New BTS owner, some diet questions

[crocsnhots]

hey, I just recently got a gorgeous blue-tongued skink and have some questions on feeding her/him. It seems very healthy, no problems eating and very alert. It's an adult I'm told, although I havent measured it, it looks to be just under two feet long. :)

The old owner gave it collard, dandelion, endive, frozen mixed veggies, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomato, bananas, crickets, feeder goldfish, canned dog food and canned snails.

She told me not to feed cat food, broccoli, corn, cauliflower, romane or iceberg lettuce.

I have a book on BTSs by TFH, but I found it overall useless. I looked up caresheets online but found conflicting information. So what are some proper foods to feed her/him? And what foods should be avoided? Also what is the proper ratio? Some sources say 60/40 (veggie/meat) others say 40/60, so I'm not sure which one to go by. I'm not too sure about the canned snails, she said just give them a good rinse cuz they have salt on them, but 'he' sure loves them! :)

I'm not sure what species it is or if its male or female, I think its a northern BTS (Tiliqua scincoides intermedia) but I'll post pics of the little beauty when I get a chance. :) He's so unbelievably friendly for a lizard and the bright blue tongue is the cutest thing. :p :D

Thanks!! :)

[LISA127]

Congrats on your new edition! I have an irian jaya blue tonge, also just under 2 feet long. As for diet, I do occassionally feed mine good quality low fat canned cat food. I also feed him moistened monkey biscuits, superworms, butterworms, and nightcrawlers. Also scrambled eggs, and sometimes cooked plain chicken or turkey. Mine won't eat the crickets. I think they are too small and quick for him. As for fruits and vegies, I feed frozen mixed vegetables, mixed salad greens (never iceberg lettuce) occasionally, and different types of fruits like grapes, blueberries (his favorite), tomatoes, peaches and pears, and occassionally bananas. I think I probably feed a little more protein than vegies and fruits. More like the 60/40 ratio. And I add Minerall I to his food. Mine eats twice a week.
They are cute and curious lizards, aren't they? In the summer when its warm, I let him roam around the house and he baskes in the sun coming in through the windows. Please post some pics!

[Linds]

Congrats on your new little buddy... :thumbsup:

cat food, broccoli, corn, cauliflower, romane or iceberg lettuce

Cat food usually isn't the best thing to be feeding any reptile, since apparently the d3 levels (amongst other things) are too high for herps. It also has by-products and preservatives and other undesirable things that can easily be avoided in any captive reptile's diet. Besides, nothing can beat whole, fresh items like mice and bugs ;)

Broccoli and cauliflower contain iodine-inhibitors which can lead to problems such as goiter, if fed in large amounts.

Corn literally has no nutritional value to offer, pretty much all it is is sugar and starch. It also has a terrible calcium to phosphorus ratio.

Romaine isn't awful, but it isn't nutrient-rich either. Iceberg is just plain water, and some herps have been known to develop preferences to it.

Try to steer clear of anything that contains soy or grain-based ingredients. Soy can cause mineral absorption problems, and grains are converted purely in to high levels of glucose, which is not ideal for any reptile's diet - despite what all those makers of reptile pelletted foods believe... :rolleyes: I don't know of any type of reptile that naturally feeds on soy or grains in the wild :rolleyes:

[quote]The old owner gave it collard, dandelion, endive, frozen mixed veggies, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomato, bananas, crickets, feeder goldfish, canned dog food and canned snails[quote]

Generally good food sources (banana excluded - should only be fed in very small amounts as it also contains high levels of phosphorus). All the ones I've known go nuts for snails. If you can, try and find fresh, living snails as a substitute, or breed your own. The shells are loaded with all sorts of minerals, such as calcium. They make great feeder insects :flick: I can't comment on the fish, as I've never heard of that being a part of a BTS diet before :confused:

[crocsnhots]

Thanks very much for your responses!

Linds, do you think it is safe/healthy to feed him/her rinsed canned snails?

I gave 'him' a fuzzy mouse earlier when I was feeding my snakes, he stood up as tall as he could and with a gaping mouth snatched it from my fingers as quick as he could! He doesnt even go THAT nuts for snails! :p

Here's a pic I snapped of him walking along my couch the other day. :) Any idea of what species he is? I know the pic isnt the best, I'll get better ones when I get a chance. :) ;)

Thanks!! :)

[LISA127]

That looks like a northern bts to me. Yes, they like the mice. I feed mine f/t fuzzies or large pinkies occassionally. They are cute lizards. :)

I also have never heard of a bts eating feeder fish.

[Linds]

I have no idea what is added to canned snails, definitely not the best option though. Without shells, I wouldn't think they have much more to offer than most other feeders do either, especially since these are already cooked, if memory serves? If there is a lot of salt added, not much would be accomplished by rinsing, since they would soak up a great deal of whatever was in there.