# Lizards > General Lizards >  Blue tongue skink

## gunkle

So it looks like it Reptile family will be growing by 1. My wife's coworker is rehoming one and wanted us to take it. It's been on my bucket list so why not. Will update when I have more info. Time to start researching... Any advice would be appreciated. All I know is it's about a year old

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_dakski_ (04-14-2019)

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## Lord Sorril

There are different subspecies of Blue Tongue Skink - I recommend you find that out first as they can differ in requirements.

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_dakski_ (04-14-2019),_gunkle_ (04-14-2019),_Jus1More_ (04-14-2019)

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## gunkle

It was purchased at a big chain pet store for a kid who has since last interest so I'm sure the owner doesn't know but I will see what they know. Not even sure when we are getting it yet. But I will take pictures and see what I dig up. My wife and the owner just came up with this about an hour ago while at work so I'm fairly in the dark ATM.

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## pretends2bnormal

It shouldn't be too hard to ID at least if it is Australian vs Indonesian which should give you a better idea if the husbandry is low humidity (30-50% on most northern blue tongue care sheets) or higher humidity (60-70% or higher on a lot of Indonesian species from what I've seen on care sheets)

Most pet store ones are irian jaya or marauke or one of the other indo species. 

This has pics with some identifying features of the different species. 
https://www.reptifiles.com/blue-tong...nk-subspecies/

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_dakski_ (04-14-2019),_gunkle_ (04-14-2019)

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## gunkle

My wife just messaged me and said she thinks its a "Western" not sure what that means yet. I just got home so its time to get my google on.. Checking out that link now.

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## Jus1More

If it was coming from a pet store than it is probably one of the Indonesian species. I highly doubt it woukd be a Northern or Eastern BTS. Like others have said already, you will need to know exactly what type of BTS you are getting in order to research properly. Its a given you will need a good size terrarium, water bowl, food bowl, basking light, UVB light and hear source for belly heat and hides. Substrate will depend on where the BTS comes from ( Australian vs Indonesian). Food wise would be the same for any BTS, but I recommend high quality grain-free dog food(wet or raw), greens and some fruits and different types of worms (silkworms being the best). 

Check out "Reptile Mountain TV" on YouTube. That channel is like the BTS bible and has been a lifesaver for me. Good luck and post pictures when you get a chance.  :Peace:

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_gunkle_ (04-14-2019)

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## gunkle

Here are some pictures. Poor one is missing more toes then it has. Layers of stuck shed still on toes. Spent some time soaking and rubbing with wet paper towel. Made some progress but it's gonna take a few soakings and rubs to get them all. They said it was purchased from a Reptile only pet shop they had to travel 2 hours to get to but couldn't remember the name. Apparently that place breeds skinks. Only had a heat lamp with no thermostat. Will be picking one up tomorrow. Ordered a big hide, big bowl, t5 fixture and looking into what UVB bulb to get.
If anyone can help me identify what species I would appreciate it. Now let's get this poor little one healthy again

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_Dianne_ (04-15-2019),_Jus1More_ (04-17-2019)

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## pretends2bnormal

I'm not an expert, but based on traits from the link I put up earlier and from a few other sources, I'm pretty sure this guy is a Halmahera Indonesian BTS.  The black forelegs mean he is definitely not a northern or eastern of the Australian species.  

He definitely needs higher humidity than he had before. They probably assumed he was one of the Australian species or didn't know there were different ones and followed a generic care guide and had him in too low humidity the whole time they had him to cause him to lose those toes.  Poor guy.

I second Reptile Mountain TV as a source for skink info, I'm using his videos while I research before getting my own BTS, though I am aiming for a northern.  His information is all very good.

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_gunkle_ (04-14-2019)

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## gunkle

Yeah that's what I was thinking by comparing pictures. I put a hide in with some moss, misted allot and covered half the screen with a damp towel. Gonna pick up some materials to start his new forever home tomorrow. Gonna take a bit longer now that I need high humidity I need to seal it up good. But I have most stuff to improve this cage coming on Tuesday except UVB bulb and fixture will take s few extra days.

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_Dianne_ (04-15-2019)

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## Cheesenugget

I have a Merauke and I don't think that is what you have.  It may be an Irian Jaya but definitely not a Northern.  I suggest you show these pics to the keepers over at bluetongueskink forums.  They have a mountain of info for each species and subspecies as well as a number of breeders who can confirm this for you.  

