Just got my first ever BTS

[unaware]

Hey guys, I've always been fascinated by reptiles, and after doing plenty of research, I decided to get a BTS as my first ever reptile pet!

I got Mr Lizard (my missus insisted on the name ) from a guy who has had him for 6 years, and had to give him up because he was moving away. His previous owner reckons that Mr Lizard was 2 when he first got him, so that makes Mr Lizard about 8 years old now.

I don't think Mr Lizard's previous owner really treated him very well - there was no basking spot in the tank, and I was told he was fed every 2 weeks with bananas, lettuce, cat food and the occasional bug caught in the yard.

He's now in a 90cm by 45cm by 45cm terrarium with Kritters Crumble as a substrate, and has a raised tile basking spot and a nice long log hide. The basking spot is about 37 to 38 degrees Celsius, and the cool end is about 20 to 23. He has a large pot saucer as a water bowl, and a brick to help him get up to the top of the tile.

I've had him for about a week, and he's still pretty shy - he always dashes off into his hide when I come closer. Only once did I see him exploring his tank, and I even managed to get in some chin tickles as he stuck his head out of the tank!

I've tried leaving some food (wet dog food [BlackHawk grain free beef] mixed with chopped up rocket and carrots) but he isn't remotely interested in it. I've had him for about a week, and understand that it takes time for a BTS to get acclimatised to a new environment. I was wondering if I should be leaving any kind of food in his tank for him to graze on if he's hungry, or just offer food once a week until he starts eating.

Here's a picture of Mr Lizard in his tank, peeking out from under the raised tile .

tank1.jpg

[Janella]

Welcome to the forum and bless you for taking on Mr. lizard. Sounds like he had a rough past. That is never fun. If he is indeed 8, then he only needs to eat once to twice a week. If you haven't done so already please check out our feeding chart on this forum. The poor guy had a horrible diet before and definitely needs the right nutrition now. I would also just keep talking to him, offer food treats so he gets used to you as a friend. Good luck with your new friend. Remember we are here for you if you need anything.

[kingofnobbys]

Kudos to you for taking Mr. Lizard in and giving such a nice home .... I think this is your best guide for setting up his feeding schedule and diet : …. https://www.completecritter.com/blue-tongue-skink.html
- compare feeders : https://www.completecritter.com/feeder-insects.html , https://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/vi ... 4#p1807834 , https://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/vi ... 2#p1824542
- compare veg and fruits nutritional content : http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html
- edible flowers to offer Mr. Lizard : http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/factshe ... rs/9440422


I don't think it will take long for him to warm to you .... you can befriend him by getting some live snails and large silkworms to give as part of his diet , let them sit on your up turned hand where Mr Lizard can see and easily reach them , he'll soon accept the bribe and will soon see you as someone who is "the giver of good stuff" . Snails and silkworms can be a staple feeder if you can breed your own , woodies and crickets can be used as a staple protein source - MUCH BETTER THAN CAT OR DOG FOOD by a very long way - superworms are a good treat for a BTS.

You can leave some large silkworms on a bit of chow or a mulberry leaf (if you can access fresh mulberry leaves) , or some live snails , or some BSFL in a bug excape proof dish for him to visit and nibble from
This is the type of dish I leave my BSFL in https://mrpetsupplies.com/products/cera ... -dish-bowl

sources (for mailorder .... cheaper than buying from a petshop)

BSLF :
http://www.biosupplies.net.au/black-soldier-fly-larvae/
http://www.livefoods.com.au/live-insects/calci-worms

Silkworms :
http://www.biosupplies.net.au/silkworms/
http://www.livefoods.com.au/live-insects/Silkworms
http://www.aussiefaunasilkworms.com/
https://everythingsilkworms.com.au/
https://www.peacefulsilkworms.com.au/?page_id=374
I harvest the eggs and "farm" my own silkworms , I have to buy in fresh mulberry leaves (usually from GumTree sellers) in season and out of season when I run out of blanched&frozen leaves I make up worm food from commercial silkworm chow to keep my worms fed. Each female moth can lay 400 eggs. ( I mostly refrigerate my surplus eggs til I need to hatch them).

Snails :
http://www.martynsmealworms.com.au/garden_snails.asp
https://www.amazingamazon.com.au/live-g ... nails.html
I buy my snails from a snail farmer who breeds and cultivates them for human consumption (based in the Hunter Valley about 1 hr from my home) and buy the punnet .... these are larger and I give them to my two BTS as treats.

Crickets :
http://www.biosupplies.net.au/medium-1-25cm-crickets/
http://www.livefoods.com.au/live-insect ... qty-of-250
https://frogs.org.au/live-foods/product/large-crickets/

Woodies :
http://www.livefoods.com.au/live-insect ... ockroaches
https://frogs.org.au/live-foods/product/wood-cockroach/


You could also give him little outings (let him free range under supervision) in a lizard safe area of the house , all my dragons and BTs love it , and let him have time on the bed or lounge next to you , or squat on the carpet and let him explore near you.

Can you give us a rundown on the lights you have and distance UV source to the basking spot.

