Any info on King Skinks

[leebee]

We had to lock up our lunches when collecting Tiger Snakes on Carnac Island (for a research project at RPH) because the buggers would raid our backpacks! They are beautiful lizards, which as Oshkii says, have quite variable temperaments. Similarly as mentioned, like many large skink species, they often live in fairly isolated family groups, so breeding between related individuals is probably fairly normal. Breeding between siblings would be quite OK for at least a couple of generations, and if you want to add different blood after a while, you'll need to be very careful about how you do the introductions because they have a very strong hierarchy structure in their colonies.

Jamie

Hi Jamie, yes they are cheeky on the islands!
One of the funniest things I saw was a family of tourists (Indian?), set up a lovely picnic on a blanket, on lawn under the trees at Penguin Island, south of Perth. Once it warmed up, the food came out then the people went away for a play. Then lot's of kings skinks came out for a picnic.. Then the people came back, they were truly terrified and were screaming and running around waving their towels. They packed up their blanket and things and fled down the board walk towards the ferry and that was the last we saw of them, lol.

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[Nero Egernia]

If there were any confusions, 40°C-50°C should be the basking temperature, not air temperature, that is fatal.

Yes these skinks can cope with the cold, as I have seen them active in winter in Albany and along the south west coast such as Cape Rich and Bremer Bay. But they are only active in winter provided it's a sunny day. Otherwise they would be sheltering among rocky outcrops or burrows. I have seen a few frozen individuals that were caught out in the open in non favorable weather but once the sun appears they go on their merry way.

Leebee, I suggest you release your rescued skinks in a suitable area near your home as soon as the weather permits. The longer they are away from their colony the less chance they're going to have of being accepted. They may be able to find their own way back to their colony. Or alternatively you could contact DPAW, they may know what to do. Another thing that could be done, if you are convinced that there's no way of them surviving in the wild and if they were indeed found on your property, is that you could contact a licenced reptile taker and have them take the skinks into their care.

 

[leebee]

Yes my whole yard is gone sadly, no cover for then at all. There are so many cats around here, my yard was a haven for wild life as I have 2 small dogs that kept the cats away. I am always interested to do the right thing re licencing but sometimes gov departments are so inflexible or have no solution with things like this. A replicator might have some good advice. Cheers

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[leebee]

Re-locator I mean

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[leebee]

Taker I mean, geez

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[leebee]

I would only want then released really tho. Not kept or sold, they are very wild.

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[leebee]

I am hoping my yard will be ok to release them in a few months, I will make lot's of refuge and cover. I am a keen collector of hollow logs, piles of wood and bricks, sheets of tin, you know all the stuff people call junk, I call habitat lol. My block is pretty large by suburban standards and faces river reserve. Thanks so much for all your advice it has given me a lot to think about. Regards

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[leebee]

We had to lock up our lunches when collecting Tiger Snakes on Carnac Island (for a research project at RPH) because the buggers would raid our backpacks! They are beautiful lizards, which as Oshkii says, have quite variable temperaments. Similarly as mentioned, like many large skink species, they often live in fairly isolated family groups, so breeding between related individuals is probably fairly normal. Breeding between siblings would be quite OK for at least a couple of generations, and if you want to add different blood after a while, you'll need to be very careful about how you do the introductions because they have a very strong hierarchy structure in their colonies.

Jamie

I even got bitten once by an excited wild skink I was teasing out with an apple core. Sadly the next time I visited the island there were few to be seen. I asked the rangers, they said there was an outbreak of rats on the island that ate the skinks.

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[leebee]

I've brought 4 of these guys about 4 months old - there is hardly any info on the net - I have the hot spot at 34c - got some good info on what to feed them - I haven't seen hides mentioned but they sure seem to like having one and it seems essential - they are good feeders but concerned they won't take crickets - they are a clutch of 4 so all related and shouldn't be breed - down the track I might try and do a swap with someone - can anyone provide any info at all as I'm not all that sure what I'm doing - I really love these guys ah..................thanks Mal Ps: Just thought I'd mention I have a poisionous snake relocation Licence - I'm the snake catcher at work and I get them at home every summer..........................

Hi malbone, just an update on my 2 KS.
I have called Wattle Grove Vet who are the SOR herp (and my) vet, they told me to try Kanyana
Vet & Wildlife, they are great too but full, and they really only take injured native animals. So they recommend i call Armadale Reptile Centre. They have been awesome, will take my skinks and have given me some great advice. They recon they can be released in a month or so when it warms up, within their range but away from the burbs where it's not infested with cats, and lots of rocky habitat for them to have a chance. Regards, Leesa

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[Molerat52]

There has been some very good advice offered here malbone

I might weigh in a few care tips, having kept a trio for the last few years, all individuals from the same clutch I obtained at a few weeks old.

As juveniles they will mostly eat inverts with a mix of vegies, roo mince and eggs. They grow like weeds and you definitely need to be careful about overfeeding. Keep diets varied as they seem to get bored of the same thing.

They become very accustomed to being handled, however I would reframe from holding them until they are over a eyar old. I just began by keeping my hand in the cage for extended periods of time, where usually they would just crawl and get used to you. Now as adults they are totally fine with being handled but always remember they have the potential to drop their tails, although it has never happened to any of mine.

Keeping four adult kingii indoors would require a substantially large viv (minimum 2 metres long and 60cm deep).

Good luck