# Blue tongue enclosure



## BlueGecko (Apr 25, 2015)

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to work out how to make my blue tongues enclosure more stimulating so she doesn't just stay in her hide aaaall day every day. Right now there is a heat lamp on one side, a bunch of logs and hides, and a hide on the cool side with her water dish on top. A few questions you might be able to help me with:



A way to create levels to make the most of the 2ft height on the cool side?
IF ANYONE HAS PICS OF THIS IT WOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED - haven't seen it done before.



Things to keep her occupied - she's not interested in the logs and rocks atm.



A substrate that she can burrow into but is still easy to clean (esp. when she's shedding)?
Also, does anyone know to to clean scales off glass (and silicone) easily? Surely someone has figured it out..?


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## kingofnobbys (Apr 25, 2015)

I regularly rearrange the two fake hollow longs they each (BT) have as hides / basking platforms, and their fake hollow tree stumps with several entries in them (they used crawl in through as juveniles - too fat now) in each (about 300m high) of BT's enclosure that they seem to enjoy all this surrounded by and ontop about 2" thick layer of coarse Kritter's Crumble (they love tunnelling through it and it helps when they are itchy and shedding).

Also each of my BTs and CBDs get a turn out and about to roam free range in the house and explore and if it's sunny they get supervised garden and yard time (one lizard at a time).


I don't think my lizards are ever bored , they also live in the lounge room and get to watch us all coming and going and they seem fascinated by the TV when it's on.

I'm reluctant to provide much in the way of opportunities for my BTs to climb very far above the bedding after one of them broke his front leg as juvenile in a fall off a rock (came home and find him not wanting to put any weight on the right front leg) and after the expense having leg reset and strutted and pined by the vet. They can climb a little but they are not as good as my water skink or the beardies can or as safely.


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## BlueGecko (Apr 26, 2015)

Thanks! Our bluey Ella also gets to roam around the house. I'll heed your warning about the height and leave it be!

Do you just spot clean the Crumble for the most part? I'm wary of using something that is difficult to keep clean.

She's got plenty of logs and things but just doesn't seem interested in leaving her hide. We've tried warming up and cooling down the tank thinking she might be uncomfortable but with no luck. Just don't know how to get her out and about!


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## MesseNoire (Apr 26, 2015)

BlueGecko said:


> Thanks! Our bluey Ella also gets to roam around the house. I'll heed your warning about the height and leave it be!
> 
> Do you just spot clean the Crumble for the most part? I'm wary of using something that is difficult to keep clean.
> 
> She's got plenty of logs and things but just doesn't seem interested in leaving her hide. We've tried warming up and cooling down the tank thinking she might be uncomfortable but with no luck. Just don't know how to get her out and about!



Why do you want her to get out and about?
I suspect either your temps aren't correct, she is stressed or just shy. We have one here at home that only comes out when he thinks no one is around.


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## BlueGecko (Apr 26, 2015)

MesseNoire said:


> Why do you want her to get out and about?
> I suspect either your temps aren't correct, she is stressed or just shy. We have one here at home that only comes out when he thinks no one is around.



The main reason is that before her Beardie companions died she was out and about much more often. We have played abaround with the temps, so I don't think it's that, since she's been like this for a few months now. Good to hear that it's not a cause for concern though, thanks! Maybe she's just getting old and anti social


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## MesseNoire (Apr 26, 2015)

BlueGecko said:


> The main reason is that before her Beardie companions died she was out and about much more often. We have played abaround with the temps, so I don't think it's that, since she's been like this for a few months now. Good to hear that it's not a cause for concern though, thanks! Maybe she's just getting old and anti social



They're not social animals so her "companions" passing wouldn't necessarily be an issue unless she is now less stressed because of it.


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## kingofnobbys (Apr 26, 2015)

BlueGecko said:


> .
> 
> Do you just spot clean the Crumble for the most part? I'm wary of using something that is difficult to keep clean.
> 
> She's got plenty of logs and things but just doesn't seem interested in leaving her hide. We've tried warming up and cooling down the tank thinking she might be uncomfortable but with no luck. Just don't know how to get her out and about!



I spot clean , and full KK bedding replacement every month or so - it's very cheap to buy. I let the BT who's enclosure I'm cleaning out for extended free range time while their digs are being cleaned and sprayed with F10.

My BTs are my laziest lizards , not near as active as the EWS , who is more active than the beardies (who are very laid back and love basking and only get very frisky when out for a roam - they seem to particularly enjoy exploring the house).

