Carpets

Everything Blue Tongues! Have a question? Just got a BTS and want to introduce yourself? This is the place!
Forum rules
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!
User avatar
Suzle87
Bluey Enthusiast
Bluey Enthusiast
Posts: 576
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2018 5:51 am
Country: UnitedKingdom
Location: Cheshire

Carpets

Postby Suzle87 » Mon Mar 05, 2018 2:59 am

Another day, Another question from me :doh:
I'm just wondering, when I let my skink out for a bit of an explore of my room will he be okay on the carpet?
Obviously it won't be for a long period of time and the carpet is hoovered regularly, but I just wanted to check that it wont dry out his belly, irritate him, damage claws, or be carrying any germs that he needs to avoid.
Also what do you guys use to block off any little gaps (under bed etc)?
Sorry for my constant questions, as you can tell I am just desperate to get this right for him.
thanks
User avatar
Suzle87
Bluey Enthusiast
Bluey Enthusiast
Posts: 576
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2018 5:51 am
Country: UnitedKingdom
Location: Cheshire

Re: Carpets

Postby Suzle87 » Mon Mar 05, 2018 5:40 am

Additional question... Just bought some dog food as an emergency back up food if Im ever running low, but it contains 'cassava extract' is this okay for bts?
Thankyou :thumbs:
kingofnobbys
Bluey Devotee
Bluey Devotee
Posts: 1229
Joined: Tue Apr 04, 2017 2:17 am
Country: australia
Location: NSW

Re: Carpets

Postby kingofnobbys » Mon Mar 05, 2018 6:06 am

Yep , not a problem, my gang get free range time most days and our home is carpeted.
User avatar
Suzle87
Bluey Enthusiast
Bluey Enthusiast
Posts: 576
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2018 5:51 am
Country: UnitedKingdom
Location: Cheshire

Re: Carpets

Postby Suzle87 » Mon Mar 05, 2018 8:50 am

Thanks for that Kingofnobbys , that's good to know. do you ever feed yours dog food? if so what brand ? thankyou
User avatar
kayla990
Bluey Follower
Bluey Follower
Posts: 369
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2016 11:19 pm
Country:
Location: Netherlands

Re: Carpets

Postby kayla990 » Mon Mar 05, 2018 8:57 am

Seconding kingofnobbys' - shouldn't be a problem!

Though thought I'd also mention a few things with this - different carpets (or blankets) have different types of weaving. Fleece seems pretty easy for them to walk over, but they may catch their claws on a more loose throw/blanket with loops (for example, the typical type of throw used for a bed or couch). Again it shouldn't be a problem, just something to be aware of in case a claw is semi stuck when trying to pick them up :D

And since you're from Europe too (knowing it's so cold currently!) just something to be aware of for free roaming time or handling - make sure the room you'll be taking them into will be warm. It's easy to forget that they rely on the ambient room temperature, and things like glass tables or wooden furniture can be quite cool to the touch :)

Goodluck for the pickup tomorrow! Depending how far you travel, could be worth trying to get a 'reptile heat pack' (a small pack that gives decent heat for up to 40 hours), or maybe a warm hotwater bottle placed under a carrier.
- Hons. Degree Animal Management -4 years volunteer in a Zoo -10 years volunteer in animal shelters -Enclosure enthusiast
User avatar
Suzle87
Bluey Enthusiast
Bluey Enthusiast
Posts: 576
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2018 5:51 am
Country: UnitedKingdom
Location: Cheshire

Re: Carpets

Postby Suzle87 » Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:08 am

kayla990 wrote:Seconding kingofnobbys' - shouldn't be a problem!

