Here in So Cal an AWD is going for about 170.00 USD when you can find them ...cute buggers. I want one too.

I went back to Bert's web site and looked at the info. He began breeding AWDs in 1991. His interest in AWDs began in 1988. So between '88 and '91 he got his first animals. His original animals came from the Auckland Zoo in New Zealand and he traded for a few animals that were already here in the US. Do you know the year that AUS instituted their ban on exportation of native wildlife? I don't.

All this information is plainly stated on his web site.

I think the world of Bert. He has been very helpful to me and supportive of my efforts to learn about AWDs. I will support him in any way I can.

BTW Merlin, you didn't finish my sentence when you quoted me when I was saying that Bert had been raising AWDs "since 1994" ......

The rest of the sentence was..(I think, the date is on his web site)

A misquote can lead to misunderstandings.
Debbie

You misunderstood.
I was in no way implying that Mr Langerwerf was smuggling animals, only stating that due to the export ban that has been in effect for approx 30 years, all currently available Australian species were either captive bred or had been smuggled.
And, truth be told, no doubt a lot of our captive bred species have smuggled ancestors.

__________________
Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Let's see, that would make it about 1976. Hmmm....

Yes, I'm sure certain there is smuggled ancestory in all our herp pets' geneology.

Hello. I have 4 Australian water dragons living together in an atrium in the middle of my house. (in Melbourne, Australia) There is also a blue tongued skink, a cunningham skink and 4 snake necked tortoises living in there.

There is actually 2 subspecies of Australia water dragons, the Eastern water dragon (Physignathus Leiseurii Leiseurii) and the southern form, the Gippsland water dragon (Physignathus Leiseurii Howitii) They are difficult to tell apart, but male eastern water dragons have a red belly and the Gippy males have a blue-green belly. The Gippsland water dragons lack the dark stripe from the ear to the eye on the side of their head. Otherwise the females are really difficult to tell apart.

Australian water dragons can run on water if they are moving fast enough. Mine eat crickets, cockroaches, spiders and some fruit and vegies.

I think 1976 was indeed the year of the CITES laws (which prohibit the export of australian native wildlife)

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	Easternwater dragon.jpg (76.5 KB, 2 views)
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