Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Dog Food!?!??! - Ep. 36

Blue Tongue Skinks are opportunistic omnivore generalists in the wild. Replicating such a diet in captivity is a challenge. However, believe it or not... by far the best and longest used option (with undeniable success I might add) has been and remains, high quality grain free dog food.
It may sound strange but, yes, dog food is one of the best choices for feeding blue tongue skinks in captivity. Find out more in this video.
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ReptileMountain.TV KZbin Channel:
TC Houston, former professional zookeeper, SKINKAHOLIC, and reptile fanatic, shares his experiences and passion for keeping and breeding Blue-Tongue Skinks and other reptile species for the educational and overall betterment of the hobby. Subscribe to stay updated on more evidence-based, current, professional information about the reptile hobby and Blue-Tongue Skink care. Enjoy! Watch! Like! Share! Woot woot!

[@poopyrose8180]

I love how you tell us the "why"!! Some people lack that and don't give reasons

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Thank you!!! Why is so important 😁

[@Dafooser]

I love walking into pet stores telling them they have food for blue tongue skinks. Of course, it's only a fraction of the store, but it's still fun to see the surprised looks.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Dafoose Its is funny to see their reaction when the clerk asks what kind of kitty/doggy I have and I say lizards lol.

[@khammer1768]

Love the inclusion of statements like "to my knowledge" or "at this time" about current recommendations, either evidence based or aligned with established practices. Many seem to forget standard operating procedures often change over time. Great video!

[@coopsreptiles2588]

best thing to happen for BTS keeping! awesome stuff this video is perfect! people forget that dogfood is fortified with nutrients and vitamins that is hard to do with a home mix. like you said, it works.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Coop's Reptiles Thanks Coop! The difference really does show over time that is the best we got to this point. Im hopeful for this Omni Gold as well. I think it will end up being a great addition (not replacement but solid addition to the tool box).

[@coopsreptiles2588]

sounds good man yeah i use the dog/ catfoods as the staple with stuff like repashy as a addition and that will probably fit right in too

[@southernbelle3850]

Coop's Reptiles at what if the if wishes a full packed that's if you want to take it out if its habitat how long do you have to have it out of its habitat do you know how long it will be

[@SnorkelBro]

Dude, I honestly thought that you had more subs. I am surprised that you only have 'round 650?? You deserve WAAYYY more. You explain and talk very clearly and it's easy to understand what you mean. Love your help and all your vids!! 😁

[@DariDariDari]

Just bought some of your suggested dog food - he is absolutely loving it! The all natural, simple ingredients make me feel reassured for his health. Thank you so much!

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Wonderful to hear!!!

[@spotteddragon2969]

Youre videos are amazing and teaching me so much before I get my own blue tongue baby, but I was wondering how long do you leave the food in the tank with the skink..? Like do you just take it out when it moves on or leave it for the whole day? I'm genuinely curious and no one so far has mentioned anything :') Much love from the UK!

[@GeekyGeckoCreations]

When it says first ingredient is chicken or turkey does that mean "whole" ground up? Bone, meat, organs and all? Thanks! 🤗

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Chicken meal means that as does whole chicken. But just chicken i say no

[@ReptileMountainTV]

I should add that “chicken meal” means the left overs cooked dried and ground into powder and not always including organ and bone. It varies. Whole chicken means everything.

[@GeekyGeckoCreations]

@@ReptileMountainTV great ty very much, good video

[@CommanderWiggins]

Your videos have been so helpful! I'm looking to get a BTS once I have my own job and have enough money saved for the supplies and upkeep. I've never owned a reptile, thus I've been doing a buttload of research on them so I can know everything there is to know. I've heard so much conflicting information on the diet of BTS's, but you're the only person so far who I feel I can trust on that. I can see why people urge against feeding dog/cat food, a lot of the stuff is terrible for cats and dogs much less BTS's. They fill it with way too fat, starch, and grains. But I think a high quality, grain free food should do just fine. I do own cats and a dog, but their food is not grain free so I'd be buying food specifically for my BTS. (Which I don't mind.) I'm thinking I'll also occasionally give live food to my BTS, less for nutrition and more for enrichment.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

That sounds like a great plan. I agree some dong and cat foods are fit to feed anything alive but others would be good for people too.

[@reptilerob9650]

Hi T C this video is perfect for me because I brought my first blue tongue yesterday and I went through hell to get hold of because there not easy to get in the UK but I'm wanted one for so many years now ,just got to watch all your other video's now so my little guy is nice and healthy.

