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This was on <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bluetongueskinks.net/care.htm">http://www.bluetongueskinks.net/care.htm</a><!-- m --> and is very informative on the blue tongues but also on a buying reptiles online and so on. There is also on this link good pet store advice and it goes on and on being really helpful. And if you go on further down on the link page, it tell you how to properly hold your skink which is the same size about as a tegu and also keeping them on a feeding schedule so you know when they have to go to the bathroom and so on, it is a great large lizzard care/advice sheet period.
Internet purchases
The internet is a great source to purchase (yes, when done correctly, shipping reptiles overnight is pefectly safe and is done every day). Beware of companies and web sites you are unfamiliar with or have never heard of. Read around, ask around, do a little reseach. Avoid large companies. There are many sellers who buy from international exporters (sellers/companies selling wild caught animals). Use your judgement. Look for the acronym 'CB' (captive bred), or "We only sell and breed quality captive bred reptiles", etc. Of course, people can lie...but ask for some references. Request to possibly email some of their customers. See if they have a reputable website. Avoid classifieds like: "Blue tongue skink for sale. Nice size, feeding well. $100." And that's it. Avoid that. You want friendly, well explained classifieds with an email address, phone number, and hopefully a website. If they have a nice website, it likely means they're in the BUSINESS of selling blue tongues and other reptiles. It's not just an inexperienced person that happened upon one. This can also mean however, that they sell wild caught animals. Many/most big time reptile dealers will most assuredly deal and sell wild caught animals. If a phone number is not already listed, request it! There is absolutely no reason you shouldn't be allowed to call. If they refuse to speak with you personally, are hard to get a hold of, or respond with one-liner emails, definitely move on to another ad. These types of people will not be available when you have a problem or question about your new pet. I would highly recommend calling and speaking with each and every person you consider buying from. Talk to them and get an idea of what kind of person or company they are. Don't forget pictures are a must, and your local newspaper is another good place to look. Then, you can actually go to someone's house and see them!
Scams and Dishonesty
I am a firm believer in the idea that an animal is worth only what it is worth to the individual, but I draw the line when a seller charges more while making an animal look more valuable than it actually is, or deliberately making the animal sound special or "one of a kind". One thing that drives me up the wall is something called "Morphs". They've gone completely out of control in the bearded dragon market, and in reality, they are nothing more than color variations given fancy nicknames to differentiate bloodlines and help the animal sell. Here is an example of a bearded dragon morph: "Red HypoRed/Orange German Giant X Chris Red". These morphs have also hit the leopard gecko market with names such as: "Super Hypo Carrot-Tail Leopard Gecko". These genetic differentiating 'nicknames' have not yet hit the world of blue tongued skinks, and I'm doing everything I can to keep it that way. While these morphs are generally accepted and commonly used in the bearded dragon community, many people are beginning to use similar tactics to sell their blue tongued skinks. For example, you could sell an average orange-colored Indonesian for $100 which would be a fair price. OR, you could slap on a name like "Orange Citrus Flaming Morph Indonesian - RARE - $400". Would this be honest? Certainly not. First of all, there is no such thing as an "orange citrus flaming" Indonesian blue tongued skink. It's simply a made up name to make the animal sound good. Secondly, the animal is not rare. The fake name however, could make it sound rare. The only "rare" blue tongued skinks in the United States are Westerns, Centralians, Blotched, and Shinglebacks. It is a rare occurrence that you will ever find an Indonesian worth over $200. The only attribute that would make an IndonesianÃ?Æ?Ã?â??Ã?â??Ã?¢Ã?Æ?Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã?¡Ã?â??Ã?¬Ã?Æ?Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬
Internet purchases
The internet is a great source to purchase (yes, when done correctly, shipping reptiles overnight is pefectly safe and is done every day). Beware of companies and web sites you are unfamiliar with or have never heard of. Read around, ask around, do a little reseach. Avoid large companies. There are many sellers who buy from international exporters (sellers/companies selling wild caught animals). Use your judgement. Look for the acronym 'CB' (captive bred), or "We only sell and breed quality captive bred reptiles", etc. Of course, people can lie...but ask for some references. Request to possibly email some of their customers. See if they have a reputable website. Avoid classifieds like: "Blue tongue skink for sale. Nice size, feeding well. $100." And that's it. Avoid that. You want friendly, well explained classifieds with an email address, phone number, and hopefully a website. If they have a nice website, it likely means they're in the BUSINESS of selling blue tongues and other reptiles. It's not just an inexperienced person that happened upon one. This can also mean however, that they sell wild caught animals. Many/most big time reptile dealers will most assuredly deal and sell wild caught animals. If a phone number is not already listed, request it! There is absolutely no reason you shouldn't be allowed to call. If they refuse to speak with you personally, are hard to get a hold of, or respond with one-liner emails, definitely move on to another ad. These types of people will not be available when you have a problem or question about your new pet. I would highly recommend calling and speaking with each and every person you consider buying from. Talk to them and get an idea of what kind of person or company they are. Don't forget pictures are a must, and your local newspaper is another good place to look. Then, you can actually go to someone's house and see them!
Scams and Dishonesty
I am a firm believer in the idea that an animal is worth only what it is worth to the individual, but I draw the line when a seller charges more while making an animal look more valuable than it actually is, or deliberately making the animal sound special or "one of a kind". One thing that drives me up the wall is something called "Morphs". They've gone completely out of control in the bearded dragon market, and in reality, they are nothing more than color variations given fancy nicknames to differentiate bloodlines and help the animal sell. Here is an example of a bearded dragon morph: "Red HypoRed/Orange German Giant X Chris Red". These morphs have also hit the leopard gecko market with names such as: "Super Hypo Carrot-Tail Leopard Gecko". These genetic differentiating 'nicknames' have not yet hit the world of blue tongued skinks, and I'm doing everything I can to keep it that way. While these morphs are generally accepted and commonly used in the bearded dragon community, many people are beginning to use similar tactics to sell their blue tongued skinks. For example, you could sell an average orange-colored Indonesian for $100 which would be a fair price. OR, you could slap on a name like "Orange Citrus Flaming Morph Indonesian - RARE - $400". Would this be honest? Certainly not. First of all, there is no such thing as an "orange citrus flaming" Indonesian blue tongued skink. It's simply a made up name to make the animal sound good. Secondly, the animal is not rare. The fake name however, could make it sound rare. The only "rare" blue tongued skinks in the United States are Westerns, Centralians, Blotched, and Shinglebacks. It is a rare occurrence that you will ever find an Indonesian worth over $200. The only attribute that would make an IndonesianÃ?Æ?Ã?â??Ã?â??Ã?¢Ã?Æ?Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã?¡Ã?â??Ã?¬Ã?Æ?Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬
