How I Tamed my Wild Caught Blue Tongue Skink

[@hannahfife8371]

My skink Salami behaves the same way. I’ve started spoon feeding him so he will start to trust me more!

[@PKMNspacemodulator]

never thought I would see you hold Chancho! so proud of you both for building trust in each other!

[@lbeard7661]

I feel like this is a monumental event. This video needs more confetti.

[@nahtanojization]

I love this! I have been trying what NERD does with their monitors on my new baby blue tongue. The only time I have held him/her was taking them out of the bag after being shipped here. I have only had it for two weeks and they are already licking and nudging my hand when I lay it in the enclosure!! Today, it climbed against the glass my arm was resting on and touched my arm. I really think it will eventually trust me enough to actually climb onto my hand. Thank you for your encouragement with this video!! It is so refreshing to see someone else trying to build trust BEFORE holding!! I am definitely following your channel!

[@missdolittle]

Thank you for sharing that! I got my BTS today and he's on attack mode :). Now it makes a lot more sense.

[@melodiewright]

This is honestly such a great video. I appreciate that you went at your skinks pace and not your pace. That's one of my fav things about your videos; you always put the pets needs above yourself. I adopted a Bearded Dragon a few months ago (which was my childhood dream!) and your videos on how to properly take care of them have helped a lot. The local pet store I adopted mine from also had a skink and I didnt even know what it was at first. I thought it was just a thicc and short snake until I looked closer haha

[@reptiliangarden]

Melodie Wright Lmao skinks are seriously the weirdest, but that’s why we love them. Thank you so much for your support. That means so much to me. And good luck with your beardie 💕💕💕💕

[@Alliecat_77]

Thank you for the update and advice. It gives me such hope for my grumpy (terrified) man. I’m not sure if he’s wild caught or not- but he definitely doesn’t trust me and is afraid.

[@muscovesiel138]

I hope I'll be able to tame my eastern blue tongue, Stinky. I got him up to the point of hand feeding... (which made me internally scream with happiness). But he miss-aimed a bite intended for food, instead chomping down on my finger. I winced in agony, retracting my hand. Then, something clicked in his lizard brain that biting my hand made me drop the food. So whenever I tried to hand feed him he'd just ignore the food and bite my fingers. I hope I can tame him one day lol, preferably with all my fingers still attached.

[@tifa2733]

Thank you for all the advice!! I just brought home my first reptile. New lizard mom here with three Armadillo lizards. Everyone says they don't like being handled and that's okay. I'm just wanting to have them eat from my hand. This gives me hope. They are so skittish and terrified, I feel bad.

[@lorih6375]

That is amazing! Congratulations!!! I’ve had a spazzy crested gecko for two years. He hated me, while I loved him. He has JUST started to show interest in interacting! I’m stoked! Thanks for the video! ❤️

[@creepygallery3303]

The three key things to use when working with animals wild or otherwise are patience, observation and repetition. Nice one!

[@loganrobben9494]

Thank you, all other videos are just "handle them and they'll eventually not care enough" I recently rescued a 2 year old Indonesian and he's always hissing, and whipping around. We're getting there, but it's reassuring to hear that we'll eventually get there.

[@lowlifeexotics3070]

Paris the key to building relationships with any animal!! Very awesome! Congrats to you and Choncho!!

[@tinahaynes175]

I wish I could give you a million thumbs up! I just got a BTS the other night and found out shortly after that Indonesians are almost always wild caught and by its behavior it was most definitely so!! He was about 18 mos. old so being handled in the past he was used to people some. I'm starting out slowly. Wish me luck!

[@tthatssojazzyy]

This video is so helpful, thank you!!

[@WhiskeyQuests]

Aww 🥰. This shows just how much a little love, patience and time will give you in return. 😃

[@emoanimegirl11]

I had the same experience with LLLreptiles. Back when I got my tokay gecko they didn’t have it stated on their website she was wild caught, plus I was new to reptiles she was my third reptile, so I didn’t ask before hand. Thankfully she was super healthy and still is, I never bothered to tame her down because I like having some of my reptiles be just display animals and not like some of my others who are pawing at the glass to get out. I do want to get a captive bred tokay hatchling though so I am tame them before they get to max biting and pain size lol. Now I’m super conscious about asking about if the animal was wild caught or not, otherwise I won’t get them as I’m not a breeder and will not help get a captive population going by having a paid or wild caught animals. They’ll just be pets and that to me hinders the species when they could of gone to a breeder who could produce captive bred babies.