[@DizeStanton]

My Blue Tongue Skink, adores dog food its his favorite food next to peas and widgety grubs. Makes life so easy, knowing that he is a having a healthy diet. He is a very fussy eater and refuses to eat his vegges (apart from peas) Dog food is a bit of a god send :')

[@lordsnivyofnottingham2948]

My Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink, Arisaka, loves Nature's Recipe. Once he finds the food in his bowl, he is face-down, only emerging to swallow his food and lick his lips.

[@davinaubade8733]

1k subs , you almost get there.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Davin Aubade Hopefully :-) Im grateful for everyones support.

[@hannahlandis5184]

Have you used or looked at Acana Premium Pate Puppy Recipe? I’ve seen it on the rise for BTS. Thank you for all the information!

[@PraetorianMan]

I’m dying to know if the good quality dog food brands would also be good for argentine tegus, because that would save a crapload of money.

[@paradoxmaelstrom1892]

This was very interesting thank you, I used to leave dog food out for the wild skinks around my house I used to watch them eat, I stopped after my street got a heap of cats :/

[@mariahhealey2594]

Thank you so much for this video! I used to make a very elaborate Home Brew, and I've felt a little guilty about having to feed my skinks dog food every since my life got busy. Thanks for setting my mind at ease! Totally converted now. I've embedded your video into the blue tongue skink care guide on ReptiFiles.com, and I hope others can learn from my mistake and your experience!

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Mariah that's so awesome! I am filming a video now about "to breed or not to breed" and was going to plug your post about breeding responsibly and show off your decision matrix which was so well done! I'm super happy my video helped. I'm a ReptiFiles fan! :-)

[@mariahhealey2594]

Oh my gosh seriously? I'm dying right now. That's so great to hear! Thank you!!

[@ReptileMountainTV]

For reals :-) You've got great content. Love the Birds, Bees, & Beardies: Responsible Breeding article!

[@finchy4205]

Hahaha i laughed my head off when u couldnt say omnivorous

[@Versiris]

My concern about dog food was always the vitamins and minerals added to it are specialized for dogs, how do we know that these are the correct supplements in the correct amounts for skinks? Also I heard that taurine, which is in all cat food, shouldn't be fed to BTS. Is that not true?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

We don’t have an exact vitamin and mineral prescription for blue tongues. However because we know that dog food yields healthier animals that live longer than animals on any other diet we know that dog food is the best option. Also taurine Is naturally found in animal protein but gets destroyed during pet food processing so synthetic version is added back in to make up for what was destroyed.

[@Chagsis]

I really appreciate you pulling this apart in depth. I'm not sure there's anyone else on the net providing blue tongue skink information of this quality - I'm very excited for your channel.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Chagsis Thanks for that feedback! It's super great to hear my channel is beneficial to fellow BTS lovers :-)

[@Chagsis]

No problem. Something I'd be interested in hearing you dive into - sub-variant specific care. Northerns, Easterns, Halms, Meraukes, etc. I'm curious to hear the scientific perspective, such as it is.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Chagsis Cool I will start kicking around the idea of such a video. :-)

[@chelliebear4]

so do you just feed you BTS dog food or do you add veggies and fruit as well? What about dry dog food? Is dog food your blue tongue Skinks staple diet or just a once to twice a week thing? What about supplements? Someone told me iguana food is also an option since their both omnivorous reptiles it would be even better, what do you think? (sorry to bombard you with questions but I'm really interested, I want to get my first BTS by next year and I kinda want an eating schedule/pattern down beforehand)

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Jordanne Pitter Great questions. Some folks feed just the dog food and some add veggies and greens. I personally feed just dog food and sometimes (bi-weekly to month) stir in some organic pure green bean, squash, zucchini, etc baby food. Animals do great either way really. I use calcium with D3 every other feeding with a lite dusting on top of the food. Most of the foods have D3 included already so I don't want to over do it. Adults eat once or twice a week tops and all feedings have dog food or one of the other foods I mentioned as the primary or only food item. As for iguana food... I believe it has much more fruit then needed for BTS. :-)

[@SnorkelBro]

ReptileMountain.TV okay thanks. Even though I didn't ask. You HELP.

[@chelliebear4]

ReptileMountain.TV thank you so much for responding and responding to all my questions! I love ur videos, along with the research I do already, these make me confident I am ready to be a BTS owner :)

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Jordanne Pitter 🙂 you are very welcome. Im super happy to hear my videos are beneficial. Thank you for the positive feedback!

[@karisdietrich1964]

ReptileMountain.TV Do you feed the same brand to the babies that you feed the adults just less of it or do you use another brand?

