Baby Blue

where can i buy a baby blue tongue skink?

i want to buy a baby blue tongue skink. what stores sell them in like syracuse new york united states? or a cheap online site. i want one for around 60 dollars or cheaper not including s&h.
do they have a website? i want one cheap or free like a rescued one?
where can i find one for 80 dollars?

You aren't going to find one for $60 that is healthy and intact (all toes and full tail). The cheapest one I ever found was at a reptile show in White Plains NY. They are having one next Sunday as well. www.reptileexpo.com. They are about $80 to $200 there. Blue tongued skinks require a lot of supplies as well including a very large tank. A minimum of a 40 gallon long breeder tank is required for one skink and that's cutting it small. They also need a heat lamp and UVA/UVB bulb. The bulbs themselves can cost up to $60 for both. In general, the reptile show is the place to go because you buy directly from breeders. You can get all your supplies there too at deeply discounted prices.

I have also purchased online with success. I used www.reptiledepot.com and got a beautiful Tanimbar island bluey (this sub-species is somewhat aggressive and not recommended for beginners). However, reptile depot does have some very bad ratings. I didn't have a problem when I purchased animals and supplies there, but the BBB has given the business an F rating. Some other places to look are the classifieds at www.kingsnake.com under lizards and www.lllreptile.com.

A rescue will not adopt out until they approve the habitat and determine your ability to cover the costs of caring for one. So if you are looking for a cheap pet, a blue tongued skink is probably not the best choice. You may be better off with a crested gecko or a leopard gecko as they are smaller and don't require as much in terms of equipment.

Oh one more thing, if you purchase one, make sure you get one that is captive bred. The imported skinks (especially those from Indonesia) are known for being loaded with parasites and disease as well as stressed beyond belief. A wild caught skink most likely will not live long at all. Captive bred is worth the extra $20 or so in the long run.

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