BigWillieStyles (Feb 18, 2012)

Fantastic pictures.



rednut said:


> They are pretty easy to keep, this species is not really any different from smooth knob tailed geckos husbandry wise.



Do they breed like Knobbies? Just curious as I havent seen any for sale in the classifieds.


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## XKiller (Feb 19, 2012)

Defentley a nice male you have, chance of getting a photo that isn't just focused on his face? 'i haven't seen one like it.


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## Radar (Feb 19, 2012)

ShaneWright said:


> Defentley a nice male you have, chance of getting a photo that isn't just focused on his face? 'i haven't seen one like it.



Shane, 
This appears to be the same animal, as I purchased from Danny Brown, same regen tail etc. If it's not him it sure looks identicle. My camera software is doing some funky stuff at the moment, will remove this link if needed. 

Eastern hooded scaly-foot (Pygopus schraderi) at the Australian Reptile Online Database | ReptilesDownUnder.com

They tend to be sold before they are advertised amoungst friends I imagine, I don't think they are very widely bred.


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## geckodan (Feb 19, 2012)

It will be the same animal as Stewart was with myself and Gunther for the photo shoot (its Gunthers shot, not mine) - an unusual colour pattern that I've only seen from blacksoil grasslands in the far west of QLD.


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## Radar (Feb 19, 2012)

Thanks mate.


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## spongebob (Feb 23, 2012)

Here's some photos to show the variation in P.schraderi


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## Smithers (Feb 23, 2012)

Hot as Mr Sponge I do like these critters,.....maybe this yr? maybe


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## JasonL (Feb 24, 2012)

A "must have" for gecko lovers


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## spongebob (Feb 24, 2012)

JasonL said:


> A "must have" for gecko lovers



and those whos partners wont let them get snakes!


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## MathewB (Feb 24, 2012)

spongebob said:


> and those whos partners wont let them get snakes!



Or parents who don't want snakes........hehehe

*rubs hands together in an evil manner*


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## Radar (Feb 24, 2012)

Really nice animals you have there spongebob, any idea on sexes?

I like the fact that even as hatchlings these guys will take food from your fingers.


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## MathewB (Feb 24, 2012)

rednut said:


> Really nice animals you have there spongebob, any idea on sexes?
> 
> I like the fact that even as hatchlings these guys will take food from your fingers.




Really? That's awesome!!

Got pics of your setup?


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## spongebob (Feb 26, 2012)

rednut said:


> Really nice animals you have there spongebob, any idea on sexes?
> 
> I like the fact that even as hatchlings these guys will take food from your fingers.



The first two photos are pairs, the third is a youngster, and the last one a male.


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## swagman (Feb 29, 2012)

Awesome Pygopods you guys have there! I had a Burton's Legless Lizard (_Lialis burtonis_) for a while. I loved that thing. It was a very curious animal. It would sit up on top of clay pots and rocks in the tank, and watch me. It was very docile, never once showed any signs of aggression. If I had a good supply of small lizards, I would gladly try it again, and I would love to try _Delma spp_!

Thomas


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## XKiller (Feb 29, 2012)

A cupple of mine,


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## jordo (Mar 6, 2012)

Good to see a few people have them now. I'm still surprised that they haven't taken off as much as levis, they're just as easy to keep but a hell of a lot cooler.


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## killimike (Mar 6, 2012)

jordo said:


> Good to see a few people have them now. I'm still surprised that they haven't taken off as much as levis, they're just as easy to keep but a hell of a lot cooler.



I so agree! I cannot see why they don't just walk (haha) out the breeders' doors...


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## jordo (Mar 6, 2012)

killimike said:


> I so agree! I cannot see why they don't just walk (haha) out the breeders' doors...



They sell really well. I just don't think there are enough breeders to properly bump there numbers up in captivity.


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## killimike (Mar 6, 2012)

jordo said:


> They sell really well. I just don't think there are enough breeders to properly bump there numbers up in captivity.



