BTS confirmation of identity?

[Crazyanimallady]

Hey! I don't know how to start this off, this is my first post. Anyway, I've wanted a skink since I was 7 (ten years now) and I finally got one, off of craigslist, so I'm not exactly sure how accurate the information I got from her was. She gave me the most beat up setup with him so I'm just a little bit uneasy about her knowledge, especially being the 2nd owner. She said he was an Indonesian, can any of y'all confirm/provide the subspecies?? This is the best photo I have right now as I just got him home last night.

[Crazyanimallady]

I know it said to edit the post instead of commenting in the rules, but I just. I'm committed to this animal. I need to know if it needs a higher humidity. It wasn't showing physical signs of sickness when I got it besides the occasional wheeze and the fact that it clicks when it breathes. She kept it unreasonably dry. If it has the beginning of a respiratory infection, I want to be able to solve the humidity NOW. Currently I'm just spraying the enclosure with purified water and hoping for the best, I want to know the subspecies so I can provide it the best care possible.

[Janella]

By the looks of it, it looks like a Merauke. The do require a higher humidity. What sort of substrate do you have it on? You also can provide a humid hide to help. This forum has tons of information and care sheets to help. How old is it? Good luck with your new BTS. They are amazing lizards

[Crazyanimallady]

By the looks of it, it looks like a Merauke. The do require a higher humidity. What sort of substrate do you have it on? You also can provide a humid hide to help. This forum has tons of information and care sheets to help. How old is it? Good luck with your new BTS. They are amazing lizards

That subspecies identification terrifies me as a beginner to skinks (not reptiles entirely but skinks) but I thank you for it anyway. It's anywhere from 3-5 years, the girl who gave it to me had gotten it from a friend who didn't want it so it's been through 2 people before me. My only solace about that is its pretty friendly, but god does the breathing freak me out.

[Crazyanimallady]

I would like to clarify before someone says something this was not an impulse buy- I have wanted one for over half my life and knew I was taking a risk both buying an Indo and buying off craigslist, I have had to work during almost every expo around and didn't feel comfortable having a living thing shipped to me in the mail. My mistake lay in that i expected someone with such an expensive/uncommon animal (in my area) to know how to take care of it. Can you recommend a thread that talks about how to maintain a proper humidity/ what products it will require? By "beat up setup" I mean parts of the plastic around the enclosures sides are melted from the industrial freaking lamp she used as a heat lamp, which also has the enclosure dry as dust.

[Scincus]

You have an Indonesian (Tiliqua gigas gigas). Here is a subspecies-specific caresheet that may help: viewtopic.php?f=72&t=29524

[Crazyanimallady]

You have an Indonesian (Tiliqua gigas gigas). Here is a subspecies-specific caresheet that may help: viewtopic.php?f=72&t=29524

You don't need any other pictures for that? (He also just finished shedding just in case that means anything)

[Scincus]

I would like to clarify before someone says something this was not an impulse buy- I have wanted one for over half my life and knew I was taking a risk both buying an Indo and buying off craigslist, I have had to work during almost every expo around and didn't feel comfortable having a living thing shipped to me in the mail. My mistake lay in that i expected someone with such an expensive/uncommon animal (in my area) to know how to take care of it. Can you recommend a thread that talks about how to maintain a proper humidity/ what products it will require? By "beat up setup" I mean parts of the plastic around the enclosures sides are melted from the industrial freaking lamp she used as a heat lamp, which also has the enclosure dry as dust.

From my experience, the best way to keep up humidity is to make sure the enclosure is "sealed" for the most part. If it's in a tank with a screen lid, you'll want to cover most of the lid with something to keep in the humidity (some people use plexiglass, foil, etc). Then a substrate that helps with humidity is also good. Some substrates that could help are soil (without additives), coco fibre, cypress mulch, sphagnum moss, and peat moss. Occasionally spraying the enclosure can also help keep up humidity.

[Scincus]

You have an Indonesian (Tiliqua gigas gigas). Here is a subspecies-specific caresheet that may help: viewtopic.php?f=72&t=29524

You don't need any other pictures for that? (He also just finished shedding just in case that means anything)

I'm fairly confident, but hopefully someone else with experience will help confirm. Either way, both Indos and Meraukes need high humidity around 60-70%, so your husbandry will be about the same.

[Crazyanimallady]

Okay, so I've made terrariums for the past 6 years, and I took what knowledge I have there and tried to make him a decent vivarium? It's at 80% humidity, 90f on one side and 80f on the other now. Full of moss and coco fiber to help retain the humidity, springtails to eat the mold such a humid environment could produce, and cork bark because for tarantulas I always heard that was a good hide for humid/tropical species, so I figured that carried over. He loves it, his breathing seems to have cleared up overnight. (Again, he had been making a wet clicking sound with every breath and the occasional wheeze (apparently that was "normal" and "fine" according to the previous owner") and now it seems to be diminishing.) I switched to a glass lid with a towel over it because it has a gap, but I accidentally cracked it while changing everything so I might switch back to mesh and just sew fabric over the mesh part. Thank you guys for your help, I hope I'm not fucking anything up too badly.

[Edward]

That setup looks pretty darn good.