Rapashy for Blue Tongue Skinks???

[brinoelle]

Hi!

I am a new BTS owner, not a newbie for reptiles though! I just got a very young Halmahera BTS at the National Breeders Expo in Daytona Beach from Underground Reptiles. So, I've only had him for about a week, I got him to eat a little bit of the wet cat food the breeder said he had been feeding him but when I try to get him to eat veggies or some bugs, he shows no interest. The only things he took a small bite out of was Rapashy Grub Pie and a nibble out of a raspberry. He won't even touch that wet cat food anymore. I'm not sure if this is normal behavior for BTS being a new owner, I just wanted to be sure he was okay and wanted to see if there were any recommendations on food? I'm not sure how great Grub Pie is for BTS, but I was considering ordering him some of the Bluey Buffet??? Any info on that??? or any tips on getting him to eat???

Thank you!!!

[Janella]

It is very common for them to not eat right away and get more settled in. It is probably stressed and will come around. I feed a variety of proteins such as cat food/dog food depending on the age, snails, eggs, ground lean turkey, chicken gizzards and hearts, live insects, etc. I then blend my protein source with a variety of veggies and a little fruit. Keep offering tasty foods and your skink should come around. Also Grub Pie and Blue Buffet are ok for feeding every now and then.

[splashy07]

Breeder? Underground reptiles? Nope. Imported and more than likely parasitic infections. Please see your vet asap.

[Janella]

You know what I completely agree with Splashy. I didn't realize who underground was....not good. Definitely needs a vet visit and check for parasites.

[Dratth]

Hey, Repashy bluey buffet was first thing my BTS ate right after i put him to his vivarium (from expo and full of parasites like yours probably). I am trying cat/dog food mixed with or without veggies and greens but sometimes he eat some of it and sometimes not. If i give him repashy BB, he eats it every single time. I have tried arcadia omnigold too - every single time he didnt touch it (nothing against arcadia but i have same results from sticky foot with my crested gecko) so i mix arcadia and repashy 1:5 and then he eating it but not so much as pure repashy.
I have good results with repashy banana pie too (not often)- just mix little from it to something you want him to eat

Another 100% solution for me is from this forum (i am sorry to not remember whos idea it was) - mix boiled egg, banana, pea, green beans and some greens - i just use fork and squash it all together.

[splashy07]

I would not use repashy as a staple. I have seen skinks raised on it solely and they do not meet my standards.

[Dratth]

Sorry if it looked like i recommend repashy as staple. I offering food every day or every second day. If my skink dont touch anything or didnt eat as much as i think he should eat for week or so or eat only locust's/worms, i offer either that banana/egg mix or repashy, because i know he eat everythink i mix into it (i started using bee pollen too ocasionally).
But i think every animal deserves varied diet.

I would realy like to know, how that skinks looks like splashy if you dont mind? Were they too small or skinny or was there something else wrong with them? They eat only repashy and nothing else?
I have my skink only 5-6 months so i can adjust hes diet and avoid future problems.

[splashy07]

They were underdeveloped and a bit too 'squishy'. One came into a friend's care and it took him about a year to straighten her out. Still has a slight dip in the center of her head. Was told she was raised on repashy as a staple. I have nothing against repashy, I just think variety is the key and they shouldn't be fed any one thing exclusively. I am constantly changing out my dog food varieties, adding vegetables and whatnot, and just experimenting. I'm not big on processed/powdered foods for myself either. so, repashy lovers, I am not bashing the product.