BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

i was given this skink by a friend of mine who moved away for college, i gratefully took it


because i was not the original owner i know nothing about this guy(or girl) other than that it is an estimated 6-8 years old, about 20 inches long, eats like a pig, and is very friendly

could someone could help me identify what type of blue tongue it is ( and maybe what sex?) i would be very appreciative

By the way, she was missing a toe when i got her and doesnt seem to be able to use her toes much... is this Metabolic Bone Disease?

Hi there & welcome to the forums!

I'm not an expert, but it looks like an Irian Jaya to me. The toes loss is likely due to stuck shed - when they are shedding it is sometimes difficult for them to get the last bit around the toes off, and if it stays stuck on for several shed it can get thick and restrict blood flow, eventually resulting in lost toes. It shouldn't affect its movement too much, but if there is still layers of shed around the toes you should soak it in warm water and try to help it off.

Metabolic bone disease is different - can be kind of like osteoporosis resulting in softening of the bones - search for it, there was a recent thread on here that was extremely informative.

It is nearly impossible to sex them, unless you see that they are dropping sperm plugs = male. Check the caresheet on this site for info on sperm plugs and everything else!! Good luck, its a beautiful skink!

looks like a pretty little irian jaya to me.

Stuck shed is a good probability for the lost toe, looks like there is some shed left on the face as well. I would say soak it in a nice bath for awhile and try to remove any shed that may be stuck on the toes to prevent losing more. Also it looks like it could use it's claws trimmed or it could lead to twisted toes, that may also be why it's reluctant to use its toes.

The caresheet is always a good place to start for information.

Welcome to the forum!

You have an Irian Jaya BTS. They're considered to be very pretty with great personalities, great for beginner keepers or experienced owners alike ^.^

BTS don't really move their toes much, but losing toes is never a good thing. Lost toes are probably from either a fight or stuck shed. Stuck shed builds up and cuts off bloodflow. If it was from a fight, the scarring can also cause a difficult shed, resulting in the same problem as above.

I'd suggest give it a good soak or 2 in a warm bath (make sure it can stand on the bottom, it shouldn't have to constantly swim). Then use a damp cloth to wipe the feet and see if anything happens.

Next shed, pay careful attention to see if all the shed comes off. Problem areas are the toes, tip of the tail, and occasionally the mouth/ears/head. For helping shed you could use a moist hide, warm bath, or large soaking/drinking dish in the tank.

Check out the caresheet on this site for everything you've ever needed to know and then some ^.^

welcome to the forum!!!
your bluey does not look like it has metobolic bone disease to me and the missing toes would probabley due to inproper shed the toes in genral are pretty lifeless and dont move much at all overall you got a nice bts there

Welcome to the forum!! you'll get all the advice you could possibly want or need plus a little more! from the caresheet and people here!

looks like you've got a beautiful Irian Jaya there!

i won't go into causes of lost toes etc. as it looks like theyve been covered.

i totally forgot the heart of the post i think it is ij

Agree with everyone else about the toes,get a trim for the nails and a good look at the caresheet and food chart,apart from that he's a nice healthy lookin,dark coloured IJ,welcome to the madness.

She is still alive after all these years!

Very cool! Thanks for the update. When well cared for, these skinks can live well over 30 years.