He Ate the Fuzzy!

[Tattoo]

I feed the occasional fuzzy mice but never live ones. It's not safe for my skinks and the cruelty to the mice is not necessary. I understand that others do feed live mice and hey if they can sleep at night ... whatever blows your dress up.

[Brett]

Haha it wasnt directed at anyone in particular i just thought id throw my views into the mix.. But still the fact is we just dont Hear the insects squeel as its being eaten like you would a mouse (I know i'd be a little more reluctant if i knew a cricket was gonna squeel while being eaten). That and they are downed in one go.. Mind you im not argueing against it, Because i myself plan to feed him insects once he is a bit more energetic..I might be a little iffy on the mice though( ofcourse they will be pre killed) and also about the stress in captivity comparing rodents to bts isnt really a fair comparison because bts have been in captivity for maybe 20-30 years correct me if im wrong i didnt do the research... And Mice and Rats have been in captivity since atleast the 1800's so the stress levels would decrease from generation to generation as the natural instincts are bred out of the animals.. One day im sure captive baby bts wont even poke their tongues out.. Unless they are aggrivated of course.. But hey if i was aggrivated id stick my tongue out too and huff.. IMO i think captive bts get a better run at life.. Australia isnt the best place to live when you are juicy skink that doesnt go anywhere fast... Big reptiles big shark big Birds, Poisonous snakes, spiders and..Cane toads XD.. Youd be surprised how many shingle backs are upside down on foot paths after their insides have been eaten out by crows.. Never seen a western in the wild though dead or alive so their future aint looking so bright... WHAT IM off topic ...Never...

[Scotts1au]

WHAT IM off topic ...Never...

There's a topic?

[Brett]

Yes it WAS "He Ate the Fuzzy!" ,while im off topic how'd you get those 5 stars?

[Tattoo]

Yes it WAS "He Ate the Fuzzy!" ,while im off topic how'd you get those 5 stars?

Stars are granted to members for longevity and active helpful participation and support of the forum. Stars are usually considered after 1000 posts to members in good standing. Zach is the man with the stars.

[Brett]

1000 eh... Let the count down begin~!
cant say ill be any help to anyone at the moment though O.o...

(963 to go)

[Leigh]

So what IS the outcome of this 6 page debate, did the point get across or what????? My take on it is this, snails and bugs WOULD form the main stay of a wild bluey's diet, a mouse would only be on the menu if dead, ill, injured or genetically stupid enough to sit there long enough to get chomped, it ISN'T the best feeder to offer as snails ARE. The majority of vets are no better for your herps than a GP is for a human.

[Brett]

It was a war that could not be won!!! Too many oppinions ...
Is anyone feeding fully grown mice to a bluey though XD, Im sure in the wild IF a bluey came across a pinky he wouldnt hesitate to eat it.. Correct me if im wrong but pinkies dont go anywhere fast.. That and a wild bluey would be alot more violent to prey than a pet thats being hand fed regularly. But ill agree that snails are a better less dangerous choice for a bluey unless ofcourse it has teeth..or knives... dont forget that Pet shops fail! >_> they couldnt even tell me where a good reptile vet in perth was..

[Paradon]

Well, I stated my opinion. I'm not trying to force my opinion on anyone, but I thought I could be of help to some people who have been keeping herps not as long as I have.

[NomadOfTheHills]

Nomad, I don't want to open up a second front with you but its highly unlikely blueys "forage for, and devour, entire nests of young birds, rodents, and marsupials."

On the contrary, please do. This is a discussion forum. If everyone agrees, no one learns.

Blueys are not climbers (although trying telling that to mine) and as such don't have access to bird nests. Most of our ground nesting birds have become extinct thanks to feral cats.

This is recent. BTS evolved before the introduction of cats.


I not sure where this notion of Australia having rodent nests aplenty comes from. We are, in the main, a clean race. Marsupials by definition carry their young in pouches and don't have nests. There are 2 exceptions that I can find. They are the Numbat which carry their young on the outside attached to teats. The other is the Phascogales which has very limited distribution and nests its young in trees.

I realize this, but now rodents are plentiful. Besides, there are non-Australian skinks that certainly have access to rodent nests. I was assuming that there were some species who would raise young in a nest after they no longer fit in the marsupium. I need to look into this now.

I am a novice when it comes to blueys but I have been living in their environment all of my life. We are regularly visited by blotchies in the wild state and although we don't have most of the food sources described in care sheets they still choose to live and breed here. Many other Aussie members also have this experience.

I don't see how this is in favor of your argument.

[El Lobo]

Blueys are not climbers (although trying telling that to mine) and as such don't have access to bird nests. Most of our ground nesting birds have become extinct thanks to feral cats.

This is recent. BTS evolved before the introduction of cats.

Cats arrived in Australia with the first white settlement and I have no doubt that very little time passed before they went feral. What the BTS's evolution was prior to this settlement is purely supposition, or if knowledge, it is held by the indigenous inhabitants.

I'm not sure where this notion of Australia having rodent nests aplenty comes from. We are, in the main, a clean race. Marsupials by definition carry their young in pouches and don't have nests. There are 2 exceptions that I can find. They are the Numbat which carry their young on the outside attached to teats. The other is the Phascogales which has very limited distribution and nests its young in trees.

I realize this, but now rodents are plentiful. Besides, there are non-Australian skinks that certainly have access to rodent nests. I was assuming that there were some species who would raise young in a nest after they no longer fit in the marsupium. I need to look into this now.

I cannot comment on non-Australian species.
As an example, the kangaroo joey stays in the pouch until it is reasonably developed. It then ventures out for short periods under its mother's supervision. At this stage of growth it would be 10-20 times bigger than an adult BTS.

I am a novice when it comes to blueys but I have been living in their environment all of my life. We are regularly visited by blotchies in the wild state and although we don't have most of the food sources described in care sheets they still choose to live and breed here. Many other Aussie members also have this experience.

I don't see how this is in favor of your argument.

Which argument?

[NomadOfTheHills]

BTS had been evolving for millions of years prior to the emergence of cats.

Obviously I wasn't referring to kangaroos, more of the small marsupials. Again, this is just speculation.

As to which argument, I don't have the faintest clue, I've forgotten.