Tips for keeping blotchies

[Scotts1au]

I've created this thread to save cluttering other threads.

Let's see some Q&A.

[MattFab]

Diverse diet has been my main thing, they can be prone to vitamin A deficiency and make sure to substitute your diet with calcium a few times a week.

[NickBrahz]

Why am i so fat?
Ok so now for a couple proper questions.
All blue tongues shed around the same amount don't they?
Wheres a good place over here to get some of those 2D background things you stick on enclosures so your silly bluie stops trying to walk through a glass wall confused by some invisible forcefield.
And also some good places to get some decorations like plants and such that won't cost me a years worth of money just to make the enclosures look good.
Oh and i have sliding doors but they have no grooves or anything as handles so it gets really dirty and smudgy any suggestions for some sort of handle and where to get it, wondering if theres any good small kind of suction cup handles i can use

And look at you Mr Scott making mega threads first the photo one now this one, whats next :p

[MattFab]

Aquarium stores are best for those backgrounds, I have found aquarium safe plants are safe for reptile tanks as well, I usually get the exoterra jungle vines and tape them up against the back wall.

[Scotts1au]

Diverse diet has been my main thing, they can be prone to vitamin A deficiency and make sure to substitute your diet with calcium a few times a week.

Do have a reference for vitamin A being a particular problem with blotchies?

[MattFab]

I am doing rehab on a vic lowland blotchie for a family friend and this was specifically outlined by the vet due to him having decreased eating and a mucus type issue with his eyes. I have spoken to a few keepers and nobody has really got any reference for this specifically so my reference only comes directly from an extic pet specialist vet at Lort Smith Vet in North Melbourne on paper.

I work from home and have my animals in my studio so since I ca keep an eye on it all day he is currently in my care. I am thinking although this was outlined by the vet as a problem that occurs it might just be due to a poorly diverse diet as nobody else really has heard of it, I rang a few people and nobody else could confirm it

[El Lobo]

I also have not been aware of Vit A deficiency for blotchies but I've fed one young one with a high Vit A mixture as part of the diet. I make the mix for our Eclectus parrot, a species well documented to have high need for Vit A. The mix is butternut squash/pumpkin, carrot and kumera. This is steamed then mashed together and frozen in ice cube trays then thawed in the fridge overnight for use the next day. The blotchy showed a real enthusiasm for this and it was useful to bind together chopped greens.

[Richard.C]

i only feed wet dogfood,no supplements added,never suffered any vitamin issues,nor mbd

matt the blotchie could be suffering because of many reasons,eg it may not have been kept at a satisfactory temp,fed poorly,which is common,plus many others

one thing though to keep in mind is a mix of causes,eg add poorlu kept temps,poor diet/supplementation and unsanitary conditions and theres a recipe for disaster

often blames put on one area lacking,even by vets,as customers arent always telling the vet the whole truth,eg if vet asks how its being kept,customer will usually say in ideal conditions ,which leads to vet only being able to put it down to dietry intake ect

[MattFab]

Yep understood, I have a full setup at the moment, temp gradient, basking, etc etc giving him food every day and administering multivitamins so will keep you updated with this guys progress. Bu I have had my blotchy for years with no issues

[Richard.C]

yeah they are pretty hardy,hopefully with some tlc in your care he will come good

oh and dont be shy of posting pics of your blotchies,you can never post to many blotchie pics

[Scotts1au]

From my experience, for blotchies:
Best substrate for indoors - recycled paper pellets
Babies need s little help with shedding in a dry environment - soaking
Best kept with year round 24/7 heating as babies
Dog good with some added calcium powder is all to need to eat but they eat more constantly and better coloured with s varied diet they also eat more consistently

[MattFab]

With dog/cat food do you guys use kibble like dry food or canned wet dog food? I have read about people using both

[Richard.C]

i just use wet,but theres quite a few using dry dog and cat foods,some as a staple,some just leave it in cage in bowls for skinks to have a nibble between regular feedings,and some dont use any pet food based diet at all,lots of successful ways to do things

[alichamp]

Hi, thanks for this thread. I 've noticed that my baby blotchy has a funny marking on its left upper jaw. Instead of a usual black line down to its mouth the line splits off into two lines, see below.

Is this just a cute anomoly in markings or is it showing up something weird or worrying?

[NickBrahz]

Looks like thats just how he is Ali

[El Lobo]

I don't use a pet food based diet, so a couple of sample pics of the blotchy's meals.

Raw Kangaroo rump

IMG_0723R.jpg

Small portion using the Vit A mix

IMG_0954CR.jpg

Cooked chicken and they will eat vegetables

IMG_0424CR.jpg

[Richard.C]

great example of non petfood based diets and a healthy long term feeder on said diet el lobo

[Scotts1au]

Nice one, no such gor-met round ear, mate.

[MattFab]

I try to do the same thing although it doesnt end up quite as great as that, I am going to try substitute some dog food in and see how it goes.

[NickBrahz]

I would like to get better expensive foods for them like you Lobo but i only got 3 blue tongues so they don't eat a lot and the food doesn't last long so most of it would go to waste, and feezing veggies/fruit would get rid of most of the nutrients and whatnot right? any suggestions to make some more varied staples that last a decent while.
I regularly cook up chicken breast, steaks, lamb chops etc i guess i could put some of that aside when i do to give them some of that instead of dog food, i used to do that with mince.