Repticarpet or Cypress mulch for new bluey?

[ewstokes]

I am getting a new blue tongue skink that is being surrendered to me. There is nothing wrong with him or her and it actually looks very healthy, this guy just knows and trusts me and knows it will get the care it deserves in our home. I plan on breeding him or her so the project is to find out the sex. I have read the caresheet and it says astro turf or I assume repticarpet works well with looking for the seminal plugs during the breeding season. Basically my question is this, do you think I should bother since this skink has not been brumated, ever? Should I give him or her the mulch or give the repticarpet a shot?

[Dakota]

If it is the same animal you just posted, it does not need to be brumated. They don't brumate in the wild. Mine start dropping them around October through February, check for them then. Just keep a look out for them raising their tails up like it is about to poo.

Unless you can find finely cut cypress mulch, I would avoid it until it is older, IMO. I put one of my juveniles on some cypress, and next day she has a huge gash on the inside of her toe. Could just be my bad luck, though.

I personally do not like the reptile carpet due to it often causing their nails/toes to grow under from the constant weight being applied. I think Fir bark is an amazing substrate. I have tried them all, from carefresh to Aspen to cypress to sand, etc. You can't go wrong with Fir bark. It is often labeled orchid bark at garden centers or Reptibark in pet stores.

[splashy07]

I like the reptibark too. My Merauke and Halmaheras do great on it, and it holds the humidity that they need. No sharp edges, either, that used to worry me with the cypress mulch. Thank you, Dakota, had no idea it was labeled orchid bark in garden centers! Safe to buy there? Not treated with anything? Never tried that route, but would certainly be less costly than anything labeled for the pet trade.

[Dakota]

There are generally two kinds of it: pine nuggets and fir. Just make sure it says fir on it. I always get the kind with just the bark, no vermiculite, pesticides, etc. It will say if it has it or doesn't have it. I can get a typical 2 cubic foot bag for $30 here. 2 cubic feet equals to 51 US quarts. For around $28 you can get a 24 quart bag of Reptibark, so for 2 cubic feet amount of Reptibark you will have to pay almost $60. At my local Lowes, they sell them $3.48 per 4 US quart bag, so they amounts to $52 for 2 cubic feet. Look online for local orchid supply retailers in your state, they usually have them for cheap.

[ewstokes]

If it is the same animal you just posted, it does not need to be brumated. They don't brumate in the wild. Mine start dropping them around October through February, check for them then. Just keep a look out for them raising their tails up like it is about to poo.

Unless you can find finely cut cypress mulch, I would avoid it until it is older, IMO. I put one of my juveniles on some cypress, and next day she has a huge gash on the inside of her toe. Could just be my bad luck, though.

I personally do not like the reptile carpet due to it often causing their nails/toes to grow under from the constant weight being applied. I think Fir bark is an amazing substrate. I have tried them all, from carefresh to Aspen to cypress to sand, etc. You can't go wrong with Fir bark. It is often labeled orchid bark at garden centers or Reptibark in pet stores.

So Should I just use paper towel until i sex him or her?

[Dakota]

No, I would put him on substrate of your choosing. When breeding season comes around, make sure you watch or have him out a day or two after feeding for him to poo. When they poo, the hemipenes will usually pop out and they will drop them. They are not hard to spot, so unless you seriously never watch your skink or monitor their poo, then you shouldn't need to house on paper towel.