Wanting a BTS

[Brently]

Okay so me and the wife are talking about getting a BTS. She really wants a lizard with a cool personality and the is social. I mentioned the BTS and now she really wants one. I have read a few care sheets but I would really prefer to have feedback from someone here that has some good experience with them. Just basic suggestions like enclosure size/setup. Humidity, substrate, temps, food etc. Also what would you think is the prefers subspecies? As far as ease of care and personality.

[marvelfreak]

The person you want to talk to is Zoo Nanny.

[smy_749]

Originally Posted by marvelfreak

The person you want to talk to is Zoo Nanny.

^^

She had a very long lived BTS which passed away recently. A 15 + yo skink in her care, she must have done something right.

Anyways, I think its a good choice. They are a slow, hardy species with a very easy diet. Only thing is they have strong jaw pressure and a bite might hurt pretty bad (just trying to scare you ...but seriously)

[red ink]

Originally Posted by Brently

Okay so me and the wife are talking about getting a BTS. She really wants a lizard with a cool personality and the is social. I mentioned the BTS and now she really wants one. I have read a few care sheets but I would really prefer to have feedback from someone here that has some good experience with them. Just basic suggestions like enclosure size/setup. Humidity, substrate, temps, food etc. Also what would you think is the prefers subspecies? As far as ease of care and personality.

4x2x2 enclosure - UVB debatable, if it's the budget - chuck it in if not you can go without by supplementing with the odd calci powder with D3 in the food

30-35C basking temps depending on subspecies

Substrate something they can burrow in... aspen, coir peat or paper based kitty litter avoid sand or a solid substrate like paper

Humidity depends on sub species

Food... vegs and salads (bearded dragon food) and the odd snail or appropriate sized vertebrae prey item (dead mice)

Care and personality - slow and cumbersome but docile enough. Very easy to care for once the set up is right... Tiliqua are a low maintenance lizard species. I only feed mine two to three times a week.

Prefered species... up to you, they have subtle diffrence in looks and size and a bit of tweak in their care.

I keep the odd ball of the Tiliqua family, Shingleback skink - Tiliqua rugosa aspera

[Zoo Nanny]

They are wonderful animals and I think you are making a wise choice. Yes they can inflict a serious bite but they have such docile personalities that it's rare. I was bit that was my fault. He was getting ready to shed and I stroked his back. The bite was strong enough to leave a small bruise but gentle enough that it barely broke the skin.
I am no expert on BTS but have worked with a number of them in the zoos and had Precious for close to 12 years. There is some question on whether he was a northern or a New Guinea. Most of the vets involved in his recent care all felt that he was a wild caught New Guinea. His first vet also thought that he was wild caught but thought he was a Northern. BTS have not been exported out of Australia for a long time so most in this country are New Guinea not to be confused with Irian Jaya.
I just lost my boy to edema caused by possible heart failure. He was at least 16 or 17 years old. Before you get one call around to the vets in your area to ensure that they are capable of treating a BTS. Ask them if they specifically have BTS adults in their practice. Having other lizards in their practice is basically useless as skinks have nothing in common physically with other species other than the fact that they are lizards. They are still a bit rare in the US with few vets having dealt with adults. I lucked out finding one just a few miles from my home when I first got him but she moved about 5 years ago.
I supplied my husbandry information to the veterinary college where he was euthanized and will be studied. I did go against some of the norm with him.
I always supplied UVB lighting and avoided all supplements. His diet was well balanced with a mixture of dark leafy greens and vegetables. There are enough vegetables out there that if given in the proper combinations supplies all of the calcium and vitamins needed. Over supplementing them can lead to vitamintosis. Squash or sweet potato was always a part of the mix. He was fed this daily with cooked chicken baby food 2-3 times per week. He refused all inverts and rodents. Fruit was given only once or twice per week. I live in the Northeast so our weather is tricky. I used an under the tank heater in the cold months shutting it off in warm months. Lights were on a 12 hour timer for UVB and heat. Warm side ambient temp of around 82 with cool side at 72, evening temp of 72. Basking temp was generally around 90. He always had at least 5-6 inches of substrate to burrow in. Aspen being the most commonly available and used. I added no additional humidity beyond a large ceramic water dish that he also used for bathing. Always at least 10-12 inches wide and 4 inches deep. There is some information out there that states that BTS are from moist environments but isn't necessarily true. They are found in fields and arid areas also. He shed approximately every 6-8 weeks without issue. Prior to shedding he would burrow down for about 10 days to 2 weeks and stay there. This was a little unnerving when he first did it to say the least but he continued his whole life with this practice. Once he emerged he would eat everything in site during the shed.
When I first got him he was loaded with mites and parasites which were successfully treated. Until he got sick he was in perfect health his entire life.
His final blood work and xrays showed him to have healthy liver function and no signs of MBD. All of his blood work came back within normal limits. It had to be sent to the University of Miami as no one up here was able to read it. I did not know his sex until about 5 years ago when he everted. Up until that time I thought he was a she because of size.

[Brently]

Zoo nanny- I am excited myself about getting a BTS soon. I have to finish my boa enclosure first but shortly there after I will be looking for a good place to purchase. Now I know nothing about it really but do you or anyone else think a bioactive substrate could be beneficial to help avoid frequent changes in substrate? I just really prefer a more natural setup if it works. If I provide a deep substrate how to I prevent it from flipping the water dish and hides?

[Zoo Nanny]

I honestly don't know how well a BTS would be able to burrow in bioactive substrate. They don't have the strongest legs. I always used the large heavy ceramic dog water dish which he couldn't flip or get under. I also used a split piece of cord wood for a basking spot. It kept his nails in good shape, never had to clip them. For hides I just put two of the hollow half logs on the substrate with about an inch buried. He never really used an above ground hide. I'm jealous if I wasn't so old I would consider getting another, maybe if I come across an adult that needs to be rehomed I'll get another. I miss my buddy.

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by red ink

Shingleback skink - Tiliqua rugosa aspera

Those are some really cool lizards. Have only seen them in Attenborough documentaries, but their pair bonding behaviour is fascinating.

[red ink]

Originally Posted by infernalis

Those are some really cool lizards. Have only seen them in Attenborough documentaries, but their pair bonding behaviour is fascinating.

I've actually seen wild pairs following each other around... I watched for about 15 mins as the male followed closely to the female. They stopped three times (cumbersome creatures they are) and the male caught up and twice nudged and licked the females tail and back.

[Zoo Nanny]

It has to be incredible to have them so close by to be able to watch their natural behavior. I have never seen a shingle back.