[@reptiliangarden]

Pale Opossum I thought wild caught animals would absolutely be labeled as well. It is a shame that they aren’t especially because people new to the hobby may not know they have to ask either. I’m glad you were able to still keep your tokay. 💕

[@remexotics1613]

love your videos! chancho is my favorite one of your pets, close with mango!

[@mermaidheather5049]

Yes! This is exactly what I've been doing with mine. It's definitely a process, but if you want the animal bad enough, it's definitely worth it.

[@Dreamypandah]

Congrats on the process!!

[@ebonychadburn6468]

I have a baby Blue Tongue who is captive bred but is very very timid. I love your advice. He hates being handled and I hate how it stresses him out. I’m definitely going to follow your advice we have done hand feeding for a little bit now but hopefully he will get used to me.

[@wherewolf470]

This is the exact same that I did with my boy. Great job!! You should be super proud. Patience is the key.

[@expertfrenchtoast3480]

there’s a lizard in my backyard it lets me pat it and we fed it chicken with chopsticks and it doesn’t really run if I sit near it

[@mikeseniuk2663]

I really enjoyed your video ! I recently rescued a Merauke that is super aggressive, (missing toes from in proper humidity, biting, tail whipping, and hissing). One of the best ways I found with aggressive blue tongue skink‘s in general to get them accustomed to being handled, is I basically let mine hang out on the ottoman of my couch, and just let him observe my day-to-day mannerisms. When I’m home I let him sit on the couch with me and crawl around, And in 10 days I have went from having a skink that’s extremely aggressive to one that almost seems like he initiates our interactions now. I don’t believe in ever stressing an animal out, but I think every day interactions make the taming process a lot easier. And as you said, food definitely helps, as well as tone of voice. Building a bond can sometimes be hard, but I don’t think any skink is above developing a bond with positive interaction, and food! Again I really enjoy your videos!

[@pyromaniac407]

I had also given up on my long boy but this vid is giving me a little hope that he'll come around

[@thereptigade7507]

There is my insta question answered 😎 awesome n well done you! Back in Oz we had a blue tongue chillin by the pool sometimes he was bloody huge n liked to hiss n show his signature muscle every chance he got 😁 I too was surprised how expensive they are. Does he feel as smooth as he looks btw?

[@reptiliangarden]

Oliver The Reptigade Yes! He is so smooth! 💕

[@johnreeves6854]

Love your videos on blues i got my 1st blue hes a juvenile captive bread and i agree i let them come to me hes starti g to see me as a food source i have years of experience with hognose snakes goden tegues and couple other lizards but this is my 1st blue i have no clue if male or female hes to young atleast for me to tell but love the info you give and appreciate them thank you

[@basicbaroque]

One night when I was in depths of the internet, I found out people do behavioral training with their reptiles. It sounded really awesome! Your video reminded me of that, since you let your skink get comfortable on his own terms. If you haven't already, try looking it up. I thought it was pretty cool! They do "target training" through food association, exercise, and foraging activities. I'm not 100% familiar with it, as I've just started learning about it, but it's definitely caught my interest.

[@reptiliangarden]

Stephanie Putnam That is so interesting! I will check that out. Thank you so much for sharing! 💕💕💕

[@sparrowasmr1773]

i just joined a group about this. so interesting. i can definitely see how it would be beneficial for bearded dragons and other reptiles to have to hunt and forage for their food. the sterile set-ups that are so common must be boring and unhealthy for them. and i can't believe people are even training snakes! it's pretty mind-blowing.

[@sampagano205]

Really appreciate this just as someone trying to tame down a just very grumpy captive bred halmahera. The only thing I'd add on id that while you shouldn't hold them if they don't want to, don't immediately put them down if they poop on you. I know someone who did that every time it happened and it trained them to poop on him if they don't want to be held. Especially since as adults that poop gets pretty awful.

[@markrigg6623]

The wild ones we get here in Australia are generally very placid when picked up. They will hiss and carry on a bit when you approach but they settle almost immediately in your hand.

[@pyromaniac407]

Indos are generally less chill

[@christinabrown7308]

I was worried that the seller lied to me about my skink being captive bred. Hearing you describe Chancho's behavior reassures me that he is.

[@TheHappyReseller]

What is it that he ate out of your hand

[@廖小柏-o5k]

Tanks for your experience sharing. That’s real helpful.

[@BrittanyOglesby23]

My baby irian jaya blue tongue skink I got from repticon reptile expo started out as a angel and now into the shark off of Jaws. He bites without a warning everytime I hold him. I'm starting to believe he's wild caught. I have so many bruises from him.