[@imin2461]

Hey are u still responding to new comments i must know, i have a very important question

[@ReptileMountainTV]

I responded to your email

[@cathleenbalboni1471]

Great video, TC. I add veggies and fruits to Snowy's dog food always because with straight dog food, even once a week, Snowy tends to gain too much weight. I am only feeding her 2 tablespoons once a week and a feeder or 2 (literally) every week and a half or so.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Cathleen Balboni Thanks Cathleen :-) Snowy is like me then. It goes straight to the belly. I can't even look at food without getting fatter lol.

[@lifewithlaffy7931]

As soon as you said facts only I subbed

[@dflgratful]

Awesome channel Sir. Very informative as usual. Good stuff!

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+dflgratful 😊 Thanks so much!

[@mudamudisain]

I think your channel is the best blue tongue skink chanel on youtube, thanks for the information., cheers from Indonesia., 🙋🙋

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Tubagus Khoeruman thanks so very much!!!!!

[@mudamudisain]

ReptileMountain.TV your welcome, oo ya one more thing, how often you feed your baby an adult skink? Thanks

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Tubagus Khoeruman my feeding schedule is on my caresheet in the video description:-)

[@brothgurlegion4229]

wow i never thought about that. Thanks for that!

[@tahnekariguddaiah7206]

great info and recommendations!

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+tahne kariguddaiah :-)

[@mangoo7579]

I feed my BTS a variety of snails, roaches and stuff (with mineral and vitamin powder). The breeder of her did not feed her dog food, and in germany it is generally demonizes to feed dog food, they favour the "naturalistic" way,. My question ist, after you discussed this topic really reasonable, how do i change her eating habits? (she is healthy (from what i can say) but i want that all her needs are fullfilled on the long run) Do you have any hint? Because after even a bunch of days fasting, she is not really keen on dog food (even it is high quality "wolfsblut" is the best brand in germany) love, Annika :)

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Try a liver based cat food first after a two week fast. They should be fine going that long.

[@joke9893]

I love ur channel I like the rattlesnake video

[@Parkourturtle69]

Seeings as this is not exactly a new video I'm not sure if I'll get a reply but for baby skinks you say to feed them cat food. What should I look for in the cat food and how much/ how often should I feed my BTS cat food? Should I feed it anything else while it's a baby or just cat food? Right now I am feeding it ZIWI cat food (I'm in Australia) and I give it about a teaspoon of food but it only eats a few mouthfuls. Also how long should I feed it cat food, when should I transition to dog food? It's an eastern blue tongue if that changes anything. Thanks in advance if you reply :)

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Check out my video on feeding baby skinks. I go over some of the things you should look for and how much. :-)

[@wllmatthews2271]

i live in the habitat range of the blue tonged skink. i collect a great portion of my skinks food from my surrounding bush land when one of my mates goes kangaroo hunting he gives me the off cuts the ligaments and skin i grow a multitude of native bush tucker in my garden i harvest it and give it to my bts also if i find fresh road kill i freeze it and give him the bits and pieces that are the most appetizing.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

That’s awesome 😎

[@thebedroomguitarist762]

Thanks for the info! subbed!

[@anthonynicoulaud9749]

Thank you for this super video.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Anthony Nicoulaud Glad you liked it :-)

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Anthony Nicoulaud :-) YW

[@tainadeoliveira]

Hey, I am thinking about getting a bts and there is something I am worried about. There is not a lot of variety in pet food in my country and skinks are starting to get bred right now. I found grain free wet cat food, but no grain free DOG wet food. The wet dog food I found had rice as grains. Is it still ok to give the dog food or is it preferable to get the grain free cat food?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Grain is fine really. Its just used as a filler. This less good food gets in.

[@timjung640]

Do you soak your Healthy Herp veggies in water or do you just mix them dry into the dog food?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

I soak it yes

[@oliveleary661]

I know this is an older video but I have a question. Would you suggest feeding raw food to blue tongue skinks? I’ve been looking at bones and co and primal pet’s raw diet and I’m not sure if it would be suitable for skinks. What would you suggest?

[@duckheadbob]

Just want to comment that I watched this video 2 years ago and it 100% works. My BTS is incredibly happy, healthy and overall just a beautiful girl. I pretty much only feed dog food, with the occasional snack. This REALLY works!

[@ea6996]

Your video are so helpful im getting some dog food for my Indonesian blue tongued skink so your vid helped me a lot

[@googletranslatesings9169]

Hi TC Houston, I was just wondering how often to feed my blue-tongue skink dog food, and in what quantity because I am worried that my blue-tongue is going to eat too much without me noticing. Also, do I feed my blue-tongue skink in Winter? Do captive-bred lizards hibernate? Thanks a lot!

