Blue Tongue Skink Food | Brief Basics #3

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What is the best food for a blue tongue skink? In this Brief Basics video I share what the best staple food is for Blue Tongue Skinks/Lizards.
#bluetongueskink #skink #reptiles #lizards
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ReptileMountain.TV RU-vid Channel:
Dr. TC Houston, former professional AZA zookeeper, SKINKAHOLIC, and reptile fanatic, shares his experiences and passion for keeping and breeding Blue Tongue Skinks and other reptile species for the educational and overall betterment of the hobby. Subscribe to stay updated on more evidence-based, current, professional information about the reptile hobby and Blue-Tongue Skink care. Enjoy! Watch! Like! Share! Woot woot!
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Опубликовано:

30 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 94

@ReptileMountainTV 4 года назад

****Update**** I have moved to 1:1 (dog food: veg) mix now with my adults so as to ensure more fiber. This is what I recommend for adult animals.

@himanshudigwal6580 4 года назад

What brand is it and what would you recommend

@winkaichai4699 4 года назад

Can I use dry dog food

@monsterkajiu1912 3 года назад

Do blueys need 50% veg or 40% veg?

@death3294 7 месяцев назад

Kangaroo dog food is the best

@keonia.9553 5 лет назад

I was skeptical about feeding dog food at first but after my vet recommended a reputable brand and advised I started I've had nothing but great experiences with it. Highly recommended wet dog food.

@lilyloveslife2737 5 лет назад

Same here!

@MikeTytula 5 лет назад

Nice video man! I rotate between home brew and canned dog with the odd feeding of Omni Gold

@ReptileMountainTV 5 лет назад

Excellent Mike! I wish I didn’t have to import Omni Gold from Canada... I could save on shipping lol. Someday it will get here (government red tape 😕)

@kas2515 5 лет назад

your videos have helped me immensely with raising my new skink! thanks for all the quality content, it's greatly appreciated.

@ReptileMountainTV 5 лет назад

Thats awesome to hear! Thanks for sharing 👍🏼

@tyliful 5 лет назад

i would add frozen organic mixed veggies from costco to dog/cat food.

@caitlynskiramman Год назад

3yrs Late er.. Anytway i came to ask whens a good time to switch from wetfood to like insects. So if my babys 2 months old do i switch up at 1 year? For example. And my second question is how do i track my blueys humidity. (Im going to be owning a Australian one.)

@death3294 7 месяцев назад

Omg yes they will eat anything yummy and if they don't like it they go nope

@flashingdrake7221 5 лет назад

my local petco stopped selling the dog food you suggested in your "kit" and it never supplied the others so I spent a good hour or so looking through every single dog food they had and looking through ingredients to find the perfect one, I found a few good choices and I'm glad I did because now I not only have the best food I could get, but many backups! it's a great idea and good practice to look at animal food ingredients in the store for any animal you have! I also added greens and vegetables and some healthy treats for my skink as well

@ReptileMountainTV 5 лет назад

Great point! Ingredients is key.

@indacoma 5 лет назад

That skink with the black bands and glossy greenish scales looks awesome, what is that a eastern?

@ReptileMountainTV 5 лет назад

Thanks 🙏 its one of my green phase Victorian Easterns. 👍🏼

@kahldris1228 4 года назад

I just got a blue tongue skink and watched all of your videos (along with other sources) before I got him! A northerner and is doing great, very food driven lol. Glad I got one I'm really enjoying having him. Hes also very pretty!

@Bloodhoundfostermom 5 лет назад

I feed my 4 month old bts high quality grain free cat food ...in the video you said it's ok to give additional vegetation to Adult BTS ....is it ok to add some veggies or healthy herp to my little ones diet as a treat every now and then or is it best to wait untill she's an adult ? ...the slab of slate zip tied to the hide is genius!

@ReptileMountainTV 5 лет назад

Thanks! They can have veg as babies yes. I pretty much avoid it until they are a year old or 400-500g (whichever comes first). Too much veg has been hypothesized to cause scale beading where their scales begin to swell up and look like a beaded lizard not a skink lol.

@Bloodhoundfostermom 5 лет назад

@@ReptileMountainTV thank you very much

@devydev3112 4 года назад

You're videos have really changed my opinion on dog food. I'm going to try alternating with my home brew or possibly using a 50/50 mixture and freezing monthly batches.

