Achievement unlocked: Acquired skink.

[Skits]

Yesterday I got a skink. I'm not too experienced in big lizards, but I've researched about them and know the general care now.

She's about 21 inches, not sure of her age. If anyone knows how to tell, please let me know. She's a merauke blue tongued skink. She's currently housed in a 30ish gallon tank, which she came with. My boyfriend and I are currently at my mom's apartment, and all my reptiles are kept at my dad's so we aren't able to get her into anything bigger for a few days.

I had a few questions about feeding, best diets, substrate, etc.

Also was wondering if black earth without pesticides was fine for her, and if a 6x2 foot terrarium would be too big? Would she get stressed out, and become territorial?

Also any name ideas would be appreciated. I'm looking for either a name themed on scientists, world of warcraft, or a videogamed themed name. Any other ideas will still be considered :)

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[formica]

Skinks will make use of as much space as you give them, the more floor space the better, it doesnt need allot of hieight, but a 6x2ft floor space will be well appriciated, and is definitly more than enough for a blue tounge and wont freak her out at all, doesnt need to be 6x2 tho, 4x2 or 3x3 are fine aswell

most reptile substrates are fine, i'm a fan of coco fibre soil myself, but aspen, bark etc are all great, a nice deep layer so she can dig around

dont forget a nice big, flat stone under her basking lamp to bask on

[Mikoh4792]

Necromancer, klaxxi, Dalaran, Onyxia

Tesla, Dawkins, Walter White(from breaking bad)

[Zoo Nanny]

Some care sheets will say to only feed three times per week. I offer greens and veggies daily with protien only twice per week. They are pretty easy to care for with diet. A good mix of greens, sweet potato, squashes, and just about any veggie. Be sure to offer only healthy greens like mustard, bok choy, dandelions, collards. I also feed fruit once per week consisting of melon, grape, berries and apples. Protien sources vary according to the animal. Some will eat bugs and rodents while others meats.

[sweatshirt]

Congrats on the addition =)

[Skits]

Thanks all :) I'll get her into her new enclosure soon and get lots of pictures to put up. It seems she's calming down a little and getting used to seeing us. I'm going to sit by her tank for a while and see how she reacts..hopefully she'll calm down soon.

[Zoo Nanny]

They're very curious animals but also like to hide. I would give her a couple of days to settle in and get used to her new surroundings before handling her too much. How do you know it's a female? They are very hard to determine sex without probing or everting.
Be sure she has lots of places to hide in or to burrow in that's deeper than she is high. I generally put in about 4 inches of substrate.
My vet had told me when I first got Precious that he was around 5 and I honestly forget now how he determined that. It may have been his size at the time. But then again it may have been a shot in the dark on his part 12 years ago. Precious is a Northern and is just over 2 feet. He's been that long now for at least 5 years I think.
Best of luck with her, they are great animals.

[Skits]

Alright awesome. :) I found out today she was around a year and a half old..are they usually this big at that age?

And the person who gave her to us has multiple snakes and lizards and apparently knows how to probe. I'm not planning on breeding her, so it doesn't matter much. Maybe I'll have her reprobed one day if curiosity gets to me.

[Zoo Nanny]

Most of the skinks I've seen were still fairly small by a year but these were Northerns and Easterns. I'm not sure how quickly the others grow.

[Skits]

I thought I'd give an update on my girl. I've been feeding her a variety of foods. She really seems to like the canned dog food most! I've named her Bloo - she's calmed down a lot lately. I'm able to take her out with barely any hissing, but if I move her around too quickly, she'll try to get her way out. She still hisses when she's in the tank but she's gotten a lot better.

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[Zoo Nanny]

Beautiful!