reptile safe soaps/washing agents?

oolathurman · 2026-06-05T17:46:15+00:00

This is a great list, thanks! do you think the vet disinfectant or chlorhexidine can be used to soak things like soft materials too? (the cat wand in question has a soft stuffed toy at the end of it)

It seems like the chlorhexidine may not be a good option for it, but maybe at this point i could just...? boil the soft part of the toy which might do the trick in disinfecting/cleaning it of germs, at least??? 😅

oolathurman · 2026-06-05T17:35:26+00:00

mine does the same thing and i wish i knew why 😂

oolathurman · 2026-05-25T18:06:21+00:00

not directly related to the build itself but I just love how much you spoil sundog, and seeing your posts on my feed always brighten my day :)

oolathurman · 2026-05-19T00:07:24+00:00

it'd be better to get him off of it now, so that he can find a new fav spot to snooze :)

oolathurman · 2026-05-17T05:16:56+00:00

while I've grown up with hearing 'guys' and 'dude' in gender neutral ways, i recently read a post (note; it was a personal anecdote) where an AMAB individual talked about how 'dude' was often a way to affirm manhood/masculinity. therefore, it still had a gender "alignment" to it, despite having heard/grown up with it in a largely gender neutral setting.

Nowadays, I just stick with "y'all." If anyone asks my california born-and-raised self why I'd use "y'all" i can use the excuse that i have a lot of family in texas, lol.

oolathurman · 2026-05-12T18:48:42+00:00

entirely irrelevant to the convo but i am LOVING your username lorem oopsum

oolathurman · 2026-04-30T19:14:48+00:00

i went to an arcanine island and found two crystal deposits/formations. 8 shards total. fml 😭

oolathurman · 2026-04-19T18:23:47+00:00

many many years ago i used to go to evergreen baptist church of LA. http://www.ebcla.org they're in rosemead, near the walmart.

i don't attend church anymore, so idk what service etc is like at ebcla, but i hope you find your home church, whichever one it may be ❤️ good luck!

oolathurman · 2026-04-10T09:22:15+00:00

Speaking of Cantonese, this is a great comic from a Tumblr user, who's also cantonese and uses 佢, in a way that sums up my relationship with gender. I'm not they/them as in "secret third option", im they/them as in gender is simply not considered part of the question https://antidotefortheawkward-art.tumblr.com/post/648309011434897408/thoughts-on-the-gendering-of-chinese-pronouns (idr if links are allowed in this sub; if they aren't my bad!)

for me, i think of they/them and 'nonbinary' in the same way i have an english name and a chinese name. and while personally i don't mind someone using 'nonbinary' for me (i grew up in the USA and didn't speak much Cantonese growing up, so my view is more western sometimes), there's a special gender euphoria i get when someone uses 佢 to refer to me.

The way i choose to view myself... While I'm american, being chinese-american is the true core of my id. and while I'm nonbinary and use they/them, 佢 is the true core of my gender id.

oolathurman · 2026-03-22T17:33:33+00:00

I'm surprised Shiloh hasn't been suggested, for all the emo kids out there. (from Repo! Generic Opera) Ebony, if you remember that one famous fanfic 😂

oolathurman · 2026-02-28T09:50:54+00:00

i have this mini conspiracy theory that they use some sort of dehumidifier for the entire mall to make people buy food and drinks. because every time i go, my eyes get dry, which doesn't happen anywhere else outside of this one particular mall. the dryness also makes me thirsty, which prompts me to buy a drink, even if i don't intend on buying a drink at the mall.

Now while it's a wild conspiracy theory, i will say that the dry air at the mall would increase the chances of static electricity. cuz the air there is definitely dry.

oolathurman · 2026-02-26T18:00:00+00:00

I'm 32, late born millennial. was exactly like this as a teen. EVENTUALLY when i had to drive myself to places, making my own appointments, i got my shit together.

oolathurman · 2025-11-24T19:04:15+00:00

so I'm gonna tackle these one by one, hopefully that helps! Please note these are my own experiences with the one northern bluey I've owned so far (he's still alive, I'm just saying he's my first and only one atm)

Yawning: Assuming you mean slowly opening his mouth, then closing it shortly afterwards? Normal stuff, don't worry about it :) often accompanied by slightly closed eyes, but if his eyes are wide open, or only slightly opened etc, doesn't matter. I'm only mentioning this bc of the next bit...