@Scales13 5 лет назад

Wonderful video man. Glad to know your baby skunks are coming out so healthy in high numbers.

@tayotic2182 4 года назад

New subscriber here! I’ve been interested in getting a blue tongue skink of my own, and I’m thankful I found your channel to help me do sufficient research before officially getting a skink. Just wanted to say thank you for producing these videos, because so far they have been a huge help!

@ReptileMountainTV 4 года назад

Yay! Wonderful to hear that and happy to help. Thanks for subscribing 👍🏼😁

@rubenarreola9993 3 года назад

I use the wellness core wet dog food do I need to use a multivitamin with the dog food?

@ReptileMountainTV 3 года назад

Id add some once a month

@andrewk3443 5 лет назад

Nice video this was very helpful 👍

@paleoscinkus542 4 года назад

Hey TC, I appreciate you taking time out of your day to read my comment, if you don’t mind I have a bit of a concern...My animal has been going off of food for multiple months now, and I’m really unsure as to why that is. He’ll only take a few bites of food at most, or completely reject what I feed him altogether. He’s currently on a diet of Repashy Bluey Buffet, Healthy Herp Instant Meals, high quality dog food, Zilla Omnivore Mix, fresh leafy greens and live feeder insects. His temperatures are essentially perfect, his humidity has been adequate and he has been decently active and inquisitive lately, but hasn’t been eating. He doesn’t seem to be excessively thin, but I can tell he ended up losing a little weight over the course of a few months. He went from being very food motivated to almost entirely unresponsive for his favorite foods, and I’m starting to feel concerned for his health. He’s a Halmaheran so I’m not entirely sure if he’s going through some kind of brumation, his temperatures were a bit lower his winter but I bumped them up back to normal about a month ago. Thank you so much for reading.

@ReptileMountainTV 4 года назад

Sounds like a brumation type response. Is his heat above 90F on the warm end? I know you said temps are good but some folks say that when they are not good so I had to ask. You might try bumping temps a bit. Heat always helps with hunger.

@paleoscinkus542 4 года назад

ReptileMountain.TV His basking temperatures sit around 110 degrees, and about 80ish on the cool end. I’ve yet to take him to vet because places are closed for the time being, but is it possible parasites could contribute to this?

@Spookyandherky Год назад

This felt like a school essay

@paleoscinkus542 5 лет назад

I mostly feed my blue tongue a diet of leafy greens mixed with dried omnivore mix or pellet diets from Flukers. I’ve heard a lot of mixed opinions on Zillas omnivore mix but my bluey seems to enjoy it, he’ll always finish his food when it’s there. What’re your thoughts if you don’t mind me asking?

@ReptileMountainTV 5 лет назад

To be fair I would use wet dog food. I know dog food works. You are one of very few people Ive heard try and feed other. Its not proven or widely used so I don’t recommend it. Dog food has been tried and true for decades.

@lilyloveslife2737 5 лет назад

Hello friend. Watching one of many videos, you commented that bluey's can't 'love or evaluate'. That came as a little bit of shock to me, as I fully believed that when my female eastern lost her 'male friend' bluey, she went into a depression. Maybe it was my wrongful evaluation of her but when I got her a new pal to share her tank with, she laid on him constantly. Do you really really believe they can't enjoy companionship? I agree they can't love us back but I'd like to hear your thoughts on whether they benefit from being kept with a companion and your thoughts on separation. Do they merely tolerate things? Thanks for all the great advice.

@ReptileMountainTV 5 лет назад

They're ins't much data showing BTS are highly social and certainly no data stating they are obligate social beings. Yes, some can be found utillizing the same resource such as a place to hide but that does not conclude nor confer that they have congregated for social need. Some skinks species (Egernia for example) are quite social and actually have clearly psychotic issues if kept in solitude. BTS don't. Forming a high level emotional bond requires the physical components of the brain working in unison to exist. Those parts such as a limbic lobe, extensive cortical folding, insular cortex are not as developed or mostly absent in the BTS brain. They do and can form habits and become accustomed to the presence of another organism including another conspecific. Even social skinks aren't actually forming emotional bonds as much as they are forming environmental bonds that include fellow skinks. Basically, social skinks aren't around other skinks because they "like or love" the other skinks but rather because they have evolved to live in community. Your skink's "depression" was likely a stress of environmental change aka the absence of a part of its enclosure. Great question.

