BTS Shed

[Zoo Nanny]

Just out of curiosity I was wondering if those of you with skinks have ever noticed that as they are shedding they stink. Precious has always smelled really bad as he sheds. His sheds are also perfect with never any issues. He sheds about every 2-3 months. This has been consistent with him for the past 10+ years that he has lived with me.

[Gungirl]

I have never noticed a smell when our guy sheds.. In fact he is shedding right now and I can't smell anything.

[Zoo Nanny]

Precious is shedding today also. Knew it was coming yesterday and this morning knew it was happening today. About an hour later I checked on him and sure enough he was out and rubbing. It's funny the 6 at the zoos I worked with didn't smell either. He has always had a great shed and follows the same routine prior, eats like a horse for a week about three weeks before the shed, goes underground peeking out for a bite maybe once a week and then sheds completely in one day. And of course the day after looks gorgeous!

[Lankyrob]

Just a thought, does the sex of the animal make a difference?

[BarelyBreathing]

No, mine doesn't smell.

[Vegasarah]

Mine doesn't smell, either. I have both a make and female Northern.

[Zoo Nanny]

I wonder if age plays into it? Precious was at least 5 when I got him in 02. Maybe he's just a stinky old man!

[Gungirl]

What are you feeding it? How is it being kept?

Do you add moisture during a shed cycle?

[Zoo Nanny]

He has a large ceramic dog water dish that he bathes in, but not for the three weeks prior to the shed. He'll bathe again tomorrow. He eats mainly greens, veggies and a small amount of fruit. Once per week he has chicken and about every 10 days he has an egg. His tank is 4 feet by 2 by 2. UVB light, 60w bulb for additional heat when needed and under tank heater. Warm end of his tank near basking log is around 90-95f and cool end is 76f. Nothing has changed and vet says he's in good shape just out of the ordinary with the odor. Knock on wood he has always been in excellent shape, only had mites when I first got him. We had him treated by the vet.

[Vegasarah]

The only thing that comes to mind of me is the diet. I know from experience that eggs = stinky! It makes them have kind of runny poop and MAN does it STINK lol. I would try adding some variety to his diet, too. Canned dog food is a great staple, and any type of feeder insect will be a cool treat. Try taking the eggs out and replacing it with the dog food and see what happens maybe? Just like a little experiment type thing.

He sounds healthy, so I'm thinking it's just something in the diet. I know that mine don't stink when they shed, but then again I don't ever feed eggs. Just a thought ;)

[Zoo Nanny]

He's only just recently started eating eggs and the stinky has been going on for years. When I first got him he was on Iams cat food and red grapes, that was it. It took a long time to get him off the cat food and to get him to start eating the greens and veggies. He does great now eating a different variety of greens including collards, kale, mustard, turnip, bok choy and a touch of romaine on top to get him started. He loves the romaine but it offers him nothing so I cut up a small amount and lay it on top of the others and he chows. He also eats green beans, yellow squash, acorn, butternut, spaghetti squash, zuccini, peas, sweet potato, carrots and anything else I find good at the market.
I'm not concerned about the stinky shed, was just curious if others had come across an animal with it. He absolutely refuses anything that moves and I've tried all sorts of things and other protiens to no avail. So long as he is healthy I'm not worried about the diet since the vet convinced me he was eating ok.

[Gungirl]

I would NEVER feed my BTS dog food that is nasty.

[Vegasarah]

I would NEVER feed my BTS dog food that is nasty.

I don't think that you need to say that, I find it quite rude.

Have you kept hundreds of skinks for over 20 years and done controlled studies where different groups were fed either dog food or other things so that you could compare the results? I know of people who have. And the results don't lie.

Feeding dog food as a protein staple has PROVEN to produce skinks that are healthier, more active, less prone to being overweight or developing MBD, produce a larger litter size, and LIVE THE LONGEST.

Do some research like I did. And for everyone's information, chicken is one of the worst things you can feed you BTW for protein. But don't take my word for it, go do some research and maybe talk to people that have 20+ years of keeping BTS like I have done.

Here's something to get you started, seven pages of keepers with 20+ years of experience breaking down every single scientific fact. Enjoy.

bluetongueskinks.net • View topic - Herp Vet says never to feed skinks cat/dog food (http://www.bluetongueskinks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=21489&hilit=dog+food#p409637)

[Vegasarah]

He's only just recently started eating eggs and the stinky has been going on for years. When I first got him he was on Iams cat food and red grapes, that was it. It took a long time to get him off the cat food and to get him to start eating the greens and veggies. He does great now eating a different variety of greens including collards, kale, mustard, turnip, bok choy and a touch of romaine on top to get him started. He loves the romaine but it offers him nothing so I cut up a small amount and lay it on top of the others and he chows. He also eats green beans, yellow squash, acorn, butternut, spaghetti squash, zuccini, peas, sweet potato, carrots and anything else I find good at the market.
I'm not concerned about the stinky shed, was just curious if others had come across an animal with it. He absolutely refuses anything that moves and I've tried all sorts of things and other protiens to no avail. So long as he is healthy I'm not worried about the diet since the vet convinced me he was eating ok.

