Lump on neck
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In this forum all are welcome to ask blue tongue skink-related questions, share information, ideas, tips, experiences, and pictures with fellow BTS enthusiasts.
If you are wondering if your BTS is acting normally or might be sick, this is where you can get help with that.
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In this forum all are welcome to ask blue tongue skink-related questions, share information, ideas, tips, experiences, and pictures with fellow BTS enthusiasts.
If you are wondering if your BTS is acting normally or might be sick, this is where you can get help with that.
This is also where you can have some FUN while sharing the enjoyment you get from your blueys!
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- Bluey Beginner
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Lump on neck
First time on here. I've had my BTS for about a year now, he/she came from a pet shop and they think it is female, they thought the other one was male until it gave birth so there's no telling. She has a diet of canned snails, boiled eggs (whites only since she wont eat the yolk), yellow and green squash, tomatoes, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, bananas, and canned crickets. I feed her small amounts everyday. She is in a 23w x 18d x 18h tank with aspen bedding, a 75w heat lamp and 15 uv lamp on a screen on top of her tank, a large water dish to soak in that i change ever couple of days and a raised cave so she can dig under it. In the last couple of days she grew a large lump behind her left earhole that I was wondering if anyone could identify, she is still acting like normal. I keep searching but cant find out what it is, any advice would help but vets are a last resort financially.
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- Bluey Beginner
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Re: Lump on neck
Here are a couple of better pictures of it
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- Bluey Devotee
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Re: Lump on neck
Only on one side ?
If so - Looks suspiciously like some kind of abscess or cyst , I recommend you have a REPTILE VET examine the lump and perhaps take a small needle aspiration of it's contents (if full of liquid of some kind) to determine exactly what's going going on and the most effective treatment.
If it's a pus filled abscess, it will not get better without being drained, debrided and treated with antibiotics by a vet.
If so - Looks suspiciously like some kind of abscess or cyst , I recommend you have a REPTILE VET examine the lump and perhaps take a small needle aspiration of it's contents (if full of liquid of some kind) to determine exactly what's going going on and the most effective treatment.
If it's a pus filled abscess, it will not get better without being drained, debrided and treated with antibiotics by a vet.
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- Bluey Beginner
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Re: Lump on neck
Yeah just the one side, was hoping that I wouldn't have to go to a vet but if I must I must, here's hoping it doesn't cost too much.
- splashy07
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Re: Lump on neck
I might add that you have a Merauke, which is an Indonesian species that requires high humidity. Aspen bedding is a no-no.
You need to provide a more humidity-friendly substrate. I'd also suggest that you add some high quality dog food to his diet. What is the warm/cool side temp gradient?
You need to provide a more humidity-friendly substrate. I'd also suggest that you add some high quality dog food to his diet. What is the warm/cool side temp gradient?
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- Bluey Beginner
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Re: Lump on neck
Before she tore it down it was showing 88-89 on one side and 76 on the other with a cave to hide in. What kind of bedding and dog food should I try?
- splashy07
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Re: Lump on neck
I'd go a bit warmer. 90+ minimum. Repti-bark, cypress mulch, coco husk or combination thereof. Get yourself a hygrometer, you will need humidity bare minimum 70 percent for this species. As far as dog food, any of the high end brands. I use Blue Buffalo and Merrick predominantly. Meat based, no fish, some have the vegetables mixed in already.
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- Bluey Beginner
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Re: Lump on neck
When we got her they said she was a Northern Blue-tongued Skink so I thought the aspen and humidity from her bowl were fine. I'm guessing that's wet food and not the pellets or is it pellets that are wet down?
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Re: Lump on neck
irot9791 wrote:When we got her they said she was a Northern Blue-tongued Skink so I thought the aspen and humidity from her bowl were fine. I'm guessing that's wet food and not the pellets or is it pellets that are wet down?
Wood chips for any lizard is a definite no-no (as wood chips are risky from an ingestion (accidential with food resulting in serious impaction which can kill a lizard).
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Re: Lump on neck
Just did what the "Experts" told me.
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- Bluey Devotee
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Re: Lump on neck
irot9791 wrote:Just did what the "Experts" told me.
What experts would that be ?
Some know nothing pet shop associate (fancy name for a sales assistant) who has sales targets perhaps ???