Nonetheless, T5 is too strong for blueys.  A T8 is more suitable or make sure to raise the T5 fixture higher than 12" from your lizard.  Blueys are not like beardies and while this is in debate, many don't even use UVB for their lizards.  I would do it anyway but elevate your T5 or exchange for T8.  Then a Reptisun 10.0 bulb for the T5 or T8 will work.  

Since it is not a Northern, you are working with a humidity required species.  Some blueys prefer to burrow over using hides so provide about 3 inches of substrate like coco fiber and see what it does.  These are creatures of habit so if it burrow, that is what it will always prefer to do.  Humidity should no less than 50-60% at all times.  

Blueys do best in enclosures with plenty of floor space.  I recommend no less than 48" long and no tubs for these guys.

I don't use t-stats on my lizards.  Lizards in general know how much heat they want and when to move away.  It does not hurt to have it if you already ordered it.  Blueys in general sleeps a lot and bask for a few hours in between if they are not exploring.

About the toes, do your best to remove the stuck shed.  The humidity you are going to provide will help immensely.  

Make sure you have your calcium plus D3 supplements and multi vitamin.  As an adult bluey, they only need to eat once a week or no more than 2x a week depending on his health.

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_Dianne_ (04-15-2019),_gunkle_ (04-14-2019)

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## gunkle

I'm going with a t5 because it will be about 17" off the ground in the enclosure so about 14" of the top of the substrate, I'm building which is more then the t8 is rated for. I'm one of those no heat device without a thermostat people. So will use one for my own peace. But thank you all for your advice. I've still got a bit of learning to do. Keep it coming at me I love constructive criticism.
The enclosure will be 48"X24"X17.5". Was planning to use an RHP for heat source.

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019)

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## Cheesenugget

> I'm going with a t5 because it will be about 17" off the ground in the enclosure so about 14" of the top of the substrate, I'm building which is more then the t8 is rated for. I'm one of those no heat device without a thermostat people. So will use one for my own peace. But thank you all for your advice. I've still got a bit of learning to do. Keep it coming at me I love constructive criticism.
> The enclosure will be 48"X24"X17.5". Was planning to use an RHP for heat source.


They like to bask in light so a basking bulb is preferred.  Where will you place the UVB fixture?  If it will be inside, a T5 is still too strong.  T5 are meant for desert species and to penetrate the top mesh lids in most glass tanks where uv rays are 70% filtered through.  Too strong of UVB light can burn your lizard, especially the eyes.  Also, your bluey may refuse to come out and bask if the uv rays are too strong.  A T8 is suitable for inside installation with a Reptisun 5.0 or 10.0.  

The enclosure size is fine.  The 24" width is great for them because they like to make large U turns so their tails won't hit the walls.

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_Dianne_ (04-15-2019),_gunkle_ (04-15-2019)

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## larryd23

My daughter and I recently added an Ackie Monitor to our assortment of Ball Pythons and may add a BTS at some point. 

I though I would share a picture of a gorgeous BTS morph from Repxotica, our local reptile shop.

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_Dianne_ (04-15-2019),_gunkle_ (04-15-2019)

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## gunkle

> They like to bask in light so a basking bulb is preferred.  Where will you place the UVB fixture?  If it will be inside, a T5 is still too strong.  T5 are meant for desert species and to penetrate the top mesh lids in most glass tanks where uv rays are 70% filtered through.  Too strong of UVB light can burn your lizard, especially the eyes.  Also, your bluey may refuse to come out and bask if the uv rays are too strong.  A T8 is suitable for inside installation with a Reptisun 5.0 or 10.0.  
> 
> The enclosure size is fine.  The 24" width is great for them because they like to make large U turns so their tails won't hit the walls.


Ok. Guess I miss understood about the T5. I will change my order to a T8. Thank you. I was planning on the rhp for ambient temps as my house gets to 68 in the winter and no warmer than 76 in the summer months and adding a basking light. Still in the planning stages this all dropped on me yesterday so I'm still trying to gather the correct info to get the right setup. I was going on it being the Australian variety so now I need to figure things out for the Indonesian species. Which is different.

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_Dianne_ (04-15-2019)

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## Cheesenugget

> Ok. Guess I miss understood about the T5. I will change my order to a T8. Thank you. I was planning on the rhp for ambient temps as my house gets to 68 in the winter and no warmer than 76 in the summer months and adding a basking light. Still in the planning stages this all dropped on me yesterday so I'm still trying to gather the correct info to get the right setup. I was going on it being the Australian variety so now I need to figure things out for the Indonesian species. Which is different.