This diet sounds really great, I am happy to see so much variety! I'm sure your skink is very happy and healthy. Squash is like a super-food for BTS, it is just so good for them. And yeah not all BTS like live food, I was just suggesting it as a move away from eggs and chicken for protein source. The rest of your great diet is making up for what chicken and eggs lack in vitamins and calcium, and I am not suggesting you change anything if you don't want to. But if you're interested, I posted just a minute ago about the dog food thing. It's healthier as the staple protein and in my opinion way easier to feed.

I'm so curious as to what would cause that odd smell from shed... what's your humidity like?

[Gungirl]

Calm down and climb off your high horse. I never said I would feed chicken to my BTS either. I don't even like giving dogs' dog food, I think its processed crap. Sorry you find what I said rude but pull your head out of your arse and understand that other people have different methods that work just as well if not better.

[Vegasarah]

Calm down and climb off your high horse. I never said I would feed chicken to my BTS either. I don't even like giving dogs' dog food, I think its processed crap. Sorry you find what I said rude but pull your head out of your arse and understand that other people have different methods that work just as well if not better.

I do understand that people have different methods, as I said in my previous post. Because I'm pretty sure YOU were the one to call MY method 'nasty'. OP feeds chicken, but makes up for the lack of calcium and minerals by feeding a great amount and variety of greens. Anyone choosing to ignore 20+ years of research about BTS diet is welcome to do so, I will not call them 'nasty', that's for sure. I wasn't trying to prove anything, I was just trying to offer some helpful advice to others on this forum regarding diet. And I managed to do so without being rude, which you did not accomplish.

I don't appreciate the reprimand, and I don't think that you are actually sorry for being rude. I don't have my 'head up my arse' as you so eloquently put it, nor am I up on any kind of high horse. I don't need to get into some petty argument with some stranger on the internet, I have better things to do with me time. Thanks, have a good day.

(Sorry, OP, didn't mean to hijack your thread here. Still curious about humidity though! :) )

[Zoo Nanny]

Aside from his water bowl I don't add additional humidity. I had always read that BTS when given a constant water source for bathing were better off. I've also been led to believe that a varied diet of greens and vegetables that ensure all needed vitamins and minerals were healthier for the animals, eliminating the risk of kidney disease from added supplements. I have read of many breeders who feed dog/cat foods. When they had the big pet food recall a few years back I vowed I would never use commercial pet foods again. It's just too risky in my opinion. I already lost one dog to it.

[Vegasarah]

That is true, just a nice soaking dish is preferred to a humid environment. It cuts back on problems with mouth rot, respiratory problems, and other bad stuff. I just wondered that maybe if the humidity was really high it would make the shed skin actually have a smell. It's dead skin so if it was damp maybe that would cause the smell? But I guess that is not the case. The mystery remains!

Your diet sounds really great. Dog food is of course not needed to have a health skink. I totally understand you not wanting to take the risk with the dog food. It sounds like you are a great example of how you don't NEED dog food, because you are providing all he needs through other means. Other people who do not have such a great diet start to see problems without dog food. I only ever supplement baby reptiles, and only once a week for their first year and then I stop. There is a danger of over supplementing as you already know. Gut loading and proper diet should more than cover needed vitamins and minerals. I'm sorry to hear about your dog, and understand your aversion to commercial pet food.

[Zoo Nanny]

My dog lasted a year after the food recall. During that time I cooked for her daily. The vet gave me a recipe for her. She had severe kidney and liver damage from Iams. I had thought about trying the tegu chow for him. Have you ever tried it?

[Vegasarah]

I got a small sample of the Mazuri gel diet for carnivores that is the whole prey. I fed it to both my bts and my bearded dragon and they both liked it mixed in with their greens. I know they have another diet that is without the bones in it that might be good for you. The one with the bones I would feed daily to my monitor rather than my bts. They have another diet that is for insectivores that I'm sure would also be great to feed. It's like making jello, you add the hot water and let it set. But you can freeze it or refrigerate it too. It is a little expensive but I'm sure it would last you forver if you only have the one bluey.

[Zoo Nanny]

I worked with the gel at the zoos for some of the primate insectivores. Maybe I'll contact Mazuri and see if they would send me a sample. Quite a few pet food companies will send out samples to people, can't hurt to try. Thanks for the info.

[Vegasarah]

Yeah, I really like Mazuri products. The tortoise chow is just awesome, I can't say enough about it. I got my sample from one of the dealers near my house, but I would try emailing them and telling them about your use of the product in the zoo, then asking if you could try some of the other carnivore diets and that you will write a review. Usually that's what they like to hear lol.

I would feed more Mazuri if I didn't have so many mouths to feed lol. I might get some as a supplement for my baby monitor, I wonder if he would eat it.

[moshirimon]

Calm down and climb off your high horse. I never said I would feed chicken to my BTS either. I don't even like giving dogs' dog food, I think its processed crap. Sorry you find what I said rude but pull your head out of your arse and understand that other people have different methods that work just as well if not better.

Whats your method? just curious on some other bts diets. i had one some years back and fed it dog food, along with greens, fruits, and the pinkies

[red ink]

I would NEVER feed my BTS dog food that is nasty.

High quality dog food is fine for them Kat... easy way to get blueys in the backyard in spring as well as giviing the next gen a kick start in life...

I feed mine whole vertebrae prey once every three weeks and the rest of the time boiled chicken breast and veggies as well as dog food when I can't be bothered boiling chicken (or when I run out of it).