Frank - The Blue Tongue Skink

[dakski]

Awesome thread and beautiful little guy! Is he a “normal” northern? I can’t wait to have room to get one of these

Yeah, just a normal Northern Blue Tongue! However, he is full of personality and beautiful, even as a normal.

I got him about a year ago and at about 1 year old or so. He's done great with me. Katie loves him most of all the reptiles. He's awesome with her, as I noted, but only okay with me, despite the fact I clean up for him, feed him, etc. It's always, "Katie, Katie, Katie!" It's good though. I think he's awesome too and he got Katie more comfortable with the smaller lizards we have (Geckos) and the snakes! If not for Frank, she might not have given everyone else a chance when we were discussing and then moved in together.

He's been about 620G for about 8 months now. He was 475G or so at a year, I believe, and can check my records. At 1 yr he was a little bigger than some of the other BTS that were available, and I had a big tank now an even bigger tank!

I got him BHB. I have had good luck with them and Brian. They had a bunch of CB year olds that they decided not to keep for breeding and sell instead. He was very well started and adapted really well.

If/when you get one, make sure to ask questions and do research. Not much out there on these guys.

Humidity: room temp is fine except in shed. I soak him 1X or 2X if he has trouble. However, usually about 35-40% in his tank. They don't particularly like more than that. 30-40% is a good range.

Temps: 95F or so hot spot works really well for Frank. 80-82F ambient and 80F cool side. I have a RHP and UTH for the hot side and that keeps that half of the 6X2' Boaphile no less than 84F, averaging higher during the day.

Why? Basking lights! He likes to bask and needs UVB. In my setup for him, I have a 60W basking bulb right next to the RHP and adjacent to a fluorescent UVB bulb.

When not basking, eating, or laying waste (almost daily - lol), he likes to be in a hide or under his paper substrate. They like to borough but hard to keep humidity down and keep the tank clean with anything other than paper. He goes regularly and is kind of messy. So, I crumble up the printless newspaper into balls for the cool side/non basking side. He loves to borough into them and under them. He also likes his hides and getting in the hide under the paper is his favorite.

When not digesting and getting ready to poop, he spends most of his time on the cool side of the tank. Hidden. LOL.

Finally, they need a varied diet. REPASHY sells a gel diet for them, which I use sometimes. He loves protein - snails in particular. However, he needs: 50% veggies, 10% fruit, and 40% proteins. You know what has that exact breakdown and he loves? Ferret Food! Pellets!

I wet them in water for a few minutes and mix with fruits and mostly veggies. He also likes freeze dried fruit, veggie, and omnivore mix, you can get at pet stores or amazon, etc. from Zilla, I believe. I moisten up in varying quantities and mix with the pellets in water for a few minutes, then give to Frank. He usually eats everything up!

Fresh fruit and veggies are great too. However, since the pellets are balanced as is, I do not give as much fresh fruit and veggies as if I was trying to create a balanced diet without the Repashy BTS diet or the Ferret Pellets.

Once a week (which for Frank is every 3rd feeding or so as I feed every 2-3 days a smaller portion) I mix in a little wet dog food with the above mix and sometimes add his snails and/or boiled chicken, etc. When I do this, I mix in his once a week vitamins. Calcium powder and reptile vitamin mix powder.

Feeding less often, he is more active, eats everything instead of picking what he likes the most, and maintains weight no problem.

Finally, they like space! He uses every inch of his 6X2X1.5'. He loves to walk around, find different temps, different hides, explore, etc. Never had a reptile as active as he is. They do not need height in their tanks, but you need room for UVB, so something to consider. All my 6X2' tanks in my apartment 5 tank complex are 1 foot high, except Frank, he is 18 inches, because he needs the UVB and basking.

Okay, a lot there, but I have learned a lot both before, and after getting Frank. I had a beardie for 11 years before Frank, and wanted something different. Katie also loves that he's a scavenger and doesn't eat anything alive or a rodent, LOL.