All I meant was that they don't fly out the door. They didn't sell out at this years first two expos in Sydeny, or the first two last year, and I have seen alot of bumps on pygopus and delma ads here and on AHC. As more breeders produce them, I'm sure that with increased numbers will come increased recognition...


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## spongebob (Mar 6, 2012)

I know a lot of people dont even though what they are and of those that do many think they all like Burtons= difficult to feed or have special food requirements


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## MathewB (Mar 6, 2012)

I would would be very interested in buying one......just need money.......and parents that would let me have one haha


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## GeckPhotographer (Mar 6, 2012)

Can the hooded species be kept in tubs with underfloor heating? I'm aware that lepidopus being diurnal would probably benifit from basking and such.


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## spongebob (Mar 6, 2012)

GeckPhotographer said:


> Can the hooded species be kept in tubs with underfloor heating? I'm aware that lepidopus being diurnal would probably benifit from basking and such.



You've got it. Think Nephrurus levis without legs!


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## Rocket (Mar 6, 2012)

I'm with Spongebob. Under-researched, under-rated and under-loved. Beautiful geckos though.

Spongebob, my male Pygopus nigriceps is ready right ?


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## jordo (Mar 20, 2012)

GeckPhotographer said:


> Can the hooded species be kept in tubs with underfloor heating? I'm aware that lepidopus being diurnal would probably benifit from basking and such.



They're also nocturnal.


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## GeckPhotographer (Mar 20, 2012)

> They're also nocturnal.


If you're talking of lepidopodus everything I've read suggests much more active in the day than the night. I know I've only ever found them at night or crepuscularly but that's what I've read.


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## XKiller (Mar 21, 2012)

Commons hatched earler today.


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## Gibblore (Mar 21, 2012)

Nice work mate, I thought locky said he breed them lol


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## XKiller (Mar 21, 2012)

bahahahaha hes full of ****t,


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## Gibblore (Mar 21, 2012)

Thought so considering the next pic he showed me was a hatching T.rex and said he hoped to cross it with a levis lol


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## XKiller (Mar 21, 2012)

LOL sounds like something heid do..


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## Cyann (Mar 21, 2012)

these animals are amazing! how much and were can i get one from?


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## BigWillieStyles (Mar 22, 2012)

Im pretty keen on some scalyfoots if you are looking at selling?


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## Radar (Mar 22, 2012)

Nice photo's everyone, have been overseas for a few weeks, good to see this thread again .
Was sitting out in the loungeroom before, looked over at one of my tanks to see the adult male was doing this....




He's been there for about 20mins now looking around, but he lost the sand cap some time ago. I've never seen it before, any ideas? Made me laugh anyway.


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## dragonlover1 (Mar 22, 2012)

neat looking snakes ,you're really tempting me


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## Radar (Mar 22, 2012)

Hey Dragonlover, 
They're actually a legless lizard, great for people whose parents/other halfs don't like snakes....and great because they are just plain cool


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## dragonlover1 (Mar 22, 2012)

rednut said:


> Hey Dragonlover,
> They're actually a legless lizard, great for people whose parents/other halfs don't like snakes....and great because they are just plain cool



I'm lucky don't have to worry about other peoples likes/dislikes as I am divorced and my kids have all flown the coop(not that that's a prob as they all love reps).I have 2 adult central & 2 baby black soil beardies ATM but tempted to expand haha

that's cool I thought they were snakes though,only ever saw 1 legless in the bush in blue mountains


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## Smithers (Mar 22, 2012)

rednut said:


> Nice photo's everyone, have been overseas for a few weeks, good to see this thread again .
> Was sitting out in the loungeroom before, looked over at one of my tanks to see the adult male was doing this....
> 
> View attachment 243901
> ...



That's so kool n cheeky,...on the to do this yr list,


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## BigWillieStyles (Mar 24, 2012)

Can the Scalyfoots be handled without them become stressed and dropping their tails?


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## Radar (Mar 24, 2012)

Provided you do it slowly and deliberately they seem fine with it. Having said that I don't get them out for a play like a snake, just move them around between/within enclosures during cleaning etc.


