Our BTS

[DaveDragon]

I took a few pics of him yesterday. He's about 7 months old. He's calmed down alot. I used to get hissed at and bit when I'd try to take him out. Now maybe hissed a little. He's a very curious little critter.

 

[greentriple]

Those are great pics. Dave. I wanted to say that first before mentioning that for some unknown reason Skinks ich me out. I can't explain why, but they always have. I read and hear great things about them, but can't get over my hibi's about them (irrational I know). Still a nice picture though. We do have a saying in Mexico though: "Mientras menos burros, mas elotes." Fewer donkeys means, more corn.

 

[DaveDragon]

Those are great pics. Dave. I wanted to say that first before mentioning that for some unknown reason Skinks ich me out. I can't explain why, but they always have. I read and hear great things about them, but can't get over my hibi's about them (irrational I know). Still a nice picture though.

Thanks!! They are different. Kind of mean looks but pudgy. I've heard they're alot like Bearded Dragons but a better personality. This little guy is getting there. Many of our pets start out as kids pets (my wife is a push over) and end up with us caring for them. A couple have been given away. I come to prefer the medium to larger reptiles; Ball Python, Tegu's, want a RTB. The little ones that just run away when you take them out get boring.

We do have a saying in Mexico though: "Mientras menos burros, mas elotes." Fewer donkeys means, more corn.

So having less pets means there's more money to feed us?? Very true. We have too many pets. It probably costs us as much to heat them as it does to feed them. Dang Bush!!!

 

[playlboi]

i'm not too fond of BTS's. but that is a good looking one!

 

[ColdThirst]

I want one of those really bad!!! But they say they can live up to 30 years, but they are almost the same to take care of as a tegu, same food intake, habbits, and a little more cold tollerant, this is an awesome link for them. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bluetongueskinks.net/care.htm">http://www.bluetongueskinks.net/care.htm</a><!-- m -->
Also, how much did it cost you? Just in case I want to get one

 

[Mike]

I always like BTS pics. He looks good.

 

[nat]

nice shots dave, your little guy looks like he / she has some nice coloration to. Bts are what got me back into lizards... I used to be snake/ tortoise girl and didn't care for lizards at all after my experiences with iguanas and beardies (nothing negative, but they couldn't keep my attention and seemed like a lot of work and mess and food in the meantime) but after taking in a bts w/ a broken arm, I was freaking hooked again ha ha

and my female, despite being the tamest thing in the world (I use her for hands on presentations in classrooms / special needs programs) hisses at me like there is no tomarrow every time I go to pick her up. She is just that way. Its the biting that I mind... ha ha (not that either of mine have bit me)

 

[DaveDragon]

http://www.bluetongueskinks.net/care.htm
Also, how much did it cost you? Just in case I want to get one

I've been to that site but not recently.

We bought him at a reptile show for $85 last July. There was only one vendor selling babies and a couple of adults. We heard a few people were looking for them. We got the chunkiest one with good colors!

 

[DaveDragon]

... didn't care for lizards at all after my experiences with iguanas and beardies (nothing negative, but they couldn't keep my attention and seemed like a lot of work and mess and food in the meantime)

We got started with a Beardie. Our oldest son (10) is always the one who gets us interested in other herps. Beardies are boring. They just sit there. He wants an iguana now!! We've seen some beautiful adult rescues at the reptile shows but we just don't have a room to dedicate to one. And the cats & dog might be in for a surprise!! We know someone who has one that free roams around the house.

Last month we were given a 6 year old Red Eared Slider by our 8 year old son's teacher. This weekend we were given a 15 year old Yellow Footed Tortoise. He lives in the boys room and we let him wander around the house. Any advise??

 

[nat]

awww I want someone to give me a yellow foot. Damn you. ha ha not really. Well my advice for the yellowfoot is to give him some sort of area where she/ he can have a lot of humidity. My redfoots love to burrow into their damp peat moss. If you notice runny eyes that could be a sign of low humidity for them. They are really social for a reptile and will eat anything but should be given a 60 % veggie, 40 % fruit and a bit of protein once a week (in the form of worms, or soaked dry cat food) hmmm, oh and explain to your son how much pooh iguanas produce, there's another tip. ha ha.

