First time BTS owner, I have some questions !

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Ghost_Ryder
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First time BTS owner, I have some questions !

Postby Ghost_Ryder » Sun Aug 11, 2013 7:01 pm

I've wanted a BlueTongueSkink the past year and finally got one from a reptile shop in my area, its been only two days and I am in love and already obsessed ! :lovestruck:

This is Iago ( sex unknown but I really liked the name ) he is about 16 inches. I made poor/responsible choices when getting him because I was on a mission to have one and that is part of the reason I'm making this post... to ask a few questions and see if I am on the right track, the other reason being none of my friends and family are excited( not fond of the scales) so I figured y'all would understand all my feels of excitement haha.
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First off I don't know what type of Blue tongue skink he is or if he was captive or wild caught I assume wild though but he is super tame and loves to cuddle in my hair :)
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Right now I am feeding him boiled chicken, mangoes, carrots( he really loves the carrots), blueberries and Brussels sprouts all diced together in a salad. He eats healthier than I do lol.
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I have him bedded in Aspen shavings and under that the floor is tile. Ill attach pictures but I did have the cage where he had a ramp made out of this cloth and plastic and a tile under his basking lamp but I moved some stuff around and removed the ramp and put in this rock cave thing with a hide and left his tile that he can still climb on using the rocks that form steps.
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Any answers, questions comments and concerns are really appreciated, I want to have the best environment I can for my little skinkity <3
Thanks Kristina :ohyes:
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Seadation
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Re: First time BTS owner, I have some questions !

Postby Seadation » Sun Aug 11, 2013 7:21 pm

Looks like your on the right track. Nice setup you have there.Congrats!
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Re: First time BTS owner, I have some questions !

Postby Jeff » Sun Aug 11, 2013 7:29 pm

Very nice looking merauke (Tiliqua gigas evanescens). Welcome to the forum!
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Re: First time BTS owner, I have some questions !

Postby Toria Dawn » Sun Aug 11, 2013 8:07 pm

Georgeous Merauke! Tank looks awesome. Take a look at the food chart to if you want to vary his diet a bit but still keep him healthy.
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Ghost_Ryder
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Re: First time BTS owner, I have some questions !

Postby Ghost_Ryder » Sun Aug 11, 2013 8:11 pm

Thanks, time to learn up about that !
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Re: First time BTS owner, I have some questions !

Postby Lea » Mon Aug 12, 2013 1:40 am

Welcome! Looks like he has a great space there!

Because the tank is not covered, I would be very wary of him being able to climb over the edge, near to where the basking area is. They are master climbers, surprisingly and although not arboreal, will endeavour to escape, given the opportunity. You could cover the area above the basking spot, or better still, cover the entire area, to prevent sneaky escapes. If you have a dog or cat in the house, you must must cover the tank!

And I also have a skink who loves carrots! :D She will lick all the other food out of the way and just eat carrots, so I have to watch to make sure the crafty girl gets good nutrition.

It's also a good thing to supplement with calcium and vitamin D. UVB globes are great for supplementing UVB, but don't provide enough UV to ensure your skink produces the vitamin D it needs to utilise calcium from the gut.
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Re: First time BTS owner, I have some questions !

Postby bluetonguerocks » Mon Aug 12, 2013 2:04 am

great setup! and stunning merauke too congrats!
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Re: First time BTS owner, I have some questions !

Postby StaceyLeigh » Mon Aug 12, 2013 8:35 am

Welcome, beautiful Merauke, looks like you are off to a great start with your new pet. Read over the care sheet on here (if you haven't already) it is an awesome resource!
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Re: First time BTS owner, I have some questions !

Postby Dakota » Mon Aug 12, 2013 11:37 am

Yes, Merauke.. and definitely a male... you can tell by the 2nd photo.. his hemipenal bulge.
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Re: First time BTS owner, I have some questions !

Postby bluetonguerocks » Mon Aug 12, 2013 11:53 am

wow Dakota nice observation! :thumbs:
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Re: First time BTS owner, I have some questions !

Postby Dakota » Mon Aug 12, 2013 4:50 pm

Well.. maybe not definitely.. since a photo can warp things sometimes, or just a bad angle.. but I would be 99% that is a male.. until he drops a plug or breeds to a female. :)
"The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man." — Charles Darwin

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