Your Reptile and Amphibian Resource and Information Site

Back to Skinks Forum   Forums   Home   Members Area  

Skinks Forum

Matt Chandler   Janmccri   Matt Chandler   Janmccri   Matt Chandler   HerpsinIN   Janmccri   Matt Chandler   Janmccri   Matt Chandler   Janmccri   Matt Chandler   HerpsinIN   Matt Chandler   Lizardd   Matt Chandler   HerpsinIN   Matt Chandler   Janmccri   Matt Chandler   Janmccri   Skink boy 2734   Matt Chandler   Janmccri   Skink boy 2734   Janmccri  
 Member  Message

 #2067364


Matt Chandler
View Profile

 New BTS owner

I just got the indonesian BTS and he is pretty mean. Could this be from lack of handling? Will he ever be tamed?
09/03/09  10:30pm

 #2068005


Janmccri
View Profile



   Message To: Matt Chandler   In reference to Message Id: 2067364


 New BTS owner

How old and where did you get him from? What is your set up like for him? Temps, light and all. How long have you had him. Have you had a fecal done on him. Reptiles get crabby if the temps aren’t right, they aren’t eating right, if they are stressed or sometimes it is just their disposition. Usually BTSs are pretty docile. Be patient and if you just got him, give him some time to adjust. If not, take him out for brief periods of time each day when he appears active-not when he wants to sleep. but we need more info in order to really answer your question.
Janice
09/05/09  11:57am

 #2068347


Matt Chandler
View Profile



   Message To: Janmccri   In reference to Message Id: 2068005


 New BTS owner

I got him from a well known reptile store here in Colorado. He has always been known to be aggressive even at the store. I hand fed him when I brought him home from the pet store, but he doesnt like to be handled. I have him in a wide 40 gallon with temps at 85 I guess, Eco earth with some rocks for both basking and a group for a sleeping cave in the corner with a UTH underneath that for sleeping. He does eat but he just acts like he has never been treated well. I have looked on the blue tongue skinks.net site and they did mention that indonesians are usually wild caught and can be aggressive, but is it possible to tame him? He is indo hence the black legs and the golden back and outlined scales on head. I bought him for 69 bucks as a good price for a lizard with a bad temper. Poop samples are on my wall, from catching him from climbing out of the tank and I had to grab him and he twisted and he shot crap everywhere.
So can I get him to calm down and be normal? Or is he stuck like that forever? I will still keep him never the less
09/06/09  10:40am

 #2068521


Janmccri
View Profile



   Message To: Matt Chandler   In reference to Message Id: 2068347


 New BTS owner

There is never any 100% guarantee, but it is possible with gentle handling that he will get used to you. Start with short periods of time, just petting him and holding him in his tank. work up to picking him up securely for a brief two or three minutes and then putting him back. Next step is bringing him out of the tank and sitting down with him on the couch or chair. Never put your hands around his mouth, eyes or ears. Stroke the v on top of his head and talk calmly to him. Maybe have a washclloth or small towel he can hide under while you are holding him. Remember, he isn’t "mean" but stressed out and scared.
As an adult,he will need a bigger tank than a 40. I have my adult in a 55 gal. He will need substrate to burrow in and I used a white hard plastic silverware holder to put water in because they like to sit and poop in it. they need light humidity-a gentle spraying of the substrate each day. Tanks temp of 80-85 are good, but will need a basking spot of 95. although there is contrioversy, I do believe in having UV lighting over the tank. I also use a UTH for night time and do put on a red heat light in winter when the house temps fall to 65 and below. Please get a fecal(poop) sample checked by the vet since he is wild caught he may have parasites which can make him grumpy. Don’t take him out past sunset or too early in the morning so he can wake up and warm up and maybe be a bit more friendly. also, when he goes thru a shedding period, I would most likely leave him be for a few days since he isn’t friendly to begin with and most skinks are touchy during this time. If you have a big enough water bowl(a frisbee also works well) he can soak himself during shedding. Lastly, make sure that it is quiet and peaceful when you attempt to take him out and don’t do this in front of a lot of people. Make sure you are supporting him with both hands when you hold him and once you begin to take him out of the tank, I would recommend him being on your lap or up against your chest. He will feel more secure with his feet being on something solid. Patience, patience , patience. Each time you approach him move slowly and concentrate on making him feel secure. Good luck and keep us updated.
Janice
09/06/09  06:42pm