 

[DaveDragon]

Well my advice for the yellowfoot is to give him some sort of area where she/ he can have a lot of humidity. My redfoots love to burrow into their damp peat moss. If you notice runny eyes that could be a sign of low humidity for them. They are really social for a reptile and will eat anything but should be given a 60 % veggie, 40 % fruit and a bit of protein once a week (in the form of worms, or soaked dry cat food) hmmm, oh and explain to your son how much pooh iguanas produce, there's another tip. ha ha.

Hmmm... Hot do we give humidity to a 14" tortoise that has the run of the boys room?? He does have runny eyes. Maybe an upside down tub with damp moss in it?? We have a basking area setup in their closet but it sounds like he needs more. That's probably why he doesn't bask much, he's already dried out.

We have dark green & fruit (apple OK for them?) and some dry tortoise food (should that be moistened?). My wife had read they should get a bath twice a week. Is that enough? I haven't done much reading on them, but she has. We've been very busy moving tanks & critters around. And of course all the other critters!

How much UVB do you think he needs?? We have an extra ZooMed ReptiSun 5 compact florescent that he could share with the Red Eared Slider (swapped, not at the same time), but he doesn't stay in one place other than under the boys beds or in a corner.

Iguana poo... What goes in must some out!! That's gotta be messy unless you can train them to go in one spot (your choice!).

 

[nat]

I would recomend a cat pan or some sort of shallow larger pan with damp moss or something similar that he / she can sit in if she/ he wants. Also, misting could help. Baths are a good thing, especially if she doesn't have as much access to a humid hide (though they are also found in grassland areas so its not critical to offer high humidity, but at least let her have some sort of access to it) two baths a week for an adult is fine. Babies should be soaked every day or every other day but adults, once or twice a week is sufficient.

what kind of tortoise chow are you using ? I use mazuri from time to time. Basically any kind of veggie you can feed to a lizard is find for the tortoise. Apples are fine, mine love squash, zucchini, any kind of fruit, kale, salad mixes, carrots, mustard greens, dandilions, etc.

Mine don't bask a lot, maybe for an hour or two a day. They come from a covered, heavily forested area and don't spend a lot of time in direct sunlight. Because of this, there is also a lot of debate about whether they need uva/ uvb. I know many breeders who don't use it and have had many successful generations of redfoots/ yellowfoots. Make sure they are getting a sufficient amount of calcium + vit. d3 if you opt not to offer it (a lot of their d3 comes from the protein they eat as they will eat carrion, bones, etc in the wild). I don't use uva/ uvb for mine, and their growth has been fine.

 

[DaveDragon]

Baths are a good thing, especially if she doesn't have as much access to a humid hide (though they are also found in grassland areas so its not critical to offer high humidity, but at least let her have some sort of access to it) two baths a week for an adult is fine.

He had his first bath tonight. We gave him some greens afterward. He was very hungry. He didn't eat any of the greens & fruit he was left during the day. I think he just hides and doesn't go looking for food.

what kind of tortoise chow are you using ?

They sold us Rage'n Reptile Tortoise Food. It sounds good by their description.

Mine don't bask a lot, maybe for an hour or two a day.

Don't they need some source of heat?? He's living in our 70 degree house.

Because of this, there is also a lot of debate about whether they need uva/ uvb. I know many breeders who don't use it and have had many successful generations of redfoots/ yellowfoots. Make sure they are getting a sufficient amount of calcium + vit. d3 if you opt not to offer it (a lot of their d3 comes from the protein they eat as they will eat carrion, bones, etc in the wild). I don't use uva/ uvb for mine, and their growth has been fine.

No UVB sounds good to me! This Tortoise food seems to have all the vitamins including D3.

I've read that Red Eared Sliders need UVB but the one we got from our son's teacher was originally from her father in North Carolina. I doubt it got any UVB. It certainly didn't in her classroom along with no heat!

I forgot the pictures!!