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## jordo (Mar 31, 2012)

BigWillieStyles said:


> Can the Scalyfoots be handled without them become stressed and dropping their tails?



You can pick them up by the tails (captives), they're very reluctant to shed their tails, even wild individuals.


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## Radar (Mar 31, 2012)

Good to know, have never tried it.


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## spongebob (Mar 31, 2012)

Great photo. Pygopus with panache. What species rednut?


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## geckodan (Mar 31, 2012)

spongebob said:


> Great photo. Pygopus with panache. What species rednut?



silver form schraderi


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## Rocket (Jul 11, 2012)

It seems this thread has lost some momentum so I thought I'd add some photos to restart it...

I don't think they need identification and they are pretty self-explanatory. I apologise for the horrible, disastrous, utterly disgusting quality of the following images.







I would love to see more captive burton's photos if possible, especially of them feeding.

Cheers

Some more:


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## Radar (Jul 11, 2012)

A couple of wild shots, schraderi and a burtons. Bit old now but don't think they are up on here. The gf may have posted them on other forums though, they're her shots.


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## SamNabz (Jul 12, 2012)

Very nice Rocket!

Anymore pics people? Some set up pics are always good to see too.


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## Snowman (Jul 12, 2012)

So do they just eat crickets etc?


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## eddie123 (Jul 12, 2012)

can someone chuck up a care sheet or write one. dont just say knobbies because i have knobbies so kinda know their care. thanks


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## jordo (Jul 12, 2012)

eddie123 said:


> can someone chuck up a care sheet or write one. dont just say knobbies because i have knobbies so kinda know their care. thanks



There's a care sheet in one of the old Reptiles Aust mags but as we've said they're kept like knobbies... What else is there to say?

They'll eat moths, flies, crickets, roaches, spiders etc

Actually rocket just corrected me in chat. They love a bit of grass to hide in too!


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## outbackstorm (Jul 12, 2012)

These are awesome little critters, it is good to see more of them kicking around the hobby. I found this little guy out near Hermidale, west of Nyngan while spotlighting. Sorry for the poor quality photos, the flash kept washing out everything :-/


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## Radar (Jul 12, 2012)

jordo said:


> There's a care sheet in one of the old Reptiles Aust mags but as we've said they're kept like knobbies... What else is there to say?
> 
> They'll eat moths, flies, crickets, roaches, spiders etc
> 
> Actually rocket just corrected me in chat. They love a bit of grass to hide in too!



Yeah, a couple of tufts of grass goes a long way to helping them shed as well as letting them act a bit more naturally, they do spend time searching through it if you provide it.


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## Rocket (Jul 12, 2012)

rednut said:


> Yeah, a couple of tufts of grass goes a long way to helping them shed as well as letting them act a bit more naturally, they do spend time searching through it if you provide it.



Do you have any photos of your schraderi enclosures?


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## eddie123 (Jul 12, 2012)

how much do they cost?


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## XKiller (Jul 13, 2012)




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## jordo (Jul 13, 2012)

Pre-shed


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## Radar (Jul 13, 2012)

I don't have any enclosure photos on this comp, but they're nothing special - sand, terracotta hides, basalt rocks and some grass under one hides in a dense tuft in on corner of the enclosure. What's the last species you've got there Jordo?


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## Snowman (Jul 13, 2012)

What do people feed their captive burtons? mice tails?


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## killimike (Jul 13, 2012)

Ugh this thread is making me sick.....


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## jordo (Jul 13, 2012)

rednut said:


> What's the last species you've got there Jordo?


Delma inornata, I really need to take a better photo of one of them



Snowman said:


> What do people feed their captive burtons? mice tails?


I use mice tails. They're really easy to assist feed.


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## Rocket (Jul 13, 2012)

My photo shows one feeding on a medium-sized rats tail. I just compare the size of the tail against a skink, such as a Hemiergis and they have no problems with it. I was concerned with the size of the caudal vertebra causing impaction or posing difficulties with digestion but she's been fed them for years and hasn't had a problem...


