BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

I know this is going to sound really stupid but I'm very curious about their teeth. I have not been able to see my bts's teeth yet. She just yawned right in front of me and I got a rare opportunity to really look into her mouth...didn't see them! I'm almost wondering if she even has them! But when she went to the vet 2 months ago, the vet did say he saw her teeth although they were tiny. She was only 220 grams then, she's around 7 months old and 400 grams now. Are the teeth developed by now? Are they more in the middle of their mouth and not behind the lips?
Yesterday, I offered her a piece of watermelon. What she likes to eat, she'll pig out on but her tastes are very limited. I wasn't even expecting her to eat the watermelon but I was giving some to my bearded dragon and just decided to offer it to her. She loved it and ate a few pieces from my finger, first time I ever offered her something by hand (only because I didn't have a dish for her close by and didn't want her to lose interest!). She's a very gentle eater, doesn't attack her food like my bearded does. But as gentle as she was, I was surprised what her mouth felt like as she scraped the watermelon off my finger. It felt like the ducks' beaks when I used to feed them bread at the park. When they bite, is it the teeth that hurt or do they rely on jaw pressure?

Those tiny little white round bumps is the teeth, they rely on jaw strength, it can hurt if they nip you with those jaws.

You would probably feel the teeth more if the pressure didn't make you think someone just slammed a car door on your finger!

Great shot, thank you!! Such cute little teeth! I was looking in the right place then, my bts's just must be super tiny. One time she found what I think was a potato chip crumb on the floor and started eating it. I tried to pry her mouth open to get it out but she was not going to open her mouth for me and I was afraid I'd hurt her. I guess I'll have to wait until I get lucky enough to catch her yawning again. I'm even more curious now than I was before...even though I should probably consider myself lucky not to know her teeth too well!

It's the jaw we get to know not the teeth so much, i did once get one of my bubs to bite me on purpose so i could feel it's strength, by that i don't mean i *ticked it off i put some food on finger tip and it tried to eat my finger, she was only a few months old at the time and she wasn't using her full force but boy did it pack a punch.

LOL oh gosh, you're silly! Well, I don't think I'm going to be that brave and look for a bite, no matter how curious I am! Already I can tell she's been looking at my fingers more, I guess she's hoping for more of that watermelon.

Here's some teeth on our little one at the time about 2 months old. Hope you can see enough, those ones up the back look pretty pointy!! (btw I took this pic when he was yawning so no I didn't prod him for a threat display - I'm too scared to harass him to much!)

Tiliqua scincoides chimaerea

Oh wow, that skull is cool to see!

Another great shot, those teeth were pointy! Did they stay that way when he grew up? That skull shot is amazing! Thank you all, I don't feel quite so clueless now!

It's also interesting to note that their teeth regenerate, much the way a shark's teeth do. While they only have one row of teeth, as they fall out, there's another one just under the gum waiting to take its place.

Angcious wrote:Another great shot, those teeth were pointy! Did they stay that way when he grew up?

Don't know yet! That was only a couple of months ago he is still only about 4 months old.

dsteamn wrote:It's also interesting to note that their teeth regenerate, much the way a shark's teeth do. While they only have one row of teeth, as they fall out, there's another one just under the gum waiting to take its place.

Are you sure about that?

I thought shark teeth were not directly attached to the maxilla or mandible but were rooted in the gum, hence the ability to be shed. Most squamata teeth are acrodont i.e. fused to the jaw but without a socket.

El Lobo wrote:

dsteamn wrote:It's also interesting to note that their teeth regenerate

Are you sure about that?
Most squamata teeth are acrodont i.e. fused to the jaw but without a socket.

Thank you. I've heard the claims before; I think this is yet another Facebook BTS page myth that someone says and then gets repeated over there... This is why I think this forum is so important as here we have experienced keepers, not only monitoring what is said, but also taking the time to explain.

Huh. Who knew my rants could be this short?!

I think I see 2 top teeth?

I am lucky that my BTS Toad has only tried to bite my thumb nails. lol He realized quickly that they were not food. Thank god too, because Toad is NOT picky about his food at all!