New BTS:)

[IchliebeTiere]

I actually joined this forum awhile ago trying to find a bts for sale and I finally found one!:) But it's from Backwater Reptiles... SHe came in a cloth bag with a wire frame on the inside to keep the bag from like collapsing in on her. She came with a small cut on the side of her mouth (picture below)

Idk if their a boy or girl but my BTS's name is Azarath and i think she's 4 months old? Could someone maybe guess? I cant get her to eat anything except hard boiled eggs:/


I haven't had her for that long, maybe a week or two but im not sure. She's an Irian Jaya and if you have any pointers that would be amazing!:)


below are some pictures of her and our cage setup:)

[xxmonitorlizardxx]

That's a Merauke.
That looks like mouth rot instead of a cut. I would recommend you take her to a vet.

[Bird_Brain]

That looks like mouth rot instead of a cut.

So helpful... Edit: apparently ML decided to add more to his post.

Welcome to the forum! Cute little merauke. As far as age goes, IMO, it's hard to tell with reptile as diet and frequency of diet will effect the skink size. The "cut" on its mouth has me a bit concerned due to the redness. That would typically indicate infection. I'd recommend you seek out veterinary help and contact the seller and inform them of the issue. Once it is diagnosed by vet, relay the information to the seller. I'm not sure what their guarantee is, but they may help with vet bills, but don't expect it. I would never put metal inside the bag when I ship an animal. To me that sounds like a hazard plus when they feel the bag around them, I'd assume it would make them feel more secure and less stressed.

Good luck and let us know if you have any other questions.

[IchliebeTiere]

How can you tell its a merauke? WHen we bought her they said she was an Irian jaya...
The cut isn't as red as it is in the picture, it looks more like a scab

[Bird_Brain]

How can you tell its a merauke? WHen we bought her they said she was an Irian jaya...

From working with the blue tongues for 6+ years just read up and look at pictures of both species. Mel (fatal_s) had a good write up on how to tell the difference. Ill try to find it, but think its in the FAQ section.

Edit: yes it was located in the FAQ section. viewtopic.php?f=24&t=20330

[IchliebeTiere]

thank you! i think you're right; it fits more of the classifications for the meruake

[IchliebeTiere]

Now I'm really concerned. I researched the place the best I could. They been around awhile, their FB comments all look good, paypal has had no complaints against them. Called their local BBB, no complaints there either... About a year ago I bought a chinese water dragon and it had an abcess on it's jaw. After a very expensive vet bill and numerous trips to the vet it passed away. I really don't want me or this lizard to go thru that

[Fatal_S]

It's definitely Merauke, and a very pretty one, but it's also wild-caught (WC) and is going to need extra TLC to become a healthy pet. You purchased from an importer/wholesaler - at the very leasty that tends to mean you need to account for a vet visit, fecal check, and deworming.

Your skink is very skinny (most likely cause is internal parasites, thus fecal check and dewormer are needed). While you're at the vet you can ask about the mouth and have the vet check for mites and respiratory infections, both common in WC skinks.

It has the mouth issue, but IMO that's secondary. Sometimes mine get food and gunk caught under the lip, and it gets crusty. When I see this I just pick the crustie away (sometimes it will bleed) and keep the mouth dry and clean. It can take a few sheds to go back to normal. However if the inside of the mouth looks odd, then I get to a vet. I've had a skink who's face literally started rotting because of mouth rot XP It's not a pleasant experience.

[IchliebeTiere]

this is what she came in

[kenn]

Your skink is very skinny (most likely cause is internal parasites, thus fecal check and dewormer are needed). While you're at the vet you can ask about the mouth and have the vet check for mites and respiratory infections, both common in WC skinks.

It has the mouth issue, but IMO that's secondary.

Indeed.
Goodluck with your new pet

[Bluish]

It could also be skinny because the reptile dealer had it in stock for a few months and hadn't been feeding it.
A lot of these wild caughts haven't had a good meal in a LONG time. I've seen captive bred Northerns in a pet store that were just as skinny as that.
A few good meal will probably fix your guy right up but a vet check is a good idea.

[donkeybuff]

Also, I noticed that you are using aspen. For now, changing the substrate to paper towels would be better to keep the infected area clean, but you may want to think about a substrate like cypress mulch for the future. Meraukes need higher humidity than Australian skinks, and aspen tends to be too dry. Low humidity can cause dry scales and shed problems. Good Luck

[xxmonitorlizardxx]

Meraukes need higher humidity than Australian skinks, and aspen tends to be too dry. Low humidity can cause dry scales and shed problems. Good Luck

They don't need it. Plenty of people keep their Meraukes on aspen without problems.

[Katrina]

Fatal and ReptileKing have great advice.

I wouldn't stress too much about some of the other suggestions. Many people keep them on aspen and at the same humidity as Northerns, so I'd only switch if you see problems such as toe issues or shedding issues. If the bluey does fine on aspen, stick with it - it's a great substrate. This will completely depend on your climate so it's impossible for us to say what substrate will work best in your home! Many skinks have similar mouth issues, but you should get the little one checked by a vet and dewormed so get them to check out the cut while you're there. They can see inside the mouth and determine if it is cause for concern or something that will likely heal on its own. Good luck!

It's very common to see mislabeled young T. gigas BTS that are skinny like that - importers rarely know the exact subspecies and most of the WC or captive born (but NOT captive bred) blueys have parasites. It's good that you did your research but, for future, the best way to avoid this is to wait until baby season and get a captive born and bred bluey from a reputable breeder. Don't stress though - this one isn't in horrible shape and you're looking for advice and doing everything right, so things will turn out fine. It's a very nice looking little Merauke.

[Spindown]

Always check the FaunaClassifieds BOI. They are a HUGE resource when looking at breeders or importers...the BBB wont have as good as an idea. Beautiful Merauke though.
Never trust a petstore or importer to know what you are buying...or even some reptile dealers...I got my "new form" merauke at an expo, and she was labeled as a "Giant Indonesian" LOL (I knew better at the time...)