Wood Shavings

[Kendall_fraser]

Hey,
So Yoshi was out wandering around today and I noticed he was eating some of the small peices of wood shavings. Is this normal? Seems like it's just going to lead to impaction? Any ideas on how to get him to stop?

[Katrina]

Eating them or a few got stuck on the side of his mouth? If the odd one gets ingested it won't be a problem.

[Kendall_fraser]

He was on his heat rock and there was a few wood shavings on the rock...he was licking them and it appeared he was trying to eat them.

[reaperreptiles]

Do you feed him on a plate or dish? I feed my skinks on a plate and somtimes some of there food will get knocked onto the wood shavings and I miss it when I remove the plate. I will later see some of them licking and somtimes trying to get the food off the wood shavings. Somtimes when I feed cat food the juice will run off the plate and get absorbed by the wood shavings, this always gets my female excited and she will attempt to eat the wood shavings until she realizes what it is. I wouldnt worry about it too much unless you see him actually eating it as if it were food.

[WeatherMan_Tom]

My guy will crawl in his food dish knocking some of his bark in his food. He usually gets some in his mouth but I noticed he spits it out. I wouldn't know how to help to get Yoshi to stop eating his bedding if he is eating it. Sorry.

[Kendall_fraser]

I never thought of the idea that some of his wood shavings might have food remnants on it. I'll assume it's that for now but keep watching closely.

[Lea]

Be wary of wood shavings, as they can be dusty and are a great habitat for mite eggs to lay low in transit before they get to your blue tongue's cage. They can also be a problem for the delicate eyes, so not the best for burrowing in. Try wood chips, which are larger and too chewy to be too palatable and less likely to be swallowed incidentally, although it still happens! Coconut husks are often made into chips and can be bought quite easily, although tend to be more expensive. On the plus side, they take less cleaning, since it's easy to spot clean and therefore won't need changing so frequently. I think the cost equates for that reason.

You mentioned a heat rock. Just a tip, they are not recommended for blue tongues, even though every pet shop will sell them for that reason and swear by them as a good heat source. Unfortunately, blue tongues are used to top-down heat sources, such as the sun and the main body of their heat receptors in the scales are on the top surface of their bodies and not underneath. They are regulated hormonally and these detectors thermoregulate the entire skink, detecting when it reaches an optimum temperature and, therefore, when it should move away from the heat source, to stop it overheating.

By heating the lizard underneath, by the time the thermoreceptors detect an optimum temperature, the underneath of the skink could already be too hot and at risk of burns. These burns can be severe and all measures should be taken to avoid them.

(Btw, this isn't a lecture, I just wanted to explain the bio-physiology of the skink, rather than just tell you not to use a heat rock without an explanation.)

[Nae]

Leabilby, Ive actually always wondered why it is that a bluey wont move off of a heat rock if it were burning it - they basically dont feel it and so dont realize, correct? And I presume this would apply to all reptiles, and would also explain how they are able to move over hot sand without hurting themselves.

Thanks for that =D

[Katrina]

Leabilby, Ive actually always wondered why it is that a bluey wont move off of a heat rock if it were burning it - they basically dont feel it and so dont realize, correct? And I presume this would apply to all reptiles, and would also explain how they are able to move over hot sand without hurting themselves.

Thanks for that =D

Great info Lea.

Nae - on the outside is thick, keratin scales - the outer scales don't have nerve receptors, so for them to realize pain or too hot (from the belly scales, without heat receptors) it needs to make it to the dermis. By that time some damage has been done.

That's why many reptiles will allow a heat pad that is overheating to burn it (not just blueys). It needs to burn through the outer layer of keratin before they feel the pain.

The majority of people prefer heat lamps and top-down heat for blueys, but heat pads or UTHs can be used. I wouldn't use heat rocks ever, they are notorious for overheating and not working properly. But UTHs or good quality heat mats can be used - just NEVER use them without some kind of dimmer or something to regulate the temperature.

[Kendall_fraser]

Just to clarify, I have a under tank heater. To help during the night, to keep half the tank slightly warmer. And a heat lamp on a 16 hour timer. The rock I mentioned (with a bad choice of words) is a 12'X6' peice of rock tile placed close to the heat lamp.

[Katrina]

Just to clarify, I have a under tank heater. To help during the night, to keep half the tank slightly warmer. And a heat lamp on a 16 hour timer. The rock I mentioned (with a bad choice of words) is a 12'X6' peice of rock tile placed close to the heat lamp.

Thanks for the clarification! That makes more sense.

I'd still be sure to use some sort of dimmer to prevent the UTH from overheating. But they are an efficient way to add a bit of night-time heat as long as they can't over heat. Are you sure it is necessary though? Most blueys don't need night time heat unless it is really cool in your house... What species do you have? What temperature is it overnight?

[Spindown]

i use dimmers on mine ever since i accidentally cooked one of my poor snakes
even if they are "good" quality heat pads that are "guaranteed" not to go over 95 degrees...well they can...and do. Dont find out the hard way O.o

[Kendall_fraser]

From what I've been told on here when I got him, He's a "new merauke." the warm side of his tank directly under the heat lamp hovers around 95 degrees. I've never tried to take the temperature under the substrate, but it doesn't feel as warm as the rock. He spends almost all of his time on that side of the tank.

What is the difference between wood chips and wood shavings?

[Kendall_fraser]

[Spindown]

awwwwwww so cute <3's

[Katrina]

From what I've been told on here when I got him, He's a "new merauke." the warm side of his tank directly under the heat lamp hovers around 95 degrees. I've never tried to take the temperature under the substrate, but it doesn't feel as warm as the rock. He spends almost all of his time on that side of the tank.

What is the difference between wood chips and wood shavings?

What does it get down to at night? Unless it is going below 65-70 F you shouldn't need any kind of night time heat.

Basking temp of 95 on the surface is perfect.

[Kendall_fraser]

Just got home from work and the thermometer that is sitting outside the tank, so basically my room temperature at 530am is 68....to warm for me but it appears this is fine for him? why does he love the warm side so much then? he has a hide on both sides and the substrate is the same depth so he can burrow on either side.

Also are the wood shavings I'm using acceptable? Aspen shavings I bought at the local pet store, curious about the size though.

[Katrina]

The room temp is fine for overnight, no need to use a heat pad. And the aspen as fine - might be a bit dry for a Merauke, but give it a couple sheds and see if you have any issues.