BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Hi all!

I know some of you feed cat or dog food sometimes.
Is it wet or dry cat/dog food? Is cat oder dog food better?
What ingridients should it have, which not? (I read Taurin is not that good for a BTS)

I know, questions over questions.
I´m from Austria, there are not that much bluetongue skinks so I need to pick up all the information from the internet.
I read about high quality/premium cat/dog food all the time and when I have the luck to read some brand names, they are from the US, which aren´t sold here in Europe, especially in Austria.
I don´t want to harm my BTS when I feed dog/cat food from time to time, but therefore I need to know which one I have to buy.
Maybe some of you could write a few sentences to help me


Thank you very much for your help!!






I added a picture of my little fella, got him last week.

Hi and welcome. Many people feed dog food not just sometimes but as a staple (ie always) with some extra veggies mixed in plus a couple of bits of fruit.

Most people here use dog food but some use cat food. The issue with taurine which is found in cat food is not that we know it's BAD it's just that we don't know whether it is bad or not. So many avoid it for this reason.

As a general rule, choose a dog food that has red meats in it (beef, kidney, lamb, etc) and doesn't have much filler - it shouldn't have high amounts of grains or potato or stuff like that in it. Poultry is OK every now and then for variety but don't rely on it. Avoid anything with seafood, onion or garlic.

Read the Frequently asked questions where there are a few threads on feeding your BTS and grain vs grain free dog food. Also read through threads on the forum and use the search box to find relevant threads. Here are some.

alichamp wrote:Dog food recommendation

Moistened dry dog food

Dog food or cat food?

Dogfood.

Meet Spooky

Grain vs grain free

What is your favorite dog food brand?

What types of dog food do you guys use?

Feeding dog food to your bts

And supplement food with a good calcium + d3 powder.

Hi!

Just read the label and if it says high protein, grain free, red meat dog food then it should be fine. Not sure what they have in Austria, but I use Blue Buffalo Red Meat Dinner. I'm still a beginner, but this stuff has been working well for me. Also don't forget to mix in some greens and veggies! Good luck!

No problem Austrianbts, questions are good!
Our amazing moderator alichamp took some time to research and dig up some threads that may be of help to you, and I do think you will have a better understanding of our recommendations when you have read the threads she linked for you.
I just wanted to clarify a few things:

Austrianbts wrote:I read about high quality/premium cat/dog food and when I have the luck to read some brand names, they are from the US, which aren´t sold here in Europe,

The cat or dog food does not have to be high quality/premium. We try to stick to the foods that have the most of the best ingredients, and sometimes those end up being the "better", more expensive cans, but not always --read the list of ingredients carefully and note where, in the order on the list, the good stuff are located. Many keepers in Australia have fed Pedigree from grocery stores for decades. I know of people feeding very cheap, dry cat food. All skinks are healthy and producing healthy babies.

Austrianbts wrote:I don´t want to harm my BTS

We understand that and appreciate you want the best for your skink, but really, any dog food you feed as long as you avoid these three ingredients:
onions
rhubarb
avocado
is going to be perfectly fine. You are free to boil some ground beef, or chicken, and add it to the dog food if you feel it lacks protein; chop up some vegetables, maybe add a bit of greens to it. Add a pinch of calcium w/D3 and/or multivitamin, and you're all set.
Dog food is a great base to add ingredients to, and it's a great staple to feed at every meal, even just plain.
So,

Austrianbts wrote:I need to know which one I have to buy.

There is no one you have to buy. You find one you think is good, make it better if you feel it needs it, but don't stick with any one for too long; variation in flavors, meats, and brands is a good thing --it ensures a better-rounded diet. Always vary what you add to it too, but keep in mind the recommendations on the food chart (on things like goitrogens etc). But this is only MY opinion. Read what others suggest.

Feel free to form your own opinion on things like Taurine, wet or dry, dog or cat, seafood and chicken, made-from-scratch, grain or no, and so on. Because, here's the thing: there is no one way. There are many ways. Chose what works for you and do it to the best of your ability. When you learn new information, change with it. Adapt. For the benefit of your skink(s).

Austrianbts wrote:I added a picture of my little fella, got him last week.

And what a sweet little Irian Jaya! <3 However much reading you have to do, it'll all be worth it, for him and for you both.