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## Radar (Jul 13, 2012)

How often do you feed an adult Burtons something that size to keep it in good condition? Twice a week? 
And do they assist feed in the traditional sense that once the tail is a third or so in they will typically take it themselves the rest of the way?


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## Rocket (Jul 13, 2012)

Twice a week? No way, more like twice a month.

It requires getting the mouth open and sliding the tail in until about 50% is passed the base of the tongue, after that, the burtons will take it in like a big spaghetti strand. It's an intensive and obviously stressful process for the lizard and I don't completely agree with it, however, I'm still waiting on a bunch of AHG to be sent to me, stopping the need to feed rat's tails. Also, if anyone wants a frozen medium sized rat (without a tail), they can have it (pick-up).


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## jordo (Jul 13, 2012)

rednut said:


> How often do you feed an adult Burtons something that size to keep it in good condition? Twice a week?
> And do they assist feed in the traditional sense that once the tail is a third or so in they will typically take it themselves the rest of the way?



As juvies I fed mine every 4 days and as adults once a week - depending on the size of the tails they usually get 2 or 3 per feed.
Once you get the item just past where the crack of the mouth ends, so just get it down the throat a little, they do the rest.


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## Radar (Jul 13, 2012)

Cool, thanks for the input. I've looked at getting Burtons before but the feeding issue has put me off. Having said that assist feeding tails is a whole lot easier than force feeding pinkies etc like I'm currently doing with some animals. I need to find somewhere like a football stadium around here that is public access, has lots of lights and lots of wall space. I used to catch AHG's from walls with a supersoaker full of soapy water because a friends parents didn't like them cr**ping in the walls. Spray it all around them and soak them with it and the fall off the wall. I imagine a trip to somewhere with lights and wallspace in summer around here would produce a few.


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## jordo (Jul 13, 2012)

I don't think it's that stressful Shawn. I use fine tipped dissecting forceps to gently lever the mouth open, then hold it open between thumb and finger while I slot the food in. They're back in the enclosure in less than a minute to finish the meal off.
If they're not hungry they clamp their jaws tight so I leave them until next time.


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## Rocket (Jul 13, 2012)

rednut, want to kill and freeze 15 for me?   . In the past, she has been force-fed whole pinkies, requiring the upper jaw and mandible to be forcibly opened at an angle greater than 45 degrees. I don't agree with that at all.

Not stressful? My burtons squeals and writhes furiously, perhaps yours have adjusted more readily to your process. I hold mine down and firmly grip her by the sides between two fingers and wait for her to open her mouth, then hold it open with tweezers as you've said, sliding the tail in and removing the tweezers.


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## Radar (Jul 13, 2012)

I'd say it just depends on the animal, I'm sure some would be a push over and some would act like they were getting killed, just like trying to get healthfood into kids...

When the weather warms up I'll have a go, the shoebox I live in isn't really suited to catching them, in big 2 story places with wide eaves it's so easy. I have a hard enough time getting the odd one to scent with from my own house.....Might have to start haunting the local uni late a night with a watergun :lol:


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## csmlg (Jul 14, 2012)

Will these guys be at the Brisbane reptile show coming up? As I am very interested in seeing them and possibly purchasing one or two. They are amazing and thanks for sharing.


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## Radar (Sep 21, 2012)

Has anyone got any idea at what age you're able to sex schraderi by checking for the spurs on males (behind the 'flap'- from memory called paracloacal spurs but correct me if I'm wrong)? Do they exist from birth and just get larger as the animal grows or do they become more evident in males as they mature? Have got a 2 animals here I think might be females but they're also only probably 7 months old (although growing fairly strongly).


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## Rocket (Sep 21, 2012)

Hey mate, they seem to exist from hatching and become more evident as they mature.

I have been able to sex Pygopus lepidopodus from about one month of age due to the presence/ absence of spurs beneath the hindlimb vestiges.


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## Radar (Sep 21, 2012)

Great, might have a few females then. Maybe. Without getting my hopes up, lol. Males abound....have had less luck with fems...


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