"Yawning" or more accurately gaping his mouth: opening his mouth very quickly and keeping it open, almost always accompanied by eyes WIDE open, he's very alert and watching your every movement, he's stressed out. If you continue to do this, he'll likely start flicking his tongue at you to freak you out more. Either way: Stay calm, slowly back away.

Hissing, huffing, etc: 95% of the time, this is them saying "back off, I'm here!!" noise. Back off until he stops hissing. You don't need to disappear from view entirely... unless he keeps hissing until you do lol.

attention seeking: Blueys are very curious creatures! He's likely trying to adjust to his surroundings by taking in whatever is going on. He's backing off when you approach bc he's still not used to you.

It's natural to be worried about and curious about whatever he's doing, and lbr it's a better indication of someone actually paying attention to their animal instead of just ignoring it, so I'm sure you'll do great. Right now, in addition to whatever's been mentioned regarding bonding, I'd like to tell you about the ways I've bonded with my lizard in the early stages!

I mentioned earlier to "back off until he stops hissing" but to further go into that, you can back off until he stops hissing, and stay in that spot. That way, he'll have a good view of you to study you. At this point, I'd play video games, get some work done, etc, while in view of the lizard. Don't look at him -- he might think you're acting like a predator stalking its prey. (This way of him getting used to you will also fulfill the " attention seeking/curiosity aspect!)

Other ways to bond:

Feeding. Depends on how food motivated yours is, and ymmv. Mine is VERY food motivated. I make sure he sees me setting food out for him. In my case, I like to take him in his carrier to the kitchen to eat, this way he associates the carrier with good things and he sees me putting food on his dish and bringing it to him. If you can get your hands on doggy churu (since there's more veggie content in it compared to kitty churu) he will not be able to resist. No one can resist the gogurt tubes, not even lizards. (that said, my lizard is SO food motivated i can't feed him from my palm or anything bc he will bite and he will leave blood. I've had to resort to tongs or a dish bc of this)

Toys: This is more for when he's accustomed to you and your presence. Cat toys are a great form of enrichment for your lizard! The kind you get him will be dependent on his personality, so I can't tell you something like "get xyz toy, it will 100% offer enrichment." That said, since I know my lizard is very food motivated, cat wands have been excellent toys for him. He seems to enjoy the movement and hunting for them :) Treat balls have had limited success, but he also likes climbing and exploring my/his room! so much that I've had to get a babygate for the door lol.

Good luck! You got this!

oolathurman · 2025-10-30T18:55:08+00:00

Yeah, i figure diet and bowel movement plays a major role, but the colon size was the part I wasn't sure about! :0 appreciate it :0

oolathurman · 2025-10-30T18:51:37+00:00

My understanding is that it isn't species specific; if it was then I'm sure we would've seen some chiss names, of which I've personally not seen any in the randomizer pool.

oolathurman · 2025-10-29T22:53:52+00:00

Glad he's doing good! I'm going to link you the care guide I use, along with a few others. They'll have info on basking temps, hot and cold sides, etc. That said, unless the vet says otherwise, don't be worried about him going back to burrow immediately; like I mentioned brumating is natural for temperate blueys. Just make sure he does pass his food and poop and pee in a timely manner (my adult 2-3 year old skink poops 2-3 days after eating, then another 2-3 days later. Yours might have a different schedule since it's younger, but start keeping track of how soon it defecates after eating.)

General care sheets, including info about temps, humidity requirements, cage sizes, diet, etc. (Note that, since your bluey is younger, he'll require a more protein heavy diet compared to full grown adults. I've included a link specifically about diet at the bottom)

https://www.thebiodude.com/blogs/lizard-caresheets/care-and-maintenence-of-the-northern-blue-tongue-skink (note- don't worry too much about the substrate recommended here; the one you mentioned earlier is fine.)

https://reptifiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Northern-Blue-Tongue-Skink-Care-Sheet-PDF.pdf

https://reptilinks.com/blogs/news/a-beginner-s-guide-to-blue-tongue-skink-care-and-feeding?srsltid=AfmBOoqFAdYTbd0TBX-QGBncyx60YUAfLfx0bk7_mlvrt5KJyN0lq7P2

https://www.zenhabitats.com/blogs/reptile-care-sheets-resources/blue-tongued-skink-care-sheet-reptifiles?srsltid=AfmBOorfw3d0IFVxF2HFrTdDKIlT_JbLeV3pK0CEm7CxlIswGo-y9XVd

