Who has a Blue Tongue Skink?

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Jess

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I've really been wanting one of these little guys! When my first beardie died I started looking into getting one, but of course I got Dudley instead.
So what are they like? I've done my research on their care, and it sounds like they are very similar to beardies. Can you have your BTS out at the same time as your beardie, or will they try to kill each other?

Did you get yours as an adult or baby? I would like to adopt an older adult, but I want one that is handleable so I didn't know if it would be better to get one as a baby.

I don't know if/when I'll be getting a BTS, but I'd definitely like one at some point! :D And hopefully soon-ish LOL.
 

ShannyBeard

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There is a large BTS in our local reptile shop that I want. He has this amazing calm face and eyes. When he looked at me it was such a peaceful look. The shop owner said it had been fed table scraps and people food all its life and that is all it will ever eat. It was seriously huge.

My husband told me before I can even think of having him I need to do my research, and I haven't even started that yet. I was watching this thread to see if anyone responded! :oops:
 

Jess

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Original Poster
I read that one too. :) I'm a little confused about what cage size they need though. If I got one, I would probably want a 3x2x1 that would fit under Dud's viv stand, but I don't know if that would be too small or not. From what I understand, they are pretty lazy little guys!
 

Gail

BD.org Addict
I had one for a few months. It was not lazy, they have very active periods and he tore his cage up alot. A 40 gallon breeder is a good size tank, skinks don't bend as easy as a dragon does and a narrow cage would be hard for them to turn around in.

Their diet really is quite different from a dragon. I choose to use boiled chicken breast/eggs for protein mixed with chunky veggies and tougher greens like collards. I wouldn't recommend cat/dog food, it's good for emergencies but not really as a staple unless you use grain free, high quality. They need chunky food to exercise their mouth or they can get something called droopy lip (I think thats it)

Lower temps, lower UVB requirements. Depending on species, higher humidity. What ever age you buy, make absolute certain its captive born, not wild caught or farm raised. I would only buy a adult if I could handle it first, a nasty tempered adult will be very difficult if not impossible to tame. Babies are often hissy but easy to tame and are fun to watch grow. They are also much bigger then a dragon baby.

I would recommend a Northern. They are a bit bigger, very pretty and always captive born. I had a IJ and was really lucky to find a captive born baby. He was cool but I was really disappointed they they aren't as personable as a dragon. Mine was more like a snake, he could care less that I existed and only tolerated being handled.

bluetongueskinks.net is the best forum for these guys and the owner sells northern babies later in the spring/early summer. They are outstanding quality and worth waiting for.
I wouldn't allow a skink and dragon out together. They could get along but if they did get in a fight, it wouldn't be pretty. A skink has no defense against a dragons sharp teeth and a skink has incredible jaw power, look up skink bite to see what they can do to a person.
 

ShannyBeard

Extreme Poster
Hey Gail,

Everything you said is right on with what I have been reading. And I agree that the bluetongueskinks.net is the best website out there. The skink that I am interested in is an adult. I wish I knew how old it was! Our herp shop doesn't get many of these in as babies and it seems rare to find an adult for sale.
 

Gail

BD.org Addict
They can be hard to find, especially locally. I ended up driving over 8 hours one way to a reptile show to get mine. In hind site, buying online would have been easier lol.
The only thing I don't like about skink forums, is none that I've found really gives advice on feeding insects. I fed mine dubia and he loved them. I know they eat a lot of dead stuff in the wild but they also eat bugs. Oh, and snails are great too. I don't have the nice garden snails like are on the East coast but I managed to find a few around here and huffle loved them, so crunchy!
 

ShannyBeard

Extreme Poster
Interesting about the snails! I was told this skink has never been fed feeders, just people food, and it poked a small mouse and drew back and never ate it. I keep thinking about this skink, because like you said, they are hard to come by. It's super convenient, this one, just not the best timing!
 

Gail

BD.org Addict
Most are fed people food, it is a ton more convenient then bugs and better then canned pet food. Snails are a common food in the wild, a skinks jaws are designed for crushing the shells. You can buy canned snails but they don't have shells and stink, fresh are better.

Many people feed mice a couple times a year but its usually a live adult mouse to a adult skink. There is some silly belief that it helps keep them entertained and their jaws in good shape, I think its barbaric. In my opinion, mice are best left for carnivorous reptiles/snakes.

All this talk makes me miss my old skink. If I came across a nice one in a pet store, I would be really tempted to buy.
 

ShannyBeard

Extreme Poster
Awww you never know what you may find in the local store. We are alrways surprised. Thanks for the great information. It helps in my thinking and I am sure Jess will get a lot out of your advice, too.
 

Jess

Extreme Poster
Original Poster
Thanks for the info Gail! :D

There are three of them on CL right now that I have been keeping my eye on, and the pet store I work at said that they could get me one if I wanted. :lol: It's SO tempting! I think they might be a little much for me right now though, so I'm starting to lean more towards a crestie for my next pet... But I WILL have a BTS some day! I have a name picked out and everything LOL.
 

LLLReptile

Juvie Member
I have, and breed, blue tongue skinks at home. ADORE THEM.

I house mine in 3 and 4 foot long cages, with mercury vapor bulbs on them. Diet wise, they are about 50/50 with animal protein and vegetable matter, or at least mine always have been. I find that often, they are kept too cool, and this results in decreased appetite. Mine have basking spots reaching over 100 degrees, as much UV as beardies are exposed to, and tons of space. Lots of substrate to burrow and root around in, and tons of time out of the cage to hang out. With my adult male Northern, I often just leave his cage door open, and he wanders the apartment and then heads into his cage when he wants to bask. My other skinks aren't quite so well behaved, so I don't let them out quite so freely, but they all have distinct personalities.

Bluetongeskinks.net is fantastic, but by their own admission certain aspects of the caresheet are outdated. Be sure to check the forums themselves, the folks there are super friendly and have great info. :)

My male, Bandersnatch, is pretty comical. He comes in to the Menifee store with me on weekends, very well mannered and tolerant when we play with his food...
8584


Being a little bluey ambassador:
8586


LOVE the blueys, 110%, and they are worth every penny. At the store, we usually have them between $119 and $199, depending on size, gender (if known), and exact species. Just, y'know, FYI. :)

-Jen
 
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