jmhg11 wrote:1. can i feed my blue tongue a stable diet of dog food while giving it fresh veggies and meats every few meals and also occasionally giving treats? 2. do i need a uvb light or any kind of heat light? (i need a under tank heater right?) thanks these are just the questions i had trouble finding (also what kind of vitamin supplements do i need)
I re read this and thought I could add.
Just to clarify, the dog food is given as a staple largely for the meat component of the meal, in other words if you decide to use dog food as a staple you don't need to add any other meats. You would only feed other meats on days that you don't feed dog food. By meat here I am talking about red meats and the occasional poultry. It is best to choose dog foods that include variety of red meats as frequent feeders, chicken etc should probably be less frequent.
You could however offer insects and snails for a different protein.
And yes, occasionally give treats too and once you get your BTS you can use these treats as a way to build trust with your bluey and get it to learn that you can bring good things.
Yummy fruits are a winner - berries, mango, etc, banana is a very occasional one.
In terms of supplements, go for a calcium+d3 powder to dust/mix in with feedings once a week or so. This probably combats the problems with relying on uvb for calcium development. The main problem you are trying to prevent is MBD (metabolic bone disease) and this can easily be prevented with the right diet (as above) and the powder supplement. UVB is debated with some experienced keepers saying it's not necessary as the powder supplement and good diet will be more effective and others saying it is needed. I tend to leave these kind of decisions up to those very experienced keepers who can decide for themselves, while us newbies might provide it anyway as there is no harm done by doing so.
And for the heat light/under tank, as Nick said you can choose either, but you won't need both. You choose which to use (most of us use heat globes for basking) that will give you the temperature you need for basking at the warm end - about 30-35 celcius under the heat (eg on a basking rock or tile) with nothing at the other end so that you get a temperature gradient down to a cool end of around 20-25 celcius. This will provide enough options for the skink to regulate body temperature.
Hope you are getting the answers you need. Don't be shy about asking more as they come to you. And PLEASE remember to update us and post some pics of your enclosure and especially you bluey when you get one. We love pics.
(i dont know if this helps but i live in Canada, British columbia)
and am interested to know if I can toss some of our kale in with their food too).