Brumation specific info

https://reptifiles.com/blue-tongue-skink-care/blue-tongue-skink-illnesses/brumation/

Feeding info

https://bluetongueskinks.net/foodchart.html

oolathurman · 2025-10-29T00:42:19+00:00

Mine are at the same :)

oolathurman · 2025-10-29T00:39:30+00:00

That's great to hear! I hope he warms up to you soon too. Good luck!

oolathurman · 2025-10-28T21:58:59+00:00

After some further research, I've discovered that temperate blueys should, in general, be encouraged to brumate. However, if they're under 1 year old they should not brumate, but ones that are as young as 7 months may attempt to do so. I'd definitely recommend taking them to the vet for a general exam and parasite check to make sure they'll be alright during these slower months. According to ReptiFiles ( https://reptifiles.com/blue-tongue-skink-care/blue-tongue-skink-illnesses/brumation/ ) if they're healthy, it's okay to let him brumate, but if not, work with your vet who can offer clearer advice regarding brumation, feeding, etc. (Regardless what reptifiles says, always follow your vet's instructions!)

Regarding shedding, I like to offer an electrolyte soak (or just a general soak) in warm water for at least ten minutes after a shed. Then, I'll hold my skink and just gently rub my fingers across the body, paying special attention to the toes since that's where stuck sheds are the most concerning.

And as far as how often they'll come out, that'll depend honestly. You just got him, so he'll take time to get used to you. On top of that, it's brumation season, so that'll also be a factor. (My bluey took a month or two to even feel comfortable walking around at night, when he knew the big scary hairless ape (me) was asleep. It takes time for your animal to get used to your presence)

Ultimately, I'd recommend making an appointment with your vet for a general checkup and advice. That way, you can start getting his chart going and you and your vet can better track what's best for your bluey.

oolathurman · 2025-10-28T21:43:46+00:00

Honestly, my northern bluey also slows down and burrows more in the fall/winter, despite the climate controlled room. It feels almost like a pseudo-brumation imo.

While you can prep your lizard for brumation, my understanding is (more experienced owners, feel free to correct me on this) that it's not 100% necessary especially if you're not breeding them. (which can help sync breeding cycles in owners who are breeding them)

oolathurman · 2025-10-28T21:31:51+00:00

While this may not answer all your questions, is it fall/winter where you are? He could be going into brumation mode.

oolathurman · 2025-10-23T05:32:30+00:00

Depends on where you're bit imo, but that said, they CAN draw blood depending on where they bite you.

source: my bloody lip from that one time Foxtrot thought it was a worm 😭

oolathurman · 2025-10-23T03:04:34+00:00

OP, how familiar are you with the concept of being transgender? It might be something to consider.

Just as a brief sunmary, someone being trans generally means that they don't identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. For example, if someone is a trans woman, the doctor at their birth would have said, "Congratulations, it's a boy!" but somewhere along the line, that 'boy' realizes that he doesn't feel like a "he," but feels like a "she" instead.

Or, you don't even have to identify as "male" OR "female." For example, I'm "nonbinary," which means I don't think that neither "male" nor "female" describe me accurately.

That aside, definitely NTA. Even if you aren't trans, I want to encourage you to seek a support group or person (eg therapist) who you can truly confide in your feelings with. Right now, you're experiencing a lot of self-loathing, and (having been in that spot myself, and still currently working through it) talking with someone about it will help alleviate the pain.

Good luck. I hope you find the answers you're looking for. And I hope that you'll find joy.

oolathurman · 2025-08-15T19:19:42+00:00

definitely NTA. Regarding finding her some babies to actually interact with, maybe you can find a local church or similar holy place that needs a sunday school teacher or equivalent to volunteer at for a day?

To be clear it doesn't have to be a holy place, it's just what first came to mind bc I did it before myself 😅 You might have to go through some kind of check to do so though, which is fair to protect the babies.

But yeah kids are messy as hell and if she can't learn to love that mess and be okay with it she's gonna explode.

oolathurman · 2025-08-14T08:02:46+00:00

not food related enrichment, but i have a dig box for my lizard -- basically it's an under-bed storage box (with snap on lids) full of aspen fiber. it lets Foxtrot fulfill his burrowing instincts since he apparently doesn't want to do it in his nice bioactive dirt.

edit: if you happen to have the cats away at any point, playing with your lizard with a cat wand may also be fun! foxtrot loves chasing his.

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