Though thought I'd also mention a few things with this - different carpets (or blankets) have different types of weaving. Fleece seems pretty easy for them to walk over, but they may catch their claws on a more loose throw/blanket with loops (for example, the typical type of throw used for a bed or couch). Again it shouldn't be a problem, just something to be aware of in case a claw is semi stuck when trying to pick them up :D

And since you're from Europe too (knowing it's so cold currently!) just something to be aware of for free roaming time or handling - make sure the room you'll be taking them into will be warm. It's easy to forget that they rely on the ambient room temperature, and things like glass tables or wooden furniture can be quite cool to the touch :)

Goodluck for the pickup tomorrow! Depending how far you travel, could be worth trying to get a 'reptile heat pack' (a small pack that gives decent heat for up to 40 hours), or maybe a warm hotwater bottle placed under a carrier.


Thanks for all the brilliant advice there!! My plan was to heat up some microwaveable wheat bags to pack around the carrier while in transit ( thankyou for reminding me as i still need to find where the heck I put them!), its only about a 25 minute journey so i'm hoping if I half bake myself with the heating on and have the wheat bags he should be cosey enough.
I'll also have a quick look over my room tonight and check if there are any loose throws or blankets for me to keep an eye on him on.
thankyou again, you guys are an awesome help!
User avatar
kayla990
Bluey Follower
Bluey Follower
Posts: 369
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2016 11:19 pm
Country:
Location: Netherlands

Re: Carpets

Postby kayla990 » Mon Mar 05, 2018 2:19 pm

Suzle87 wrote:its only about a 25 minute journey so i'm hoping if I half bake myself with the heating on and have the wheat bags he should be cosey enough


Perfect! Goodluck finding the wheat bags :D That's such a perfect description with the heating - made me laugh as it's all too familiar!
- Hons. Degree Animal Management -4 years volunteer in a Zoo -10 years volunteer in animal shelters -Enclosure enthusiast
kingofnobbys
Bluey Devotee
Bluey Devotee
Posts: 1229
Joined: Tue Apr 04, 2017 2:17 am
Country: australia
Location: NSW

Re: Carpets

Postby kingofnobbys » Tue Mar 06, 2018 3:08 am

Suzle87 wrote:Thanks for that Kingofnobbys , that's good to know. do you ever feed yours dog food? if so what brand ? thankyou
no - never .

In the wild (in the bush) they don't have access to dog food , so I don't offer it to any of pet skinks , nor to I leave any out for the local wild skinks either , don't want them getting a taste for the rubbish , that said I've seen some of local urban wild skinks raiding neighbours' cat and dog dishes for the sloppy stuff , soft and even hard pellets left for their cats and dogs. (Skinks are opportunistic feeders and soon cotton onto easy (if risky) sources of food if there every day for the taking , this doesn't mean its good for them to eat it - if they avoid being seen and attacked by the cat or dog the food is meant for).

Only non- insect protein I give occasionally is
>> raw chicken eggs
>> soft and hard boiled eggs
>> boiled lean chicken mince'
>> occasionally raw fish ( by accident if I drop a bit of thawed bait and skink sees it , it soon gets disappeared by the local resident / wild bluetongue or a water skink )
>> raw prawns (see above).
User avatar
Suzle87
Bluey Enthusiast
Bluey Enthusiast
Posts: 576
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2018 5:51 am
Country: UnitedKingdom
Location: Cheshire

Re: Carpets

Postby Suzle87 » Tue Mar 06, 2018 4:09 am

kingofnobbys wrote:
Suzle87 wrote:Thanks for that Kingofnobbys , that's good to know. do you ever feed yours dog food? if so what brand ? thankyou
no - never .

In the wild (in the bush) they don't have access to dog food , so I don't offer it to any of pet skinks , nor to I leave any out for the local wild skinks either , don't want them getting a taste for the rubbish , that said I've seen some of local urban wild skinks raiding neighbours' cat and dog dishes for the sloppy stuff , soft and even hard pellets left for their cats and dogs. (Skinks are opportunistic feeders and soon cotton onto easy (if risky) sources of food if there every day for the taking , this doesn't mean its good for them to eat it - if they avoid being seen and attacked by the cat or dog the food is meant for).

