Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I adopted this skink yesterday. He is puppy tame and seems healthy. I say he because that is what I was told, but the sex is not definite. Can anyone tell me if it is a male or tell me how I can tell? Also, what type BTS is he?

He has been fed mostly Fancy Feast canned turkey cat food, so I know I have some work to do on diet. I already got him to at least nibble some strawberries earlier today, and he eagerly eats bugs. Any advice along these lines would be most appreciated as well.

It looks like an Irian Jayan blue tongue. I feed mine a mix of turnip greens, apples or figs, butternut or spaghetti squash, Merrick cat food, and calcium powder all blended in a food chopper. Mine love it. Here is a website that is full of info: http://bluetongueskinks.net/blue.htm

Thanks! I'll check out that site. It sounds like my usual general salad plus the cat food and a bit more fruit. I just hope I can undo years of Fancy Feast! lol

sexing blue tongues is not easy...especially if you only have one. But one thing I noticed is my two males, drop sperm plugs all over the place in their cage, especially after defecating.

I use paper towel as my substrate in several layers over plastic table cloth so its easy to see the sperm plugs.
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PHLdyPayne

Looks like you have an Iran Jaya. I don't have the same type you have.... I have an Indonesian.... But mine loves his salad. He eats mustard, dandelion, collard green, escarole, endive, grated parsnips and butternut squash. Occasionally he gets kale, bok choy, and chards to add variety. MIne don't really care for cat food, live insects or fruits for some reason, but he loves his salad.

So far, I can't get this guy to eat his salad. I have tried fruit, greens pellets, you name it. I tried mixing the cat food with the salad, and he won't eat it. The greens that you mentioned are staples around here as well for all of my herbivores and omnivores, and the plated lizards eat their salads, but he will only eat the cat food and bugs. I'll keep trying.

Try using a blender to turn the greens etc into a coarse mush..then mix with catfood..you can start with more catfood...then reduce over time. Feed 2-3 times a week. Blue tongues don't need to be fed every day once they are adults, so its good to let them get hungry before offering food.
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PHLdyPayne

Thats a good idea. I will definitely try it. I tried putting the worms in the salad, but you would be amazed at how adept that clumsy looking tongue can be at picking a worm out from under a leaf! lol

yeah...and mine tend to grab the edge of the dish I serve their food on and spread everything all over the cage...so if I have worms hidden in greens, they find the worms that way..so now I mix everything in the blender..and give insects after they eat the mush
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PHLdyPayne