@lilyloveslife2737 5 лет назад

@@ReptileMountainTV thank you so very much for clearly explaining how a bluey's brain works. Out of half a dozen BTS I've only ever had the one female eastern who loved being with Her mate (pal). She watched him dig and joined in with everything he did.. She was like his supervisor! My other bluey's clearly just 'exist' together and tolerate each other and I have asked several reptile vets on their thoughts on BTS forming bonds with other BTS, and most say that by rule, it doesn't happen but they all say they've seen exceptions to that rule and being an owner of 5 Bluey's in my time, I've only seen it with the one pair and the female becoming listless when her 'friend' left. (Died). When I introduced a new male back into her tank, she became 'happy' again. She lays on him constantly when he's on a heat rock, and it's almost impossible to deny that she loves company. You are such a wealth of knowledge and I'm thrilled to have found you, being the 'evidence based' channel that you are and thank you so much for answering my questions. You're so full of impressive knowledge and I only wish I'd found you years ago. Now to work out how to donate to your Patreon account! 😃

@ReptileMountainTV 5 лет назад

Thank you so much. 🙏🙏

@tinaleighton6390 5 лет назад

Great video. I would emphasize, in case it gets lost in the details, the fact that the canned dog or cat food should be grain free and a very good quality.

@ReptileMountainTV 5 лет назад

Absolutely

@just_a_dad3208 4 года назад

As a veterinary professional who has worked with one of the leading cardiologist in veterinary medicine and a grain free diet causes irreversible life threatening cardiac issues in dogs. Idk if this applies to reptiles as well but not worth the risk.

@Msasha2727 Год назад

So this isn’t a diet problem per say…. But my skink gets his food on his face the rubs his face in his substrate and I get so freaked out that a piece of substrate will get stuck to his face and go in his eye.

@kenjiro2676 3 года назад

If I ever had a blue tongue skink, I would feed insects, fish, earthworms, and salads. If I had to feed dog food I prefer dry. There is one aspect left out, and that is blue tongue skinks haven’t been bred for that long, so naturally there is still vigor, compared to overly bred animals like betta fish, which are inbred monsters filled with health issues due to irresponsible breeding. As long as you continue to out cross and add new genes to your gene pool, you will retain vigor. Besides new genes health screens(check genetics) for potential breeding animals are very important in maintaining the captive gene pool.

@ReptileMountainTV 3 года назад

They’ve been bred for over 50 years in captivity. I have Easterns from stock from before the 1960s!!. Several specimens have lived into their 30s on wet dog food. Yet none on other homemade mixtures or attempts. The diet you suggest has been proven to be insufficient for their long term health unfortunately. Also. Dry dog food is more dense than wet and has been known to be hard on their kidneys. So dry is good for supplemental food but not a staple. I agree, yes genetic diversity is the cornerstone of a good captive management program. Hence why I have animals with traceable lineages for 7 generations or more. 👍🏼

@kenjiro2676 3 года назад

@@ReptileMountainTV that’s awesome, having traceable lineage going back 7 generations. What I worry about can foods is the preservatives(which I know can be found in both dry and wet foods), does it not have any negative affects on skinks? Or is that not the case at all?

@ReptileMountainTV 3 года назад

Thats a very common concern. As far as informal records go the preservatives seem to do far less harm than the homemade mixes which tend to yield shorter lifespans. I assume with this new trendy push for fresh human grade dog foods we may see them used kn skinks and do even better. That said there have been some pretty sad results with these “framers dog” style foods for dogs so time will tell….

@benswift3252 5 лет назад

I feed my baby blue tongue skink dog food only 2 times a week is that enough

@ReptileMountainTV 5 лет назад

Should be okay if they are getting good nutrition

@deadbeat5165 Год назад

Shall i let them do their poop in the cage or did u train them? ur response is appreciated

@hinglemacringleberry9004 5 лет назад

So my skink was really jittery and scared all the time for the first couple months i had him but i started handling him more and now rather then being super frightened all the time he basically just tries to attack me every time I reach into his enclosure even if I'm not even trying to pick him up. Is that typical? Any suggestions? Should I just keep handling gently every day like I've been doing?