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Check out a few more of my videos about these topics. I think they will answer your questions better than I can in a comment. Also, check out my website (desktop view) for care guides that will help.

[@HenryXLII]

I have never looked after a reptile before primarily because I have a phobia of insects, and the idea of buying food Mice, even dead, feels wrong to me. I am tempted to look after one of these guys, especially because I can feed them leftover veggies/dog food, but am wondering if their diet should have the occasional insect/rodent thrown in their. I don't want to get one if I cannot give it a healthy life.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Some of the healthiest skinks have been fed exclusively dog food actually. You won’t ever need an insect or rodent. That’s why these guys are soooo great. 😁

[@johnperotti604]

My skink just loves bluey buffet, can I alternate every other meal with dog food mixture then Bluey buffet? Is it healthy?

[@bumblebeesir9960]

I've been doing so much research on bts my friends think that I'm going insane! I've re-read a book on caring for them more than 5 times and I labeled anything I might need in that book with sticky notes, if I look up blue tounged skink care I can repeat a sentence or two from a handful of the given websites. I've also been binge watching skink videos! I can't get enough of these babies! I want to learn more and more about them every day! I guess I'm skink crazy 😅

[@bumblebeesir9960]

Oh! I forgot to say this but did you know you can feed skinks roses? Hahahah! You probably already knew that though XD

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Thats awesome! Ive been there..err Im still there lol hahaha

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Just another Goldfish Very true. Just make sure they haven't been dyed... florists sometimes put dye on the flowers to make them pop more vividly for customers. Pure natural ones are good!

[@Its_Johny]

Can I keep the left over dog food refrigerated in a zip lock bag or will it go bad quickly?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Yes for about 3-5 days maybe a week. May people freeze the extra.

[@Chris_McGarrigle]

do you keep the dog food in the refrigator?

[@SoapMonkeeyy]

Would you be able to feed the dry food (just dry or misted with water to rehydrate) as part of the staple diet? My skink as recently not been wanting to eat her wet food but goes crazy for insects and has loved the kibble I’ve been giving her as a treat (grain free high quality of course)

[@ReptileMountainTV]

I know folks who do feed dry kibble. I also know folks who recommended against it as the main staple because they say its harder on their kidneys and more difficult to add vitamins to adequately. I don’t give it as a staple. I will say skinks don’t usually die of starvation so a little fasting can help cure a picky skink.

[@SoapMonkeeyy]

ReptileMountain.TV ok I will definitely keep that in mind! It’s also pretty cold where I live now and even though I keep her temps consistent maybe she knows it’s winter and just doesn’t want to eat as much. I’ll stick the kibble as just an occasional treat, thanks for the info!

[@trevor0386]

Any concerns with dry kibble dog food? Usually I find the kibble is packed much more with good foods then the canned. (In my area at least). I've been trying a kibble called Acana. And on top of the I have the omnigold which I've seen positive results. Only thing I worry about is that the kibble can be extremely hard even moistened. (Even though they swallow it whole usually)

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Trevor I feed dry as well. The only thing is that some vets say it can be hard on their kidneys over time. Also, I like to dust the wet food with D3 and that doesn't work as well with dry. But I do use it for post brumation and postpartum animals. :-)

[@trevor0386]

ReptileMountain.TV Did the vets elaborate on why it's hard on the kidneys? Due to the food being dry? Or is there an additive? Do you think maybe and extra little preparation and turning the kibble into a paste would solve this?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Trevor Great question I think during the cable to paste would solve most of the situation. I was told dry food all the time can lead to chronic dehydration and that is what's hard on the kidneys. Vets say the same thing about dogs though...

[@trevor0386]

ReptileMountain.TV Thanks for Info. Appreciate your time and dedication to the hobby.

[@tahnekariguddaiah7206]

Hi great video as always! But i am a bit confused. How do you know what sized portions you should feed? for example if you WHERE NOT to feed them repashy and arcadia, what sized portions whould be 50%, 40%, and 10%?? such as feeding cooked ground turkey, collards, and some banana?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+tahne kariguddaiah A good dog food will have 50,40,10. Its not a rock solid formula but a flowing guideline. So quality dog food will have meats and veg (greens and vegetables) as well even a fruit or so. If you have a goo food that is missing portions you can always add some.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+tahne kariguddaiah Also, cooking the protein causes the amino acids to uncoil and bond to others unnaturally then making new ones that can be hard to absorb as a nutritional value or digest. I recommend raw. But recommend good variety of dog food more than anything.

