BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

I want to feed my BTS snails and I typically have a ton In My yard. How do I detox them to ensure they have no bait or parasites? I bought frozen cooked snails from the market but I think he would like whole snails better.

I would personally never feed any feeder found out in yard due to possible parasites and toxins.

Snails are very easy to raise if you're so inclined, and no sexing needed as mollusks are hermaphrodites. All you need is two to start and you'll have quite a few. I happen to like snails so do not use as feeders but many breed them for this purpose.

From what I know, the toxins from a wild snail can stay with them for life, but are not passed down to offspring genetically. I've been told that if I wanted to use wild snails as feeders, it was better to breed them, separate all offspring in a new tank, breed those, separate the new offspring in a new tank again, and by that time the 3rd generation will be safe to feed while the first two generations should either be released or kept as pets only.

Alternatively, you can buy farm raised garden snails online that should be free of anything bad and you can start breeding those for all healthy offspring right away. Stay away from apple snails or any other kind of water snails though since their shells are very tough, and land snails like garden or milk snails have softer shells that are easier to break.

I don't have too much experience in BTS as I very recently got one. From what I know of Chewy.com sells canned snails you can feed them! But it also depends if your skink is a picky eater or not (mine sure is)

Good luck either way!

Yes, Zoo Med's can o' snails are what I use occasionally to entice picky eaters coming out of brumation. Not too many will refuse these. Very expensive though. I've got one female that will knock off a whole can...at the constantly increasing price of $4.50 plus. So I wouldn't get them used to these...