Yes, they are very different indeed and many including some veterinarians mistake them all as one and the same as the Australian species.  

The RHP is fine with the basking bulb.  Based on the height of where the lizard will bask, a 50 watts bulb may get you a temp of 88-90 F.  Try to avoid the Zilla brand for bulbs as their bulbs don't last as long as Exo Terra.  

You will find blueys are extremely hardy and they can tolerate a lot of mistakes if you make them, so take your time.  They are nothing like ball pythons where 1 thing wrong with husbandry will throw off their appetite: they are reluctant to refuse their meals.  

They are also intelligent so adding things for it climb on (not too high) or tunnels will provide some enrichment.  For my tank, I use river pebbles, a patch of fake grass bought from a crafts store, XL PVC pipe as tunnels (Make sure they don't have sharp edges) and some wood pieces.  His hide is a mini house made of bricks and tile which he actively uses to sleep in or climb on top for fun.  Get as creative as you want for your new bluey and have fun.

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_Dianne_ (04-15-2019),_gunkle_ (04-15-2019)

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## artgecko

I use a common flood light (from home depot) as a basking light and have the light hooked up to a dimmer that can be adjusted.  If you are using a thermostat, make sure it is a dimming type, not on/off.  Also consider ambient room temps, etc.  If the BTS cage will be in a cold room, and the night drop from a basking light being off will be too low, an RHP might be necessary.

I have my Merauke on a topsoil/coir mixture that holds humidity well.  Every week, I dump some water into the substrate and stir it up a bit and also keep a large (small cat-litter-sized pan) water bowl in the cage to help with humidity.  I've never had any shedding issues with this setup (4'x2'pvc cage with sliding doors and a litter dam).  

If using UV be careful with how you place the bulb in regards to how close it is tp the basking bulb.  You will want the BTS to have options..i.e. he can manuver to bask under both or under the heat only, etc.  I don't keep my bts with UV.. and he has done very well with supplmental calciium/d3.  (no IBD or other issues).  If using a UV bulb, be very careful with supplementing cal D3.  I've heard instances of people over-supplementing when having a bulb in also or undersupplementing, etc.  

Mine really enjoys cork bark, to both climb on and hide under.  I use a RBI hide for him (just like my snakes) and he loves that also.  I have never had any issues with shedding and I think that is partly due to the substrate he can dig in and the rough cork bark.

I feed my adult weekly and use an ice-cube sized chunk of wet dog food, another ice-cube sized chunk of frozen prcessed organic veggies (I make these up in a large batch and then freeze) and supplements (herptivite and the calD3).  He also enjoys treats like blueberries, f/t mice pinks, and dubia roaches.  

Good luck with your new acquisition.  They are very intelligent and quite fun to interact with.  Mine has the weekly routine down and whenever I call him by saying "skink, it's time to eat", he quickly scoots up to the glass to await his dinner.

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_Dianne_ (04-15-2019),_gunkle_ (04-15-2019)

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## gunkle

So here is a quote from the bluetongueskink forum.  

"That's a Halmahera Blue Tongue Skink, a specific type of Indonesian skink. Typically they need the highest levels of humidity of any BTS, which is why unsurprisingly it's missing digits. Most keepers recommend no lower than 80%. And 99.9% of these guys are fresh imports. I'm sure somebody somewhere has managed to breed them in captivity but I have yet to find that person."

So I now know what type it is and some basic husbandry info. Cage is started

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_Dianne_ (04-17-2019),_pretends2bnormal_ (04-17-2019)

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## MarkL1561

Theyre commonly captive bred.... not sure what hes talking about there. That used to be true but not anymore. 


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## gunkle

> Theyre commonly captive bred.... not sure what hes talking about there. That used to be true but not anymore. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


The Halmahera ones are?

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## pretends2bnormal

> Theyre commonly captive bred.... not sure what hes talking about there. That used to be true but not anymore. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Honestly at expos, I don't think I've ever seen a captive bred indo species BTS.  Not that there are many BTS at all, but the one or two vendors that have them are the 2 that definitely sell substantial numbers of wild caught animals in general and have dozens if not triple digits in species available.  