I don't know what other's BTs and CBDs behave like (activity levels in their enclosures).


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## BlueGecko (Apr 26, 2015)

kingofnobbys said:


> I spot clean , and full KK bedding replacement every month or so - it's very cheap to buy. I let the BT who's enclosure I'm cleaning out for extended free range time while their digs are being cleaned and sprayed with F10.
> 
> My BTs are my laziest lizards , not near as active as the EWS , who is more active than the beardies (who are very laid back and love basking and only get very frisky when out for a roam - they seem to particularly enjoy exploring the house).
> 
> I don't know what other's BTs and CBDs behave like (activity levels in their enclosures).



Curious, what are EWS? I think we'll get her something new and a new substrate and see if she goes back to her old roaming self. As long as she stays healthy, I guess it's not an issue. Do you know how to clean up BT scales after shedding? They just get everywhere!


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## CrazyNut (Apr 27, 2015)

Use natrual stuff (real wood, real dry grass etc). Is your encsloure inside or outside? Mine has an outdoor encsloure so he gets natrual day night cycle as well as real sun (nothing beats the sun).


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## kingofnobbys (Apr 27, 2015)

BlueGecko said:


> Curious, what are EWS? I think we'll get her something new and a new substrate and see if she goes back to her old roaming self. As long as she stays healthy, I guess it's not an issue. Do you know how to clean up BT scales after shedding? They just get everywhere!



EWS = eastern water skink . 

Only have one of them , wish I had 2 or 3 , she is fantastic, extremely inquisitive, very entertaining to watch when stalking and eating worms and crickets, mega tame, and very affectionate and very cute.

I simply pick them out by hand. When my skinks are shedding I bath them and it helps shed come off , often winds up floating in the water.


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## kingofnobbys (Apr 27, 2015)

CrazyNut said:


> Use natrual stuff (real wood, real dry grass etc). Is your encsloure inside or outside? Mine has an outdoor encsloure so he gets natrual day night cycle as well as real sun (nothing beats the sun).



I like to add gum tree leaf litter and small twigs that drop onto my front lawn from my big gum tree to the skinks' bedding, the beardies get some bits of bark and larger twigs too, they all like to flip leafs and bits of bark and to scratch and rub on the twigs when shedding.


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## BlueGecko (Apr 27, 2015)

kingofnobbys said:


> EWS = eastern water skink .
> 
> Only have one of them , wish I had 2 or 3 , she is fantastic, extremely inquisitive, very entertaining to watch when stalking and eating worms and crickets, mega tame, and very affectionate and very cute.
> 
> I simply pick them out by hand. When my skinks are shedding I bath them and it helps shed come off , often winds up floating in the water.



Sounds fun! Do you keep your EWS & BTS together? Might be a good addition! Ugh I was hoping for a quick cleaning hack for cleaning up scales  Unfortunately our bt gets super stressed in water so the most we can do is spray her and gently rub her scales to help. Thanks so much for your attention to my post!


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## BlueGecko (Apr 27, 2015)

CrazyNut said:


> Use natrual stuff (real wood, real dry grass etc). Is your encsloure inside or outside? Mine has an outdoor encsloure so he gets natrual day night cycle as well as real sun (nothing beats the sun).



Thanks for the reply! She's indoors, always in front of a sliding door or window to _try_ and get that sunlight. Have you ever had issues with using natural substrate? I was worried about introducing mites or bugs or something.


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## kingofnobbys (Apr 27, 2015)

BlueGecko said:


> Sounds fun! Do you keep your EWS & BTS together? Might be a good addition! Ugh I was hoping for a quick cleaning hack for cleaning up scales  Unfortunately our bt gets super stressed in water so the most we can do is spray her and gently rub her scales to help. Thanks so much for your attention to my post!



No. I have no doubt if a BT can corner a water skink, it would become a snack. Mind you the water skink is pretty quick when she wants to move in a hurry and can easily outpace a BT and I doubt one of my BTs could actually catch my water skink. 

All my beardies and skinks are separately housed and rarely meet each other and never do so unless supervised.

I bath our skinks and beardies in a big shallow freezer tub on the coffee table and make sure the water is about 35[SUP]o[/SUP]C before putting the lizard in. I never more than 1-1.5" deep water in even with the adult beardies and BTs. 
I found the sound of the tap running really freaked them out so I stopped using the sink or bathtub and have some hot and cold water in some 2L drink bottles and an infrared thermometer and no tap sound in the presence of lizard and mix hot + cold to desired temp and just top up with hot as the water cools (EASY and stress free). I continuously reassure them when bathing them and use soggy scot towels to wash them and help with shedding.

