Pictures New little guy!

[riddick07]

I found this little guy today at the Reptile show! I wanted one from the last show two months ago but no one had any. He, or she, is a Halmahera Blue Tongue Skink.

On the car ride home he is so tiny right now!

I was going to pick him up food tomorrow but he drank so much when he got home I figured he was probably pretty hungry, so I ran out to petsmart. He was labeled as a cbb but I knew that was highly unlikely. He is probably a farmed baby (wild mother).

Basking after pigging out. This is only his temp setup until I get a fecal done to check for parasites. If he has to be treated he will be on bare minimum for awhile. I plan on doing a topsoil, moss and coco husk mixture for him since his locality requires a minimum of 80% humidity.

 

[TikiMyn]

Oh my he is adorbale! I love his big head!

 

[camelotshadow]

I do agree big head & a majestic look in his eyes!!! For a reptile he is a

 

[becdimarc]

i adore them!
i have always wanted one, but our fish/reptile room is already alot of maintance!
but one day!

 

[Mizzely]

He's SO GORGEOUS!!

 

[AkasyaEllric]

Which show did you get him at? I'm in PA as well and have lived on both sides of the state and went to quite a few haha. He's adorable!

 

[rockoko]

He's cute!!!

 

[Birdbabe]

He is cute, and that little blue tongue!!

 

[riddick07]

i adore them!
i have always wanted one, but our fish/reptile room is already alot of maintance!
but one day!

I absolutely hate insect eaters. It’s always a pain to feed them since I don’t like dealing with the insects (buying, breeding, feeding the things) all the time. The BTS are very low maintenance in that regard. Grain free canned cat/dog food, snails, cooked meats, egg, some veggie, greens & fruit, and they are happy. Babies have to be feed more often but the adults are good for once a week. This one that I got is high humidity but pretty low key otherwise. More like having another snake than a lizard

Which show did you get him at? I'm in PA as well and have lived on both sides of the state and went to quite a few haha. He's adorable!

Thanks! Got him at Hamburg.

He is cute, and that little blue tongue!!

Right I love the blue tongue haha. He has a blue tongue at the tip and the other half is pink.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Beautiful guy. I had tree frogs and had to feed them crickets. I hated that.

 

[becdimarc]

I absolutely hate insect eaters. It’s always a pain to feed them since I don’t like dealing with the insects (buying, breeding, feeding the things) all the time. The BTS are very low maintenance in that regard. Grain free canned cat/dog food, snails, cooked meats, egg, some veggie, greens & fruit, and they are happy. Babies have to be feed more often but the adults are good for once a week. This one that I got is high humidity but pretty low key otherwise. More like having another snake than a lizard

i will get one , oneday!! right now we have three fresh water tanks that are 125gs + , some smaller freshwater tanks, a mexican mud turtle, 2 ball pythons and a spectacled camain! so for now the we are at max in our room!

 

[riddick07]

Beautiful guy. I had tree frogs and had to feed them crickets. I hated that.

Yeah I’ll probably offer a worm here and there since I don’t mind having small amounts of those around but otherwise it’s a no for me haha

i will get one , oneday!! right now we have three fresh water tanks that are 125gs + , some smaller freshwater tanks, a mexican mud turtle, 2 ball pythons and a spectacled camain! so for now the we are at max in our room!

Yeah I don’t have many lizards. Just the 2 now but I do hav 50+ snakes. The snakes are pretty low maintance though! The birds are the pain

 

[Mizzely]

I have a leopard gecko. Hate crickets but don't mind dubias and worms. Still, this would be easier since its similar to what I already have on hand between the rats and cats!

 

[SandraK]

Beautiful guy. I had tree frogs and had to feed them crickets. I hated that.

If it weren't for the noise, I'd take crickets any day over live meal worms - those things creep me out.

 

[Mizzely]

If it weren't for the noise, I'd take crickets any day over live meal worms - those things creep me out.

Yes the noise and the SMELL.

 

[ode.to.parrots]

Congrats!!!! Your skink is so cute!

I've actually been (semi-obsessively) researching different reptiles as pets and considering bringing one into my life. Blue tongue skinks were the ones that first caught my eye. Though based on my research, because they are so hard to find, they are not recommended for beginners, but I feel like the "beginner reptile" mentality is just a silly as the "beginner bird" mentality... But I am a beginner (in regards to reptiles), so what do I know?

 

[riddick07]

Congrats!!!! Your skink is so cute!

I've actually been (semi-obsessively) researching different reptiles as pets and considering bringing one into my life. Blue tongue skinks were the ones that first caught my eye. Though based on my research, because they are so hard to find, they are not recommended for beginners, but I feel like the "beginner reptile" mentality is just a silly as the "beginner bird" mentality... But I am a beginner (in regards to reptiles), so what do I know?

The only reptile I wouldn’t recommend for a beginner is probably the wild caught animals that have no established ones in captivity. The ones we don’t have any real info on. The ones you’ll have to observe the behavior of and research the natural climates/area to make desicions on care. I mean if you have enough common sense, logic, and an ability to communicate with more experienced people you could still try a rarer wild caught animal that isn’t common or established yet in captivity. But it’ll likely be harder for someone whose never dealt with reptiles and tweaking humidty levels and temps to figure out haha

These guys have been around for a while now and if you research you’ll be fine. The fact they aren’t as easy to find doesn’t make them difficult to own. Unless you want one of the expensive arm and a leg rare species of BTS they aren’t that hard to find or get. There were over 20 at the Reptile show I just got mine from. But they were all farmed animals, so a fecal exam is required to look for parasites and treat. So if you don’t go to a reputable breeder of them just assume you got a farmed or wild caught animal that needs to be checked for parasites.

 

[ode.to.parrots]

Thanks @riddick07 for the advice! I've been absolutely smitten with these guys! Do you know of some good resources where I could learn more about them? Maybe a good book on blue tongue skink care?

Even though it may be more expensive, I would feel more comfortable going to a reputable breeder (or rescue, but I think it would be very, very difficult to find a BTS at a reptile rescue) rather than getting a farmed or wild caught animal. When it comes to voting with my money, I like to support those who take the time, energy and resources to raise healthy, happy animals. Regardless though, I would bring any newly adopted animal to a vet for an initial check up.

 

[iamwhoiam]

I have a leopard gecko. Hate crickets but don't mind dubias and worms. Still, this would be easier since its similar to what I already have on hand between the rats and cats!

The crickets were bad enough. They were tiny baby crickets.

 

[AkasyaEllric]

I figured it might of been Hamburg. That and the Oaks show were the two I went to the most when we lived out there. I need to make my way out there and go to Hamburg again one day.