If it is an aninal at one of those tables and it isn't specifically marked captive bred like a few things they sell are marked, it is typically safest to assume wild caught or captive hatched and imported. That is only a small subset, so take it with a grain of salt of course, but I don't think there is a huge supply of captive bred ones available at expos or pet shops to make up a majority of ones sold.

Just my $0.02.

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019)

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## Jus1More

> Yeah that's what I was thinking by comparing pictures. I put a hide in with some moss, misted allot and covered half the screen with a damp towel. Gonna pick up some materials to start his new forever home tomorrow. Gonna take a bit longer now that I need high humidity I need to seal it up good. But I have most stuff to improve this cage coming on Tuesday except UVB bulb and fixture will take s few extra days.


Yes! That would be a Halmahera BTS you have. Poor little fella, I am glad he is in good hands now! The topic of using UVB can get very debatable.. Some people say BTS dont need while others say they do need. They actually dont need UVB but it would be wise to supplement with D3 and calcium. If you decide to use UVB then that is ok too. There are tons to chose from but personally I use Arcadia's Pro T5 shade dweller which gives off 7% UVB. It is just enough for my girl and Arcardia's products are excellent. Remember to reseach as it saves you alot of headaches in the future..

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_gunkle_ (04-20-2019)

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## gunkle

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Fbwf2DahCWQKpUHz6 here is a video of a wired whistling sound and an odd behavior with it's front legs. Any ideas? Do we need to see a very for possible RI and MBD

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## Cheesenugget

I had never seen that before, even in sick blueys.  MBD can be checked by bloodwork and xrays.  Is it doing that only when soaking?  The tremors of MBD are constant.  It could be that its toes or lack thereof is not used to the water.  It could mean many things.  I personally would take it to the vet for a complete exam as you had no medical history to begin with.  Make sure you go to a vet that knows lizards, specifically BTS.  If you live in the South FL area, I highly recommend going straight to Dr. Mader in Marathon. He is one of the worlds leading veterinarian and expert in reptile medicine.

In the meantime, it would not hurt to get an opinion or two from the blue tongue skink forum members.  They are nice people and will offer some insight.  But a vet visit will confirm your concerns.

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*Bogertophis* (04-20-2019),_gunkle_ (04-20-2019)

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## gunkle

Thanks. I have posted in the forum I think your taking about. Waiting for a response. They have been helpful overall so far. 

The action happens sporadically anytime not just in the water. It was just a good chance to get the video. Any thoughts on the whistling sound? I'm in CT and there is a good Vet in the next town over that we have used before for other reptiles. Will be contacting them on Monday to make an appointment .

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## Bogertophis

Just caught up with your adventure rescuing a BTS...I have no experience with them, but it sounds like you're learning fast...I'm happy to see him finally get the 
caring home he deserves.  I think these are cool lizards...hope your vet can help you figure out the rest now.

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_gunkle_ (04-20-2019)

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## gunkle

So the vet appointment is Tomorrow (Tuesday) morning at 1130. My wife will be taking him in. I will be writing everything down that I have learned to share with the vet. Will update when I get home from work tomorrow with the findings

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*Bogertophis* (04-22-2019)

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## Cheesenugget

Good luck.  These guys are tough as nails so whatever it has, don't give up.  It can be disheartening and frustrating to take on a sick animal - sick because of a misinformed or neglectful owner.  Because it could have been an import, I would bring in a fresh fecal sample as well to check for parasites.

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*Bogertophis* (04-22-2019),_gunkle_ (04-22-2019)

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## gunkle

> Good luck.  These guys are tough as nails so whatever it has, don't give up.  It can be disheartening and frustrating to take on a sick animal - sick because of a misinformed or neglectful owner.  Because it could have been an import, I would bring in a fresh fecal sample as well to check for parasites.


Told her to check for some poop before going so we can but who knows if it will cooperate.

