# Blueys and Shinglebacks? Advice please :)



## Tirilia (Mar 18, 2009)

Howdy 

I recently noticed this comment on another board



scorps said:


> Shingle backs and Blue tongues will live together fine.



And I wondered about the logistics of it... Perhaps you can help me work this out?

I currently have a Blue Tongue, Zero, who I call a Male but believe is most likely a Female. 

Zero is quite passive, inquisitive and very patient (he would have to be to put up with the way my nephew pats him.. which he tolerates with not so much as a Hiss)

I purchased Zero on October 11 2007 and when I got him he was about 6-8 weeks old. He is between 30-40cms now, but its been a while since I last measured him.

Right now Im considering getting a second reptile.. and Im not a big fan of Dragons, my boyfriend already has two Lawsoni, but I like Lap Lizards. Soo.. I have my eye on a Shingleback.. but I dont know much about them, and cant seem to find much information either. From what Ive gathered, they seem to require around the same care (diet etc) and heating requirements as a Bluey does.. Thus brings me to the quote above.. if I were to get a baby Shingleback (which Ive heard arent all that small to begin with).. would Zero and the new bub be able to share the same tank safely? Or would Zero get protective of his territory? 

Ive also heard Shinglebacks are very shy and can be cranky little pests and very difficult to tame.. 

Anyone able to provide some opinions or advice? 

Much appreciated!


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## bredli-sli (Mar 18, 2009)

i have 2 blueys and 2 shingles in a 3x3 out door enclosure, it should be ok


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## Tirilia (Mar 18, 2009)

Yep but thats a space much bigger than my 2.5 x 3.5 ft fish tank. 

And have they all lived together as babies and grown up together? Zero is pretty use to getting things his own way..


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## Noongato (Mar 18, 2009)

Shy? No, mine arnt. In fact they chase after me full pelt on their stubby little legs to get to the food i bring. 
My 2 are mostly quiet and i havnt seen them be aggressive toward each other, although i would think if a shingle lashed out at a bluey, the bluey is going to be in serious strife as shingles mouths are HUGE and powerful!
As a general guideline you should never keep 2 species together, but im sure people have done it without complications, just depends on the nature of the animals.
Keep in mind you are putting your animals lives at risk by playing mix n match

And yes, so very very grumpy....


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## Mulcahy (Mar 18, 2009)

i wouldn't even try put them together untill they are both the same size


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## Tirilia (Mar 18, 2009)

*lol* thats what I was thinking Serval.. I really dont want to come home to a shower of shingles or fillet de Zero. Im sure some people have gotten away with keeping two species together, but would they be willing to risk a reptile's life on the bet that all would go fine?

... for some reason, I just got the Hamster Dance go around in my head when I pictured you being chased by your two Shinglebacks....

So they ARE cranky..  I dont want a cranky lizard...


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## Noongato (Mar 18, 2009)

Hehe, they are cool. Just not as cuddly. There just a giant muscle with a big mouth that hurts like hell to get bitten by. Although mine dont bite they do hiss and snort at me alot.

They sometimes get so excited at feeding time i put a empty can on their head while i fill their bowl. Hahahaha


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## Tirilia (Mar 18, 2009)

J and I are also considering investing in a big custom made tank.. 2 separate tanks split in half and stacked on top of eachother (with all the right heating and uv etc) with doors on the sides so we could keep 4 reptiles instead of his 2 in one tank (split down the middle) and Zero in his.. 

So it may be that Zero and this possibly new little one wouldnt be sharing a tank..

Id still like to know more about shinglebacks and their general attitude and tameness


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## Maree (Mar 18, 2009)

They might get on fine but I don't think so. I think you will find the BT very aggressive to the shingleback. maybe not straightaway, but eventually one would be dead, most likely the shingleback. Also humidity is a problem for shinglebacks in our summers whereas the bluey will cope fine with that.

Its a risk.

Cheers


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## Noongato (Mar 18, 2009)

Well shinglebacks dont really come in 'little' size, they are surprizingly big as newborns. I dont know the exact measurements tho.
Best thing to do would be to check out some in real life if you can. Otherwise i have piks of mine in the link in my signature


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## Whimsey (Mar 18, 2009)

I've got 6 shinglebacks and they are the most placid things. My daughter scratches them on the side of the head and they fall asleep in her lap. They are perfect "lap lizards". Mine are in 2 separate enclosures and I've got a blue tongue female (large in size) in with 2 male and 1 female shinglebacks, no problems so far. The other 3 shinglebacks have a small blotched male in with them, again no problems.


