New Addition, First BTS

Hi everyone!

I am super excited to say, that after 10 months, I finally got another critter. Rather than a snake, this time I got my first lizard - a blue tongued skink!

First, I have to tell you about the breeder, and what a wonderful experience it was to work with him. From the get-go, John Delahaye (I hope he doesn't mind me throwing out his name) had been fantastic with updating me via telephone and email on birthing photos/videos, news about the litters, chit-chat about what to expect with BTSs and their care, etc. He was kind enough to meet with me in person, about 5 hours away from where he lives, to deliver the skink (so we wouldn't have to ship it and I didn't have to make the long drive). Luckily he was planning to meet with a friend in Toronto this summer, so it all worked out and we scheduled around that. I really can't recommend him enough. He cares so much about the skinks he raises, and I look forward to keeping in touch with him.

Anyhoo, I digress.


After lots of pondering, the name for the skink is Azure! Azure is a shade of blue, which I thought was fitting. Whether the little nugget turns out to be a male or female doesn't matter to me, so I'll probably just be using all the pronouns.
http://www.mememaker.net/static/imag...lates/2182.jpg


If anyone else knows that meme...





https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/...34764255_n.jpg
(Sorry about the glare on the next one)
Setup:
https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/...49984243_n.jpg
From John:
https://scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/...15531179_n.jpg



And an extremely short clip of the first feeding, eating only the expensive canned food... of course. Hope the link works!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10154316825320313



I am so excited to see Azure grow. I'll probably be posting updates periodically. :)

Thanks for looking!

P.S. If anyone has any BTS and would like to share stories, photos, advice, etc. please feel free. :wuv:

Welcome to the Bluey Club...awesome looking lil guy you have there. I am sure I will be adding a pair of northerns to my collection in the future once my garage conversion to a reptile room is done!!!:D

BTS are so much fun and have a great personality, I think they are underrated.

Congrats on the new addition :gj:

Here is Godzilla

http://i954.photobucket.com/albums/a...S/DSC_0075.jpg

http://i954.photobucket.com/albums/a...S/DSC_0112.jpg

I always jump at the opportunity to show off my IJs bonnie and clyde!

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/11/syde6ybe.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/11/u3ygy5a5.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/11/barazuny.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/11/abazu6uz.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/11/arevyra8.jpg

Thanks everyone! Love seeing the photos :P so cute.
My partner is in love with Azure already. He thinks she's the cutest thing in the world right now!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jclaiborne

Welcome to the Bluey Club...awesome looking lil guy you have there. I am sure I will be adding a pair of northerns to my collection in the future once my garage conversion to a reptile room is done!!!:D

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By the way, how can everyone already tell what locale it is!? Mind you I'm so so new to BTS so I wouldn't be able to tell which is which, except that they are different. :rolleyes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NH93

By the way, how can everyone already tell what locale it is!? Mind you I'm so so new to BTS so I wouldn't be able to tell which is which, except that they are different. :rolleyes:

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Different locals or species have different bandings, coloring, leg colors, builds and lengths. If you look at the last picture I posted of Bonnie on her neck you see 3 lines that band together towards the bottom. They call this a "trident" and it is one of the best identifiers for determining if its an IJ. http://www.bluetongueskinks.net/ If you look in the table on the left hand side it lists the different locals and species, when you click on them it gives you some unique identifiers to look for. Over time you will get use to it.

*Also remember the belly pic I showed you of Clyde. The IJs and some Indo that I have seen have red bellies as well.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jclaiborne

Different locals or species have different bandings, coloring, leg colors, builds and lengths. If you look at the last picture I posted of Bonnie on her neck you see 3 lines that band together towards the bottom. They call this a "trident" and it is one of the best identifiers for determining if its an IJ. http://www.bluetongueskinks.net/ If you look in the table on the left hand side it lists the different locals and species, when you click on them it gives you some unique identifiers to look for. Over time you will get use to it.

*Also remember the belly pic I showed you of Clyde. The IJs and some Indo that I have seen have red bellies as well.

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I've been to that website (and forum) countless times! It's so detailed. Awesome.
I guess it'll just take some time and learning on my part, like with snake morphs. Thanks! :)

Blue Tongue Skins are AMAZING! I love mine his name is Harold!!!

Hey everyone!

So Azure, my first little nugget, is settling in nicely. Today marks 2 weeks that I've had her, which isn't long but there's been tonnes of progress - so to speak! I say she, but could very well be a he. Only time will tell.

Since I've received Azure, she has been eating like a champ, getting in a routine in the morning, and just completed her third shed, which was her first one with me. Tail tip, toes, and everything else came off! There were two spots, both on her noggin, that were a bit tougher so she had a bit of a bath today, which fixed the issue.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.n...457b9cdfc9ffd9


(Hand for reference)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.n...44237065_n.jpg


Caught in the act!... Of what, I'm not too sure.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...71170525_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...17299345_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.n...bdaedf62f18558
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...23155563_n.jpg







I'm glad I could finally get some real photos of her. Thanks for looking!


:)

Looks like you have a happy lil baby on your hands, I love it when they try to "climb" the walls, it cracks me up when Clyde does it.