[@tahnekariguddaiah7206]

Oh, okay thank you for the new info!

[@jacquelinestroup4803]

Hello! I'm just curious. How much wet dog food (per feeding ) should you give a BTS if they are about 1 year old?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Jacqueline Stroup Hi, I feed them about 1-2 table spoons or a serving the size of their head once or twice a week depending on weight and growth.

[@DavidT24Borg]

Hey, great info in the vids.....i have been researching for while now for a good diet for a Argantine black and white tegu (juvenile) and have read that the BTS diet is very similar as omnivores,,,, just wondered you thoughts on a good kitten food .... over here in the UK👍🏻

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Its possible as a protein source cat food would be okay. I recall we fed dog food as a portion of our tegu’s diet at the zoo.

[@DavidT24Borg]

@@ReptileMountainTV thank you very much for your quick reply....have watched your review on the Arcadia gold .... but don't think I can use it for a tegu as it has broccoli in it🤔

[@DavidT24Borg]

@@ReptileMountainTV have subscribed to you too👍🏻

[@ReptileMountainTV]

I don’t know? Im sorry Tegu knowledge is pretty limited 😕 my fellow keeper had them in her section so I only cared for them on her days off.

[@DavidT24Borg]

@@ReptileMountainTV no worries.... appreciate your time to reply and great vids love um👍🏻

[@timjung640]

Do you still recommend 3-parts dog food to 1-part vegetables? On your website, you recommend a 1:1 ratio instead.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Ive updated my practice to 1:1 to ensure lean feedings. Lots of keepers have obese skinks and Im trying to not encourage it. Lol.

[@monsterkajiu1912]

They ain't fat, they're big boned 🤣🤣

[@inky3541]

Yes they do and my lizard loves it especially the meat roll

[@wolf1066]

Dog food has been the standard food for our Blue Tongues for years.

[@pahricullen4325]

Should dog food be fed with vegetables and greens, or by itself? Also, if using a uvb light indoors, how often should d3 be supplemented?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Partumn Cill Great questions. Some folks feed just the dog food and some add veggies and greens. I personally feed just dog food and sometimes (bi-weekly to month) stir in some organic pure green bean, squash, zucchini, etc baby food. Animals do great either way really. I use D3 every other feeding with a lite dusting on top of the food. Most of the foods have D3 included already so I don't want to over do it.

[@pahricullen4325]

ReptileMountain.TV thank you!

[@bluelick7578]

So not kibbles. more like wholesome canned food. Cool. Looking to get a skink later in my life, thanks for the instructions first.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

You bet! kibble can be a supplement for thinner animals but its best to use wet/canned food.

[@SiimplyUniiique]

How do you store the extra dog food? The dog food comes in a big can and I’m always left with a lot. What’s the best way to store the left overs from the open cans?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Many folks put in ice cube trays and freeze it then pop them out and put them in a ziploc bag and pull out a cube at a time are as needed. I have so many I don't have left overs anymore...

[@joke9893]

Reptile room tour

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Michael Wood the room is going through a make over when done I will for sure :-)

[@armanclark2401]

well im happy when i walked into my pet store they right away said dog or cat food. im sitting my sisters blue toung so i wanted to give it a treat. they turned me away from horn worms and towards supers. i owned a bearded dragon and i bred supers before so i was like ok.. man does the skink love them! never saw him/her so active! question. can they eat hornworms or silk?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Arman Clark awesomeness! They can eat them as treats for sure. Live insects do carry coccidia so I wouldn’t feed them to an immunosuppressed animal, only one thats in good health 😊. Most quality insect distributors have good product that are not a problem. Be ware of knock offs and insects from dirty stores.

[@marshacampbell341]

I’ve heard alot of soft foods like the dog food can cause mouth rot. What’s your thoughts about that

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Oral injuries and infection is what causes mouth rot. Not foods. For certain never had a since case of it. People likely mistakenly associated the food with symptoms and thought it was the cause but its not.

[@fraydefi6944]

On your website it says that it the skink s have a price they are available. So I check your website and I see prices that way this $350-sold but it still has price is that available or not. I know it's a stupid question. Also are your animals ready to be sold

[@ReptileMountainTV]

None are available at this time. I probably need to make that a bit more clear. Sorry. I will fix that soon.

[@darkwolf8911]

Ive never heared of the dog food suggested in the ia video so is there any other dog food that just as good?

[@pdpe1908skeewee]

Does it matter if the dog food is a stew or patte??

