BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Hi Guys,
We have had our first Bluey home now for a a month. Skittles is going great. However we seem to have a little issue with heating.

The current ambient temperature is 24 degrees celsius. But once the basking bulb comes on it raises the basking end to 36 but it also raises the cooler end to the high 20's and on a hot day just about 30. Currently I am using a 60w spot light bulb from the hardware store. But I have also tried a exo terra 60w repti-glo bulb with the same problem.

I should also mention that his tank size is 100cm long by 53cm wide by 48cm high. The basking bulb sits about 40cm from the basking rock.

We find that skittles is spending most of his time buried under the substrate. I'm sure this is because it is cooler.

I would like to know if someone can recommend a bulb that won't raise the ambient temperature too much, or have an idea that will fix our problem.

Thanks.

Is your enclosure open topped or enclosed,eg fishtank or melamine type box with small vents and sliding glass front

Enclosed cages often heat up inside,open topped allow air exchange and usually keep background temps around the ambient outside of cage temp

Im not sure on your cage set up,but couple of options are go down to a 40 watt spotlight ,might not raise back ground temps as much or more importantly,more ventilation so it doesnt hold heat in

In hot weather i just turn lights off in more enclosed cages,more so when ambients get around the 30 degree mark,i prefer them to have big temp gradients so they can escape heat,especially more sub tropical/temperate types,easterns and blotchies which do like to get away from heat

Hiding in cool areas avoiding heat is a tell tale sign of a lizard wanting more cool,though can be a shy lizard to,but yeah,good to give them the option to cool off if they desire,one plus of big temp gradients is you can watch them,they tell you what they want,if down cool end alot probably to hot,if constantly basking probably needs more basking spot warmth

Options are great,if mother nature allows it of course,i aim to offer more heat than they need at one end,and less warmth than usual at cooler end,i find its the most forgiving way to keep them by offering choices,only they know what temps they want at certain times

Hi Melissa,

In his weather that we are having, I am just using 35 watt 12 volt halogen lights, and the bulbs are of 60 degrees in spread.

http://www.bunnings.com.au/nelson-gimbl ... t_p4390400

When it gets cooler I change change over to 50 watt globes. If you remove the glass lens from the bulb, they emit some UVB as a bonus.

And on the very hot days( we haven't had any for a couple of weeks now ) I do the same as Richard, I just turn everything off.

Give us call if you like, you still have my number?

Yes I do, thank you. I just didn't know if I would be bothering you or not. I will stop off into bunnings today, and get some of those bulbs. Thanks heaps for all your help

Richard, I have an enclosed setup, that has ventilation down the cool end.

Skittles is doing really well though, has had 2 sheds since we have had him. Growing well, have dropped him back to feeding every 3 days, as I noticed he wasn't eating all his food (approx. 1 tablespoon of the woombaroo, roo can, reptical & vege mix) so now he eats it all Added some blueberries, apple and egg yolk to the last batch, which he seems to really enjoy.

He is showing his personality now too, and on two occasions has climbed onto my hand. Falls asleep regularly on my daughter, so she is happy

Thanks guys

This is his tank Richard

There is wire mesh ventilation in the diamond on the back wall and about 3 inches all the way along the front.

I have had the heat source turned off since yesterday morning, and have noticed him out a lot more, so I guess common sense does prevail. Lol glad to know I thought I was right.

Thanks again for your help.

Will source a 30w glob to fit the current fitting today. It's just a common eddison screw mount (I think that's what you call it lol)

Yeah a more enclosed cage,easy for heat to build up,though you do have a decent amount of ventilation across top front which should help heat to escape,dont be shy of shutting lights off in earm weather,which is consistant at this time of year up there

When i lived in brisbane i had water and eastern beardeds loose in a spare room as it was so hot,just put logs up to the windows,one window got morning sun,other got afternoon sun,no aircon so you can picture how warm it got,lol

Thanks Richard.

I have left the heat off since yesterday and seen so much of him. It's lovely. He is so funny to watch.

I bought today what I though was perfect a 30w bulb but wasn't until I got home I realised was a LED one, so won't emit much heat, but put it in anyway to monitor. So far has risen the basking end by 1 degree but hasn't affected the cool end at all, so I guess that's fine for summer. Will deal with winter when it comes lol. I also bought 45w incandescent bulbs so might try them when the temps drop.

Thanks guys for help is once again greatly appreciated.

RoryBreaker I'll have to post a new photo of Skittles for you to see. He/She has grown so much about 25cm I reckon now.

@RoryBreaker

Oh and he isn't 25cm at a guess he is 31cm



I love the colour his belly is going, its like Kimberleys Pink Tummy, well that's at a novices gauge lol.

He is a lovely Skink, doesn't mind being handled, and even falls asleep on us at 3 months old.

Can't wait to find out it Skittles is a she or a he.

What do you reckon RoryBreaker? Dare to give an early guess????

Im leaning male

Its growing pretty quick,looking good to

Your eastern is so beautiful! I love the clean lines going down his back. I want him!

MELUCHJA wrote:@RoryBreaker

Oh and he isn't 25cm at a guess he is 31cm

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I love the colour his belly is going, its like Kimberleys Pink Tummy, well that's at a novices gauge lol.

He is a lovely Skink, doesn't mind being handled, and even falls asleep on us at 3 months old.

Can't wait to find out it Skittles is a she or a he.

What do you reckon RoryBreaker? Dare to give an early guess????

Yeah, looking male-ish, still early days though.

The rest of the litter are gone, a mate relieved me of them, but I did keep one. Here are some updated pictures of it.




It was an ugly duckling, only since its last slough did it start showing the colour.

I like the O on its back. Is it fairly common for easterns to have bands that form circles like that? I recall seeing a baby with the number 88 on its back as well.

donkeybuff wrote:I like the O on its back. Is it fairly common for easterns to have bands that form circles like that? I recall seeing a baby with the number 88 on its back as well.

I've never really bothered to notice whether bands form circles etc.. They can vary a lot from the common "standard" banding (within litters and within the wild population).

Thats a really nice looking eastern

He is so awesome, thanks again for letting us buy one of our babies.

The one you kept. I'm guessing looks more female than Male. It seems to have a more narrower head than Skittles, is that your thinking?

I'm keeping an eye out for sperm plugs from skittles. Nothing yet, but like you said early days. But i'm leaning towards male too. Big head, big growth.