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## gunkle

So the Vet visit went well. Tootsie (my daughters named it since it was missing toes  :Smile:  )  is a bit under weight, might be just starting an RI and has weak bones. As soon as my wife put Tootsie in the prepared tote for transport he pooped, I forgot to ask her if the Vet checked it so I will have to when she gets home from work. The Vet said its bones were weak and may have some issues due to that and gave us some Calcium Gluconate 167mg and we are to give 0.2ml orally once a day. She said that Skinks have very flexible joints and the fact that it raises its leg like it does isn't concerning in itself but the twitchy part is but feels the calcium and recomended UVB bulb will help with that. She doesn't think it will ever be 100% but should be able to live a good life and with proper care going forward should show less signs of issues. As far as the RI goes we now have Enrafloxacin Suspension 0.1ml orally once a day for 14 days. I wrote down everything we were doing and about its current cage and the one I'm building and was told we were doing a good job of rehabilitaing Tootsie. The only thing she questioned was the dog food and gave some suggestions for proper veggies which we already had on our feeding list. We were also told to feed every other day for a while to get its weight up to since it is underweight a bit but not too bad. My wife came home and cut up some butternut squash and collard greens and covered it in some wet dog food with some vitamins mixed in and Tootsie went nuts and ate great. On a slightly sadder note Tootsie will most likely be loosing a couple more toes that we were a bit too late to save, the damage was already done but the Vet said we did get all the stuck shed off of  the toes. So it looks like paper towels for a bit longer till they fall off and heal. Well I think I got all the info I have. I will check with the wife when she gets home to see if I missed something and will update if needed. Thank you all for your info, help and concern.

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_Dianne_ (04-24-2019),_Jus1More_ (04-29-2019)

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## pretends2bnormal

That's great news!  Sounds like you've got him on track to being as healthy as he can be after a bit of a rough start.

Bummer about losing the extra toes, but it is what it is.  Certainly nothing you caused.  

I'm going to guess that the vet is in the "dog food is not part of a good diet for skinks" camp or doesn't know details about why some people support it for skinks.  Vets don't always know a lot of detail on specific species if they don't work with them often and may focus on medical issues and fixing them rather than husbandry details. Especially for a vet specializing in "reptiles" due to the sheer variety of them and how different all their needs are.

As long as it is a good dog food and not treated as a complete diet like Crested Gecko Diet for cresties, it should be fine.  Reptile Mountain TV does a good job explaining what to look for on that and it can't hurt if it is what gets Tootsie excited about eating to help put on some weight. 

Keeping my fingers crossed there aren't any serious issues to crop up and that the RI responds well to the medication.  Good work!

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_gunkle_ (04-24-2019),_Jus1More_ (04-29-2019)

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## Cheesenugget

> So the Vet visit went well. Tootsie (my daughters named it since it was missing toes  )  is a bit under weight, might be just starting an RI and has weak bones. As soon as my wife put Tootsie in the prepared tote for transport he pooped, I forgot to ask her if the Vet checked it so I will have to when she gets home from work. The Vet said its bones were weak and may have some issues due to that and gave us some Calcium Gluconate 167mg and we are to give 0.2ml orally once a day. She said that Skinks have very flexible joints and the fact that it raises its leg like it does isn't concerning in itself but the twitchy part is but feels the calcium and recomended UVB bulb will help with that. She doesn't think it will ever be 100% but should be able to live a good life and with proper care going forward should show less signs of issues. As far as the RI goes we now have Enrafloxacin Suspension 0.1ml orally once a day for 14 days. I wrote down everything we were doing and about its current cage and the one I'm building and was told we were doing a good job of rehabilitaing Tootsie. The only thing she questioned was the dog food and gave some suggestions for proper veggies which we already had on our feeding list. We were also told to feed every other day for a while to get its weight up to since it is underweight a bit but not too bad. My wife came home and cut up some butternut squash and collard greens and covered it in some wet dog food with some vitamins mixed in and Tootsie went nuts and ate great. On a slightly sadder note Tootsie will most likely be loosing a couple more toes that we were a bit too late to save, the damage was already done but the Vet said we did get all the stuck shed off of  the toes. So it looks like paper towels for a bit longer till they fall off and heal. Well I think I got all the info I have. I will check with the wife when she gets home to see if I missed something and will update if needed. Thank you all for your info, help and concern.


That is good to hear.  

I use dog food for mine too mainly because mine refuses salads (Like most blueys).  Merrick used to be highly recommended and I loved it because it comes in pate and the ingredients had a lot of fruits and veggies mixed with the meat.  Since Purina bought them out, I no longer find that particular formula so that is unfortunate.  Blue Buffalo Chicken with Garden Vegetables is a good one.  Try to go grain free and stay away from the gravy kind since that carries more water/less meat than the pate ones.

If it picks at its food or eats only what it wants, either reduce the portion or space out the feeding.  It is very easy for these lizards to gain the weight but very hard to lose it once it is there.  

