New baby BTS

[bepbep]

Hi!
I bought my first BTS today and I own 2 beardies and a ball python, but never a BTS. To me, he seems a bit thin as I can see his hip bones easily. I can't tell if the spots on his tail and under his chin are due to injuries, disease, or stuck shed. I would love any advice that yall can give me! Thank you!!!!

[mb606587]

Many of the wild caught and farmed Indonesian Blue Tongue Skinks are imported looking this way. The exportation process is not kind to them. First things first, try to get it eating if possible. Everyday. If he eats for you, then that's a positive sign and he'll likely put some good weight back on. If not there may be some other health issues. Either way, try to set up an appointment with a reptile vet to have a fecal sample examined for parasites. And ditch any lettuce or vegetables I see being fed in the photos. Offer protein based options, such as canned dog food, dubia roaches, and boiled eggs.

[bepbep]

Thank you for the reply. He typically eats about 5 small dubias and a chunk of Repashy grub pie (about the size of a thumb) per day. The green thing in the picture is a piece of endive that I offered to him alongside the dubias and the grub pie. He has an appointment to undergo a fecal test this week.

[bepbep]

And the man I got him from said that he was captive bred, but perhaps I was mislead. Thanks again!

[kingofnobbys]

And the man I got him from said that he was captive bred, but perhaps I was mislead. Thanks again!

easy to check, tell him a fib and say you are interested in seeing a photo of his mother and father "so you can see what might grow up to look like". If they decline or tell you some BS that results in no photo in an email , you'll know you were lied to.

[mb606587]

Most of the Indonesian BTS that are available in the US are farm bred in Indonesia. The exporters consider these skinks captive bred and sell them this way to American importers, who then distribute to local pet stores and reptile expos. There are only a handful of people in the US that actually breed these types of skinks here. Many of the farmed skinks from Indonesia are born and kept outside, sometimes with other wild caught skinks. When shipped overseas, they are packed in with other potentially sick and parasite-ridden reptiles. Assuming the person who sold that skink to you didn't actually breed it himself, he told you it was captive bred simply because it was sold to him that way.