[@chloemckenzie7841]

I found mine as a baby and I brought him up, he is really good around me

[@GogeeReptileCuddles]

There you go congratulations Tricia and Chancho 💕💕💕💕💕💕

[@ashleighclark8847]

I hope you reported those “dealers”

[@Avocetexotics]

Do you think it would he bad to feed live meal worms to a bearded dragon who normally eats freeze dried bearded dragons. I am baby sitting a bearded dragon for the next 3 weeks or so and her owner only feeds her freeze dried meal worms. So while she is in my care I decided to purchase a bunch of healthy veggies and live crickets and meal worms. I was wondering if you think it would be a problem to feed them to her. Also her owner keeps her on sand which I know is really bad and I really want to take it all out and put in some tile that we already have but I don't want to make her owner mad. What do you think? Thanks!

[@EastCoastFinz06]

Awesome keep up the great work

[@frankrelmar5903]

Cool and great job kiddo love your videos thanks and be safe

[@taeviansworldofreptiles3828]

Aaah he's doing so great!

[@exoticmutation7410]

2 years ? Mine was tamed in a week

[@Ok-sl9wb]

Urs was prob born in captivity

[@exoticmutation7410]

@@Ok-sl9wb nope wild caught maybe i just got lucky

[@tyliful]

that's awesome. congrats.

[@ReaperNola]

Mine is just like this.. idk if it was wild but he always huffs and hides and it's making me question if it's even worth trying to tame.. I was told he was a few months old but it's over a foot long so I have no idea what his past was like :/

[@Ok-sl9wb]

I have learnt so much from this

[@irThumper]

He's a beauty. What happened to the end of his tail though? Bad shed?

[@reptiliangarden]

I have no idea. He’s had that since I got him. It could have Been a bad shed or something else since he was wild caught. I just had no idea 😅

[@irThumper]

@@reptiliangarden Very true. Poor guy could have been chomped on even. Glad you gave him a good home :)

[@alphawolf6862]

Yeah mine is like the opestet she hates it but is okay with being held and yeah and yesterday was the first time she bite me and she's a full grown girl blue tongue skink

[@alphawolf6862]

But she was on my shoulder getting to close to my hair and neck and I just had that feeling she was going to bite me but she normally doesn't bite people, but I must of scared her or she didn't want to be held but still she was getting better at being held tho and like I side she was okay with it she calm with me and relaxes with me so that was the first time she did a bite bite on my thumb 👍 😅 and she's a powerful bite fors

[@janypino7959]

I love your videos !!

[@reptiliangarden]

Jany Pino Thank you so much 😊 💕😘

[@Fayleafowl]

My cousin wants a blue tongue and this is good to know if we get wild caught.We are going to go to Florida to get a tengu we people seem to think it's ok to just throw them out.

[@baileyacct9665]

2 yrs !!! OMG...... I better start now but thank you for the info going to try out what you said

[@Dragoninja35]

Hello I have a blue tongue (Indonesian) like chancho and he behaves exactly like him both in personality and looks I have had him for just over 3 weeks know and every time I try to interact with him he huffs at me and runs away to hide

[@reptiliangarden]

Just give it time and try feeding him from a spoon. He will Eventually calm down and come to you for food. My guy still hates being handling but I can now pet him while feeding him

[@Dragoninja35]

@@reptiliangarden he wont even take food from me he just hisses at me and runs away 😫

[@jpslizards]

He finally let you handle him? Lol Edit: the same exact thing happened with my Beardy. It took him 6 months to get used to me and to let me handle him. He would puff up and hiss even if I was in the room

[@reptiliangarden]

JP'S Lizard World Yes!!!! And congratulations on accomplishing trust with your beardie! It’s the best feeling 💕

[@jpslizards]

@@reptiliangarden food was the reason for him to trust me too haha

[@thatgothbrat1992]

How is your leachie doing? I’m planning on getting one and was wondering what your experience with owning one has been.

[@reptiliangarden]

Victoria Peters My leachie dies almost two years ago unfortunately. It was really sudden and unexpected. I think she died from impaction because i found her with her mouth full of dirt. It’s why I haven’t had substrate in my arboreal gecko enclosures since then.

[@thatgothbrat1992]

Reptilian Garden oh no I’m so sorry I had no idea!!! I had no idea they could even get impacted being so arboreal. I am so so sorry I asked I wouldn’t have if I had known.

