BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Posted: **Tue Aug 20, 2013 10:07 pm**

Hello
A few months ago my partner and I brought a baby Blue Tounge lizard. I've read online that we should be trimming her nails. How do we know when they are too long and how do we cut the, correctly?
Also was wondering if anyone has any opinions on what we should be laying in the bottom of her tank. She has a 4ft tank, we used to have red dessert sand as that's what the pet shop suggested when we brought her, but that kept getting stuck in her nose and she was licking it when eating and poking her Tounge out. Since then we put news paper down, but she can't dig and it doesn't feel 'natural' for her like its supposed to feel apparently. Any opinions or advice will be much appreciated. Thank you in advance

Posted: **Tue Aug 20, 2013 10:35 pm**

Hi and welcome!

Do you know what sort of blue tongue you have?

The are a variety of good substrates available, but I'd suggest coconut bark chips or condensed wood chips. Both are easy to clean and are good for burrowing. The wood chips absorb moisture well, so poops and wee are easy to spot clean. Sand is great for keeping nails short, but can get everywhere. Feeding off a piece of cloth or firm surface can prevent ingestion though and pllacing water dishes over a tile.

Providing something slightly abrasive for your skink to walk on, such as a piece of wood, a brick or brick tile, or even a small sheet of sandpaper, can help keep nails naturally trimmed. Cutting nails can be scary for first timers and it's worth having two people to do it, one to support your skink, one to do the trimming. It's is difficult to see where the quick, or blood supply, to the nail begins, so it is possible to accidentally cut and cause bleeding- the best thing initially would be to trim the smallest amount, to prevent the nail or toe from curling under. The quick will shrimp a little with subsequent trimmings, so you'll find it easier to be a little braver each time.

The main thing with nail cutting is the prevention of toes curling under, often the result of nails being too long and deforming the toes as they press to the floor. Keep an eye on the nails and as you see them grow and start to curl, it would be a good time for a first cut. Going to your vet is also helpful, as they can show you where and how and can take the jitters out of you as a new owner.

Posted: **Tue Aug 20, 2013 11:55 pm**

im guessing an eastern

red desert sand can be quite messy,its quite fine,i usuallu use washed playsand if im going to use sand,from bunnings,other wise i use sugar cane mulch or newspaper or fake grass carpet,i have a couple of enclosures so experiment a bit i guess

there maybe a section on nail clipping in this sites care sheet which explains and shows what to do and look for

welcome to the forum

Posted: **Wed Aug 21, 2013 3:02 am**

Thankyou for your help.
We did have a Tupperware lid down with food on it but with all the digging and stuff the sand ends up everywhere. I think she might be an eastern but I'm not sure, ill attach a photo of her for you to look at anyways. (Not actually sure if its a girl, just wishful thinking)

Posted: **Wed Aug 21, 2013 3:23 am**

yep definatly an eastern,she looks in great shape,very clean banding to,yep sands very labour intensive

Posted: **Wed Aug 21, 2013 3:31 am**

Very beautiful Eastern.

Posted: **Wed Aug 21, 2013 3:41 am**

She has a great colouration, really distinctive banding. What a beauty!

Posted: **Wed Aug 21, 2013 3:44 am**

She is beautiful. She won't stay still on the scales for long enough for me to weigh her but I think she's preety healthy. She eats a variety of food from, chicken, mince, lots of fruit and veggies like apple, carrot, strawberries, natural yoghurt and the occasional banana, meal worms - although she's generally too lazy to catch them live so we have to kill them prior. I can't wait to give her a snail when she gets a bit older. We've had her for about April - May this year and she has shed 4 times since then!
I'm a little worried about her nails, but if it comes to it I can always take her to a vet. Im not sure if you can tell if they're too long in this photo, but worth a shot.

Posted: **Wed Aug 21, 2013 4:01 am**

Ooh, she looks even more lovely in those pictures!

I'm glad she's eating well, but I'd stop the yoghurt, as they don't naturally have dairy in their diets, so any dairy is likely to upset them, or even make them sick. Your mix of veggies and fruits sounds good. For a growing youngster, about 50% meat, 40% veggies and greens and fruit as more of an occasional treat, than fed every meal. You can mix it up and have one meal just meat, as long as you provide veggies and greens with the other meals.

Posted: **Wed Aug 21, 2013 4:09 am**

Is she an Axanthic Eastern?

Posted: **Wed Aug 21, 2013 4:12 am**

Thank you

Oh really? I didn't know that, the pet shop said it was good for them every now and then! Thank you for letting me know!
Her favourite is chicken, eggs and banana! I love Zillys personality, although I'm always a little afraid he might bite me

Never been to fond of reptiles until my partner decided to get a snake and our blue Tounge!!
Do you know how much she should weigh and how long she should be? Or does this vary depending on diet and habitat?

Dakota, I'm actually not too sure. Sorry. Someone else posting on here might be able to tell you though! I'm still learning all about them

BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

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