Only non- insect protein I give occasionally is
>> raw chicken eggs
>> soft and hard boiled eggs
>> boiled lean chicken mince'
>> occasionally raw fish ( by accident if I drop a bit of thawed bait and skink sees it , it soon gets disappeared by the local resident / wild bluetongue or a water skink )
>> raw prawns (see above).


Thanks for the pointers, I am aiming to avoid feeding dog food but just thought I should always have something for emergencies (I don't quite know what emergency I could possibly have that means Id have no access to food but as I think you can probaby gather...I do worry!! :lol: )
kingofnobbys
Bluey Devotee
Bluey Devotee
Posts: 1229
Joined: Tue Apr 04, 2017 2:17 am
Country: australia
Location: NSW

Re: Carpets

Postby kingofnobbys » Tue Mar 06, 2018 4:47 am

Suzle87 wrote:
kingofnobbys wrote:
Suzle87 wrote:Thanks for that Kingofnobbys , that's good to know. do you ever feed yours dog food? if so what brand ? thankyou
no - never .

In the wild (in the bush) they don't have access to dog food , so I don't offer it to any of pet skinks , nor to I leave any out for the local wild skinks either , don't want them getting a taste for the rubbish , that said I've seen some of local urban wild skinks raiding neighbours' cat and dog dishes for the sloppy stuff , soft and even hard pellets left for their cats and dogs. (Skinks are opportunistic feeders and soon cotton onto easy (if risky) sources of food if there every day for the taking , this doesn't mean its good for them to eat it - if they avoid being seen and attacked by the cat or dog the food is meant for).

Only non- insect protein I give occasionally is
>> raw chicken eggs
>> soft and hard boiled eggs
>> boiled lean chicken mince'
>> occasionally raw fish ( by accident if I drop a bit of thawed bait and skink sees it , it soon gets disappeared by the local resident / wild bluetongue or a water skink )
>> raw prawns (see above).


Thanks for the pointers, I am aiming to avoid feeding dog food but just thought I should always have something for emergencies (I don't quite know what emergency I could possibly have that means Id have no access to food but as I think you can probaby gather...I do worry!! :lol: )


if you offer raw chicken egg to a bluetongue , do it in a place where it wont matter if it makes a mess .... raw chicken egg yoke and whites all over the place when they crack open the shell .... my easterns love their occasional raw chicken egg , I give it them in a clam shaped toddlers pool for obvious reasons ..... They don't leave much of the shell behind , it's crunched up with the runny stuff.
They love the special garden snails I buy for them as treats from a local farmer who cultivates snails for the restraunts (so I know they are paracite and poison free, be care with wild ones from the garden esp if you have garden proud neighbours and neighbours who keep cats and dogs (snails have a taste for cat and dog poo - very bad for paracites).

The other favourates are big juicy silkworms (they each get one big one per day , or 2 or 3 medium ones each , my beardies used to love the silkworms but have lost interest in them lately (too much of a good thing ??? still eat them , but have to hand feed them now (inbetween the much more desireable criclets) , and crunchy meaty superworms ( these are treats).
I cultivate my own silkworms year round , only have to either buy mulberry leaves or silkworm chow. Though last year I blanched a few hundred leaves and froze them for the off season , worked very well , but not real flash to feed newly hatched silkworms .... leaves too hard for them).
User avatar
Suzle87
Bluey Enthusiast
Bluey Enthusiast
Posts: 576
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2018 5:51 am
Country: UnitedKingdom
Location: Cheshire

Re: Carpets

Postby Suzle87 » Tue Mar 06, 2018 8:35 am

kayla990 wrote:
Suzle87 wrote:its only about a 25 minute journey so i'm hoping if I half bake myself with the heating on and have the wheat bags he should be cosey enough


Perfect! Goodluck finding the wheat bags :D That's such a perfect description with the heating - made me laugh as it's all too familiar!

After me getting us extremely lost we are both now safely home.
No hissing, and seems to be liking his new home, he’s looking around plenty.
Thanks everyone for all the help so far

Return to “General Discussion and FAQ”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 40 guests