My dads blue tongued skink needs help

[indecisivehelp]

I have no idea what to do and I have tried to look up information but it doesn't seem to be anywhere. So my dad adopted a blue tongued skink because he thought it was cool and he could handle it I don't think he did any research and despite my trying to convince him to take Tony (the skink) to the vet he refuses saying if he was in the wild he would not be able to just go to a vet (I hate him and know he's an ***** full well). Tony has a problem with his feet they are causing him so much stress he's sleeping right, it looks as if his skin has gotten stuck when shedding and his toes are dropping off. I've tried to soak him in water but he hates it, he's so stressed and afraid that he no longer wishes to get close to me. He is in a 120cm by 60cm enclosure and because he wont get close to me I put a shallow water pool into his viv but he doesn't go in it we have a mixture of bark chip and forest substrate in his enclosure I have no clue what lights my dad has for him but he does have a log and leaves to hide under as well as some climbing rocks. (I have told my dad before that he needs more but he doesn't listen to me) he eats roaches and Mario worms as well as the occasional locusts which my dad gut loads with those pods from the pet store or carrots or cabbage . I need help to solve his foot issue because he is clearly in pain but I don't know what the best way to help him is? please help!

 

[KarrieRee]

I have no idea what to do and I have tried to look up information but it doesn't seem to be anywhere. So my dad adopted a blue tongued skink because he thought it was cool and he could handle it I don't think he did any research and despite my trying to convince him to take Tony (the skink) to the vet he refuses saying if he was in the wild he would not be able to just go to a vet (I hate him and know he's an ***** full well). Tony has a problem with his feet they are causing him so much stress he's sleeping right, it looks as if his skin has gotten stuck when shedding and his toes are dropping off. I've tried to soak him in water but he hates it, he's so stressed and afraid that he no longer wishes to get close to me. He is in a 120cm by 60cm enclosure and because he wont get close to me I put a shallow water pool into his viv but he doesn't go in it we have a mixture of bark chip and forest substrate in his enclosure I have no clue what lights my dad has for him but he does have a log and leaves to hide under as well as some climbing rocks. (I have told my dad before that he needs more but he doesn't listen to me) he eats roaches and Mario worms as well as the occasional locusts which my dad gut loads with those pods from the pet store or carrots or cabbage . I need help to solve his foot issue because he is clearly in pain but I don't know what the best way to help him is? please help!

@Drache613
@kingofnobbys

 

[kingofnobbys]

Suspect he has an Indonesian (WILD CAUGHT & TRAFFICKED) BTS.
My experience is my 2 eastern BTSs were captive bred and we bought them as 8 weeks old babies who were already very tame and personable and friendly .
I have also befriended wild eastern bluetongues (who live in my garden and under my house) , eastern water skinks , rainbow skinks and delicate garden skinks who also live in my garden , in my garage and under my house ( and who even visit inside ).

Can't really see what is going on with the feet / toes .... closer images might be helpful.

Can't tell from images how large the skink is ( looks like a juvenile or subadult , and a female , narrow jaws ).
Can "dad" get her out and place her in a tub with a lid to weigh her .

If wild caught , and you don't know how badly treated it was before arriving in the USA or in the petshop , it'll take time for the skink to "tame up".
My advise in this department is to let this happen at the skink's own pace , it WILL eventually become trusting and tame but might take maybe a few months . I'd start off handling as little as necessary ( essentially only when you need to remove soiled bedding , replace food , refresh water ( keep the water no deeper than the skink's elbow depth - all BTS are thirsty but have been known to drown in deep water dishes that they can't escape from ).

Spend a lot of time hanging out where the skink can see you and hear you , it'll soon learn you are not going to harm it and will chose to approach you when it's ready.
Offering food treats by hand is a great way to tame up a wild skink.
My old easterns love banana bits , strawberry slices & hard boiled egg ( sliced ) and the occasional big silkworm and go bananas for snails ( I buy a punnet of 12 live snails from a restraint supplier as treats for them ).

I'm sure in a few months you'll have a BTS who'll love interacting with you and who is smoogy.

If it's indeed an Indo BTS , the best guidance I can give is to treat it like a AUS Northern BTS (similar climatics).

