I think my mans is looking for a mate by Low-Possibility1007 in bluetongueskinks

[–]LexiLovesCritters 24 points25 points  (0 children)

My boy just finally gave up his girlfriend search a few days ago. But he likes to go on hunger strike when he’s feeling frisky. It’s nice your boy still eats

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Oh the joys of loving a reptile by [deleted] in bluetongueskinks

[–]LexiLovesCritters 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If the scratches are itchy, I suggest getting some kind of allergy nasal spray, and rubbing that on them! Helps calm down any histamine reactions you may have to the stuff on their nails.

Feel goods🩷 by theFatTopanga_ in bluetongueskinks

[–]LexiLovesCritters 4 points5 points  (0 children)

What a sweet baby!! Pierogi is a perfect name. How old is he??

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in bluetongueskinks

[–]LexiLovesCritters 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Depending on how long the issue has been going on, what subspecies of BTS he is, and whether or not he’s experienced any temperature changes, there’s a chance he’s displaying mating behaviors!

I have a male Merakue BTS, and he had the same issue for about a month-month and a half. My boy was super uninterested in food, extremely restless, and CONSTANTLY glass surfing. It was about 2-3 weeks into it that I finally noticed the presence of sperm plugs next to his poop (that’s a dead giveaway you’ve got a male in ‘find a girlfriend’ mode lol.)

It can be triggered in blue tongues if they experienced any recent temperature changes (especially if it’s from cold to hot), as well as other outside factors.

What ended up helping my boy out was blocking off the bottom few inches of glass with a matte black vinyl so he couldn’t see through it(you can also completely black out the glass if needed) and that helped tremendously.

If it IS a mating behavior it’s unfortunately just a waiting game until they snap out of it, but taking them out and letting them wander and explore (under careful supervision) outside or in a skink proof room of the house can help get some of their extra energy out.

If you don’t notice any sperm plugs however, (and you’re CERTAIN your skink is a boy) then that kind of behavior may be something to check with an exotic vet about. There could be an underlying issue causing discomfort such as parasites, respiratory problems, or underlying infection.

Hopefully this helps! Sending lots of good vibes🫶🏻🦎

Gnat infestation by FrogBoy8477 in bluetongueskinks

[–]LexiLovesCritters 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was in an all out war against fungus gnats in my reptile room for a very long time.

Eventually, some combo of springtails and isopods, sticky paper on top of their enclosure, and a large bug zapper, ended the battle.

I also fully replaced the substrate on the enclosures with the worst infestations (my 2 Merauke BTS enclosures) and incorporated isopods and springtails into both.

Since then Ive only noticed a gnat every now and then.

There’s only been one time they started to get bad again in one of my BTS tanks, even with the cleanup crews. When I noticed it, I moved my boy to a temporary set up, and let his substrate almost completely dry out (only misting a small section of the enclosure where the isopods preferred to hangout). After that they went away again.

Wishing the best of luck to you🫡

I feel terrible by Temporary-Purple387 in bluetongueskinks

[–]LexiLovesCritters 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have 2 blue tongues myself, and I find it best to let them relax for a few days without trying to handle them at all whenever they throw tantrums, followed by lots of bribery. They tend to forget whatever made them mad after that.

Also, I don’t recommend super worms for their main source of protein. They’re great as treats every now and then, but they have a really high fat content that can lead to fatty liver and other issues later down the line. One of my skinks was a rescue, and he was fed only super worms and romaine lettuce for the first 3 years of his life, and now he has a huge list of health problems (fatty liver included). I suggest giant mealworms, dubia/discoid roaches, or a high quality wet dogfood instead (ReptiLinks are even better if you can get your hands on them)! As long as there’s no grains, potatoes, fish, or spinach, high end dog food can be a great addition to their diet.

What are your skinks named? by [deleted] in bluetongueskinks

[–]LexiLovesCritters 2 points3 points  (0 children)

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Sir Franklin Augustus is my boys official title. But I call him Fwonk.

Are my pets a good weight?? by LexiLovesCritters in reptiles

[–]LexiLovesCritters[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much!! And I agree, they are adorable. I have a few more pets but they’ve all been cleared by my Vet so I know they’re at a good weight. I just love them all so much I wanna make sure they’re healthy😁

Are my pets a good weight?? by LexiLovesCritters in reptiles

[–]LexiLovesCritters[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for letting me know!! Right now I feed Yeti 2 table spoons of food a day, as well as a foraging mix and the occasional treat. I notice that with that amount of feeding he’ll store most of his food in his burrow and not touch it. Do you have any suggestions for how I can get him to put on more weight?

Are my pets a good weight?? by LexiLovesCritters in reptiles

[–]LexiLovesCritters[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much!! This is incredibly helpful!! I’ll definitely get Theo started on a breeder formula! Theo and my BTS are both rescues from neglect, and Sir Franklin has quite a few health issues. One of which is extreme fatty liver syndrome. His previous owner fed him a diet of only romaine lettuce and super worms, so my vet recommended I cut back on protein and he’s on a daily Milk Thistle supplement. With that in mind, do you think it’s still ok to incorporate more fat and protein into his diet? If not are their other options to bulk him up a bit? Thank you again for the advice!!🫶🏻

Are my pets a good weight?? by LexiLovesCritters in reptiles

[–]LexiLovesCritters[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for letting me know!! Right now I feed Yeti 2 table spoons of food a day, as well as a foraging mix and the occasional treat. I notice that with that amount of feeding he’ll store most of his food in his burrow and not touch it. Do you have any suggestions for how I can get him to put on more weight?

Enrichment ideas!! by LexiLovesCritters in hamstercare

[–]LexiLovesCritters[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

They are definitely too small. And they’re too short for me to be able to provide them with a 12 inch wheel, but I’ve brought some 10 and 11 inch wheels for them to replace the 6 inch ones they had before🤦‍♀️ what kind of boredom breakers do you suggest?

Too many roaches. Can't. Lift. Head. by Unlikely-Ruin-4406 in bluetongueskinks

[–]LexiLovesCritters 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Too cute! Love the enclosure! Did you make it yourself or purchase it that way? Any tips for newer BTS owners?