BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Hello!

I am receiving a northern baby bts this week and was just wondering if there is a difference between feeding them inside or outside of the enclosure. We want ours to be as friendly and as easily able to be handled as possible. Would feeding inside or outside have any effect on the bts?

Thank you!

Hi and congrats on your soon to be arrival.

I know there are different thoughts on this for snakes, but for BTS it is usual to feed in the enclosure and you can offer treats in and outside of the enclosure to help build trust.

Most important thing to start is to make sure you have the temps set up right. Have a warm basking end of about 95-100 Fahrenheit during the day with a gradual temp decrease to a cool end of around mid 70s. They need to have this basking temp so they can get their body temp high enough to digest their food so they won't eat well if this is not right.

For the main food, follow this Diet Chart. A good way I find is to put the food in the enclosure around mid morning or before you leave for work/school (you can put the food bowl up the cool end on a tile or something so it's not too messy) and take out the bowl and any leftover food on the afternoon. That way they can come out to eat when their body temp is right, and if BTS is young and new probably when you are not looking Also check out this thread on Feeding your BTS. Leave a small but heavy water bowl in there constantly, this is also where the ceramic tile helps, as before I kept the water bowl on a tile I had problems with mould under the bowl on the substrate and substrate in the bowl.

In the first few weeks it will likely need some time to settle in so it would be a good idea to give it a week or 2 to get used to his new home before you handle, but walk around the enclosure a bit so he can get used to you there. You can try offering by hand small pieces of treats (melon, berries, mushroom) to try and get him to learn that you are not a threat. When it comes to handling, try short periods of 10-15 minutes at first and make sure you Pick him up safely. Again, treats.

I hope this helps. This is all just suggestions though. Once you bring him home you can see what he does in the first few days or weeks to get a feel for what he's like. If he's curious, you might speed it up. If he hides all the time, he might need more time. Just don't dig him out from his hidey hole though.

Sorry, I didn't mean to go on so much!! Please post some pics when you get him. Please!

This is all excellent info!
Thank you for taking the time to help out. Much appreciated. I think I've spent many hours of research on this site already and it's a major help. Now time to put it all in action.

Will post pics soon
Thanks again!

I would add to it saying that if you feed them outside of the enclosure it could cause issues with them become dependent on it and refusing to eat inside of it, which could be an issue if you ever had to go on holidays or away for awhile whilst somebody looked after them.

Yes, that makes sense. Thank you!

That's all great info! But don't ever offer your skink mushrooms, it can actually make them very very sick. Along with avacodos and any type of seafood. Good luck with your bluey!

Mushrooms are fine to feed as long as they are commercial and sold for human consumption, and not ones you've picked yourself --unless you are very experienced with identifying them.

Onion, rhubarb and avocado are on the never feed list. Mushrooms are good. Safest to avoid seafood.

More great info. Thank you all so much!
I make my own food blends of nutritious veggies/squash and organic dog food. Following the diet guide on here. Fruits and insects as snacks when he lets me hold him.
He is 2 months old now. I take him out twice a day as he waits for me and looks up almost waiting for me to come get him. Each time I've picked him up he's very willing and ready. I never reach into a hide for him.
So far everything is good. Regular eating (a fatso! but I don't want him overeating either), regular pooping all from the start. From what I've read on here very normal behavior so far...
What an awesome guy! I can easily see and agree why they are so lovable.
Along with all the info everyone posts on here they are almost too easy and quite low maintenance. Exciting!