Introducing... Tick & Tock

Well I don't know what to say! The last 6 months of this year have been absolutely crazy here in the Reptile Room (notice it's no longer just called the Snake Room? You'll see why). As well as hatchling season coming and going, and looking after 65 little snakes, there has been lots of other work going on, with LOTS of new residents joining me. My free time is still at an all time low, so to update you on everything over the last half of the year would be as painful for you as it would be me - so I'll do things one bit at a time, and give each of the new residents their own introduction, which will keep things short and sweet.

Ok first up, say hello to Tick and Tock, the Red Eyed Crocodile Skinks (Tribolonotus Gracilis). These are very much the result of a chance encounter - I'd never even heard of this species before, and just happened to spot a picture of one which gave me a definite case of "wow" - I'd never seen anything like them!
Lizards aren't particularly my thing, generally, but the crocodile-like appearance of these, coupled with their red eye masks (hence their name) really struck me, and I actually think they look more like miniature wingless dragons, with their prehistoric features and ridges of horns down their backs.
So, out of curiosity more than anything, I set about doing a little bit of research on them, and it turns out they not commonly kept in captivity as pets, which Is why I'd not seen them before, and consequently, information on them is a little patchy and inconsistent, to say the least. I figured if I was to try and find a pair, I'd have my work cut out - and be prepared to part with a nice chunk of cash too - but I'd keep my eye out and maybe see a pair for sale somewhere in the new year maybe.

So over the next couple of days I set about doing my homework in terms of their care and habitat requirements, as well as their overall behaviour and ease of keeping, and I figured that although I have no prior experience with lizards, they don't seem overly fragile, so perhaps I could manage with a couple of these. Then as a massive stroke of coincidence, a pair were advertised up for sale, complete with enclosure, and only 30 miles away too! Well, an hours drive later, and Tick & Tock (named after the crocodile in Peter Pan) were in my nervous care. And that's why it's not longer just a Snake Room.

Tick and Tock are still settling in at the moment, and I don't see a great deal of them - but they're a fascinating pair of critters! I have set up a nice enclosure for them with lots of coverage for them to pick and choose where they hide, deep soil substrate for them to dig new burrows, and a large shallow waterbowl for them to have a paddle around in - which they do nightly, given the amount of soil they leave in there for me to clean out. Their only special care requirement which sets them many other lizards is their need for constant high humidity yet relatively low temperatures, as they come naturally inhabit cooler tropical areas, so their enclosure has been adapted a little to retain as much moisture as possible.

They are very much a hands-off species and can find handling a little stressful, and have a party trick of playing dead when threatened - which I'll admit did panic me the first time! I tend to keep handling to a minimum and just leave them to their own devices, but if I'm lucky I occasionally catch sight of them at lights out. Over time, they may become more confident and begin venturing out in plain view a little more, but we'll see, and if not then that's fine too. I'll certainly enjoy catching fleeting glimpses of them in the night - and making roaring noises in my head ;)