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- Bluey Beginner
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Re: Lump on neck
Sounds about right, it was a no name pet shop that my husband found her at. Just in it for the sale
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- Bluey Beginner
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Re: Lump on neck
Didn't know which one to grab so my husband grabbed these
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- Bluey Devotee
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Re: Lump on neck
irot9791 wrote:Didn't know which one to grab so my husband grabbed theseIMG_20180302_141619.jpg
Just be aware some "garden vegetables" while fine for humans and dogs to eat , are toxic to lizards .... prime examples are garlic ( definitely toxic to lizards ) , onion ( suspected toxicity to reptiles ). As are some offal meat minces (liver for instance , very high in vitA , can easily result in VitA toxicity / overdose.
If you insist on giving pet food or mince .... I wouldn't as it's really not appropriate or part of the diet of wild skinks in their natural range then IMO you are better off visiting the local butcher and buying lean pure turkey or chicken or lamb mince and boiling it and mixing with washed grated veg (carrot, sweet potato) and shredded greens or chopped frozen green beans and peas.
I follow this for skinks : https://www.completecritter.com/blue-tongue-skink.html
Of the tins shown , I'd only give the chicken or turkey versions to a skink , as the proteins and fats in the beef and lamb will be quite different. And I would not make canned pet food a staple protein source , only use it sparingly.
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Re: Lump on neck
It would be only once a week at most, I only got it because it was recommended above lol
- splashy07
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Re: Lump on neck
There would not be garlic or onion in dog food. Dogs don't like it either. Myself and every other breeder I know here in the states uses dog food with no issues. Most use the cheap stuff as they have 80+ lizards. These look like good choices to me. And as far as liver, BTs are known for their love of roadkill. I'm sure plenty of organ meat is consumed there. Of course you wouldn't want to provide that every day, or too much of any one thing for that matter.
- Taliats
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Re: Lump on neck
I feed my skink on a mix of Dog food and greens, fruit as snacks and the occasional dubia roach and I have no issues whatsoever.
A lot of sources say it is perfectly fine to feed them dog/cat food as long as it is high quality and has nothing that is toxic to them in it.
People say that you wouldn't find it in the wild while forgetting that they are not in the wild and can actually live longer in captivity if treated right, like most animals. (I know of a guy who has a 30 yr old skink fed on mostly dog food).
A lot of sources say it is perfectly fine to feed them dog/cat food as long as it is high quality and has nothing that is toxic to them in it.
People say that you wouldn't find it in the wild while forgetting that they are not in the wild and can actually live longer in captivity if treated right, like most animals. (I know of a guy who has a 30 yr old skink fed on mostly dog food).
- splashy07
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Re: Lump on neck
I agree one hundred percent. Blueys are opportunistic omnivores. If its there and they are hungry they'll eat it. I'm sure they don't stop and think as they stumble upon some roadkill ..... hmmm, I've had way too much protein this week.....
And like you said, this is not the wild here in the states. They're all long term captives.
And like you said, this is not the wild here in the states. They're all long term captives.
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Re: Lump on neck
Took her to the vet yesterday, only cost $423.56 They draines 3ml of fluid out to test and gave her Trimetha/Sulfa. Doc said her tank set up if fine even with the aspen, I just need a mister. Her diet is fine and I just needed to get some calcium powder. Now I have an angry Lizzy that doesn't want to take meds or eat because she is mad at us and really doesn't like the calcium powder, even turned down her favorite snails
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Re: Lump on neck
irot9791 wrote:Took her to the vet yesterday, only cost $423.56 They draines 3ml of fluid out to test and gave her Trimetha/Sulfa. Doc said her tank set up if fine even with the aspen, I just need a mister. Her diet is fine and I just needed to get some calcium powder. Now I have an angry Lizzy that doesn't want to take meds or eat because she is mad at us and really doesn't like the calcium powder, even turned down her favorite snails
I see , vet diagnosed an abscess ?
Maybe try her on some CALCIVET https://www.mypetwarehouse.com.au/vetaf ... gJwuvD_BwE, is a very sweet (pleasant) tasting calcium glutamate solution that you can give orally by syringe .... all my skinks have loved the stuff .... even lick the fingers dry when they get it by syringe.
Try giving the food a dab of raw unpasturised honey .... has health benefits (is a natural antibiotic) and will help if dabbed on the wound too and I've never met a lizard who didn't like the taste and smell of honey.
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