The water skink goes absolute crazy when she's in her bath - in a good way. 

The BTs and skink will also drink the bath water given the chance too. (So if you are adding Betadiene to make a tea coloured solution (if the lizard has an open injury) beware of this - I don't think it would be good for them to ingest weak butadiene while drinking the bathwater.

Sometimes the beardies do a dump in their bathwater , I am told this is normal for them. My girl often deposited her poos in her water dish before I removed the water dishes from the beardies' houses to reduce humidity a little. I rarely saw the beardies drink from their water dishes , they liked parking their bottoms in the water and often did so.

I don't know the guidance on bathing BTs (or beardies) , I just do so when it's required so quite infrequently. The EWS baths herself in her little pond , loves her water for drinking and swimming and bathing and splashing about.


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## RoryBreaker (Apr 27, 2015)

BlueGecko said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I'm trying to work out how to make my blue tongues enclosure more stimulating so she doesn't just stay in her hide aaaall day every day.



Even if you keep your enclosure at summertime like temperatures, most adult blueys know what time of year it is now and will choose to lay low. Only coming out to have a drink every now and then. 

You may be better off waiting until Spring when skinks become more naturally active before rearranging the enclosure.

Cheers


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## BlueGecko (Apr 27, 2015)

RoryBreaker said:


> Even if you keep your enclosure at summertime like temperatures, most adult blueys know what time of year it is now and will choose to lay low. Only coming out to have a drink every now and then.
> 
> You may be better off waiting until Spring when skinks become more naturally active before rearranging the enclosure.
> 
> Cheers



I thought of that too  thanks!


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## BlueGecko (Apr 27, 2015)

kingofnobbys said:


> No. I have no doubt if a BT can corner a water skink, it would become a snack. Mind you the water skink is pretty quick when she wants to move in a hurry and can easily outpace a BT and I doubt one of my BTs could actually catch my water skink.
> 
> All my beardies and skinks are separately housed and rarely meet each other and never do so unless supervised.
> 
> ...



Yeah our girls (beardies) used to poop in their water. They actually lived with the bluey without incident - used to actually bask on top of her. They were all raised together at the same time which probably helped. Maybe the bts is lonely? Aw.

We don't add betadine and only bathe her when needed too 

A water skink definitely sounds entertaining! Although as we have found while talking about our lizards - their personalities vary a lot!!


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## kingofnobbys (Apr 27, 2015)

I don't know where the OP is , but the resident wild skinks who live under my house and in my gardens and in my shed were out and about (basking and on the hunt for insects to eat) today, I saw several of them and we gave some freshly dead crickets to them (much appreciated I'm sure as the insects disappeared pretty soon).

They were back out on the first warm sunny day after the big Anzac Week storm (Thursday). Quite surprising as I expected the wild ones would be laying low now. Most the ones I saw were juveniles though (maybe they wont lay low as long as the adults) as they are still growing and have higher metabolic rates and hence need food more often.


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## kingofnobbys (Apr 27, 2015)

BlueGecko said:


> Yeah our girls (beardies) used to poop in their water. They actually lived with the bluey without incident - used to actually bask on top of her. They were all raised together at the same time which probably helped. Maybe the bts is lonely? Aw.
> 
> We don't add betadine and only bathe her when needed too
> 
> A water skink definitely sounds entertaining! Although as we have found while talking about our lizards - their personalities vary a lot!!



All 5 of my lizards has a totally distinct personality , and each has unique quirks and likes and dislikes. 

I separated our BTs (bought together originally kept together until about 4 months old) when our girl bashed up the boy. So for safety we split them up and each has their own full sized (4ft x 2ft x 18" tall) enclosure.
Similar with the beardies , were fine together up until about 4 - 5 months old when again the girl started dominating the boy I( so into separate full sized 4' x 2' x 2' enclosures and problem solved). .. Funny how the tables have turned since, he now dominates her and she arm waves at him everytime she sees him, only going blackbeard and a bit agro if he's on the floor when she's being fed and sees him there.

The politics can be complicated.