You can also add snails in their diet which they love as that is what they naturally would eat in the wild.  Don't use the ones from the garden as snails are common hosts to parasites.  I buy canned snails meant for human consumption and with our seasoning from Amazon.  For about $23, I get about 200 large snails.   I would not waste money on the reptile brands canned snails.  They are tiny, comes in very limited amount and they charge almost $5-6 a can.  What a rip off.

Hornworms and black soldier fly larvae would be a great addition to his diet.  They are high in calcium and hornworms are easy to chew and hydrates your lizard well.  Wax worms are great to help gain weight on skinny lizards.  Mulberry farm website always carry sales.  I think they still have the buy 2 containers if hornworms get 1 free deal.  They always add extra for you.

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_gunkle_ (04-24-2019)

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## gunkle

Our Beardie loves Hornworms. Acts like they are crack. I've been binge watching Reptile Mountain since I found out about it. Lots of great info. Do the snails freeze ok? 200 seems like a lot for 1 skink. Can Bearded dragons eat them too? I wasn't at the appointment so I'm not sure just how she reacted to the dog food. My wife just said she made some suggestions and it was what we are already doing. He has been eating everything we put in front of him. Doesn't seem to like veggies on there own but mixed in dog food they are gone in minutes. I can understand as I don't like them either. He has been taking the medicine and calcium with no issues so far.

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_Dianne_ (04-24-2019),_Jus1More_ (04-29-2019)

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## Cheesenugget

> Our Beardie loves Hornworms. Acts like they are crack. I've been binge watching Reptile Mountain since I found out about it. Lots of great info. Do the snails freeze ok? 200 seems like a lot for 1 skink. Can Bearded dragons eat them too? I wasn't at the appointment so I'm not sure just how she reacted to the dog food. My wife just said she made some suggestions and it was what we are already doing. He has been eating everything we put in front of him. Doesn't seem to like veggies on there own but mixed in dog food they are gone in minutes. I can understand as I don't like them either. He has been taking the medicine and calcium with no issues so far.


The 200 snails come in 2 cans, so for about 100 snails they freeze just fine.  I give Homer about 6-8 per week.  I'm not sure if beardies would want them, I never tried to offer that to my beardie, but seeing they respond better with live feeders and bright coloring, I doubt it.  It would not be something that they would eat in the wild anyway.

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## Jus1More

Gunkle: I am happy to hear about your blueys trip to the vet. I would agree with others when mentioned that most vets, unless specialized in "exotic reptiles", only know the basics about skinks. If your vet was anything like mine, she probably was not very up to date on her skink health. My vet referred to my bluey as if he was a bearded dragon - hince is why she also she tried to promote more veggies/fruits and less dog food. 

 I will for the most part feed my bluey organic raw dog food. I usually rotated between chicken, duck and turkey proteins. The raw food I buy already includes veggies and some fruit (such as blueberries) mixed in. On other days I might give my bluey some high quality grain free wet dog food such as  "Halo's" turkey and duck (gluten free) formula along with some "Bluey Buffet". Of course my bluey also loves superworms, silkworms and hornworms. I do not mess with crickets because they are nosey and smelly and butterworms or waxworms are too high in fat and Phoenix worms are usually to small to feed unless you find the large ones. 

Everything you gather from watching "Reptiles Mountain" is only going to help educate yourself. TC Houston is very knowledgeable and highly recommend. I have reached out to him personally and he took the time to help me with my bluey when I first got him - super nice guy!! 

Netherless, I am glad Tootsie has found you and your family to care and love him/or her. Its sad that more toes will be lost, but I am sure your bluey will do just fine and recovery nicely within time. These little creatures are amazing and for sure to bring you lots of joy to come...  :Thumbs up:  :Thumbs up:

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_gunkle_ (04-29-2019)

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## gunkle

> Gunkle: I am happy to hear about your blueys trip to the vet. I would agree with others when mentioned that most vets, unless specialized in "exotic reptiles", only know the basics about skinks. If your vet was anything like mine, she probably was not very up to date on her skink health. My vet referred to my bluey as if he was a bearded dragon - hince is why she also she tried to promote more veggies/fruits and less dog food. 
> 
>  I will for the most part feed my bluey organic raw dog food. I usually rotated between chicken, duck and turkey proteins. The raw food I buy already includes veggies and some fruit (such as blueberries) mixed in. On other days I might give my bluey some high quality grain free wet dog food such as  "Halo's" turkey and duck (gluten free) formula along with some "Bluey Buffet". Of course my bluey also loves superworms, silkworms and hornworms. I do not mess with crickets because they are nosey and smelly and butterworms or waxworms are too high in fat and Phoenix worms are usually to small to feed unless you find the large ones. 
> 
> Everything you gather from watching "Reptiles Mountain" is only going to help educate yourself. TC Houston is very knowledgeable and highly recommend. I have reached out to him personally and he took the time to help me with my bluey when I first got him - super nice guy!! 
> 
> Netherless, I am glad Tootsie has found you and your family to care and love him/or her. Its sad that more toes will be lost, but I am sure your bluey will do just fine and recovery nicely within time. These little creatures are amazing and for sure to bring you lots of joy to come...