 

[nat]

I haven't kept res myself but I am almost certain they need uvb. Big baskers they are. Maybe someone who has kept them will give you a more definitive answer. I have heard of many res not living with heat or uvb but I have also seen a lot of them die of mbd among other preventable diseases

As for the yellowfoot's heat, yes they need warmth but don't necissarily bask to get it. I keep mine at an ambient air temp range of 75 - 85 (its a big enclosure) and use a heat lamp on one side. They seem happy to spend most of their time in the cooler end though. I would still provide him with a basking light so he can use it as he wants. Maybe a red light in the area he likes to sleep to keep him a little warmer if you are worried about it. I use a mini oil heater in that room to keep it a little warmer than the rest of my house. Or if you make him some sort of rubbermaid humid hide, a uth of sorts might work well to. Yellowfoots are pretty hardy little guys (or big guys I should say) I am still so jealous someone gave him to you. If you want me to come down there and take him off your hands, I will, I don't mind at all! 8)

 

[DaveDragon]

I haven't kept res myself but I am almost certain they need uvb. Big baskers they are. Maybe someone who has kept them will give you a more definitive answer. I have heard of many res not living with heat or uvb but I have also seen a lot of them die of mbd among other preventable diseases

He definitely likes to bask. We'll be moving him from the 20G we got him in, into a 55G this weekend. He'll get the ReptiSun then.

As for the yellowfoot's heat, yes they need warmth but don't necissarily bask to get it. I keep mine at an ambient air temp range of 75 - 85 (its a big enclosure) and use a heat lamp on one side. They seem happy to spend most of their time in the cooler end though. I would still provide him with a basking light so he can use it as he wants. Maybe a red light in the area he likes to sleep to keep him a little warmer if you are worried about it. I use a mini oil heater in that room to keep it a little warmer than the rest of my house. Or if you make him some sort of rubbermaid humid hide, a uth of sorts might work well to. Yellowfoots are pretty hardy little guys (or big guys I should say)

Maybe a humid hide with a human heating pad under it. I have an extra. The other is used for the roaches. The problem is he's free to roam the boys room, which is a 10ft x 11ft room with 2 tanks, a dresser and a bunk bed. Pretty cramped. But it's easy for him to hide under the bed. It seems he doesn't come out after he goes under. Maybe he'll wander more after he's been here a while. The store we got him from had him wandering the store. Along with a 18"+ Sulcata (bulldozer!!).

I am still so jealous someone gave him to you. If you want me to come down there and take him off your hands, I will, I don't mind at all! 8)

You better have a rich relative in oil!! MS Streets & Trips says 6 days and 3078 miles!!! You can't drive much farther in the continental US without going to Florida!!

 

[nat]

oh bugger all, why is the world always against me. ha ha. oh well.

the thing with tortoises is that once they know there is a warm spot, they will continue to use it as they wish. So even if he doesn't use whatever heat you provide, I wouldn't worry as long as he can access that heat when and if he wishes.

I also find they are quite shy and take a little while to warm up to their new surroundings. Give him a little while longer to get used to your home and see if that helps with his constant hiding. Hand feed him a couple times and in no time you will have him chasing you all over the house for treats I can't so much as breathe in my reptile room without my redfoots waking up and trying to follow me around.

 

[DaveDragon]

I also find they are quite shy and take a little while to warm up to their new surroundings. Give him a little while longer to get used to your home and see if that helps with his constant hiding. Hand feed him a couple times and in no time you will have him chasing you all over the house for treats

He hand feeds well already. Especially if he didn't eat all day!

 

[nat]

most excellent now just warn any women in the house not to wear red nail polish on their toes (ouch, ouch, ouch)

 

[DaveDragon]

most excellent now just warn any women in the house not to wear red nail polish on their toes (ouch, ouch, ouch)

I'm hoping our 6 year old daughter has learned dangling her fingers off of the couch attracts a hungry male Blue Tegu (she got bit).

I don't walk around in bare feet. We usually have some critter walking around when we're home. They don't use the bathroom, if you know what I mean!!! We have hardwood floors, beat up, but at least any messes are easy to clean up!

 

[snakehandler]

tortoises like a nice secured area with a basking spot, uva, a dry and a wet corner. and a hiding box. wandering around in a room make them insecure.