[@pyromaniac407]

@@thatgothbrat1992 I'm also a leachie owner and they're generally pretty easy to take care of, I've personally never had issues with them eating dirt but paper towel totally works if you're worried about that

[@samsung8310]

This is fantastic 😃

[@probablyobvious1286]

I can relate to this as I have a merauke. It seems most of the Indonesian subs are like this and CB indos are incredibly uncommon and expensive. He's like your typical cat tamed now but he does not like being high up.

[@MrJkfixe]

What plant is that on the right side of the screen? Is it a golden pothos?

[@reptiliangarden]

MrJkfixe I’m not sure what kind of pothos it is 😭

[@MrJkfixe]

@@reptiliangarden ok, but it is a pothos 😅 I'm so terrible at identifying pothos and want one for my Leo bioactive. I want to see as much as I can

[@themilkyandmiloshow7122]

Its actually a ilegal to keep native reptiles without a license in australia

[@korsion]

That's not true.

[@christinaserrone7023]

Hi Tricia I have been watching your videos n especially the one keying outt which blue tongue was which. I just watched the one of you explaining how you tamed Tacho. You mentioned mites. I recently bought a farm bred baby Tanibar a week ago today and it came in with mites. I have been watching videos about how to get rid of snake mites, but am afraid to apply the same products, etc., to my baby, Clancy. Can I ask you for your help with regard to the products you used and how you applied them regarding your Blue tongued. Thank you and hope I hear from you.

[@reptiliangarden]

christina serrone What worked best for me was giving warm baths with olive oil. It kills the mites as long as you let your skink soak in it for 20 minutes. Then I use a paper towel and wipe all the mites off. Do this a couple of times until they’re all gone! It’s the most natural way, instead of using any chemicals

[@christinaserrone7023]

@@reptiliangarden Good morning Trisha Thank you for your prompt reply. I have been doing the soaking, but no additives. I will add your suggestions to what I have been doing. I'm not big on chemicals and have house geckos in my greenhouse and if I have to clean a plant for mealy bugs I use eucalyptus soap n it does not harm anything including ferns. Again thank you for responding. I look forward to future videos from you.

[@Alexis-gj6kz]

Great video! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this. I recently got a young African Fat Tailed gecko after watching your video about Mango with AFTs being so calm. This guy hisses, lunges, spits, and nips so we are slowly working on building a relationship. I am of the same mind set where I prefer the animal to dictate how fast the taming process goes and how quickly we build a relationship... the only downside to this is that he has stuck shed on his toes that he has not been able to get off. So it will be interesting to see how this goes XD

[@ashleighclark8847]

Poachers are still stealing creatures from our wild in Australia to smuggle them overseas?!? Wtf?!?

[@saveriopanaccione996]

Pretty sure my girl temari was wild caught since she looks like your blue toughen skink. She doesn’t mind being handled but she can’t stay still

[@sampagano205]

Not necessarily, halmaheras are both captive bred and wild caught and a bigger factor for them is the age you got them at, and the practices of the person you got them from. A good rule of thumb is the younger they are the more likely they are to be captive bred. Young blue tongues are just not as likely to survive the import process.

[@saveriopanaccione996]

@@sampagano205 Sounds true I think when I got her she was about six months old

[@waterbottle8692]

Wild caught from Australia? How does that work?

[@reptiliangarden]

Water Bottle Most of the wild caught skinks are actually from Indonesia. The northerns are well established in captivity.

[@nezumidjinn5547]

you did a good job on your Blue tongue skink positive reinforcement and patience is the key i you ever get the shink out for a longer time and it gets al crazy on you don`t put it back in it`s cage just wait til it calms down and then put it back in the cage here the skink wil learn that making a fuzz is useles this worked wel for my on iguana skink and Varanidae .I do not recommend the hand feeding cause most lizards wil soon associate your fingers as food and skink can bite hard i learned this the hard way lol 😂🤣😂

[@reptiliangarden]

nezumi djinn Thank you so much for the helpful tip! That’s great advice 💕

[@danepadgett4441]

New BTS owner, may I ask what are you feeding him?

[@thereptilegirl9924]

Babies grain free cat food, adults grain free dog food/veggies. No crappy brands, no potatoes+ fish ingredients , no prescription diets.

[@unleashed4813]

its illiegle to catch wild lizards

[@arianakukic9568]

Sadly only in Australia I believe

[@EliHeffernan-jv1jp]

You cant take wild animals out of the bush and keep it as pets. I'm calling the police.