Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just bought a new northern btw. He is a little Hissy when I pick him up or touch him. Just wanting to know if this is normal. Ty Melinda

now he is also sneezing is this normal or should I be worried I got him at a reptiles show from LLL Reptiles

Yes, sneezing is a normal occurance. The hissing should go away with consistant handling.

-----
1.0 Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink (Don)
0.1 Irian Jaya Blue Tongue Skink (Sausage Girl)
0.0.1 Tanimbar Island Blue Tongue Skink ( Spunky Sebastian)
0.0.1 Ornate Uro (Spike)
1.0.1 Green Tree Pythons ( Male=Floyd, Baby= Verdi)
0.1 Western Hognose (Piggy)
0.0.1 Egyptian Tortiose(Tank)
0.0.1 Sonoran Gopher snake ( Toro)
0.1 Albino Leo gecko (Sasha)

It is normal for new Blue tongues to hissy and display open mouth when picked up/approached. This will pass with regular handling as you build a trusting relationship with your bluey. Sneezing is also normal as long as no nasal discharge is present.

none of them cover baby food I was told by LLLreptile that I should feed my NBTS baby food to me that seems more of a treat if at all am I wrong? I also have read care sheets and none of them say any thing about baby food. ty Melind

Human baby food can be PART of BTS diet -- baby or adult -- but should not be assumed to be the only appropriate food for babies. Go with your instinct, Melinda, and feed a variety of foods and you'll end up with a very healthy adult.
-----
Edward
Carpe diem

Just go to www.bluetongueskinks.net and look at the caresheet to get some ideas for food. Remember to give them lots of variety.

Jars of fruit mix and vegetable mix baby food can be added to weekly diet for nutritional value. Fussy babies to adults do benefit by added baby food to a dish of mixed fruits and/or vegetables. As with moist or canned dog/cat food in the weekly diet captive blueys recieve protein/vitamins/electrocytes/amino acids/and fats. Captive animals always feed differently from wild animals. In the wild natural internal parasites help with break down of food. example: wild snails carry parasitic worms which aid in the break down and passing of food items throught the digestive system. Captive animals do not normaly have their natural parasites thus diet of processed food can aid in digestive process along with nutritional intake.
Special note: blueys love eggs and should be given cooked/boiled eggs not raw to avoid Salmenella.

Low Protein Monkey Biscuit is soaked in h2o or natural fruit juice such as Apple/cranberry/grape/ect. to soften the biscuit for cutting into smaller digestable pieces. I give Monkey Biscuit once a month. Some like it some do not. A varied diet adds to health by supplimental intake and assures blueys do not get bored with food.

My BTS is hissy too, I think its common