Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My baby blue tongue's won't eat, I've tried everything fruits, vegs , mice, cat food, crickets. And they won't eat a thing. Can you force feed baby blue tongues? And if so how? HELP!!!!!
Thanks Bret
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Bret Mason

NO! NO! NO! Don't force feed them. Their mouths are tender and you will do more damage than just being patient. You could also (which is more than likely what will happen) cause the food to go into the lungs. They aren't built like snakes. Make sure they have hide boxes and are on a moist substrate (clean and not saturated) such as aspen bedding. Keep them warm with undertank heater and overhead bulb that makes one end around 90 degrees. If they are healthy they will eventually eat. If they are parasite ridden they may not, but unlikely all are (though you didn't go into any detail on where they came from, age, how many) but a vet check might be neeeded. Try baby food also like different meat, veggie and fruit. Bannana is usually taken. Even if they just lick on the baby food it's better than nothing. You might also try picking each one up and stroking their mouths to get them to bite and if they do have a piece of moist cat food or cricket waiting in other fingers to place in mouth. Don't force it in please as you will probably loose them eventually by stressing them and damaging their mouths.

because you didn't state anything about their age, where they came from and all, if they are newborns they will take a week or 2 to eat anyway.

Today's Thought:

Absolutely-Positively watch out for passive smoking with your animals.

Best Regards,
Jean

That's my last name.

As pointed out below, temperature and parasites can greatly affect your BTS appetite level. Not knowing either, it's impossible to say what the problem may be. Also, how recently you acquired them is a crucial factor.
But whatever you do, do NOT try force feeding them; it will almost certainly be ineffective and possibly deadly consequences. Being patient is the best thing you can do right now. If parasites are not a problem and the temperatures are appropriate, the BTS will eat when they're ready.
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Edward
Carpe diem

The jaw line can sustain damage by pressure. If you must, Rub your finger with the scent or juices of a food item along the jaw to attempt to initate interest. Blue-tonques can be exasperatingly fickle at times-Be patient. Force-feeding is a method of last resort and induces tremendous stress to an already weakened animal.

Best regards,
Jean

I got several BTS from Extremereptiles last week (beautiful subadult gigas) and one of them wouldn't eat till tonight. I kept after it by picking it up whereupon it would get hissy and try to get away and I would hold a morsel of Friskies chicken cat food against its mouth with a plastic fork till it ate the morsel over and over again and tonight it ate on its own. Each circumstance is different, but maybe you might try this and I hope you get your skinks to eat. Mike.

hey smoke, my first blue tongue "elvis" which i got from exreme reptiles died after 4 days of having him. he too was a sub-adult gigas. and trust me, i wasn't doing anything wrong. anyways, im sure it was parasite infestation. just thought you might wanna know so you can take yours to the vet for parasites if they start getting sick. best of luck.

A great way to start feeding is to offer "Whiskas Crave" or "Whiskas Original" dry cat food. Be sure to break up piecies for babies and juveniles. No Blue Tongue can refuse the taste or smell of "Crave". I have often mixed in fruits, vegetables,cooked squid & cooked shellfish, and canned low fat dog food to get stubborn feeders going. I usually keep a small dish of "Whiskas Crave" in the cage at all times. Never had any problems in 15 years.