Some advice needed

[Linnea]

okay, so someones selling two skinks which they call blueys, i clearly recognize one of them, but the second looks like a king skink to me......?

theyre fed mice only and live together, on sand, without uv and nutrients, with a heating mat.............( said in the swedish text )

so i dont think it can get any worse, no matter where they will end up. If you look at the pics some toes seem to be missing on the bluey.

the price is 1300 sek which would be about 130 euro, so its so cheap i believe im dreaming, but would this actually be worth it or may i en up with two reptiles in a too bad shape?

also, if someone could id them id be very very happy!

http://www.blocket.se/lund/Blatunge_ski ... m?ca=23_10

[Fatal_S]

They're both blue tongues, but the one dark indo is just coated in shed That poor skink, must be so itchy. They both look like gigas types for sure, probably Indos, but you'd need better pictures once they're in better shape to be sure.

Neither is terribly skinny, which is a good sign. They're probably going to need some TLC at the least (the dark one is going to need help getting any shed off if he hasn't already). Overall though, not terrible from the pictures, and since it's a person and not a store, if you do get them, chances are the owner won't just go buy more.

[reaperreptiles]

not an expert here but could it possibly be a kei island?

[Katrina]

Just be prepared for vet bills. If you pay full price you aren't "rescuing" them, you are purchasing them. And vet bills can get expensive.

No way to tell for sure from pictures if they are in good health or not. Like Mel said - not super skinny, so that is good.

[Linnea]

thanks for the answers, i have mailed the owner and asked for some extra information, especially regarding the unshed one.

I'll see what i can do. Its actually the first non northern i see for sale in Sweden, so im kinda hoping ill get them cheaper and get them to a good vet.

I'd probably also need a new terrarium to separate them, yes?

This is kinda like a rescue( but im paying for it...), so more than quarantine period and careful feeding, what should i think of?

[Roheryn]

A fecal exam, is the least I think. But I suppose it would be better to have them both seen by a vet specialized in reptiles. If they are clear from internal parasites and the first has his shed done, I think they don't look too bad.

[Linnea]

ill get the fecal exam done then if i decide to buy them.

we dont have specialized vets for reptiles here in the area, sadly. All vets either help cats, dogs or rodents, or work on the countryside with cows etc. But i dont think theyre incapable of doing a brief examination of a rather nicely behaving lizard : )

I was wondering, those parasites, are they very usual even in Europe for a BTS to have?

How much should such an exam cost and how long woul it take?

whats TLC?

[Nae]

While Im not sure on the other questions, TLC means Tender Loving Care~

[Scotts1au]

Or Thin Layer Chromotography,Thermochromic Liquid Crystal,Tomatoes, Lettuce, and Cheese this could go on for a while

[Linnea]

Or Thin Layer Chromotography,Thermochromic Liquid Crystal,Tomatoes, Lettuce, and Cheese this could go on for a while

hahaha, yeah, i thought about the last one for a while but ruled it out lol....and while googling it there was something like "Taxi and Limousine Commission".

Thank you Nae, now i understand : )

[Linnea]

I got a quick answer from the owner.

It was indeed a indo, and he doesnt know what the other one is since he hasnt been able to get the shed off it ever. *facepalm*

The properly shed one lost all toes on one of its feet when it was very young but other than that its in "good" shape. And i may also only buy both together.....still seems like a good purchase to me. For once a swedish reptile owner is able to spell neatly in an e mail!*overjoyed*

I know they manage well without a few toes, but will it need some special care when its assumanble it will be limping on one foot?

oh, and he said both are female, though i dont trust that entirely. But it would certainly be nice to keep two female BTS too.

And the first one is like a random giftbox. Once its cleaned up you never know what species it might be....But you guessed its also a gigas, right?

They are so adorable in any case.

[Fatal_S]

It will not limp. A skink missing toes generally can't climb as well, and may need extra watching when it sheds, but other than that they're pretty normal. If the foot/remaining toes are swollen, there may be infection, but I'd say it's probably not going to be a problem.

The one with shed on it is definitely a gigas-type IMO, and because of the shed it will need extra attention once it settles in (don't try to rush recovery, it's taken a long time to get so bad, it'll take a while to get back to normal). I would expect it to lose some toes, and once recovered to have a dramatic attitude change.

I would not keep them together, even if they have been together for years. If you're going to keep them together, make sure to have a very big tank with lots of places to escape to and hide, plus multiple basking/drinking/sleeping areas.

I would start with two quarantine tanks, with no substrate. The one with shed could probably benefit from a humid hide and a water dish big enough to actually soak in. The three big things to look for with a new skink are weight loss (try to get a weight as soon as you get them, then let them settle in), mites/parasites, and respiratory problems (bubbles in nose/eyes, wheezing, sneezing).