[@Joeyravioli0414]

I heard potatoes in dog food is a no for skinks but what do you think about potatoe starch? Is this also a big no for BTS?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Potatoes and starches are fillers that aren’t really most helpful. Starches are complex carbohydrates that get turned into sugars which isn’t ideal. They aren’t horrible really but not optimal either.

[@Joeyravioli0414]

@@ReptileMountainTV okay thank you so much! I'm looking into ordering the natures logic, haven't been able to find it near me so ill have to order it from Chewy. Also update on my rescue, I mentioned him about a month ago and how his old owner had abandoned him in a garage, I took him to the vet in fear that he might have mouth rot and he did! I have to clean his mouth twice a day. He also has some type of infection, they said they could tell from bruising he had on his belly? So I have to give him a shot of antibiotics in his arm every 3 days, I hate it but I just want him to be healthy. He's never had a problem eating, so they said that's a good sign. He seems to be doing well, im taking him back to the vet this Saturday for a reexamination to see if the medication is helping.

[@spaceduck2130]

Would it be ok to never feed my blue tongue skink with live food? I would feel guilty when feeding live insects.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Yes you don’t have to feed anything live to a skink

[@infamoushiphop7943]

Do u think this would this work for peters banded skinks? i treat them to some one in a while and they love it:)

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Probably

[@ahhchilee2948]

What about dehydrated dog foods? That you add water to hydrate for example primal or Stella and chewy ?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Those have decent ingredients as well so it would he worth a try if that suits your needs well.

[@joshuapowers5590]

What about repashy bluey buffet? Does that work as a nice alternative to dog food?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Not as a full alternative. I have another video on diet that covers this

[@ProgressiveDiscussions]

Reptile lovers that are on a budget, go to your local Walmart and check out the Sterilite clear plastic 116 quart storage container. Its interior dimensions are very similar to the 40-gallon breeder tank, which is recommended for medium-sized lizards and snakes.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

40 gallons is the minimum for survival without severe psychological distress. Recommend space is 8 square feet or larger 4 x 2 floor space. Those chosing smaller set ups should plan to save up and upgrade to more space over time or opt out of owning the animal.

[@ProgressiveDiscussions]

It appears that anyting larger than a leopard gecko, or any of the smaller stinks, or even some snakes and most tortoises are a high maintenance High expense exotic pet. Unfortunately these smaller lizards are field collected. They could do well in a 20 gallon long size. No human really needs to live in a mansion, and neither does a reptile.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

They do need the space to adequately provide enrichment and thermal regulation. Exotic pet keeping is not an inexpensive activity and should not be presented as one.

[@ProgressiveDiscussions]

@@ReptileMountainTV probably Schneider skink, Peter's banded skink, and leopard gecko size does not require such a huge enclosure. These companies in the retail exotic pet enclosure and accessory business are definitely making a killing. My salute to Sterilite in some cases.

[@pdpe1908skeewee]

What do you think about Merrick wet dog food? We have a dog and feed her Merrick.

[@Cypheroptics13]

What cat food do you use?

[@timjung640]

Any ingredients to avoid, e.g. grains, kale, and fish?

[@Transformers318]

Currently binge watching because I want a BTS🦎

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Thanks for watching 😊👍🏼 woot woot!

[@zacharylimbaugh2214]

How much of a can would you feed for a single feeding and how often do you feed them?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Zachary Limbaugh Good questions. Most people say the rule of thumb is two tablespoons of food for an adult which is about as much food as a little bigger then an adults head. Which is about 1-1.5 oz and most cans are 12-13 oz. I can feed my adults with one 12 oz can as I have 10 adults. I feed adults once a week.

[@zacharylimbaugh2214]

ReptileMountain.TV thank you!

[@Allergickid]

I'm in the unusual situation of not being able to use either dog food or commercial BTS food, because of my kid's multiple, significant food allergies. (No, he doesn't eat it, but pets get their food in their saliva, bedding, poo, etc., and he's *that* reactive.) We use the BlueTongueSkink.net care sheet as a guideline for my "homebrew" plus we add Reptivite vitamins. For protein, I generally use live hornworms or silkworms, plus some occasional boiled chicken liver, since the food allergies we manage include red meat and eggs. There aren't any restrictions on the veggies I can use, but I usually roast a squash (and freeze it in an ice cube tray like baby food, lol) and either feed it plain or use it and some banana as a binder to hold greens, etc., together. Oh, and the occasional fruit treat. Do you have any suggestions to improve our skink's diet?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Do you know what ingredients in the dog food makes him react? There are so many different formulas out there... I would look into chicken meal and gizzards as well as. If you can throw in a fuzzy mouse once a month also.