This vet does specialize in exotics. She mentioned that people she knows that keep them don't use dog food and I have seen that it is a bit of a debate topic so I guess she is on the other side. We have brought other reptiles there in the past and have always had a great experience. We are lucky to have a good exotic vet near us. I'm curious what you mean by "Raw dog food". I have noticed a lack of Indonesian stuff on Reptiles Mountain, there is some but not really much. I've come to the conclusion that its all the same pretty much except that mine needs a lot more humidity, and yes there is a ton of info and he seems like a great guy. He is just a bit less "fun" to watch so my girls haven't gotten on the bandwagon like they have with Snake Discovery. 
Other than a little hissing when we first take him out, or get near his toes, he has been great. The girls have held him and he like to sit on collar bones like our beardie does. I have found that if I dip the tip of the syringe that I'm trying to give him medicine with in the dog food he opens right up and I can squirt it in real easy.

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_Jus1More_ (04-30-2019)

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## artgecko

Dog food is an often-debated topic.  There are breeders that have used it for decades with no cases of illness or MBD and have multiple generations of skinks that have been fed dog food without issue.  I feed wet dog food but supplement with veggies and insects.  I get a batch of organic veggies every few month and process it (clean, cut up, and process in a food processor, dice up greens) I combine all of it and freeze in an ice cube tray and then put in a freezer bag to thaw as needed.  My guy won't take veggies unless they are very well processed and mixed with dog food.  I usually use yelow and butternut squash, green beans, zucchini, carrot, kale, chard, and a bananna or apple for sweetness.  I have ever put raw egg in it as well.. They will eat the shell and egg.  

I believe the "raw dog food" the other poster was talking about is the frozen raw meat/ veg dog food mixes you can buy in the pet store.  Most places sell them as sausage link looking packages or in patties like frozen sausage.  Reptilinks makes a similar product for snakes and I belive omnivores too. These are supposed to have bone, organ meats, and muscle meats, so make a more complete diet.

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_gunkle_ (05-01-2019),_Jus1More_ (04-30-2019)

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## gunkle

> Dog food is an often-debated topic.  There are breeders that have used it for decades with no cases of illness or MBD and have multiple generations of skinks that have been fed dog food without issue.  I feed wet dog food but supplement with veggies and insects.  I get a batch of organic veggies every few month and process it (clean, cut up, and process in a food processor, dice up greens) I combine all of it and freeze in an ice cube tray and then put in a freezer bag to thaw as needed.  My guy won't take veggies unless they are very well processed and mixed with dog food.  I usually use yelow and butternut squash, green beans, zucchini, carrot, kale, chard, and a bananna or apple for sweetness.  I have ever put raw egg in it as well.. They will eat the shell and egg.  
> 
> I believe the "raw dog food" the other poster was talking about is the frozen raw meat/ veg dog food mixes you can buy in the pet store.  Most places sell them as sausage link looking packages or in patties like frozen sausage.  Reptilinks makes a similar product for snakes and I belive omnivores too. These are supposed to have bone, organ meats, and muscle meats, so make a more complete diet.


Thanks I have seen about freezing them in ice cubes for Beardies also. May have to look into it a bit more. I didn't even realize they sell dog food like that in pet stores. I usually only go in look at reptiles and leave. Guess I should look around a bit once in a while. 

On another note Tootsie just shed for us. My wife said it was in big sheets just kinda falling off as she was holding him to give medicine so she grabbed a damp towel and helped with the toes and said it all came off real easy. So we must be heading in the right direction. Anyone know how there sheds are supposed to be? Like a couple big pieces or in sections or just flake off in small pieces? This thing is a garbage disposal though. Loves eating but since we introduced dog food covered veggies he hasn't had any interest in roaches. Will have to try some other critters.

