i'm finally moving forward with getting a BTS! My husband actually Ok'd me getting one for my anniversary gift... Now it's just down to whether or not I can find one I like for a price he won't freak out over. Unfortunately, I don't like the look of most northerns (which are the most readily available and cheapest option), so I'm looking into finding breeders of any of the other varieties. I found a breeder selling (I think CBB) IJs for $250 plus shipping, which I think is fair, but we'll see if my husband agrees. I wouldn't pay that much for animals that aren't CBB, so I'll have to confirm with the breeder. The same breeder also breeds lots of northerns, so I have that option if I don't go with an IJ.

I will be setting up the new skink in a 20gl long initially (assuming it is a baby), after that, it may get housed in a large tub for now. The breeder I'm looking into buying from uses freedom breeder racks for his skinks (no UV, he uses heat tape on the racks and supplements with Cal + D3 and vitamins) and says that they do very well, so I might look into getting an open-sided rack if I get more BTS. For now, I have all the equipment I need to setup either a UTH or a basking spot (excepting the daytime bulb), so I will have to see how the skink does.

Very excited about this finally happening. I will definitely post pics for you guys when I get him/her and of the setup.