[@Allergickid]

He's violently allergic to peanuts, shellfish (so BTS food with shrimp is out), eggs, milk, beef, lamb, and garlic. Anytime I cook a whole chicken/turkey, I save the organs for Grendel. (There's a butternut squash/turkey gizzard combo from Thanksgiving in the freezer right now.) I've avoided giving it too often, since the care sheet said organ meat only in moderation, but I'll probably up that to weekly instead of monthly. I'll take another look at some of the commercial dog foods, and we can definitely give her a fuzzy every month, since we're getting rodents for the snakes already. One of the reasons we got a BTS was because we thought a homemade diet would be one of the best choices, so finding out that dog food is better for her is somewhat painful. Thanks for your help!

[@ReptileMountainTV]

It not impossible to create a good homebrew just much more difficult. It sounds like you have the skill and fortitude to be successful at it without a doubt. I do wish you luck and the best. I'm sorry I can't really offer much help. :-/

[@fig9111]

If you feed dog food that has vegetables do you still need to feed leafy greens, salads, ect...?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+DarlaGaming I don't add any routinely. I will occasionally but since the dog food has a bunch of veg I don't do so as a regular practice. I will put some organic baby food (veg/squash/zucchini/etc) on top as a "sauce" every other feed for adults.

[@Zomfoo]

I was imagining it was dry dog food.

[@Antmanwald0423]

How much do they eat a day and what do you think it cost a week to feed bts.

[@maciejgronowski]

The problem is, in the UK, there is no law that says you need to specify all ingredients of animal feeds (dog or cat food). it only says "chicken meat (10%), water, other animal products" rubbish description. that is the reason most dogs in the UK die of cancer nowadays. human food ingredients are listed with great details though...

[@ReptileMountainTV]

It must be very difficult to navigate without the information on ingredients. Thats really scary for sure. Definitely understandable reason for opting out of dog food.

[@monsterkajiu1912]

What about feeder insects for feeding blue tongue skinks and what is a good arcadia omni gold alternative other than bluey buffet because I live in the United States?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Insects are fine but fail in true quality of proteins in sufficient amounts. There is no alternative to bluey buffet other than omnigold in the US to my knowledge.

[@monsterkajiu1912]

what about repashy savory stew as a omni gold alternative?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

No. Only bluey buffet is designed for bts.

[@monsterkajiu1912]

Okay.

[@jamiedavis4240]

I just got a Indonesian Blue tongue skink for the Repticon and they said it was 9 months old but it is small is there any way to tell how old it really is?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Only knowing birthdates unfortunately 😕

[@monsterkajiu1912]

How often should you offer fruit to a bluey?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Small amounts weekly is fine.

[@aqua.scape69]

So what particular brands are best for a Northern BTS?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Wellness. Natures Logic. Ziganture

[@deaven99]

Hi I have a northern blue tongue that’s 7-8 months old and is only 13-14 inches long. I haven’t seen any noticeable growth in my opinion. Is this normal? Thanks so much

[@ReptileMountainTV]

How much does it weigh? Does it look healthy and act healthy? Alert, active, etc? Some skinks grow slower and some aren’t as big as others. I have a small male who is only about 14 inches but is in stellar health and 8 months old.

[@deaven99]

ReptileMountain.TV it stays hidden under the substrate a lot but I see it occasionally. Also eats like a champ (cat food) and is very active when I take it out. Also is there a possibility that my skink will reach around the 24” mark? I heard that’s the average for northerns. Thanks

[@ReptileMountainTV]

They can reach that size. My largest is 22”

[@exoticreptileslovers7395]

Does anyone know any tricks to make an adult blue tongue to eat dog food cans??? I just got him from someone that has never feed him dog food cans...

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Start by mixing half and half. Or let them get hungry. A picky skink isn’t a hungry skink.

[@exoticreptileslovers7395]

Thanks very much.. I wouldn’t thought you would actually reply, but thanks. I will mix it up and if that doesn’t work plan B should do it

[@himanshudigwal6580]

Um what dog food brand or cat food brand do you recomend

[@ReptileMountainTV]

www.reptilemountain.com/husbandry

[@kurtisprodrive9277]

Could this work 4 jeweled Lacerta to

[@lifewithlaffy7931]

Even though they are expensive my mom wants me to get a reptile that doesn’t have to eat live things and I want a larger beardi sized lizard but my mom wants it to not only eat live like my Leo (my pfp is my Leo) any tips??