Some caresheets for Northern (AU) BTS & Indo BTS.

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Indonesian Blue-tongued Skink Care Sheet | Wiki | Reptiles Amino

OVERVIEW Photo credit https://zoomed.com/blue-tongue-skink-indonesian/ Indonesian blue-tongued s

aminoapps.com

Detailed Blue Tongue Skink Caresheet - BlueTongueSkinks.NET , some very knowledgeable and nice folks here who can put you onto a good local reptile vet who is experienced with BTSs.

Food pyramid for BTS ( any species ) :

Blue Tongue Skink Food Pyramid
If you give the skink too much protein this can make it difficult for it shed , as the skin becomes thicker.
The advise my vet gave me was -
baby & juvenile skinks need a more insect protein rich diet than adult skinks.
and
careful with fat rich foods for skinks as they are prone to Fatty Liver Desease.


Worth you and your dad joining this BTS msg board - BLUE TONGUE SKINKS - Discussion FORUMS

My easterns have 6% UVB tubes and a basking spot at 36 degC . A northern of Indo BTS will need a 10% UVB tube .
I have 2 hides in each skink's tank , a warm hide that doubles as a basking spot and a cool end hide.
I have my BTS on a mixture of
Course Kritters' Krumble & bluegum leaflitter complete with twigs and bits of bark ( I have a big mature bluegum in my front yard so I have an endless free supply of leaf and bark litter ).

 

[indecisivehelp]

I should specify we are from the UK and I can try getting better pics now that it's morning also I usually sit in the same room everyday but he's ir she just really really aggressive I try to offer him/her food but not from my hand as he/her has a tendency to bite and make me bleed, my dad has done the same and has gotten some Scars from the bites so basically gave up on the poor thing. I can attempt to weigh them but I don't think they will be too fond of it I can maybe have them crawl onto a weighing scale in their enclosure. I'll post a response again soon

 

[kingofnobbys]

I should specify we are from the UK and I can try getting better pics now that it's morning also I usually sit in the same room everyday but he's ir she just really really aggressive I try to offer him/her food but not from my hand as he/her has a tendency to bite and make me bleed, my dad has done the same and has gotten some Scars from the bites so basically gave up on the poor thing. I can attempt to weigh them but I don't think they will be too fond of it I can maybe have them crawl onto a weighing scale in their enclosure. I'll post a response again soon

OK , you are scared of the little skink biting you .
I suggest a 4L clickclack style tub for weighting like this ( weigh the empty tub with lid on first ):

Easy way to get it out and into a tub is get a towel or teatowel and drop it over the skink , and pick up skink with towel over it ( think you'll find the skink will be less bitey covered in a towel) , weigh the lot .
Then return it to tank .

Some people handfeed using long tweezers .
This shows who it's done ---

My technique is to place the food item on middle of my upturned open hand where the skink, gecko, dragon or frog ( or bird) see it .

They ( even wild lizards ) soon overcome their fear and come over and take it off my hand , it just takes patients and perseverance .

I also use hand feeding by fingertips as a bonding ritual for hatchling dragons, baby skinks and juveniles , yes sometimes they confuse finger tip for food and I score a bite .... doesn't take them long to suss out what is happening and they become very dainty in taking the food item.


I've handled lots of bluetongues ( wild and tame ) in my time and nearly all them are all bluff when it comes threat displays , and times I've been bitten by them have always been my fault for not paying attention when handling or handfeeding ( and purely accidential on the part of the skink ).

Some people ware welder's gloves when handling a feasty grumpy skink ( or dragon ,or monitor ).

The BTS board is still helpful , there are members in the UK who can put you on the right track wrt vet and care and food.

This is pretty much what can I do with my dragons and skinks ....

my skinks ( wild and tame pets ) all lick the fingers clean too afterwards ..., YOU TOO can do this . Look how dainty this guy's BT.

Here is one way to feed your BT that might work for you.

I think the problem with the skink's feet may be due to the bedding ( remember I pointed out you have an Indo BTS , not Australian BTS ( eastern or northern ) ) , pay attention to he says about humidity requirements for Indo BTs .... and suitable substratess for these skinks
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