 #2068754


Matt Chandler
View Profile



   Message To: Janmccri   In reference to Message Id: 2068521


 New BTS owner

Thanks for the advice. I will try those things. I only doubt I have is that he is an indonesian blue tongue and possibly wild caught, so I am wondering if he can be civilized....if you know what I mean. I guess if I hand fed him from the first night there is hope huh? I guess rough handling is out off the picture, I mean to take him out of the tank I have to grab him behind the head so he doesnt bite. His aquarium is next to the fire place that always has on the pilot light and is pretty warm but he does have a basking spot and a large and deep water bowl. I guestimate him to be at least 2 or 3 years.
Another question Janice. What do you feed yours. I have had a plated lizard, but not for long but I want to do this rite this time. No the plated is still alive, she is just with someoneelse, since I only want 1 lizard in my collection. So what do you feed?
09/07/09  09:57am

 #2068994


HerpsinIN
View Profile



   Message To: Matt Chandler   In reference to Message Id: 2068754


 New BTS owner

While I highly doubt temperatures are affecting his temperament, you do need to be more accurate with them, especially if you have an Indonesian. Indos should nto get below 70F. 70-72F is the absolute minimum their temperature should be. That is the coldest temperature they usually experience in the wild while they are brumating.

Your indo is just mean. Plain and simple. WC indos can have nasty temperaments. I currently have 4 indos (3 adults and 1 CBB baby i produced). the male and female are pretty docile and handleable. The other female I have is just mean. She will try to bite, huff, and even tail whip. I have had her for 2 years now and her temperament hasnt changed any.

While there is a chance that your will calm down, I have my doubts. Good luck and please post pictures of your skink!
09/07/09  08:05pm

 #2069128


Janmccri
View Profile



   Message To: HerpsinIN   In reference to Message Id: 2068994


 New BTS owner

Matt,
You never told me how old this BTS is. Is it a baby or adult? where did the pet store say it was from. Since most Indonesians are wild caught(because it is legal there), please get a fecal sample done to rule out parasites.
while it is probably true, especially if it is an adult, that mean may be all you get, I happen to be an eternal optomist. but you must take it slow and realize that the skink didn’t ask to be your pet and if he is wild caught has been thru some horrific experiences and would gladly be out in the wild again and as far away from people as he could get. With that in mind, please take it slowly and don’t handle it in any way that could be perceived as "rough." Your skink is scared and defensive. If you are afraid of getting bitten, then wear sturdy leather gloves soyou won’t fear being bitten and the skink will not feel your anxiety. You will be spending a long time gaining his trust. May I ask why you chose this particular skink? I usually handle the reptiles I am interested in and try to avoid the aggressive ones. I made a mistake in letting my son purchase the crested gecko he chose and she has been quite a biter in the past. but I did learn some things to make her less scared when I handle her and she very rarely bites any more(like how I hold her, what time of day/night I take her out, how long I keep her out and to talk to her before I take her out so I don’t startle her). Food depends on the age. My Eastern BTS eats a salad mix of some type of greens(bok choy, cilantro, endive, etc), veges(peas, carrots, green beans, red/green peppers, squash, zucchini, sweet potato), meat(raw ground turkey, cooked chicken breast) and fruit(apples, bananas, pears, watermelon, kiwi, mango, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries). when he was young he ate crickets, superworms, waxworms, snails, fish, eggs, but as he got older he stopped wanting to chase his food. He is around 14 years old, eats once or twice a week in warm months, every two or three weeks in cold months and has never had a health problem. We have had him nine years and he is a real sweetheart. I use a multivitamin once a week and calcium with D3 once a week. Oh ya, he won’t eat his food if I don’t top it with unsweetened applesauce-spoiled isn’t he. I have never given him a pinky and her has survived quite nicely.
How long have you had him now?
Janice
09/08/09  01:21am

 #2069659


Matt Chandler
View Profile



   Message To: Janmccri   In reference to Message Id: 2069128


 New BTS owner

Ive probably had him for like a week. When I got him, I didn’t know that there were different breeds or still wild caughts for that matter
09/09/09  12:53am