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## WhompingWillow

It may be worth checking out Honest Kitchen - they make human-grade dehydrated, raw dog food that you mix yourself by adding water. Lots of different options. It's a bit pricey but you can make however much you want at a time and I'm thinking it would freeze well. (Caveat is that I do not own a skink but have used this for dogs, so I'm not sure if a skink would find it appetizing or not.)

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_gunkle_ (05-01-2019)

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## artgecko

Mine sheds in pieces..Larger pieces for the back and smaller "shreds" for the legs and fet.  I've never had issues with his hands/toes not shedding well.  I think if you provide a substrate like topsoil and rough items in the cage, the skink can easily get the shed to come off with enough humidity.  I've never seen mine eat his shed (like my geckos do).  

My guy will eat crickets or roaches... I even froze roaches from my dubia colony when it got too large and he would eat the frozen-thawed roaches.  I could not get him to touch hornworms though.

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_gunkle_ (05-02-2019)

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## Cheesenugget

They shed in large as well as small pieces and they do not eat them.  After a shed, I take a wet paper towel and rub it against my bluey to make sure any last small pieces left comes off.  Sometimes the small loose pieces are stuck in the armpit area (It will fall off).

I have tried Honest Kitchen for my skink.  It is not a bad product but it is costly and takes a few min to prepare.  It is whatever works for the owner and skink.

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_gunkle_ (05-02-2019)

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## gunkle

So Tootsie is doing great. Had a great shed and completed the antibiotics. The remaining bad toes have fallen off and look good and healed. He is eating well and is good during handling. I think its time to start some other substrate then paper towel. Will be putting something together this week. The cage is built and waiting for dry weather for staining and sealing the inside.

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*Bogertophis* (05-30-2019),_Dianne_ (05-12-2019),_Jus1More_ (05-12-2019)

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## gunkle

Just removed the paper towels and put a couple inches of a mix of reptile prime and sphagnum Moss. He ate quite a few medium Dubai roaches while I was busy.  He seems to be enjoying the new substrate.

Sent from my SM-T567V using Tapatalk

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*Bogertophis* (05-12-2019),_Dianne_ (05-12-2019),_Jus1More_ (05-12-2019)

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## Jus1More

Glad to hear that Tootsie is doing well! The new enclosure you built looks nice, but when you said you were going to stain it, I am alittle concerned on using paint that could be very harmful to the skink. Surely you are not going to stain the inside of the enclosure, at least I hope not! Is that enclosure wood or pvc?

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## gunkle

> Glad to hear that Tootsie is doing well! The new enclosure you built looks nice, but when you said you were going to stain it, I am alittle concerned on using paint that could be very harmful to the skink. Surely you are not going to stain the inside of the enclosure, at least I hope not! Is that enclosure wood or pvc?


It is wood. Stain is for the outside pond armor for the inside. Just like my 2 ball python enclosures. Check it that build thread

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## gunkle

2nd shed complete. Came off in big sheets with only 1 toe needing some assistance. He is active and seems very healthy. He loves burrowing in the substrate. All in all he is doing great, I can't wait to get him in his new home. Almost done.

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*Bogertophis* (05-30-2019),_dakski_ (05-30-2019)

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## Jus1More

> 2nd shed complete. Came off in big sheets with only 1 toe needing some assistance. He is active and seems very healthy. He loves burrowing in the substrate. All in all he is doing great, I can't wait to get him in his new home. Almost done.


Wow! Your lucky he shed in one big piece. My girl usually sheds in many small pieces which is a pain to clean up after. What type of substrate are you using??

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## gunkle

> Wow! Your lucky he shed in one big piece. My girl usually sheds in many small pieces which is a pain to clean up after. What type of substrate are you using??


It was a few big sheets with the odd piece here or there but way less pieces and easier to clean then last time. I'm using Reptile prime and sphagnum moss mix and keeping humidity over 80% most of the time which should be easier once new enclosure is done.

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## gunkle

So heres an update on Tootsie. He is doing awesome. Maybe a bit too much weight now. 605g. He eats veggies and canned dog food, roaches, crickets, Superworms and Hornworms. Haven't found anything he won't eat. He took to the new enclosure and even a move to our new house didn't faze him. Sheds are going really good we haven't had to assist or bathe for shedding since introducing him to the new enclosure.

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_dakski_ (02-09-2020)

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## dakski

Looking good - tank and skink!

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