blue tongue skinks

ive been considering getting a blue tongue skink. are they a good choice for the beggining lizzard keeper?

Hmm.. I won't vote because I don't have a lot of experience with them. They do grow quite large, but they are typically docile and interesting lizards. I would recommend reading caresheets and researching them.

They are fairly often captive bred, so that is a very good thing.

ive read as much as i can on the internet about them and everything says there great lizzards, and are easy to care for. i just wanted to get your guyses opinion on them.

Well, my 'guyses' (:P) opinion is if you do everything right according to the care sheets, you should be fine. Just be prepared to have room for it when it's full grown.

Shelby, you must have BTS confused with aanother lizard as they are a great beginer lizard that does get much larger than 18" as a adult. I bet your thinken Blue tegu. Blue toungues are a awsome lizard. I keep 1 Gigas BTS he is the best a real treat to hold and will normaly come right up to the glass when I enter the room if he is up and out. One thing with BTS you really need to suck up and pay the extra cash and get a TRUE captive born and bred one not a import.

BTS's can be great if you have the means to properly accommodate them & don't take short cuts. I think an important thing here is offering a varied diet so they don't get "stuck" on one food or another, especially if you start with a young animal.

Do your homework, ask a lot of questions before buying...and good luck!

K~

what size cage would he be best in(i can build any size cage i want too so size does not matter)

and does this site seem credible? http://www.captivebred.com/blue_tongue_skinks.htm

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Originally Posted by Shelby

Well, my 'guyses' (:P) opinion...

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hey, lol! cut me some slack! im only 12 you know!

Python-77, no I'm not confusing it. I've seen big blue tongues. The caresheets say 30". A lizard that will get nearly as long as a 30 gallon tank is big in my book.

I just picked up USA Reptiles Magazine: 2006 Annual and they had a pretty big article about BTSs and their care.....if you have $7.50 sitting around pick up a copy....Just thought you might be interested.....I have no clue about blue tongue skinks...ha ha...i got it because they had an article about childrens pythons :)

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Originally Posted by Shelby

Python-77, no I'm not confusing it. I've seen big blue tongues. The caresheets say 30". A lizard that will get nearly as long as a 30 gallon tank is big in my book.

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30" is a bit of a over guess on any care sheet, I have never seen a full grown BTS past 20-22", Heck some of my Bearded Dragons are bigger over all than my BTS is. But now knowing that this is a 12 Y/O who wants in I have to say that years of research are going to be needed.

I just read the anapsid caresheet. Some subspecies are around 2'. That is still big. If it requires a 40+ gallon tank, it's not something to take lightly IMO.

actually, Tigergenisis, whose name i saw, is an excellent person to ask about blue tongues. check out bluetongueskinks.net. as far as i've found, it's the best site on the web. i have a bluey, who was a wild caught rescue as far as we can tell, and adore him. he is some work, especially with the varied diet thing, but he's also interactive, intelligent and sweet as can be.

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Originally Posted by Shelby

I just read the anapsid caresheet. Some subspecies are around 2'. That is still big. If it requires a 40+ gallon tank, it's not something to take lightly IMO.

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Np Shelby we just view what we consider a large lizard differently. to me if its in a 40gal breader or smaller its a small reptile those that require larger than a 40gal like my Argus Monitor I consider large reptiles, and I never reccomend monitors to anyone as a pet.

I didn't exactly word that right.. lol. To ME, in MY collection, it isn't big until it's a blackthroat monitor or similar. For a 12 year old kid looking for a starter lizard.. 2' is getting pretty darn big.

Lol, I agree and had I known he was 12 I would never have reccomended more the a leopard gecko to him. Oh and blackthroats rule, but my dream monitor is a asian water.

Waters rock. Can be tame too!

I'm hoping to get a blackthroat at some point. Building the cage will be the hard part..

im not the average herp keeping 12 year old. the people at the pet store say i im as good at keeping my 2 BP's than any adult they've ever seen. please dont assume im just a 12 year old that is one of those "cool... a lizzard! can i have it mom?!" type kids. if you met me you'd be suprised.

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Originally Posted by mr~python

im not the average herp keeping 12 year old. the people at the pet store say i im as good at keeping my 2 BP's than any adult they've ever seen. please dont assume im just a 12 year old that is one of those "cool... a lizzard! can i have it mom?!" type kids. if you met me you'd be suprised.

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Mr~P. sorry I judged you as a typical 12 y/o. Its just been my exp that kids in general make terrible herp keepers as the level of maturity just isnt there.

Yeah, don't take it personally, Mr-Python. You may be perfectly able/willing to give a blue tongue a good home.

