phrog Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 Just another reptile noob pestering you with questions :lol: :lol: . I, like reptilez, am also wondering about getting a bearded dragon or a Blue tongue. Seems to me blue tongues are more docile. I know hj put the caresheet up which I found quite helpful but what do people use as substrate? Hj reccommended artificial grass, but I thought BTs liked to burrow and dig? Also, I've heard they are too slow to catch crickets. Is this correct? Cheers guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 Blue tongues are very fast when they want to be, i was lucky enough to breed some last year and the babies were so fast it blew me away. Crickets and even roaches which are probably faster in general were caught with ease and dam they grew like mad on them. Even the adults will chase down a roach when they want to, i tend to demobilise (squash head or take off legs on one side) them as its quicker for me when feeding a few reptiles and I dont want roaches running around the place. Crickets probably just as good if not better and much more user friendly. Otherwise pretty laid back slow reptiles very easy care. Beardies neat to i would probably find it hard to say which one i like more, beardies are cleaner i reckon but more demanding on the live food. But not too bad once they get over the young eat like a monster age I use artificial grass for both, blue tongues do like to dig but so do beardies, maybe not as much but even so i dont think they miss it all that much. As long as they have a hide down the cool end they seem happy as larry. Bark or sand substrates i find get dirty and need replacing to often which i dont have time for. Arti grass just take out and hose/water blast etc. Bit different if wanting to make a nice natural looking setup and keeping them more so as pets i suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phrog Posted March 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2010 Cheers man, that was quite helpful. I think I might aim for a blue tongue. Now the saving begins . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted March 18, 2010 Report Share Posted March 18, 2010 BT's FTW! Let me know when you get one ha ha ha I'll be round with an egg. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted March 18, 2010 Report Share Posted March 18, 2010 yea theyre not cheap but well worth it :lol: lol do you put a whole egg in Phoenix? do they eat the shell? ive never tried it but saw a full egg in someones tank on tm recently and it got me thinking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted March 18, 2010 Report Share Posted March 18, 2010 They sell for like $800 in some shops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted March 18, 2010 Report Share Posted March 18, 2010 True, well its probably justified in some ways. Things all seem a bit slow atm and reducing prices doesnt seem to get things moving, took me forever to sell my breeding pair. Got 1k in the end but would of liked more. $150-160 on tm for youngins (atm) I think is a steal $300 was bottom dollar but even $500 for youngins was about the norm not so long ago, price will go up again i think but maybe not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herperjosh Posted March 20, 2010 Report Share Posted March 20, 2010 i got a baby blueontgue off trade me for 160 steal!!!! oh and for the substrate you can yous a paper base cat litter from the supermarket its in pellets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phrog Posted March 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2010 There are some for like $180 or so on TM at the mo. I can afford everything in a few weeks incl setup but I'm trying to breed some crickets so I should probably get them up and running before i get the BT so I can feed it some live food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herperjosh Posted March 20, 2010 Report Share Posted March 20, 2010 There are some for like $180 or so on TM at the mo. I can afford everything in a few weeks incl setup but I'm trying to breed some crickets so I should probably get them up and running before i get the BT so I can feed it some live food. you could always use feeze dried but they arnt the best i use chicken and meat they love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted March 20, 2010 Report Share Posted March 20, 2010 Tbh other than snails i never use to feed blue tongues much live food at all. Blue tongues are scavengers so i imagine in the wild eat dead carcasses etc. So need meat (someone correct me if im wrong) so cat food mixed up with vege and sometimes banana was a regular dish here. Still is but live is best i think and im lucky enough to have enough so do provide it atleast 2/3 time's a week. Live foods are best but alot of work to breed your own just for a couple of bluetongues. Beardies are a different story and need live foods daily, so no option but to breed your own or be prepared to pay for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted March 20, 2010 Report Share Posted March 20, 2010 you could always use feeze dried but they arnt the best i use chicken and meat they love it! Meat on its own is not enough nor does it replace insects. If not wanting to supply live foods then freeze dried is the next best thing. Veges and creamed corn, egg etc all seem to go down the hatchet aswel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phrog Posted March 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2010 O ok, well Ive got some whistlers (bought off you :lol: ) that I need to feed live food when they get old enough so I'm working on breeding crickets atm. I probably shouldn't feed mealworms which kinda sucks cos they're easy to breed. What's your opinioin on pinky mice? Can you feed BTs on them occaisionally? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted March 21, 2010 Report Share Posted March 21, 2010 True I didnt realise it was you Yep pinkies are a great treat. I use to breed them but I found it was too much work for what it was worth. and the smell especially of the male/s wasnt very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herperjosh Posted March 21, 2010 Report Share Posted March 21, 2010 Meat on its own is not enough nor does it replace insects. If not wanting to supply live foods then freeze dried is the next best thing. Veges and creamed corn, egg etc all seem to go down the hatchet aswel ealy some one on here told me that fresh crickets are best and freeze dried arnt that good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted March 22, 2010 Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 Yep couldnt agree more , live is definitely best But given the expense its almost to much for some so if theyre not using insects at all now, Id rather see them use freeze tried than no insects. We are shockers in this country, our turtle diets in particular but even blue tongues. Fresh is best, & variety adds zest :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phrog Posted March 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 What about snails? I know they are real good for blueys but what about the danger of pestecides? You probably cant breed them as I was told they took two years or so to reach adulthood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted March 22, 2010 Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 Depends where you collect them, if no pesticides are used in the area then should be fine....dont blame me if they kill your skink :oops: but i never use to worry about it, but I also had a good place to collect them. Pays to be cautious and only a treat really. I dont think snails travel as far as some live foods, so if found in an area that is spray free then they should be all good. You still run the risk of desease and what not but thats up to you to decide if its worth the risk. Aquarium snails are possibly safer but who knows, i use to feed them to the turtles often. Dont see why skinks wouldnt lap them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herperjosh Posted March 23, 2010 Report Share Posted March 23, 2010 Depends where you collect them, if no pesticides are used in the area then should be fine....dont blame me if they kill your skink :oops: but i never use to worry about it, but I also had a good place to collect them. Pays to be cautious and only a treat really. I dont think snails travel as far as some live foods, so if found in an area that is spray free then they should be all good. You still run the risk of desease and what not but thats up to you to decide if its worth the risk. Aquarium snails are possibly safer but who knows, i use to feed them to the turtles often. Dont see why skinks wouldnt lap them up. yeah i was thinking of feeding them but they seem more shell than snail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phrog Posted March 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2010 Another question. I know that BTs need UV light. Its essentail for promoting D3 in their bodies and helps avoid MBD....and so on. Just looking on the net at a Reptile One 10.0 36inch 30w UV tube. Cosidering that the lamp is going to be 60cm approx away from the reptile, is this powerful enough to reach the BT? Is it too powerful? What do other people use (give details)?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morcs Posted March 24, 2010 Report Share Posted March 24, 2010 Another question. I know that BTs need UV light. Its essentail for promoting D3 in their bodies and helps avoid MBD....and so on. Just looking on the net at a Reptile One 10.0 36inch 30w UV tube. Cosidering that the lamp is going to be 60cm approx away from the reptile, is this powerful enough to reach the BT? Is it too powerful? What do other people use (give details)?? I just got a Arcadia 30w 36inch 6% UVB for mine, like was mentioned in my terrarium thread, its probably overkill, and mines only going to be at a 45cm distance, so ive set it to only be on for 10hrs per day. I think you should be fine at 60cm. Ive read that some Breeders have kept BTS' for years with no UV and have seen no ill effects, but that just shows their hardiness, so yeah, id think you would be fine with that tube from what i know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted March 24, 2010 Report Share Posted March 24, 2010 blue tongues dont need 10% but i dont think it will hurt. I think 30cm is about max, you can have it at 45cm away but need to raise basking area up or something so lizard can get within the 30cm. too far away is just a waste of time? all i use is sylvania el cheapo lol, upto 5% and my skinks could/can get within 30cm, thats what i use for everything but also outdoors on sunny days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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