Yes!! Too funny. She hadn't done it until yesterday :) they must just be curious about what's up there.

Nici,

Azure is adorable! I know you've been looking for your BTS for a while now, and I'm so happy you finally got 1. So cute. I love looking at the photos and can't wait to see more. I may have squealed a bit when I fist say the photo.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NH93

Yes!! Too funny. She hadn't done it until yesterday :) they must just be curious about what's up there.

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Clyde will do it and if there is a little ledge available he plops his chin on it and lets his top legs hang, and he has a look on his face like "sup dude, just chillin" next time he does it I will have to snap a pic.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rickys_Reptiles

Nici,

Azure is adorable! I know you've been looking for your BTS for a while now, and I'm so happy you finally got 1. So cute. I love looking at the photos and can't wait to see more. I may have squealed a bit when I fist say the photo.

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Thanks Ricky!!! :P

That means a lot. I'll keep you updated for sure!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jclaiborne

Clyde will do it and if there is a little ledge available he plops his chin on it and lets his top legs hang, and he has a look on his face like "sup dude, just chillin" next time he does it I will have to snap a pic.

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Hahaha! I have noticed Azure cruise around her vive, and she sometimes keeps her back legs tucked in to her sides while her front legs pull, and she looks like an alligator moving herself around. Or like she's trying to swim on land. It's too funny! I know the back legs work fine though, because she moves quick when she wants to ;) and clambers all over the decor in her vive too!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NH93

Hahaha! I have noticed Azure cruise around her vive, and she sometimes keeps her back legs tucked in to her sides while her front legs pull, and she looks like an alligator moving herself around. Or like she's trying to swim on land. It's too funny! I know the back legs work fine though, because she moves quick when she wants to ;) and clambers all over the decor in her vive too!

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yup mine do the same thing. They really are pretty interactive and fun lizards to watch. I end up sitting in my office just watching both of them while I wait for my Tegu to eat.

As an update:
I was told Azure would grow like a weed... even so, I wasn't expecting this.
This is the difference from the first day I got her on July 8th (left) and today, July 27th (right) -- 19 days later.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...3c15fc0c1be393

Loving the Bluey.
We picked up an Eastern for the gf's daughter(hers is now tame enough she feeds it earthworms as a protein treat by hand and fingers are never taken by mistake) and I liked her's so much I now have a pair on the way from Indonesia. Killing me waiting to see which subspecies it is, likely just a gigas or maybe a Meruke pair.
The name of your breeder rings a bell.
I know another Delahaye here in Peterborough and he is both knowledgeable and very free with help/advice for herps(If you are in the area stop by our PJ's Pets for some well cared for herps in a chain store for a change and over to Peterborough Reptile). Just a curiosity but, it would be interesting if they were also related.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NH93

As an update:
I was told Azure would grow like a weed... even so, I wasn't expecting this.
This is the difference from the first day I got her on July 8th (left) and today, July 27th (right) -- 19 days later.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...3c15fc0c1be393

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Wow! That IS fast! When does her growth start to plateau?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rickys_Reptiles

Wow! That IS fast! When does her growth start to plateau?

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I was told after about a year; they become sexually mature around then, and I'll be able to actually sex her then too (either a visual guestimation - which is probably what I'll do - or have someone experienced sex her). Can you tell I'm hoping for a female? ;) Either way it won't bother me none.

Good thing I've got a nice big PVC vive on the go for her to move into at the end of the summer!

Ughhh I want one so badly!!! I went to house of reptiles here in tigard, Oregon and they had a young northern who was so pretty. The only problem was that I put my finger on the glass and she kept trying to bite me over and over and over for at least three minutes. Everything single time. It was like she hasn't been fed in a few weeks. She wasn't lunging and it didn't look aggressive, she just opened her mouth and put it to the glass where my finger was. I want to get one soon though lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sammiebob

Ughhh I want one so badly!!! I went to house of reptiles here in tigard, Oregon and they had a young northern who was so pretty. The only problem was that I put my finger on the glass and she kept trying to bite me over and over and over for at least three minutes. Everything single time. It was like she hasn't been fed in a few weeks. She wasn't lunging and it didn't look aggressive, she just opened her mouth and put it to the glass where my finger was. I want to get one soon though lol

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In a few WEEKS?? She'd probably be dead... they eat almost daily as youngsters, and a couple times a week as adults.
:( But I bet you're right, she's probably very hungry........

So far I am loving the experience of having one :) sometimes, she reminds me of a dog with the little things she does.

Maybe not a few weeks lol I was exaggerating. I don't think she gets fed enough often enough. The only thing is, they're kind of expensive lol especially compared to the cost for snakes

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sammiebob

Maybe not a few weeks lol I was exaggerating. I don't think she gets fed enough often enough. The only thing is, they're kind of expensive lol especially compared to the cost for snakes

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That is true; I paid over double for my BTS than I did for either of my snakes. However, cost + reward right? :) I find there's a lot more interaction and care needed for a BTS than a snake. Still not "a lot" of work/effort, if you think of other pets like dogs or what not, but still more than snakes. Not to mention - at least in Canada - they aren't as wide spread as many pet snake species. It makes sense that they'd cost a bit more. Supply and demand! ;)

Exactly hahaha