 #2070024


Janmccri
View Profile



   Message To: Matt Chandler   In reference to Message Id: 2069659


 New BTS owner

He will need some time to adjust. Most reptiles need at least a week to get used to their new surroundings. But you still didn’t say how old he is-a baby, a one year old, an adult? The first week that you have a reptile, especially an anxious one, you should just let him be and only handle him when it is absolutely necessary. Once he is out and about more and eating/pooping well then the slow business of handling can begin. I think if I had followed that advice, our crestie would still have her tail.
Janice
09/09/09  07:56pm

 #2070197


Matt Chandler
View Profile



   Message To: Janmccri   In reference to Message Id: 2070024


 New BTS owner

I said in the earlier message I guestimate him to be 2 or 3
09/10/09  06:05am

 #2070241


Janmccri
View Profile



   Message To: Matt Chandler   In reference to Message Id: 2070197


 New BTS owner

Sorry, I somehow missed that. So he should still be able to go after crickets, roaches, etc. I think that with time he may settle down as he is still young. Keep us posted.
Janice
09/10/09  10:08am

 #2071165


Matt Chandler
View Profile



   Message To: Janmccri   In reference to Message Id: 2070241


 New BTS owner

So I gave him some cix and that was fun to watch, and gave him one of my dubia males and he had fun with that. The next day I gave him some dog food along with some baby food mixed in and he polished that up. So more good news. I drove 60 miles yesterday to pick up a BTS merauke, for 100, tank included, and this guy is friendly.....laying in my arm as I type with one hand. The guy said his daughter was supposed to take care of it, but he was the one doing all the chores for it so he gave it up on craigslist for 100. He looks healthy and is about 18 inches or 20. I am still gonna work on the indo, even if I have to get a muzzle. I am sorry for no pics, but if you send a email addy I can send the pic to you, I just can’t on this site. I am 25 by the way and new to skinks
09/13/09  11:30am

 #2071323


HerpsinIN
View Profile



   Message To: Matt Chandler   In reference to Message Id: 2071165


 New BTS owner

Good deal!

I have found many great deals on craigslist. Right now I am trying to get 4 Tannies off of craigslist. Meraukes are one species that I have not worked with. I have had one in my care for about a couple weeks. I was just shipping it for someone.

I have been working with Tiliqua since 2005. I am up to 30 BTS and love it! I am mainly working with Kei Islands, Indos, Tanimbar, and Northerns. Keis Islands make up half of my collection. They are by far my favorite species to work with so far. In the future, I would like to work with Blotched. Im 22.

As far as posting pictures, upload them photobucket or a similar site and then post the link.



09/13/09  07:28pm

 #2071465


Matt Chandler
View Profile



   Message To: HerpsinIN   In reference to Message Id: 2071323


 New BTS owner

I took him outside today to get some sunshine, some real God made UVs. He was the best experience from any lizard I ever had. The leo geckoes only came out at night, the emerald swifts needed to much attention and you couldn’t hold them much since they are so fragile and I never wanted bearded dragons cause everyone and their grandmother has one. So when I saw there guys at a expo here in Denver I fell in love with the lizard, but not the price, so I got a plated instead which my girlfriend to be currently owns and spoils. The plated gave me some experience on how to keep a BTS, since they have the same care guidelines. Good look with the Tannies and Thanks Janice for your advice
09/14/09  02:00am

 #2077177


Lizardd
View Profile



   Message To: Matt Chandler   In reference to Message Id: 2071465


 New BTS owner

indonesians are usally wild caught so thats proboably why he is mean. if you hand feed him and hold him for a couple of minutes every day he should become tame. for more info go toLink
09/27/09  12:50pm

 #2081659


Matt Chandler
View Profile



   Message To: Lizardd   In reference to Message Id: 2077177


 New BTS owner

Well I took him to a friend since he said he can train him or her and so far I have been able to hold the lizard without it trying to bite me, and rub her or him, even without holding it by the neck to prevent it from snapping at my fingers. Another question is when I put the two skinks together, the newest skink always goes straight for the other one and attacks the mean one whom is smaller right at the mid section and they seem to be going in a circle with it. I don’t leave them together, it could turn ugly. The smaller one had a small blue tongue looking thing exude from the anal region, could this mean it is a male?
10/08/09  01:36am

 #2081710


HerpsinIN
View Profile



   Message To: Matt Chandler   In reference to Message Id: 2081659


 New BTS owner

BTS are solitary animals in the wild. They should not be put together except for breeding, which if you are in the US, it is not breeding season for BTS. Allowing them to fight like this is just causing unnecessary stress for both of them. I would recommend you stop doing it.

