lizard question

[Nick D.]

So ive been thinking a lot about getting another lizard. Im looking for a lizard that will be slighlty more personable, or at least more tolerant of handling than a gecko. So i had myself set on a bearded dragon, and while reading through some threads i happened upon blue tongue skinks and now im very interested but have only begun research. Would anyone recommend a bts over a bearded dragon? I understand that both can be expensive to keep, and set up an enclosure for. I plan on building my own enclosure so size isnt a big problem. Is 4' by 18" big enough in your expeirience

 

[marauderhex]

I would fully recommend a BTS over a bearded dragon. I've had both and the BTS is FAR more enjoyable than the dragon.

 

[Fatal_S]

I'm a bit biased, but BTS rock Beardies are fine too, but BTS are the tops in my opinion. They're full of personality, easy to care for, don't need bugs/rodents but will eat them if you want them to, and they're not so spikey. I would say the only upside to the beardie is that they can cling onto your clothes - BTS aren't good climbers and fall down. Oh, and BTS are 1 to a tank only, never in pairs or groups.

BTS are expensive to set up for, but they can be dirt cheap to feed. A breeder diet is dogfood and mixed veggies with calcium + D3. Costs maybe $1 a meal, and they eat weekly. Of course you can get much more creative and feed them a huge variety of foods when you want to.

As for the tank, I prefer a 4x2 floorspace tank, front-opening, with at least 16 inches of height. BTS tend to love space, and really love coming out of the tank and exploring. Some subspecies wouldn't need as much space, but those tend to be the less-social species. The best pet species (Northerns) are quite active. IJs and Meraukes also make great pets, but are a bit less active and could handle less space.

Whatever you go with, get CBB from a breeder for the best pet. WC BTS in pet stores tend to be aggressive, full of internal parasites, and often have mites and respiratory infections. Some WC species can become good pets, some are much more agro and hard to tame (they will usually never enjoy being handled or coming out to play).

BTS are very curious and inquisitive. Most of mine see me and start scratching at the door to the tank asking to come out. I'm always a huge hit at reptile expos because the skinks are so friendly and easily handled. They love exploring, burrowing, and curling up against you while you watch TV. They're also very hardy and long-lived. I'm an addict

 

[Nick D.]

Thanks for you opinions. Ill certainly have to do some more research but its looking like a bts might be the lizard for me. So are they common at reptile expos? and how much do they usually go for there?
Il be going to an expo in ohio soon.

 

[Fatal_S]

WC BTS are pretty common in pet stores and at expos. There's sometimes breeders at expos, but be sure to quiz them on basic BTS facts (species, care, can you see photos of the parents or see the parents, etc). You can also get them shipped very safely. Where is Northern Ky?

EDIT: Looked it up. Kentucky. I don't know of any breeders in Kentucky or Ohia, but I do know of many who can ship to you:
Zach in Oregon breeds Northerns and IJs. He's probably the friendliest guy ever and he's the guy who brought the BTS community together.
Andrew in California breeders many species, but I'm not sure what he produced this year. He's a major name in the BTS community.
Ray in Florida is the second really big breeder. He produces lots of babies from several species.
James is in California and has Northerns right now. He's kindof the father of BTS in the USA.
Jeff in Arizona is a relative newbie compared to those guys, but he's amazing and is quickly becoming a big name. He has Northerns available this year.
All 5 of them ship across the USA.

If you'd like contact information for anyone, or the BTS community websites, let me know. I'm not sure of the rules for posting links on this forum.

 

[Nick D.]

Thanks for the info Melanie. I will undoubtedly not get one from a pet store, but an expo may still be an option, but so is ordering online from a breeder