BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Well food that I can feed Piper Has been fairly scarce for a while now and I was wondering if I can feed her canned tuna, I thought id ask first because I'm not sure a bluey can digest it properly

Many bluey owners avoid feeding fish due to concerns about intestinal parasites. With tuna, I might also worry about mercury as well. That said, I don't have definitive scientific studies that document either of these things in blueys. I just think you might look elsewhere. Check the caresheet for alternative protein sources. Mine love chicken and ground meat (chicken or beef.)

Kay Thanks!

I've heard the same about fish, and as Blueys aren't normally coastal species, I would avoid it.
My guy loves chicken and turkey burger as well. I only buy free range organic/vegetarian fed chicken and turkey, because nobody needs extra antibiotics or hormones in anything they eat! (yuk!)
Ditto that on the veg and fruit, we only eat organic at our house.
That said,
Caresheet, Caresheet, Caresheet!

Actually, there are many areas in Australia where you can find BTS right on the sand! But, I don't think they jump into the surf in chase of gulls or seals....

I always remember Geoff spotting a Blotched gnawing on a big piece of kelp as fast as he could.

Regarding fish, it's still a real gray area. I've spoke with vets who don't recommend it, but then there are others who don't really know much about BTS and say it's ok. I don't trust vet advice when it comes to BTS unless it's basic anatomy type stuff. I've heard all kinds of obscure "advice" coming from vets who just don't see them regularly and bundle advice up that's supposed to work for "most lizards".

Personally, I would never feed canned tuna. I never offer fish, but I also don't feed many canned items either.

Oh yeah, thats right, I do remember someone (must have been Geoff?) posting about seeing Blueys on some sand dunes. And seeing as how Australia is really just a huge island, there would very likely be some Blueys in some coastal areas.
Kelp, huh?
I know Seaweed is supposed to be high in minerals, so its great for people. I wonder what kind of Kelp is in Australia, and if we can get the right kind up here? Maybe if the wild Blueys eat it, then its part of their diet if they live in that coastal region?

But yeah, I didn't imagine Blueys dunking into the surf for a gorge of Box jellies or blue ringed octopi, or any other fishies! I figure only maybe stuff washed up on shore, maybe crabs if they could catch 'em, and definitly snails? Definitly NOT canned tuna though.

Could you imagine Marine Blueys?

I personally don't have a problem with fish, but I would avoid tuna for the mercury reasons.

Its suggested that a 200 lb man can safely metabolize the mercury in one can of tuna a day.

Your bluey is not 200lbs, and is eating proportionally more than a person eats, so I would not recommend it.

i would not feed my B.T tuna, try different kinds of bugs and chicken,

NomadOfTheHills wrote:I personally don't have a problem with fish, but I would avoid tuna for the mercury reasons.

Its suggested that a 200 lb man can safely metabolize the mercury in one can of tuna a day.

Your bluey is not 200lbs, and is eating proportionally more than a person eats, so I would not recommend it.

But I dont think you can compare size and portion of diet. I think you need to look more into the metabolism and digestion of the animal not size and proportion of the meal.

I do agree with the risk of mercury though.

I don't know, I think portion size has a lot to do with it. What I mean is, an adult male can metabolize about 1 can of tuna's worth of mercury. A 110lb female shouldn't have a can of tuna a day, she would start storing extra mercury.

Now, a bluey is much smaller than either, yet lb for lb, eats more than a person. So, it would be like a 200lb male eating 2 or 3 cans a day, which is not recommended, as the extra mercury would be stored in the brain.

Crap-ola, I'd better stop eatin' those cans o' tuna! Or maybe we should boycott all the items that put mercury in the environment to begin with????

My guys have access to feeder goldfish in the outdoor pit because they are in the turtle ponds. They don't even bother with them. Now they will jump into the ponds for the turtle pelets.

Do they? That's cute!

That's hysterical!

I know pelleted food is not recommended, but some reptiles love it.

Some bearded dragon pellets even smell really good.

Besides all of the contaminants, I'd be worried about the salt content, Tuna is reeeeally salty

rte