Still, blue tongues take a lot of space, and more work than some other lizards like leopard geckos, or crested geckos.

its ok i get it a lot on other forums:( it understandable though. kids like my cousin(who also has a BP) sets the bar so low. but for the record i would like to add that in the year and 1/2 that ive'd owned BP's not one of them has ever got any disease, off-fed, any type of parasite(internal or external), or any other disorder. dont judge a book by its cover(espescially on the internet;) )

Mr Python, a blue toungue skink can be a great addition to your collection. I would just remember to (I think someone already mentioned this) give them a good varied diet. We keep our female in a forty gallon breeder and she does just fine. She has it nice and hot with good basking spots and a nice substrate to dig in. She eats everything under the sun, and came to us from a good home (luckily)
She also receives uv lighting, and see's a vet every six months. We do use her for our educational shows and she has always proven herself worthy.
If you decide to go ahead with one just remember to tie in the costs of husbandry and vetting bills, and do your research as I see you are.
Let me know what you decide
Thanks
Rusty

We have a Northern Blue tounge and he is very easy to care for. You must be able to provide fresh food that you have to chop up at least everyother day. That is the hardest part. He likes to hiss a lot but has never tried to bite. We keep him in a 40 gallon breeder and that will be plenty of room.

Blueys are great beginner lizards as long as you can put in the required effort/care and expenses needed to care for them. www.bluetongueskinks.net is a great forum and has the best and most comphrehensive caresheet you'll ever find. You'll also find great breeders to buy from on there - which I highly recommend.

Best species for beginners would be the Northern, Eastern or Irian Jaya as they all seem to be the most tame. They are also the easiest to find and are usually captive bred. 30" is an exaggeration as to the max size unless you are talking about a Merauke. The Meraukes (not as easy to find) are the largest reaching possible lengths up to 28". I haven't measured my Merauke in some time so now I'm interested to see how long he is.

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Originally Posted by Tigergenesis

Blueys are great beginner lizards as long as you can put in the required effort/care and expenses needed to care for them. www.bluetongueskinks.net is a great forum and has the best and most comphrehensive caresheet you'll ever find. You'll also find great breeders to buy from on there - which I highly recommend.

Best species for beginners would be the Northern, Eastern or Irian Jaya as they all seem to be the most tame. They are also the easiest to find and are usually captive bred. 30" is an exaggeration as to the max size unless you are talking about a Merauke. The Meraukes (not as easy to find) are the largest reaching possible lengths up to 28". I haven't measured my Merauke in some time so now I'm interested to see how long he is.

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Great info, I didn't realise you had bts, or so many for that matter...
Great info on the lengths..
Rusty

Yeah, I'm a little addicted to them. I've certainly found my favorite herp species! Some of my cuties are even featured in the calendar put together and sold by the members on www.bluetongueskinks.net

If I didn't have so many snakes I'd get more blueys!

Here's a link to the calendar if any fellow bluey lovers are interested: http://www.cafepress.com/bluetongueskink.40522121

You can view the pages. We held a contest each month with various themes and the winner along with second and third place were featured on that month's pages. My Kei made the March page (bottom left), my youngest Irian Jaya is in the big group pic on June's page and my Tanimbar made the September page (bottom right).

*ahem*

Blue Tongue Skinks are the GREATEST!!! :banana::banana:

Ok, with that out of my system. :) BTSs are wonderful lizards that do get kinda big but not unmanageable. Give an adult bluey as much Floor space in a cage as you possibly can. Height doesn't really need to be more than 12-18", but the length and width should be as much as possible.
The three species mentioned are great beginners, as they don't get huge and stay relatively calm. But do recall, as has been said many times, that they need a varied diet that includes fresh fruits and greens. That can mean frozen, as long as it's good quality, but that does NOT mean refused or soft/moldy. (I know someone who did that...)

Read up on the caresheets on bluetongueskinks.net, which is a great site, and see if you have the time, space, and means to care for a bluey. :)

And if you get one... I hate you. ;):D I've always wanted one since I worked with them at the zoo...

I love my BTS! He is the coolest little dude. I think that their care is easier than say...a Beardie but not as easy as say......a leopard Gecko. As long as you can provide the proper diet and have a bit of room for a cage then go for it:) When he is not out he is really not out. Right now his tank looks like it does not even have an animal in it....but if you look closely you will usually see something like this......
http://s274.photobucket.com/albums/j...current=H1.jpg

2 years old since the last post and 3 years since it was started..LOL. But I agree, BTS are awesome!:D

Well at least I didnt resurrect it! LOL.......I did have to look though;)