[@ReptileMountainTV]

My blueys, pink tongues, and gidgee skinks are good choices. None eat live insects.

[@anthonysmith8416]

This is very old but that food is very expensive for me I’m poor lmao also is there a budget hard food that I could buy?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Im not sure what foods you can afford. If you order in bulk from chewy they aren’t as bad.

[@deadbeat5165]

can i give them dry dog food for when im out on vocation ?

[@loredraws5395]

In the past year or so I’ve seen lots of reptile owner’s question wether dog food is good as a staple diet for bts (particularly in Europe). Most of them just say that Americans are very lazy for doing this. What are your thoughts on this?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

What Europeans are feeding is essentially dog food but homemade. They mix up various food elements to present a varied omnivore diet. That is what dog food is. Many claim its “lazy” and thats is okay if they want to claim this, its their opinion. Its not a fact. If Americans reach the same results with no measurable difference between using dog food and “home brew” aka homemade food whats the issue besides conjecture? Nothing. Those that claim their animals are “healthier” have never been able to provide a single metric or measurable fact showing a difference in health. If they can or do I will be glad to reevaluate. Good question. My other video on healthy skink diet explains this better.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Blue Tongue Skink Diet In Depth - Ep. 79 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJCohoSZftiIbNE

[@loredraws5395]

@@ReptileMountainTV I’ve lived in Europe quite a long time, and from what I’ve observed is that a lot of them are actually feeding them a mainly insect and snail based diet. I’ve been feeding my 5 year old bluey high quality dog food since he was little thanks to your education, and he seems fine to me :)

[@iannvergara5439]

#reptilemountain.tv..what kind of dog food brand name can you recommend?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

check out my care guides for recommendations

[@RedGalago]

Do you have to train a blue tongue to eat dog food, or do they naturally eat it on their own?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

They eat it from day one without hesitation. In fact Australians have found wild ones eating the food out of their dog’s bowl. Lol 😂

[@FishwithLogan]

Hey rep mountain tv can you mix veggies with the food?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Yes. Check out my video called “Skink diet in depth”

[@mishka431]

This video is a few years old now so I'm sure the recommendations have changed, but as a veterinary assistant, I feel compelled to share my experiences with Zignature. I have seen multiple canine patients who are fed Zignature present with chronic UTIs, chronic gastrointestinal distress, and otherwise unexplained dermatitis. On top of that, the American Veterinary Medical Association has positively linked "grain-free" diets and heart disease in dogs. If Zignature is safe and healthy for a BTS then that's alright for them, but people should not feed Zignature to their dogs.

[@badboybootz8]

What do you think of the zoo med blue tongue skink and tegu canned food?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

I don’t use it.

[@nicholastomasevic7023]

Newsflash people in Australia been feeding bluetongue dog food for decades and decades

[@ProgressiveDiscussions]

Niacin is a B-Complex vitamin sir

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Im aware. I misspoke. It happens.

[@deaven99]

Is Merrik a good brand to use? I am using one with turkey duck and chicken.

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Deaven Kim I believe Merrik is good. Its owned by Purina and some people say that the oils (or something) in Purina brands causes their skinks to have diarrhea. If yours is having solid poops then stick with it! 👍🏼

[@deaven99]

ReptileMountain.TV so I guess merrik does give diarrhea..my skink was fine the first feeding but then it happened. I’m gonna go ahead and switch over to zignature. (duck one)

[@deaven99]

Or possibly because of stress since I did get him 5 days ago

[@ReptileMountainTV]

+Deaven Kim possibly a little bit of both reasons...

[@ashlyntyrie234]

in Australia we have birds called plovers , they are the dumbest animals ever they lay them in the open grass if that helps , but in my yard ( I have 2 acres) THERE ARE IGUANAS EATING THE BABIES AND THE ALL THE BIRDS ARE MAULING IT WHILST THEY ARE DOING THIS WAS ALL WHY I WAS JUST TRYING TO FEED MY HORSE, scarred for LIFE.

[@jedpeake2813]

So if I give my lizards mice and stuff I find on my farm it’s good for them?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Well, you might want kill and freeze them first to reduce the risk of parasites. Keep them frozen for at least 14 days. They can be part of their diet yes.

[@jedpeake2813]

ReptileMountain.TV oh ok cheers for the tip

[@victorrodriguez5895]

How often per week should I feed my skink dog food. I feed it every other day. It that too much?

[@ReptileMountainTV]

Small amounts often is fine. You can also feed weekly if you incorporate vegetation.

[@victorrodriguez5895]

Thanks. You are the best hands down