# What Morph Is My Blue Tongue Skink



## BlazzingGecko53 (Oct 19, 2009)

Hello there, I have purchased a blue tongue skink today but there pervious owners was not sure what he is they think he could be an Eastern. So if you could shed some light on what you think he may be. Also can people tell him where and how much it would cost to get him probbed as I would like to know if he is a genuine male. cheers


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

New Guinea blue tongue skink -(Tiliqua species). This undescribed species use to be known as Irain jaya.

Sexing bluey's is a pain, You can't sex bluey's just by visual sight, Sexing this way is't full proof. People can give you there opinion on what they think is the male or female. Probbing bluey's is unreliable especially as adults as they will be very tence and may even drop there tail as a result.

You need to keep and eye on them, When they go to the toilet. 
Males some time expose there hemipenus. You know he's a he.









Or if you see sperm plugs in the viv, You know he's a he.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Or in the case of my male, hump rocks and cork bark until he exposes his bits:gasp:


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## BlazzingGecko53 (Oct 19, 2009)

Thank you, so you think its best to just keep an eye on him to see if shows any signs hump his rock and sperm blugs.


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## Tiliqua (Dec 6, 2008)

As Gazz says, you have an Irian Jaya (IJ), also known as West Papua or New Guinea blue tongue. If I had to guess, based on the first photo, I'd say that he is a she...

Cheers,
Mark.


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## BlazzingGecko53 (Oct 19, 2009)

he / she had a poo today but didnt see anything and no sperm plug was found. what makes you think he or she is female? The first picture is the most up to date and was taken yesturday. I was looking at his head etc and looks a little small for a male but I am new to this... thats why i would like to know for sure. Are there any other signs and maybe behaviour ??


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

BlazzingGecko53 said:


> he / she had a poo today but didnt see anything and no sperm plug was found. what makes you think he or she is female? The first picture is the most up to date and was taken yesturday. I was looking at his head etc and looks a little small for a male but I am new to this... thats why i would like to know for sure. Are there any other signs and maybe behaviour ??


Just keep looking, There's no point in visually guessing the sex, It dosen't help, You can guess it's female, But that dosen't make it female, So has that help ?. You still don't know the sex. The build of bluey's can vary bluy to bluy and species to species. you get males and female all differant builds.


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## BlazzingGecko53 (Oct 19, 2009)

True true, thank you. Erm as you can see he is a little on the chubby side, what would you recommended I do to help him shed a few pounds. He also wheezes when he breaths is this because hes struggling breathing with his weight or is it a regular skink thing lol? 

Also he is in a 4ft x 18 x 18 vivarium with all the lights he needs etc is this alright for him? 

Don't mean to ask so many questions just never had a skink before and want to make sure he has the best and is as happy as can be.


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

BlazzingGecko53 said:


> True true, thank you. Erm as you can see he is a little on the chubby side, what would you recommended I do to help him shed a few pounds. He also wheezes when he breaths is this because hes struggling breathing with his weight or is it a regular skink thing lol?
> 
> Also he is in a 4ft x 18 x 18 vivarium with all the lights he needs etc is this alright for him?
> 
> Don't mean to ask so many questions just never had a skink before and want to make sure he has the best and is as happy as can be.


You could offer a little less food, Also offer more live insects, Fast type like large Cockroachs and Locusts. Don't offer alot of still meats like mince, Dog food, Mice'etc. So they have to hunt and look for there dinner. Ofcaurse offer fruit and veg.

Wheezy noies from blue tongues is common, Howver if it wheezing with every breath it takes, It maybe wise to just get a vet check, Just to be save.

4ftx18inx18in is more than enough for A blue tongue skink.


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## BlazzingGecko53 (Oct 19, 2009)

Thank you very much, do you feed them everyday or every other day? When I get some money I'll pop him to a reptile vet to give him a once over. :notworthy:


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## BlazzingGecko53 (Oct 19, 2009)

Is it normal for a blue tongue skink to have a slight pinkish on the ends of his white scales, is this just his vains or sun bun etc haha? Hes a healthy lively little fellow and eats, goes to the toilet and sheds fine and doesnt have dry scales just wondered if the slight pinkish was anything to worry about?


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## _simon_ (Nov 27, 2007)

My Merauke is a salmony pink underneath.

Re losing weight - a tablespoon of food a few times a week is all they really need at that size. Make sure most of that is veg, a little fruit and a little insects/good quality meat.

Bluey's can be pretty active so if you can offer more space then I would. My Bluey is in a 6'x3' floor space and makes use of all of that every day, as well as climbing.


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## BlazzingGecko53 (Oct 19, 2009)

Thanks for the info, so I should not be worried about the slight pinkish on his top and bottom scales. I will get him a bigger viv later on just tight for space at the moment so the 4ft will be ok and i let him roam around the house everyday for some better excersise.


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

BlazzingGecko53 said:


> Thanks for the info, so I should not be worried about the slight pinkish on his top and bottom scales. I will get him a bigger viv later on just tight for space at the moment so the 4ft will be ok and i let him roam around the house everyday for some better excersise.


Till you've got bluys weight where you want it, Feed every 3'ed day(Two times a week), Then when you've got your blueys weight where you want it, You can change to every 2'nd day(3 time a week). 4FT viv is more than enough space for your bluy for life, Especially in the fact that you let your bluey free roam in the house. Blueys often express a pink'ish tone, Often on the under side.


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## BlazzingGecko53 (Oct 19, 2009)

Cheers for all the info guys, really helping me stop getting worried about everything lol  Ermthe pinkish is on the top of him not sure if there is any underneath him there ant loads of it but can be seen on the tips of the scales and slight on the middle but like i said it does not completely cover him. I tried to take a picture but you can hardly see it so surely its not that bad. : victory: He loves running around my house, he gets to roam everyday and couple times a day. What would I feed him on these two days or just vary it?


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

BlazzingGecko53 said:


> What would I feed him on these two days or just vary it?


Just keep it mixed and random, Blueys are known to get board of the same old thing over and over.


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## BlazzingGecko53 (Oct 19, 2009)

when you feed him fruit and veg do you use one type of fruit and one type of veg first time then use a different one next time or have lots together a bit like a fruit salad? and a normal salad if that makes any sense lol :blush:


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

BlazzingGecko53 said:


> when you feed him fruit and veg do you use one type of fruit and one type of veg first time then use a different one next time or have lots together a bit like a fruit salad? and a normal salad if that makes any sense lol :blush:


Really random they want care: victory:. Some veg you may have to mix with a little mince'etc. Fruit i don't think threre's any thing they will turn away from. Hard veg like carrot,butter nut, Sweet potato,Beet'etc use a cheese grater and grate it it will make it alot softer.


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## _simon_ (Nov 27, 2007)

If it helps a typical feed for mine is cabbage greens, butternut squash, raspberries, mango and some prime cuts of chicken. He also loves banana when I have any (the mrs keeps eating them).

I know gazz says the viv is fine for life but 18" isn't the widest. I'm not saying rush out and buy a bigger viv but if you're ever offered a bigger one or get the urge to make one then something wider wouldn't go amiss. My enclosure has pond liner floor, aerated block walls and a chipboard top with a perspex viewing window. Cost peanuts and does the job.


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## BlazzingGecko53 (Oct 19, 2009)

ah okie dokie what about water? i have a large pyrex dish that i use for his water bowl / bathing pool. I fill it half way with still bottled water. Does he need this or can he just have tap water?


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