Getting blue tongue skink any tips?

[Hellbeckons]

I'm going to get a blue tongue skink soon. Anyone want to critique my setup or give me any tips? I don't care if you are harsh.

Species Irian Jaya. have a 40-gallon breeder. I use shredded Aspen for the bedding about 5-6 inches deep. I am using a cave hide with two openings. I have a cat water bowl about 5 inches diameter. I also have a zoomed rock heater. For my lighting, I am using a 5.0 U.V.B. Repti-Sun and a 75-watt heat emitter. I am going to use Zoo-Med Reptivite for the vitamins and Zoo-Med Repti-Calcium with D3 for the calcium.

Thanks if you have any suggestions/tips tell me!

[EricaLikeBurrito]

DON'T USE THE HEAT ROCK! They can BURN your skink. I recommend an under-tank heating pad or a heat lamp. The aspen might make the tank too dry. They need around 40%-45% (check the belly scales, if they are dry they need more humidity). If you are going to use aspen shavings, I would add a humid hide so it gets the humidity it needs.

[Hellbeckons]

I hear this heat rock has an evenly distributed heat so there are no hot spots. What bedding should I use?

[EricaLikeBurrito]

It depends on the skink you are getting. If it needs high humidity, get bedding that retains humidity and doesn't mold/rot easily. If you are getting one that doesn't need high humidity, most bedding will do. For high humidity I would use cypress mulch since it retains moisture well and doesn't rot or get moldy. Top soil, coco-husk, and coco-fiber work just as well too. If you are getting a skink that doesn't need high humidity you can use aspen shavings, fir bark, or any of the substrates I said before. I, personally, use Repti bark by ZooMed which is made up of fir bark. I heard that some people use kritter crumble too, but I don't know how well it works.

[Hellbeckons]

I'm worried about impaction could that happen?

[EricaLikeBurrito]

Zoo Meds' Repti Bark is safe for consumption but I still wouldn't want my skink to eat it. If you use a feeding dish your skink will be fine. If you are really worried, watch and make sure it doesn't eat the substrate.

[Hellbeckons]

What about my heat rock is that ok cause it is evenly distributed and it does not feel too hot.

[EricaLikeBurrito]

I wouldn't recommend it but just keep a close eye on your skink. Make sure it doesn't get burned or keep it on a low setting if you can. If your skink is fine and doesn't get burned from it, then keep it.

[Hellbeckons]

Are my lighting and supplements ok?

[EricaLikeBurrito]

Your supplements are fine just don't over dose. It's hard to mess to lighting. You might need one with higher wattage. Just make sure your temperatures are right.

[kingofnobbys]

I hear this heat rock has an evenly distributed heat so there are no hot spots. What bedding should I use?

Don't buy a heatrock .... Period .... none of them are safe .... period.

CHE controlled by separate thermostat if chilly at night
Heatpad controlled by a separate thermostat if not so chilly at night
nice MVB or par38 incandescent or halogen globe for basking
26W UVB150 in reflector hood for non-tropical BTS , 26W UVB200 or T8 10-12% tube or T5HO 10-12% in reflector hood if tropical BTS

Bedding depends on it's species.

My advise = buy it as young as possible , less chance of it's long term health and it's life expectancy being compromised by poor care and bad diet by breeder / shop / prior owner.
BUY from a breeder NOT a shop.

[splashy07]

I'll keep it short...absolutely NO aspen and NO heat rock. Heat rocks often malfunction and overheat. Overhead basking lamp preferred. I have never ever used nighttime heating, the coolest my place gets in winter is about 65-67
at night. Aspen is too dry even for a Northern, as mine had shedding issues with it.

[Janella]

Completely agree 100% with Splashy07. No Aspen and no heat rock for sure!!! Over head heating absolutely. Good luck

[BD99]

Mate. NOTHING that puts heat on the belly. LOTS of risk there, to burn them. Excuse my foolish reference here but, you'd put a heatpack on your feet or stomach but would you put it on your genitals or exposed eyeball? Skinks take most of their heat from the sun, sometimes the rocks that have been heated yet I've noted wild ones actually prefer wood to rock. Their underbellies are a lot more sensitive, and heat mats/rocks can cause a lot of pain and discomfort.

I actually use all natural pet bedding, its marketed for reptiles. Its minerals that do not clump when wet, do not swell and are completely safe to ingest. It is not sharp at all so no risk of cuts/eye poking and the chunks are large enough that they won't poke up the nostril. ((I've seen some finer bark flakes poke my girl up the nose and she was NOT happy)). Also safe for composting too. Lots of people seem iffy on it, yet my vet recommended it and uses it for all his animals who are in prime health. My girls have not had a single issue with it, and love burying themselves and digging in it too.