@ReptileMountainTV 5 лет назад

I would try food treats every time you reach in. Try to make the experience positive for the skink and they will likely become conditioned to it.

@mq46312 5 месяцев назад

This video could have been 30 seconds long.

@ReptileMountainTV 4 месяца назад

Truth. But watch time is needed for YT

@lilyloveslife2737 5 лет назад

Your northerns are so glossy! Proof of great care!

@ReptileMountainTV 5 лет назад

Thank you 🙏😁👍🏼

@MelberHelbr 4 месяца назад

Very beautiful,i absolutely have fallen in love with blue tongued skinks

@LanceKirkman 5 лет назад

Excellent, thank you!

@kvltofsobek90 Год назад

Opinion on an occasional pinky or fuzzy mouse as a treat?

@ReptileMountainTV Год назад

Got for it occasionally

@miyukiwynter885 5 лет назад

I'm wondering if skinks could also eat the frozen raw dog food diets like instinct and others? In rotation with regular canned is what I had in mind but the ingredients seem similar besides one being raw.

@ReptileMountainTV 5 лет назад

I believe that will work well also

@GamesAndShips 5 лет назад

I have thought about feeding raw as well as an occasional change of pace for mine, glad to see some other people are thinking the same. :D

@tinaleighton6390 5 лет назад

Lisa M I feed my dog and cats Raw. And every once in a while I will give a spoonful of the raw dog or cat food to my skink. He likes it.

@masongomes71 2 года назад

Dude talks so much just tell us what to feed

@ReptileMountainTV 2 года назад

Did you know some sharks stop breathing if they stop swimming? Im the same way with talking. If I stop talking I die lol. Just google their foods if you don’t wanna watch lol.

@vera_mndrs 3 года назад

Hello! My skink often doesn’t eat his food.., I’m not sure why. Do you have any tips? Thanks for the video!

@chloemisakiwisan7265 Год назад

How often and how much do you feed blue tongued skinks?

@lucacrova6293 4 года назад

Thank for all your video.....i'm from Italy and i don't find noone that send here the Healthy herp, can you suggest some alternative? Kind regards

@ReptileMountainTV 4 года назад

I really don’t have a second option. ☹️

@hanliu3707 4 года назад

I have been use dog food for my skink for a year or two after I gave up trying to make some home brew that healthy enough. I recently find out repashy's bluey food and I feel it seems better and ordered some, is it ok I replace dog food with that?

@ReptileMountainTV 4 года назад

Not to replace but it can supplement as part of a mixed diet.

@jasonblack9959 4 года назад

Hey TC I just had one question for those up us that only have one skink how would you keep the wet dog food from going bad before the can is finished?

@ReptileMountainTV 4 года назад

Hey! Many folks freeze it in meal sizes and thaw as needed.

@hal6679 4 года назад

How did the color change in the middle of the vid???

@cacapoopp1891 3 года назад

It’s a different one

@user-eu3gd4hi3t 5 лет назад

In your opinion what should be the maximum weight for an one and a half year old, male, northern? He's about 50 cm / 20 inches long, maybe a bit more.

@ReptileMountainTV 5 лет назад

Well weight can be partially genetic so its hard to say. At only 1.5 years old its not fully fully grown so it shouldn’t be more than 1000g but each animal is different. Most males top out around 600-1200g depending on genetics. Obviously a small skink that weighs 1000g is probably obese but again impossible to be sure over YT comment. 👍🏼

@user-eu3gd4hi3t 5 лет назад

@@ReptileMountainTV okay thank you for your help! :)

@liasophia3172 5 лет назад

Can i ask how many times a week do you feed them the dog food?

@ReptileMountainTV 5 лет назад

Once a week for adults. 👍🏼

@Siannalee07 4 года назад

Do blue tongue lizards need snails? I’m not sure on if I want to get a blue tongue lizard or bearded dragon and I’m trying to find out what’s easier and if you do then I probably shouldn’t get a blue tongue, when I look up what they need to eat and what they do eat snails always come up so that’s why I’m asking 🙂

@ReptileMountainTV 4 года назад

Nope they don’t require it. They do appear to enjoy/prefer them as they are as you learned part of their natural diet.

@Siannalee07 4 года назад

OK thank you so much! 😄