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## Tirilia (Mar 18, 2009)

XD ROFL well if nothing else they sound fun to tease.. I could race them O.O J's Dragons against my Shingleback sprinting for food XD

Okay, so food loving.. and tolerate each other.. but dont love much else huh?

Hmm thank you Maree, Im liking the idea less and less of mixing the two together. I just wouldnt be willing to risk it


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## Noongato (Mar 18, 2009)

Maree said:


> They might get on fine but I don't think so. I think you will find the BT very aggressive to the shingleback. maybe not straightaway, but eventually one would be dead, most likely the shingleback. Also humidity is a problem for shinglebacks in our summers whereas the bluey will cope fine with that.
> 
> Its a risk.
> 
> Cheers


 
Wow. I think i disagree, but i wouldnt vs. animals together to find out.
And the humidity?. I find shingles like it dry and hot.


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## Tirilia (Mar 18, 2009)

Thank you for posting Whimsy, Im thinking perhaps, like blue tongues, they all have their own personalities and its just the luck of the draw who you pick to make your pet. How long have your blueys and shingles been living together? Was one introduced later than the others?

I know Blueys are supposed to be territorial.. and he's had 3.5 ft to himself for over a year.. you dont think he'd get cranky to find someone else on his food dish?

Serval- yes, Ive heard that about their size.. *takes a look at the pics* aww see, I really like their faces, they look so sweet


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## Maree (Mar 18, 2009)

That's ok to disagree.....I have been known to be wrong! I have found BT to be more aggressive that SB, that's all.

Cheers


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## Tirilia (Mar 18, 2009)

Hm.. so if not a shingleback.. what other lap lizard is there..?


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## Noongato (Mar 18, 2009)

Yeah true, shingles arnt too aggressive really.
But i think they are indestructable as ive seen dogs shaking a shingle and it gets off with a few broken scales, and even i have had a heart attack when i accidentally stepped on my shingles head :shock: He was fine but i still feel bad about it.....


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## Maree (Mar 18, 2009)

mmmmmm Pink tongues? Nothing else springs to mind... there are plenty of large skinks but most of them not that friendly, not in my limited experience with actually handling them like a pet.
I like the Hosmer's and depressa's but I haven't had them on my lap either


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## Tirilia (Mar 18, 2009)

Oh my O.O unbreakable for certain!

I think my brother ran over one once.. rushed out to see if it was alright, and it was just wandering off aimlessly.. even though he was sure he felt the bump *lol*

Maybe I should just save super hard and get an albino or black bluey *lol*

Ive also considered central netteds and painteds, and cunninghams..  are cunninghams the same as pink tongues..? I just cant recall ever seeing an adult pink tongue.. As babies they are soo cute with those big goggly eyes XD


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## Tirilia (Mar 18, 2009)

Hey what about Land Mullets...?


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## Maree (Mar 18, 2009)

Pink tongues are nice, a bit like longish skinny BT's. google is your friend!

Land Mullets...er....no, I don't think so. They have a definite idea about who is boss lizard and it won't be you! lol


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## Tirilia (Mar 18, 2009)

ROFL okay so not a land mullet *lol* Ive heard they are pretty cranky critters too..

*hunts around the Snake Ranch site for news on their melanistic blueys..*


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## richardsc (Mar 26, 2009)

stumpys are one of the most placid lizards u can get,not sure where the cranky comments came from,all animals can hiss and open mouth display ect,especially wild caughts and juvies,but in captivity they get used to you and become mega mellow,i havnt been hissed at in over a decade by my stumpys,also they will happily live with bluetongues,inside or out


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## richardsc (Mar 26, 2009)

stumpys are one of the most placid lizards u can get,not sure where the cranky comments came from,all animals can hiss and open mouth display ect,especially wild caughts and juvies,but in captivity they get used to you and become mega mellow,i havnt been hissed at in over a decade by my stumpys,also they will happily live with bluetongues,inside or out,i raise my juvie stumpys and blotched blueys together every year,never any issues,though the stumpys are pigs,so u need to be sure the blueys get enough food,lol


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## richardsc (Mar 26, 2009)

bluetongues and stumpys are your best bet for handable skinks,landmullets are generally to look at types,lol,though there mellow in respect to kingskinks,those kings can be feisty buggers and dont hesitate to bite,mental note,dont let them get a hold of you,lol,though i have an adult female king skink that is so mellow you swear you were holding a bluey


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