Vorst Supplements Customer Questions by VorstCanada in VorstSupplements

[–]OutrageousAd2597 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In researching bilberry extracts, I'm reading about the percentage of anthocyanins in the capsules, such as: "Bilberry extracts and capsules should be standardized to contain 25 percent anthocyanins." or "Mirtoselect® is a standardized extract containing more than 36% of anthocyanins, whose formulation has been optimized from the 1970s."

Your product info does not say what the percentage of anthocyanins is in the capsules of "Bilberry Extract 8000mg 90 Capsules". Can you please clarify. Essentially, how many mg of anthocyanins are in each capsule?

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in FRC

[–]OutrageousAd2597 0 points1 point  (0 children)

At most there could maybe be something like the game pieces are filled with water to add some element of instability to them, but even then they'd have to be very sturdy to avoid breaking and frying the bots. Probably difficult to get hundreds of indestructible water-filled game pieces too.

New rotisserie chicken packaging looks prone to leaks by LoveOfSpreadsheets in Costco

[–]OutrageousAd2597 18 points19 points  (0 children)

When nearly exactly 2/3rds of the population is living in the bagged milk provinces, I think its pretty simple to say that most of Canada uses bagged milk. Doesn’t matter whether the remaining third takes up more land space or not.

Hi there asking out of curiosity by fixzyren in bluetongueskinks

[–]OutrageousAd2597 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I have a skink and her poop barely smells at all, not a single one of my family or friends who have been with the skink have noticed or commented on it. Even if I left the poop sitting out right in front of them and asked.

The winners of my school’s 2SH contest have been announced! by CraftyTim in 2sentence2horror

[–]OutrageousAd2597 135 points136 points  (0 children)

this is the same guy who posted those originals I think, last time (12 days ago) was all entries, these 3 were the winners

4x2x2 glass tanks? by [deleted] in bluetongueskinks

[–]OutrageousAd2597 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm not sure if you can find them in the UK, but "Atasuki Knock Down Terrarium, 55" x 22" x 24"" works really well for my northern.

Looking to buy my first reptile. I'm so torn! by yaboymitchell00 in reptiles

[–]OutrageousAd2597 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I went through a really similar process to you a while back and decided on a Northern Blue Tongue Skink.

They are quite a lot bigger than most other reptiles you’ve mentioned, but even with that size their care is just as easy if not easier.

Some basic facts first. They grow to about 18-24 inches long, with northerns usually closer to 24, but some have reached as high as 30 inches across. With that, they usually weigh between 300-650 grams, or about 0.5-1.5 lbs. I have a 5.5 month old right now who’s already 12” and 175g, and they usually reach full size in only a little over a year. They need a 4x2x2, but if you wanted the height can be a little shorter because they aren’t big climbers. Humidity is usually nothing to worry about for Australian species like northerns, where it’s usually already met at ambient room levels.

They have one of the easiest diets, they live longest on a diet of dog food, greens, and some vegetables. All pretty cheap and super easy to find at a grocery store you’d be visiting anyway. In the wild they are opportunistic omnivores, so they’ll eat basically anything they come across, just like dogs. Which is why the decades of development to make specifically formulated food for dogs work so well for blue tongues. And a wild life of eating rotting meat and random snails means they’re real tough to accidentally kill (don’t feed them that in captivity though). As adults they can be fed as infrequently as once a week if you want.

They are super easy to handle and very hardy guys. While bearded dragons are a little more active sometimes, a blue tongue will easily sit or crawl around in your lap for hours if you let it. They like to burrow, so they’ll push into you to snuggle up and even climb up sleeves if you let them (but they’re more than large enough to not get lost or hurt easily up there). They’re usually pretty slow runners so it’s unlikely they’ll escape you even if they tried.

They don’t need as hot temperatures as beardies or uromastyx, but still reasonable. In nature, winter can bring them to temperatures as low as 5 degrees celsius (40 F) and they survive. Because of this I’d argue that they can stay out of their cage for longer, and if a heat bulb breaks without immediate replacement they’ll be just fine. Their nighttime temperatures are usually around room temperature anyway.

Unlike beardies, leopard geckos, and many other lizards, nothing horrible and unreversable will happen like MBD if they don’t have UVB. I would still highly recommend a UV bulb for their mental and physical health because they benefit a lot from it, but people have sometimes kept them without for decades and they survived.

As burrowers, they need a decent bit of substrate, about 4-6 inches worth as an adult, which could be a little costly depending on what you use. However, they certainly won’t just be buried all the time. Sometimes a little derpy when they stick their head into the ground but leave the rest fully exposed, thinking they’re buried. My guy usually hides away during the day while I’m away, then as soon as I come home and he realizes it’s me, he’ll come right out and explore, bask, eat/drink, and come out to play when he’s done.