As far as the blue thing, the hemipene should be pink in color. They also usually expose both at the same time. But they do look like a little tongue sticking out. Could possibly be a male (well more than likely a male if something other than fecal matter came out of the vent).
10/08/09  08:35am

 #2082699


Matt Chandler
View Profile



   Message To: HerpsinIN   In reference to Message Id: 2081710


 New BTS owner

I keep them apart all the time, it was just that one time I put them together to see what kind of reaction they have to one another. The skink squirts every time you pick it up and it strained to do that and this blue fleshy thing came out partially. Looked like its tongue coming out of the venter
10/11/09  03:20am

 #2083700


Janmccri
View Profile



   Message To: Matt Chandler   In reference to Message Id: 2082699


 New BTS owner

If you can, get a picture and post it.
Janice
10/14/09  12:47am

 #2086222


Matt Chandler
View Profile



   Message To: Janmccri   In reference to Message Id: 2083700


 New BTS owner Good news

Well good news. I can now take the meanie out of the aquarium without fear. Well there is fear since she still puts up a defence but once I hold her she calms down. I no longer hold her like a poisonous snake and she calms down and will eat her food thats on her food dish out of my hand, while I am holding her
10/20/09  12:43am

 #2086233


Janmccri
View Profile



   Message To: Matt Chandler   In reference to Message Id: 2086222


 New BTS owner Good news

Congrats-your love and patience is paying off. continue to take it slowly and keep up the good work.
Janice
10/20/09  01:19am

 #2086519


Skink boy 2734
View Profile



   Message To: Matt Chandler   In reference to Message Id: 2067364


 New BTS owner

hi my name is skink boy i have a indonesian female bluey and she was very aggresive when i got her. what i did was kept her well fed and handled her every time i had a chance to and i made sure she wasnt to cold or to hot that could make a difference and do not hand feed or feed in cage feed in sepertate feeding tank
10/20/09  06:19pm

 #2086725


Matt Chandler
View Profile



   Message To: Skink boy 2734   In reference to Message Id: 2086519


 New BTS owner

How is her temperament now Skinkboy? I work most of the day so I don’t get to hold her during the day, but I do When I get home at night. She is calming down more now and both are going through a shed and looking very beautiful. I figured that if I gave up on my Indo no one else would try or at least that is the best way to see it or think of it, so I gave her a chance. She really loves to eat. I have just started this diet of pedigree chicken dogfood... 40 percent of meal....with sweet peas in pods well chopped up, some iguana fruit veggie fruit gel mix and reptile suppliment. All of that in each meal. The indo does have some scared scales but I think she is fine, right? Thanks Janice
10/21/09  12:31am

 #2087840


Janmccri
View Profile



   Message To: Matt Chandler   In reference to Message Id: 2086725


 New BTS owner

sounds good, Matt,try and work in a few more veges if you can. the same veges that are good for beardies are good for skinks-green beans, peas, squash, sweet potato, carrots, sweet peppers, greens, etc chopped up into little pieces and mix in with the dog food. Use fruit sparingly, but with each meal. for an adult skink, don’t give multivitamins with every meal., once a week is fine, calcium with d3 also weekly and calcium w/o d3 daily. No d3 if you have a mvb. Mine only eats once a week at this time of year, so as the weather cools, you skink may start eating less. I am so glad you didn’t give up on him.
Janice
10/23/09  09:08am

 #2094171


Skink boy 2734
View Profile



   Message To: Skink boy 2734   In reference to Message Id: 2086519


 New BTS owner

shes calmmed down alot thanks 4 asking quick ip u should watch feeding her dog food because some dog foods have crude oils in them and blueys have an ellergic reation to fish fat or crude oil
11/10/09  08:50pm

 #2096199


Janmccri
View Profile



   Message To: Skink boy 2734   In reference to Message Id: 2094171


 New BTS owner

I actually don’t feed dog food at all, but use raw ground turkey or chicken.
Janice
11/17/09  12:31pm


Back to Skinks Forum   Forums   Home   Members Area