Cautioned against burrowing substrate??

[Nicmac]

Hi there
I am picking up my first BTS this weekend and have previously only had little geckos that didn't need heating/UVB/etc...
The breeder has told me to use artificial turf as substrate because otherwise the BTS will burrow and not get enough exposure to the UVB.
If I am mixing calcium and D3 into his food... Do I need to worry overly about the UVB?
I've read that BTSs love to burrow and I'd hate for him to be unhappy when he doesn't need to be!

[splashy07]

Your breeder is clueless. I can't imagine a breeder/experienced keeper recommending this. Artificial turf is probably the worst choice as a substrate for such an animal. They will claw at it and the fibers will wrap around their nails and possibly cut off circulation in their toes. UVB I consider a personal choice, I have never used it for anything other than my desert species. I do not use it for my northerns/easterns. Even my westerns do not have it. Nutrition is paramount, and I rely on that. I use repti-bark and/or cypress mulch. Sometimes a mixture of the two depending on what I have on hand. What type BTS are you considering? They all have different husbandry requirements. Indonesian species are 90 percent imported, and often come in with parasites and other ailments, an immediate vet check after purchase is recommended. And I might add, with the advice you are getting, I'd consider another source.

[Krebllogs]

Yeah, it's sounds sort of crazy a breeder told you that...
My skink likes to burrow into cypress mulch every night before going to sleep. Then, in the morning, she will just poke her head out until she's ready to start her day. When I first got her, I had to keep her on paper towels, for a while, and she would claw and claw to get under those. So I would shred them up and she was able to happily burrow again until I was able to use the cypress mix again.

I do have a zoomed 5.0 UVB fluorescent bulb over her, because I have extra from other setups I've had, but most things I've read say UVB can be beneficial for skinks, but it's not required. As long as there're getting the popper nutrients through the diet you feed them. They don't need it to help digest food or live.

Good luck with your skink!

[Nicmac]

Thanks for the responses. After reading a lot on here I have gone with the Breeders Choice.
I want the little guy (who has been named Mushu) to be as happy as possible.
He is a northern.

[Janella]

I would 100% get a burrowing substrate. A Northern skink will want to burrow and will feel stressed if it can't. That is what they do...burrow. I would not use turf. UVB I do recommend and like either Reptisun or Arcadia brand bulbs.