Page 1 of 8

Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:01 am
by gehtan
Hey, im new to this site and I was wondering if there is a growth chart for blueys out there. :)
I have a bluey just 3 months old and he or she is 12.3 inches long. Is this good? :D
What to feed your blueys in order for them to grow bigger?

Just wanna ask. :D thanks guys.

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:28 am
by Logancrook
There is no growth chart out there for blueys and even if there was it couldn't be accurate. Each bluey grows at a different pace and different lengths. Yes there is an average length but that doesn't mean your bluey has to be that length. It's just like for humans, there is an average but heights still vary by a lot! I'm sure your bluey is fine but what kind is she/he (Merauke, northern, centralian, etc.) ?

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:50 am
by Logancrook
As far as feeding him to grow bigger, I'd just feed him a good diet and let him grow himself! Trust me, he will. There is a food chart that you can use to make sure you are feeding him good. http://bluetongueskinks.net/foodchart.html just let nature take its course.

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 5:29 am
by gehtan
Thank you for replying this forum is such a good help to me. :DD
Well I feed him/her chicken liver or heart dipped in hot water for 30 seconds, cerelac, and super worms. I put moringa if mom has some in my bluey's food for extra nutrition.. I just cant find any of those greens listed in my country. :/ I hope moringa helps. I have calcium with D vitamins too. :D My bluey wont eat Dubias.. :/

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Tue Jul 23, 2013 10:40 pm
by gehtan
What is the specie of ur skink? i think yours and mine is the same :)

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 4:59 am
by Lea
gehtan wrote:Thank you for replying this forum is such a good help to me. :DD
Well I feed him/her chicken liver or heart dipped in hot water for 30 seconds, cerelac, and super worms. I put moringa if mom has some in my bluey's food for extra nutrition.. I just cant find any of those greens listed in my country. :/ I hope moringa helps. I have calcium with D vitamins too. :D My bluey wont eat Dubias.. :/



Moringa is an excellent calcium source, but contains moderate oxalates also. Do you use the fresh leaves? It's probably best as an occasional vegetable. Don't use the powder, as although the calcium source is excellent, the oxalate content will be more than ten times that of the fresh leaves.

Can you find bok choy, choy sum, pak choy, gai lan or kangkong? All these are good greens. As with most greens, they do contain oxalates so it's important to include them as part of a healthy, varied and balanced diet. Chicken livers are a good protein, also and I'd introduce worms as an occasional treat, not with every meal.

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 12:49 am
by gehtan
Thanks for saying and suggesting these great food source we have a lot of kang kong here and squash too , Im using the fresh leaves of the moringa. :D He loves super worms, I want to let Bloo, my skink, silkworms and nightcrawlers, but i cant find any of these here. :( I heard of crickets having less nutrition, but Bloo just wont eat Dubias. :(
What does oxalates do? Thank you :)

Image

Image

Image

I wanna know if Bloo is a she or a he. :)

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 1:07 am
by Dakota
Cute Halmahera Island! I can't wait for mine to get this big. :)

Some show hemipenal bulges at this size, some don't. Noting that he is a chubster, also.. it would be almost impossible to see.

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 1:12 am
by Dakota

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 2:58 am
by gehtan
Bloo is just, uhm.. 12.5 inches. Going to 13. :D
He aint that big.. I wonder what is its species? Irian Jaya or Indonesian?
I feed him CERELAC with Calcium and D vitamins also. :) I think its good for Bloo.

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 3:00 am
by gehtan
Yeah, Bloo is a voracious eater. hahaha
My skink eats with me during lunch time or breakfast before I go to school. :)

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 3:06 am
by Dakota
He is a Halmahera Island Blue-Tongued Skink - T. g. gigas. It is a pretty recently imported locale of the Indonsian. I would suspect them to be their own sub-species of the Indonesian soon, but hey.. look at the IJ.. :lol:

There is not a lot known about this "locale" of Indonesian, but I have seen them super fat and long. Looks like yours is well on his way of getting there.

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 3:10 am
by Dakota
It is not on the identification page, but here are some characteristics to look for in them:
Completely black stripe down neck.
Black banding, some can have a little specks of brown in between black banding.
Black belly with little white/red spots.
Excessive black webbing in between head-scales.
Front feet are completely black.
Back feet are almost completely black.

LOADS OF LOADS OF LOADS OF LOADS OF BLACK. :lol:

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 3:13 am
by Dakota
People of Indonesia and surrounding countries are giving them the fancy name "Caramel Blue-Tongued Skink", but I would stick with Halmahera Island Blue-Tongued Skink.

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 3:19 am
by gehtan
Its my first time to hear the Halmahera Island Blue Tongue Skink. I really dont know anything about them. Thank you for letting me know this wonderful information. :) It really feels good to finally know what species my BTS is. Great thanks bro! :D

*brofist*
Image

Thank you for the information bro. :)
How big do they get? :O

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 3:26 am
by Dakota
I'm not completely sure, but the last adult I seen was 23". They are a lot bigger than the mainland Indonesian. Probably about the size of the Merauke. which is anywhere from 22" to 27" as a rough estimate. Meraukes are the longest species of Blue-Tongued Skink, right above the Northern. Northern holds being the heaviest, though.

No problem. They are one of my favorite "species" or "locale" of the Indonesian. If it was me, I would classify them as a form of Merauke, they have more in common with them.. but I'm not over the classification, lol.

I wish there was more known about these guys. I have a roughed-up baby one named Maxx, so I can gather information from him, and the coming Halm's that I will receive.

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 3:34 am
by gehtan
Thank you bro. This is a great help for me. :) thank you. I wish I knew more.
I always wanted a BTS when I was young but i couldnt find any. Its just now when I found one and saved it for myself. :)
I mine could reach those lengths. It is so hard to take care of a small one. So many cats in this neighborhood.

How is Maxx? What length he is? Mine is just 3 months old. :) I got Bloo during May.

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 3:42 am
by Dakota
I don't have any lengths of him, sadly.. but I wouldn't say over 6". He weighs 22 grams, though. Got him about a week ago weighing 18.

3 months old, and that huge! :shock: Good job!

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 3:52 am
by gehtan
Bloo is going for his 4th Months this August. :)
Just measured Bloo and he is now 12.6 inches long. :D You'll get Maxx big too. :)
I dont know Bloo's weight because we dont have a weighing scale. hahaha Youll get Maxx big too. I cant call mine a he or a she because I dont know what gender Bloo is. hahaha

Re: Is there a good growth chart out there for BTS?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 3:58 am
by Dakota
Usually with Meraukes, they show hemipenal bulges most of the time, since they are very slender. Halm's are big AND fat, so more fatty build-up on the throat and tail, which makes them showing any sign of being male would be impossible.