Bluetongue in house - Drought related

[Overland]

Thanks for the advice my friend, I do admit to liking the learning experience in regards to reptile and bugs alike

black soldier flies look interesting and could have some good uses for me with composting and lizard feeding

I never knew they had no actual mouth as a fly too

big day tomorrow, enclosure fitout, small cage to explore outside etc and first full weekend with oomox


regaurding substrate, would a coir doormat function as a good cage floor cover?

thanks

 

[kankryb]

regaurding substratet people use all kind, I use aspen chips my friend use plastic grass mat other newspaper or cocopeat. I would start with something like newspaper that you can check easy for her droppings and keep clean, just the first month

 

[nuttylizardguy]

big day tomorrow, enclosure fitout, small cage to explore outside etc and first full weekend with oomox

I urge no outside time until Oormox is MUCH BIGGER and less likely to be scared by the experience . ( about 12 months old ).
Make sure the floor area you let Oormox explore is Oormox escape proof , a little skink can very easily end up under large heavy hard to move stuff in the house , or slip under a door.
I suggest limit exploring for now to on your , or on the bed , or on the lounge , less stressful for the little skink.

regaurding substrate, would a coir doormat function as a good cage floor cover?

thanks

no. Not appropriate . Better off with course , fibrous , loose and easy to tunnel through.
Steer clear of fine (dusty substrates - fine and medium grade Kritters Krumble is pretty dusty in my experience ( I like course grade better ).
a caresheet : https://www.herpvet.com.au/blue-tongued-skink-care-sheet/

Substrates that are often used include sand ( I'd avoid it ) , peat, bark, leaf litter, recycled paper pellets and critter crumbles. These all have the tendency to have issues with water absorption and can be difficult to clean. Newspaper, butchers paper of paper towels are easy to clean, pose no risk for obstruction but do not allow for digging, look unnatural and absorb humidity poorly

 

[Bluetongue1]

Unfortunately mate, it was me who brought up owls not wires, with good reason.

I work in sydney, live in wollongong so home is dark till dark, naga adjusted likewise, enjoying an occasional grape after some pocket-time around 9pm, commonly seen exploring the house well past 11 when all bluetongues should ( and was originally) asleep at this time, so much so that a friend with his own captive bluetongues questioned how and naga was awake doing her thing long after his own were asleep

sadly, these concerns were ignored by WIRES - they simply wernt interested because naga was in , as the vet said. in good health (and she had scales not fur or feathers) avoiding insects, worms..being notcternal, well accustomed to the soft lounge, sunning herself by windows, being found taking comfort in bubblewrap and using a router as a heatpad, one of many concerns I had and detailed to no end in upmost clarity

to release the animal in this adjusted state, much like nsw wildlifes own page says in regards from moving a lizard and being unable to find food was exactly why I thought I was doing the right thing

in the end, I wasnt
its me who was clueless sadly

Sorry I am somewhat behind in responding…

Diurnal reptiles are similar to fish when provided with artificial lighting after sunset. They will often remain active while there is sufficient light. This does not mean they are becoming nocturnal. Once its lights out, activity quickly ceases. So don’t worry, Naga will remain diurnal, regardless of your keeping her active inside the house after sunset. Similarly there is no need to be concerned about her “adjusted state”.

If animals like dogs and cats and the like can go feral and survive in the wild after thousands of years of domestication, I feel sure that Naga’s brief sojourn into the world of humans looking after animals will in no way impede her survival capabilities in an entirely natural habitat.

Hope you enjoy the replacement acquisition equally as much!

 

[Overland]

thats a comfort to know, thankyou

certainly am enjoying the replacement, slowly warming to its very un-naga like warm hues and green vs nagas white, grey and green

oomox has turned into an "autowash" in that she'll pee on me, get me to change my shirt, then snuggle down into new shirt for a settled warn sleep

one thing I do wonder though, is there a name for the eastern differences?

I can find lizards online with exactly the same colour as naga but also find oomox's colour too, both are easterns though?


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(old photos of naga sadly...)

 

[kankryb]

Yes they are all eastens, Tiliqua scincoides scincoides, they go from redish Brown to dull grey I think it is about range, northen range more color? Somebody down there will know for sure

 

[nuttylizardguy]

Not really into morphs , but it's my reading that the variation in easterns' colouring and patterning is due to the region the parents originated in , ie Nth QLD, N NSW, S NSW, Victoria , coastal , western plains , etc and likelihood of interspecies matings with closely related species (in the wild).