Which species is my BTS?

[VaranusAcanthurus]

Hello everyone, i bought my first BTS couple days ago. I bought him as a CBB Tiliqua sp. Irian jaya. Im not too shure, but i think he isn't 100% irian jaya. He looks a bit like a Tiliqua scincoides, or at least a Hybrid between both. Can someone tell what species he really is?

Of course i informed me enough about the care requirements bevor buying the Skink.

Thanks for the responses.

[Janella]

Northern

[VaranusAcanthurus]

Hello, thank you for the answer. Are you shure this is an northern? Im sceptical because australian BTS are very rare in my area... How did you identify it?

[Janella]

I just identifed it by the looks of the skink. If you look up Northern Skink images on this forum or online, it looks just like it. Also I have a Northern and it looks just like mine. Last experience.

[Cherbear]

That guy is definitely not a northern. IJs are naturally variable, but this one does look unusual to me.. possibly an intergrade or hybrid. Do you have photos of the parents out of curiosity?

[Janella]

It is either a Northern or a Northern/IJ cross

[VaranusAcanthurus]

Hello everyone
Sadly i dont have any photos of the parents, but if saw the father of the blue tongues. He probably was an Indonesian BTS, probably really an Irian Jaya....It could be that the mother was a northern, but i didn't saw her...But are you shurr already that my BTS isn't a true Irian Jaya?

Another question, he hides all the time and runs away as soon as i get in the room. Is that normal for a new BTS? Will it get better with time?

Thanks for the responses

[kingofnobbys]

He's likely been wild caught and trafficked …. so he's learnt to fear people ….. give him lots of treats and be patient with him. He'll learn to trust you in small steps and will eventually calm down and tame up and will eventually decide he trusts you.

[VaranusAcanthurus]

Hello
Thanks for the response. Im 100% shure that hes cbb. Should i take him out sometimes? Perhaps he calms down with frequent handling?

[VaranusAcanthurus]

Hello
Thanks for the response. Im 100% shure that hes cbb. Should i take him out sometimes? Perhaps he calms down with frequent handling?

[xxmonitorlizardxx]

Definitely not a Northern.
Without a doubt has IJ influence. Most likely a pure Irian Jaya or possibly an Irian Jaya cross.

[Janella]

xxmonitorlizard, I am wondering if you could message me why this one is an IJ for learning purposes. I feel bad that I thought it was a northern or a northern cross with IJ. I am by no means an expert...i truly feel awful I made such a mistake. I really would love to learn the differences. Thank you.

[jdheff1982]

Another vote against Northern. The head shape alone is not typical of the Northern species. Plus, the coloration is different. I can't say what it is, but can say yours is definitely not a Northern.

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[VaranusAcanthurus]

Okay, then im guessing mine is just a hybrid. It doesn't really matter for me, i won't breed with him.

Hes now 4 months old and about 12" long, is that really the normal growth of a BTS? That's insane...

[kayla990]

Hes now 4 months old and about 12" long, is that really the normal growth of a BTS? That's insane...

Sounds about right for comparison, ours was around 15" at 5 months old. So you still may see a growth spurt soon. Pretty guy! Agree there is Irian Jaya blood line there, as I believe they are the only Indonesian species without speckled legs.

[splashy07]

Mine from my litter this year (and previous years) were 8-12" at three months. (Northerns). IJs can reach the same size as Northerns so this is not odd. I've seen IJs with and without front leg markings, making them sometimes confused with Easterns from the QLD/Brisbane locale. On this side of the planet Easterns of that (or any, for that matter) locale are seldom seen. This one could be hybridized northern x IJ, or even possibly Northern x Merauke, or, just plain old IJ. I say the jury is still out on this one. Doesn't matter so long as you don't plan on breeding.

[VaranusAcanthurus]

Hello everyone

Okay, thanks for the answers.