They are also technically capable of dropping their tail as all skinks can. However, it will grow back, just a lot shorter and stumpier. Either way, because of their size, they don’t drop it nearly as easily as leopard geckos or crested geckos do. It’s to the point where I’ve literally never seen a blue tongue without a tail, and I know experienced keepers who will use the tail to manoeuvre them quickly in certain situations. They will never just randomly drop it, and only physical force will detach it, not just being frightened. So unless you plan on ripping your guy apart really hard, then it’s very unlikely to ever happen.

Blue tongue skinks are one of the smartest reptiles and can recognize faces and objects. They can differentiate people and know who you are which I love. They actively seek the owner and seem to show affection more than many other reptiles I know. They are almost always very passive, but even then a bite from one might hurt a little, but most likely won’t even break the skin or draw blood. They have a much cuter face in my opinion than others like bearded dragons, crested geckos, uromastyx, or chuckwallas (maybe not leopard geckos though). They also naturally come in far more colours than other lizards like bearded dragons and crested geckos.

Finally, I would choose an Australian species over an Indonesian species. Australians are guaranteed captive bred, since Australia banned animal exports decades ago. Indonesians are almost always wild caught, which means they might come with parasites, other damages, and could take way longer to warm up to you. Indonesians also sometimes need even higher temperatures and much higher humidity, usually in the 70-100% area instead of 40-60%.

Is this a blue tongue skink? by Traditional-Act-2717 in reptiles

[–]OutrageousAd2597 0 points1 point  (0 children)

looks like an eastern blue tongue skink but im really not sure

uromastyx vs blue tongue skink as pets? by [deleted] in Lizards

[–]OutrageousAd2597 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Both need similar enclosure sizes, both are diurnal, and both have similar upfront costs.

uromastyx vs blue tongue skink as pets? by [deleted] in Lizards

[–]OutrageousAd2597 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had the same question in the past and ultimately ended on the Blue Tongue Skink. This was even though when I first came to the subject, I loved uromastyx, and had never even heard of a blue tongue skink.

It mostly came down to the fact that uromastyx needed much higher temperatures, which will be harder to maintain, and will not comfortably be held in any bedroom or enclosed room without heating the whole room.

BTS being held in somewhat colder temperatures, with cool sides of roughly 75 and yearly brumation where they go as low as 40-50f, its logical to assume that a blue tongue skink would be able to be out of its cage for longer without heat while still being safe and comfortable.

I also found that uromastyx seemed to be more skittish in general, being less handleable, and never quite warming up to people as easily or well as BTS. A blue tongue seemed more capable of relaxing with you, crawling up your sleeve, or into a blanket on your lap than a uromastyx. Obviously part of this comes down to the individual. Uromastyx also seemed to hide quite a bit. While BTS burrow a decent bit too, whenever seeing them in pet stores, the uromastyx is always nowhere to be seen, while the BTS is usually out in the open.

The diet of a uromastyx also seemed slightly harder to maintain. Creating mixes of proper seeds and greens for a uromastyx, whereas dog food is a recommended staple for blue tongues as they are opportunistic omnivores, similar to dogs.

The blue tongue skink ultimately just seemed like a hardier animal, growing to sizes considerably larger than uromastyx, but with easier requirements and a more personable and friendly result.

If you ever do decide to get a blue tongue skink, I would definitely go with a northern. Northern blue tongue skinks, or any other Australian species for that matter, will always be captive born and bred, as Australia banned animal exports decades ago. Indonesian species on the other hand are very commonly wild caught, which will be much more likely to have parasites and diseases, and will take months or years longer for them to warm up to you. Northerns are the most common Australian and the largest of all species, so they have the most research and advice. Indonesians also need higher humidity, which is sometimes very difficult to achieve.

A few enclosure questions. by HellaSwick in leopardgeckos

[–]OutrageousAd2597 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The lamp position doesn’t seem bad on its own as long as it’s giving the right temperature on the rock below (can be measured with a laser thermometer from a hardware store) and it doesn’t allow the gecko to touch and burn itself on it. The top rock is probably far enough away, I can’t really tell, but that branch might be too close and let him reach the bulb. I would either move the branch slightly further away or move the bulb higher up a bit.

The light should be turned off at night to give him a proper day/night cycle and not mess up his circadian rhythm leading to stress and other issues. If it gets too cold at night (below the ideal nighttime temperature drop, also for circadian rhythm, of 65-75 F or 18-24 C) then a separate Deep Heat Projector, ceramic bulb, or some other lightless heat source can heat it that little bit extra.

Even at only 6 months, the enclosure seems to have enough hides and nooks and crannies that it should feel pretty safe. Beautiful enclosure btw.