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## BlueGecko (Apr 27, 2015)

kingofnobbys said:


> I don't know where the OP is , but the resident wild skinks who live under my house and in my gardens and in my shed were out and about (basking and on the hunt for insects to eat) today, I saw several of them and we gave some freshly dead crickets to them (much appreciated I'm sure as the insects disappeared pretty soon).
> 
> They were back out on the first warm sunny day after the big Anzac Week storm (Thursday). Quite surprising as I expected the wild ones would be laying low now. Most the ones I saw were juveniles though (maybe they wont lay low as long as the adults) as they are still growing and have higher metabolic rates and hence need food more often.



Haha I totally agree with your politics comment! I am on the far north coast of nsw so isn't too cold yet during the day. Also she has been like this for a few months (very roughly when the beardies died). If only they could talk!


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## kingofnobbys (Apr 27, 2015)

BlueGecko said:


> Haha I totally agree with your politics comment! I am on the far north coast of nsw so isn't too cold yet during the day. Also she has been like this for a few months (very roughly when the beardies died). If only they could talk!



Maybe she can do with more human contact time for petting and cuddles and misses the interaction she got with her enclosure mates. I think they can get depressed, though I'm sure some here will poo poo that possibility and say they are incapable of such emotional states. 

Personally from what I've seen , skinks and dragons are certainly capable of emotional responses and show things like affection.

Just a thought - maybe a mirror outside the enclosure might be worth trying .


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## BlueGecko (Apr 27, 2015)

kingofnobbys said:


> Maybe she can do with more human contact time for petting and cuddles and misses the interaction she got with her enclosure mates. I think they can get depressed, though I'm sure some here will poo poo that possibility and say they are incapable of such emotional states.
> 
> Personally from what I've seen , skinks and dragons are certainly capable of emotional responses and show things like affection.



I'm so glad you said that because that's what I thought when one beardie died and her sister followed soon after. I definitely think she misses them - although her behavior was always more of the "omg your so lame" older sibling. Like she just put up with their energy climbing all over her. Will have to up the tlc  thanks


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## RoryBreaker (Apr 28, 2015)

kingofnobbys said:


> Maybe she can do with more human contact time for petting and cuddles and misses the interaction she got with her enclosure mates. I think they can get depressed, though I'm sure some here will poo poo that possibility and say they are incapable of such emotional states.
> 
> Personally from what I've seen , skinks and dragons are certainly capable of emotional responses and show things like affection.
> 
> Just a thought - maybe a mirror outside the enclosure might be worth trying .



Wow, while you are at it you may as well put a collar and leash on it and take it for walks. Even play fetch!

Seriosly though, blueys are the most tolerant of the Australian skinks in regards to handling but you are drawing a very long bow to state they enjoy cuddles.

It goes against their default programming from birth that everything above them is a predator. Hence their tendency to flee to cover and their 'death from above' mantra.

Their psychology is discussed in a chapter within the fantastic book called, "Blue Tongued-skinks, Contributions to _Tiliqua _and _Cylodomorphus". _This book is expensive but if you really want to improve your knowledge on blueys, even though it was published back in the 90's, it is still the best source for information. I strongly suggest you read it. At the very least, do a google search for a dedicated blue tongued skink forum. Your questions will receive a more specialised response from its membership.

As for blueys pining after missing enclosure mates..........again , really? Please do some reading. 

I had to 'poo poo' this post, I couldn't let rubbish like that go through to the keeper. 

Cheers,
Dave.


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## Freeloader (Apr 29, 2015)

I believed everything in this thread and was enjoying gaining knowledge about blue tongue skinks until the last post by Rorybreaker. My bts is that distraught I have had to medicate him to stop him trying to end it all in his water bowl. Thank you very much Rorybreaker.


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## RoryBreaker (Apr 29, 2015)

Freeloader said:


> I believed everything in this thread and was enjoying gaining knowledge about blue tongue skinks until the last post by Rorybreaker. My bts is that distraught I have had to medicate him to stop him trying to end it all in his water bowl. Thank you very much Rorybreaker.



You should have never allowed your boyfriend to name the skink Bubbles.


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## kingofnobbys (Apr 29, 2015)

^^ 
Have fun boys . 

Must be a great - that feeling of being so superior to all others and of regarding yourselves as fountains of all knowledge....


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## Freeloader (Apr 29, 2015)

Mate maybe you can use that mirror to perk yourself up. I don't hand out advice cause I am no self proclaimed expert. I leave all that to Rorybreaker.


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## Stuart (Apr 29, 2015)

Terrible spelling, but the just is there...


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