My New Bluey

[Stompsy]

Hey guys, I bought my first bluey a couple of days ago and just have a few questions in regards to her (at least I think shes a female)

I've fed her twice, I read about feeding them everyday while they are little, shes only about a month old and was firstly just wondering how much i can expect her to actually eat. The first day she ate 3 woodies (stunned so she could catch them) and four pieces of banana. Today she ate 6 or 7 small pieces of beef dogfood (she seemed to love it) and a couple of pieces of kiwi fruit. Also I'd like to know what else she can eat. I plan to get her some snails, which I'll order in and I also have a peach which I'll skin and cut up.

I also took her out after eating yesterday to warm her up for digestion, put her box half in the sun and half out and let her bask for 15 - 30 minutes as I don't have a light for her tank. Do I need to do that everyday after feeding? I'm in Townsville so it's pretty much always hot here.

Any other advice would be awesome! I've read a fair bit but everyone seems to have varied opinions on whats good and bad for them.

Thanks.

 

[coz666]

no banana, it stop or lows calcium absorbance.
get a uv light , ,,,,, dont argue the point just do it and , do it now.
they will eat lots of fruit and veg. mealworms are a fave, woodies , snails , crickets.
they will over eat so give her lots of space to roam.

 

[bump73]

Best advice you'll find on blueys is at www.bluetongueskinks.net their care sheets are great. You are going to have to get some type of light to provide a basking spot for it, if you want a nice healthy skink. If it gets outside time in the sun then i wouldn't worry about a UV globe, for my little ones i just have a halogen downlight hanging in their tank above a piece of slate which warms up nicely for them.

Ben

EDIT.....1/2 - 1hr outside evry couple of days will give more UV than any UV reptile globe..

 

[Azzajay77]

What sort of bluey is it ?

I feed my babies 5 times a week. Zucchini, bok choy, carrot, dog food, mashed up berries and green beans.

Uv is worth while for them. I know alot of ppl say that they'll take their rep outside to get it but it's easier said than done. especially if you get two weeks worth of rain like we've just had down here.

 

[Stompsy]

She's an Eastern Blue Tongue and she's gorgeous!

I was going to get a Beardie but my partner talked me into a bluey and I made the right choice.

I'll go shopping for her again tomorrow to get some bokchoy, zucchini and beans. Once we get into our new place I'll build an outdoor enclosure which she'll be able to run wild in, till then I'll take her out most days after food for an hour or so.

Thanks for the fact sheets and advice.

And thanks Azza for naming some foods that you feed yours as the fact sheets were very americanized, lol, and I had no idea what collard greens were!

 

[macj81]

collard greens = mustad greens ( bracesia juncea ) endive and rocket there are a few others but I cant remember what they were feed bok choy sparingly apparently it slows calcium re-uptake.

 

[TWENTY B]

finally bought my own house and had i wild blue tongue living there, dog got it the other day.
So now i will make an outdoor pit and keep some blue's in his memory.
He had really light colours. Was quite the looker.
Rip little guy.

 

[Emmalicious]

Ummm do you have a UV light? and do you give them calium on there fruit n veg?

 

[Stompsy]

I have a vitamin spray which I've been using on her food. I haven't gotten a uv light as yet as there is alot going on right now but I have taken her out almost everyday for at least a half hour for a run on the grass and a bake in the sun.

 

[scorps]

Blue Tongue lizards DO NOT need uv.

 

[redbellybite]

would love to see some bluey pics ......and are they able to go with shingles in the same pit ? am going to build an outdoor pit and was wondering what lizards are compatible to house with each other ? am looking at having skinks on one side and dragons on the other ...

 

[scorps]

would love to see some bluey pics ......and are they able to go with shingles in the same pit ? am going to build an outdoor pit and was wondering what lizards are compatible to house with each other ? am looking at having skinks on one side and dragons on the other ...

Shingle backs and Blue tongues will live together fine.

 

[melgalea]

over the years i have happily housed blue tongues, shinglebacks and bearded dragons together without any hassle what so ever. no fighting....at all. these days i have more room to spread them out. but next house i buy will have a bigger yard and i plan on housing some back outside again.

 

[belmcc]

Redbellybite - where are you located in Queensland? shinglebacks don't like humidity so outdoor pits can be a no go if you live near the coast or too far north.

 

[DA_GRIZ]

Blue Tongue lizards DO NOT need uv.

agreed.

when i use to keep all my blueys indoors not one of them had a UV light on them and they where healthy and active

 

[Stompsy]

Well she won't be getting a light for a while but I'll continue to take her outside (with the jungle python) for their daily bake. She's seems to quite enjoy roaming around the yard.

 

[Miss_Stripey]

"Redbellybite - where are you located in Queensland? shinglebacks don't like humidity so outdoor pits can be a no go if you live near the coast or too far north. "

I agree. Kept a bluey and a Shingle together no problems. But shingle really did suffer outside in the tropics better inside.

Also i never had a UV and kept a baby bluey but was told to get them good sunlight so i also took mine out for walkies every day when young, though now grown is kept outside anyway. Outside light has gotta be better than fake and you only want the best for your animals. I made the mistake of my first baby bluey as a kid. I kept handling it inside while my sister took hers out everywhere. But i thought mine was shy and didnt like being let out on the lawn. (also maybe i was a couch potato back then!!!) They had the same diet and enclosure. Mine began to grow out deformed and passed away in a few months . The other one grew twice as fast and was healthy as living a happy life for over 10 years. Unfortuatly the move of the canetoads lead to the sad loss of Houdini. and end of open tank living. Blueys now are kept in a large bird avairy to keep toads OUT!!!!!

 

[redbellybite]

i dont live in a high humidity area ...hence to say we do get some days but over all not a high humid place ...will look into it before i go ahead ...but cant wait till i get my pit built

 

[Surfcop24]

Another thing Blueys like is Pinkies... Mice or Rats....

I know you dont have snakes, but just another idea... Sometimes I feed my Bluey a couple... Chomps them down ... Luvs em....

 

[mark83]

post some pics