[unaware]

Wow kingofnobbys, thanks for the links! My local petshop sells 10 silkworms for $12, and its still way cheaper to get them online even with the shipping fees. I'd probably get a pack of BSFL and silkworms to tempt Mr Lizard with.

The snails seem to be OOS... I was thinking of getting a can of the Exo Terra snails to begin with - does anybody have any experience with them?

As for my lighting situation, I have a 100w Philips reflector globe (from Bunnings) in a dome reflector placed directly over the raised tile basking spot. The temperature hovers around 37 to 39c there.

Mr Lizard's previous owner also gave me a 45cm ReptileOne fluorescent tube reflector - I've since changed the tube to a UVB 10.0 light tube. This is placed just next to the dome reflector, so Mr Lizard can get some UVB while basking on his tile. His lights are on a timer, and turn on at 10am, and off at 10pm.

[kingofnobbys]

Wow kingofnobbys, thanks for the links! My local petshop sells 10 silkworms for $12, and its still way cheaper to get them online even with the shipping fees. I'd probably get a pack of BSFL and silkworms to tempt Mr Lizard with.

The snails seem to be OOS... I was thinking of getting a can of the Exo Terra snails to begin with - does anybody have any experience with them?

As for my lighting situation, I have a 100w Philips reflector globe (from Bunnings) in a dome reflector placed directly over the raised tile basking spot. The temperature hovers around 37 to 39c there.

Mr Lizard's previous owner also gave me a 45cm ReptileOne fluorescent tube reflector - I've since changed the tube to a UVB 10.0 light tube. This is placed just next to the dome reflector, so Mr Lizard can get some UVB while basking on his tile. His lights are on a timer, and turn on at 10am, and off at 10pm.

I haven't tried canned snails .... if they are as nasty as my skinks and dragon thought the canned silkworms were (wouldn't touch them, even the wild skinks turned their noses up at those !, so did the magpies !!! , they were a hit with the ants though .... ) .
One can wont cost much .... as an experiment .... I tracked down the snail farmer and never needed to collect my own (risky !!). I've only two BTs who both like snails.... the water skink is too small , and the beardies will probably eat them but I give them mostly silkworms and crickets (for proteins & fats).

Steer clear of Reptile One UV tubes and globes ..... they are rubbish Chinese clones and will likely
>> have very poor UV spectra
>> poor longevity

If your fitting is a T5ho (or T8) luminaire , make sure there is no clear plastic covering the tube , will block 100% of the UVA and UVB.
If Mr Lizard is a Northern, aim for 10% UVB (12%UVB is better) , aim for about 200 microW UVB / sq.cm at the basking spot , see this for more information : https://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/vi ... 4&t=235611 , if he's a blotchy or Eastern , 10% UVB is OK , the skink will bask as long as it needs to and will seek a shady spot when he's had enough UVA & UVB.

12 hours photoperiod is OK for over winter ..... I would be adding another 3 hours , so 6am - 10pm (which what I run year round for my skinks and dragons).

Another great treat for a BT is hardboiled chicken egg , the whites and yoke .... or if it have a spot where he can make a mess .... a whole raw chicken egg goes down a treat (shell and all)....

A few slices of banana are a fav for my skinks .... but don't give a lot as it's rich in phos and this binds dietary calcium. I regularly share a banana with the skinks when having snuggles.

[unaware]

Thanks for all the input kingofnobbys! I was told that Mr Lizard was an Eastern BTS by his previous owner. I'll increase the photoperiod, and grab a can of snails sometime next week to test out...

I let Mr Lizard out to explore the living room today, and it was the first time I've seen him so active! He explored every inch of the room, with his little blue tongue flicking in and out the whole time. I tried tempting him with some strawberries and bananas, but he still wouldn't eat any. I'll slowly try somemore over the week.

I let him roam around for a good 30 minutes before putting him back in his tank, and boy was he upset. He kept trying to come out again, and sat in front of the glass door looking at me... so I let him out for another 15 minutes before I had to put him back in and go run some errands. When I got home, he was sitting on his brick looking out, and I managed to get in some chin tickles without him dashing off into his hide! Here are some pictures:

[kingofnobbys]

they do love it when out to explore …. he's more curious than scared …. I think you are doing fine …. he'll let you know when he is ready for snuggles . My experience with skinks and dragons is every one of them has it's own personality and it's own likes.


Routine is the key for any pet lizard..... they like a regular routine (fed same time/s each day, fun/exploring time at same time each day, snuggles same times each day. He'll have you trained up to do his bidding like good Hooman in no time.

[unaware]

That sounds like a plan. Just wondering - is it alright if I pull him out of his hide when I get home in the evenings so that he can get some exploring time, or should I leave him be if he's in his hide?

[kingofnobbys]

That sounds like a plan. Just wondering - is it alright if I pull him out of his hide when I get home in the evenings so that he can get some exploring time, or should I leave him be if he's in his hide?

if he's in his hide because he's sleepy.... that is good time place him on your lap , chest or tummy and give him a chance to snuggle (or explore on you) and to enjoy petting him ….

If you make it a ritual every day he'll soon start to object if he doesn't get his afternoon snuggle .