BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

I have a native keepers license and have a good knowledge of reptiles in general especially. Ive recently came across information that apparently feeding my Bluetongue "wild" snails, worms etc could give him parasites and could potentially be fatal.. I understand if I were to give him a poisoned snail it could make him ill and be potentionally fatal however the snails/worms are from MY garden which is 100% organic, pesticide, herbicide and bait free and I don't understand the logic behind the theory of snails/worms having parasites and being potentionally fatal.. If that's the case then how have lizards even survived in nature? Really mind boggled so if someone can debunk this one for me that'd be great.

I would think that would depend where they are collected from. But even if you don't use pesticides your neighbors may, and a poisoned bug could wander into your yard. Many wild animals will develop an immunity to such things eventually, but captive animals do not possess the same immunity as they are not exposed. I breed all my own feeder insects as I do not even trust pet shops and commercial suppliers. Commercial/store bought insects are often cannibalizing eachother and not kept as meticulously as I do. Personally, I would steer clear of feeding wild caught.

If in doubt , don't give them. That's the safest policy.

You can harvest the wild snails and keep them in an esky and feed them up for a week or two and give them a change to purge , perhaps even breed .... that might be safer.

Montanabluetongue23 wrote:I have a native keepers license and have a good knowledge of reptiles in general especially. Ive recently came across information that apparently feeding my Bluetongue "wild" snails, worms etc could give him parasites and could potentially be fatal.. I understand if I were to give him a poisoned snail it could make him ill and be potentionally fatal however the snails/worms are from MY garden which is 100% organic, pesticide, herbicide and bait free and I don't understand the logic behind the theory of snails/worms having parasites and being potentionally fatal.. If that's the case then how have lizards even survived in nature? Really mind boggled so if someone can debunk this one for me that'd be great.

Snails and slugs : Around 5% of common garden snails in and around Sydney contain larvae of the parasite Angiostrongylus cantonensis, commonly known as the rat lungworm. It is probably more common in Brisbane and is seen on the coast from far north Queensland down to Jervis Bay.

Highly unlikely. Go well, go shell. :-)