Adopting my first skink...need advice!!

[lmb02]

I am getting a blue tongue skink from my work in a few weeks and I had a few questions. First off...they are adopting him out because he has MBD. It is not severe and it hasn't gotten worse since he has been treated with medication. The root of the problem was most likely poor diet. (He developed the problem and was placed in isolation long before I started working there.) He seems in good spirits, takes his meds like a champ and is an active eater (even though he still isn't getting the exact diet that he needs, it has improved). One of my questions has to do with diet. We aren't big fruit and veggie eaters around here...so I was wondering...as a way to avoid wasting food (and money) because it spoils, while maintaining a varied diet for my little guy (or gal) could we use baby foods that are all natural, no sugars or preservatives, as an alternative. I know that people do this for other aniamls like Sugar Gliders (which are very fragile). I know they don't make most of the fruits and veggies on the list into baby food, so there will be fresh, but for the things they do make into baby food this would be more practical for us. I also had a question about calcium dust. Which kind should we use(D3/no D3), how often and should we use more since he has MBD? Also we have the Herptivite Dust that we give our Chameleon, should he get any of that, if so...how often? Well, I can't think of anything else right now, but I'm sure I will later!! Thanks to anyone who responds!!

[mewzic-7123]

baby foods probably not a long term diet, they could get mouth rot from it, and also it doesnt exactly excercise their jaw muscles, but you could give it once in a while

[AneesasMuse]

and Congratulations to you and your new Bluey!

The caresheet on this site is awesome and will answer all the questions you've asked thus far re. your Bluey's diet... and much more

[KyleWeiss]

Getting the animal a proper setup with a basking and UV light working in tandem, a good diet as per the caresheet should be the best road to recovery.

Supplementing more calcium in the form of dust wouldn't be the best thing, especially since the natural reaction to most would be "...the more the better." Just because there is MBD doesn't mean if you suddenly spike the content of calcium the problem will be fixed; the absorbtion doesn't work this way. They need to properly metabolize the nutrients in their bodies from foodstuffs. There is no easy fix to MBD, it's proper environment and time. If you did supplement, I'd make home-made calcium powder, easily done with leftover eggshells, dried and baked, and a quick spin in the blender/food processor until finely ground. Then shake lightly on balanced meals.

The caresheet will definately get you started and give you more than enough information.

Also, has a vet diagnosed MBD? MBD is commonly assumed by people when other, less-serious problems are afoot, such as bends in the spine. I'd get a professional opinion of you haven't yet, most likely from a reptile specialist vet.

KW

[Wallace]

My late bluey, Fred, was a very enthusiastic eater. I'm not big into veggies either, but Fred really liked Frozen veggies. You can buy small backs of frozen beans, peas, corn (but only a little bit) and brussel sprouts (one of Fred's favorites.) Fred also loved berries. Once again, if you don't eat alot of fresh ones, you can buy frozed ones and throw in a handful. The Frozen food is softer than the fresh veggies, but better for jaws and mouths than baby food. If you can also buy brussel sprouts fresh in baulk, pick up just one or two. You'll get funny looks from the cashiers, but the veggies won't go off before they're eaten. Fred also really liked lettuce. Not the cheap iceberg, but the good mixed organic baby greens, or my garden lettuce. some of that shreded up is also good. Once again, some grocery stores will sell it bulk. Fred also loved grapes and cherries, split in half or quarters. Sometimes he would eat them unless I peeled of the skin. (Yes, Fred was spoiled) Once again, if you can buy them bulk, then you can get just enough so they won't go off.

Fred also loved chicken, I would just pick the carcass when my Mom made roast chicken, wrap them in meal sized portions and freeze them. I'd do the same with turkey, and sweet potatoes at thanksgiving and Christmas. Fred would face plant into his sweet potatoes he loved them so much. Once he did that and got so much up his nose that he was snorting it out for 2 days.

Fred also loved smelt. You can buy them frozen where you buy fish bait. Just chop up one or 2 (they're easier to chop frozen than defrosted), and there's the protien for the meal. Fred didn't like the heads or the tails. He would spit them out. The benifit of the smelt, is they have bones, guts, scales, and food in their bellies which all provides natural calcium and other valuble nutrients that any form of "fillet" could never provide. I've also gotten advice recently that feeder fish and pinky mice are also good for blueys. Hard boiled eggs are also a good source of protein, which Fred also loved. We never gave him the shells, although I guess you could if they were ground up.

As for the powders, I always used the Fluker's brand, and sprinkled a little bit on with every meal. Fred did quite well with it. If your bluey is young and growing, I would say every meal, give him a little bit. If he's rather old, then once ever 3 or 4 meals, if that. Once Fred reached about 8 or 9 years old, our vet said that he didn't need that much in the way of vitamins anymore.
Here's a photo of my late Fred, and He lived to a ripe old age of about 12, eating along the diet I gave above.

Good luck with your bluey!
[img]http://bluetongueskinks.net/forum/userpix/1630_fred_1.jpg[/img][img]http://bluetongueskinks.net/forum/userpix/1630_fred_2.jpg[/img]

[KyleWeiss]

A funny thing about Fluker's powder... When I was at PetSmart managing, we pulled the product from the shelf because a small child on the east coast ingested about half a container of it and was terribly sick. Apparently the arsenic levels were through the roof, and it also tested higher than legal of lead and sulphuric acid.

Pretty much everything Wallace has said to feed, again, not to be personal, is contrary to what every reputable breeder and keeper I know suggests as proper feeding. Nothing personal, Wallace. It just seems you've come from a different school of practice and thought to what goes on here.

Chicken and turkey dinners from the table? Sweet potatoes? Pinkies and feeder fish? Bait smelt?

Um, okay...

KW

[aggiegirl]

I am from the Austin area too! Where do you work? Hate to sound like a stalker but I feel like I am the only person from our area on the forum!
If your little guy has MBD, you need to print out the food list from the caresheet. You need to select veggies with a high calcium content. You need to look carefully at the overall Ca:P balance of your guy's diet. It is so much safer (and ultimately cheaper) if you will feed a great well balanced diet instead of supplementing. Fresh veggies are best. My family hates green leafies too but a whole bundle only costs $1/week and we have tons of health stores that will let you buy only what you need (by weight.) Other veggies are easy and cheap to buy in small quantities. Who knows, you might find some that you will like! Also, you are blessed with free UVB (from the sun) almost all year long. My blueys get outside almost every day because of our warm weather. Do make sure you have a good UVB bulb (see caresheet for details) that is less than 6 months old but I highly recommend you start trying to get your guy outside too.
Do me a favor, PM me if you have any questions/concerns. I haven't found too many people here who know much about blueys and I would love to help if I can.
PS. The caresheet on this site is extraordinary. Memorize the whole thing---or at least bookmark/print it!

[Leigh]

I didnt think MBD could be treated with medication , you just have to put right what was wrong with the diet or lights and that would stop it getting any worse, but wouldn't reverse it or anything like that, what has been suggested to use as "medication"?

I haven't found too many people here who know much about blueys and I would love to help if I can.

aggiegirlAre you on about this site, or your area with that comment?

[lmb02]

The meds are just large doses of a calcium form to help reharden the bones. I know that it can't be reversed I just don't want it getting any worse. Thanks to those who have responded so far, most of it has been helpful. Hopefully I will be bringing him (or her) home by the end of the month.