Bluey in a SE Qld petshop

[CaptainRatbag]

I dropped in at supercheap at currimundi today, on the way out I dropped into a petshop that sells herps. I noticed a nice big blue toung in an enclosure.... for sale in an enclosure. I am not very interested in lizzards personally..... but I noticed he was in an enclosure with no basking or UV light?

All I know about lizzards is what I have learned from here.... dont they get bone related diseases/deficiencies from not getting UV? I asked the guy at the shop 'doesnt bluey have a uv light?' he just said no, he has a heat rock

Like I said, I dont know enough about them to be getting up him about it, so what I am asking is if anyone here on the sunny (raining) coast who knows about bluey's could drop in on the shop and maybe point out what they need to do to keep a healthy bluey?

It is the petshop in near woolies, maccas and supercheap ..... near moffat beach on nicklin way. What worries me is that although he was on a small heat rock, which only fitted his head and front half of his body (his back legs and tail were off the rock. It would be lucky to be 20 degrees in the shop and his lid is off the tank.... so there would be no warmth staying in the tank

I am pretty worried about him because he looked very lethargic.... his food looked very 'manufactured' petshop stuff.....very ordinary.... he didnt have any fresh water.... just a dribble in a wee bowl I wanted to say more to the guy, but he was busy doing nothing and I really dont have the expertese with lizzards to do any good Let alone, I might be wrong :shock:

I would appreciate if one of you lizzard lads or laddettes would check him out, I think he needs help! Imagine what advice the shop gives customers regarding keeping reptiles? I hate to think

Edit: I changed warana.... to currimundi which is the exact suburb

 

[SteveNT]

Dont get me started. I just went back to the only place selling marine fish in the Darwin area after not going there for 18 months.( Reason being they dont quarantine their fish, sell them diseased or not and charge like wounded bulls).

Sure enough, dead and diseased fish in every tank (fresh or salt). I had a go at them about it and I got a "thank you" and a robotic smile. Then they went back to selling diseased fish.

Must be good for business.

 

[CaptainRatbag]

Yea, I actually feel like giving DERM (our licencing in QLD) a call.... but like I said, I dont know enough about bluey's needs..... I am sure they need uv to create vitamin D and calcium to stop them getting that metabolic bone disease?

I just knew if I hassled them about it there and then, they could probably have stumped me with a question I couldnt answer :lol: But I would like a local expert to check him out, if they can spare the time

There was a couple of young blokes in the store behind the counter.... I would like to have spoken to the owner/manager.... but not being up to scratch on lizzard husbandry, I would have prolly put my foot in it :lol:

 

[dihsmaj]

Blueys don't need UV.
Heat Rocks are bad though.
At least a basking lamp would have been good.

 

[Manda1032]

DERM won't do anything hun, unless they want to meet their quota for checking records and hand out some fines that way. It needs warmth. Most pet stores just don't give a darn anymore. its all about MONEY!

oh and it does need UV and a basking spot over that damn heat rock

 

[CaptainRatbag]

Thanks Manda, I was under the impression all lizzards needed uv? Thats what got me worried in the first place.

 

[user 30368]

they need UVA and UVB in order to thrive. I have a shingleback who needs the same "things" as a blue tongue. He wont eat or bask without his UV lamp.

 

[animal805]

Blueys don't need UV.
Heat Rocks are bad though.
At least a basking lamp would have been good.

Since when dont Blueys need UV

 

[pretzels]

yer pretty sure they need UV. can you pm the name of the shop. id like to have a look. im not an expert but iv been doing a fair bit of reading on them because im getting one later in the year

Basic Care Sheet – Blue Tongue Lizards

 

[Specks]

Blueys don't need UV.
Heat Rocks are bad though.
At least a basking lamp would have been good.

You for real kid ?
Dont tell me you own any as i would hate to see your set up
Dont comment if you dont have an idea

 

[user 30368]

You for real kid ?
Dont tell me you own any as i would hate to see your set up
Dont comment if you dont have an idea

according to his profile he does.

 

[CaptainRatbag]

I dont know the name of it Beck, but it is on the right hand side of nicklin way when you head towards caloundra with moffat beach on your left. Look for supercheap autos and maccas, the petshop is in near supercheap.

 

[crocodile_dan]

I was under the impression all lizzards needed uv?

Species that have whole vertebrate prey items as the majority of their diet obtain the necessary calcium and Vitamin D from their diet (bones and liver), thus they do not require UV. This is why monitors, pythons etc don't require UV (there may still be limited benefit in the provision of UV).

Also the housing of nocturnal species of lizard (or light averse species) with a UV light would be redundant and possibly increase stress levels if subject to unfamiliar/unnatural lighting.

But as far as this topic goes, the blue tongue in question should have a UV light source whether that is through artificial light or access to sunlight periodically.

Not all lizards "need" UV. I personally believe an examination of nutrition could possibly eliminate the necessity of UV for MBD (I posed this question sometime ago but there was no real conclusive suggestions as to it's potential legitimacy) but additionally UV stimulates appetite and promotes health and activity.

 

[pretzels]

lol ok iv got no idea where moffat beach is..ill google it poor little thing thats horrible. haha ill take my very vocal sister in and let her loose on them

 

[dihsmaj]

I feed him pellets, dog food and vegetables that I dust with powder, I had assumed this would've been providing the nutrition?

 

[CaptainRatbag]

Its at currimundi, dont know where I got warana from?

 

[pretzels]

haha at first i thought you were talking about the big yellow one in kawana but im sure they have uv on their blueys.

 

[CaptainRatbag]

No, BFP are really good with thier reptiles Thiers get the works

 

[notechistiger]

People that know what they're doing don't need to give their blue tongues UV. You'll find many people don't bother, however this pet shop obviously doesn't know what they're doing and therefore should have a UV light.

Pet stores keeping reptiles poorly is nothing new. Unfortunately.

 

[Bluetongue1]

Dragons and Skinks require UVB. Dragon species have a significantly greater need for UVB exposure at all stages of their life than Skinks. Young skinks have a greater need for UVB whilst adults have a minimal requirement for exposure to stay healthy.

Diurnal lizards expect their UVB, heat source and light source to be all in one i.e. the sun. They are animals which bask and therefore an overhead heat source rather than a bottom heat source is more appropriate. As mentioned, heat rocks are not the most desired heat source, the reason being that they have been known to commonly fail and overheat, causing severe burn damage to the reptile(s) utilising them.

Blue