Baby Blue Tongue Skinks Availability 2011
Babies available now! (Updated August 18, 2011) | 
| Thanks for considering BlueTongueSkinks.Net! Firstly, we would like to make it well known that breeding blue-tongued skinks is not our occupation by any means, or even a business. We have a small groupof animals (5 total females), and keep and breed them simply because it's something we love to do. We have no other pets, and these animals receive our undivided and sole attention. Typical reptile breeders and pet stores often have many tankswith many animals, and few get personal regular attention. BTS are our main pastime and hobby, and we focus and specialize only on them simply because we have a love for this species.When purchasing a BTS from us, we want to develop a relationship with each person so that we can keep in contact over the years and watch your animal grow! We are not a "buy and run" type website where you enter in your credit card and never hear from us again. We are always a phone call away to answer questions, or just talk blue tongues. It's what we love, so don't hesitate! Below will be this year's list of babies—each has its own individual picture and personality description. Carefully read the information below, then make your choice! Each baby will display whether he/she is available or not and it is updated every day. Please contact us first before buying! We can be very selective who we sell to—this ensures our babies go to responsible and loving homes, and gives us a chance to get to know the person. Again, please do not hesitate to call or email us at any time with questions. Ask for Zach—541-606-4911—bluetongueskinks@gmail.com. Note: PLEASE read this page fully and carefully before calling with basic reservation questions. And of course, our detailed caresheet can be found here, and should be read before considering a bluey for a pet. Thanks!
Reservations Reserving a baby is accepted approximately three months prior to the actual birth (births usually in July-August). This is not written in stone however; if we get a fabulous email earlier than 3 months, it is indeed possible we will reserve early. So, as always, feel free to email us at anytime. Payment in the full amount reserves your place (in the order received) and you may back out at any time. Reserving is not required by any means but guarantees you a baby once they are born. If you do not reserve, it is possible that all babies will be taken by the time they arrive (particularly if we only have one or two births)! Why do we require payment in the full amount? In the past, we've had trouble with folks backing out last minute, sometimes because they actually forgot they had made a reservation. Full payment shows a true commitment and makes it easy since we simply cash the check or money order a couple weeks before the agreed upon shipping date (this allows time for clearing). How do I pay?
We only accept checks/money orders for reservations. Paypal is too difficult to keep track of months prior to the births, and we actually don't like to have the cash in hand until we know the babies are safely born, eating well, used to human handling, and ready to be shipped. Once the babies are here, we gladly accept PayPal. You can send, and we can ship, in usually less than a week! If sending a check or money order, we simply send you our shipping address. We typically request cashing of checks at least two weeks prior to your pick or shipment date to allow clearing time. What if no babies are born?
Unfortunately, we can never foretell a successful pregnancy, so if there were complications and the babies were not born, checks are simply voided, shredded, and discarded (or returned if that is what you prefer). Remember, the first payments received will get to choose first when detailed pictures and personalities/temperaments are posted. Each bluey's health, temperament, and personality are carefully evaluated and posted to the best of our abilities. Please understand that our personality evaluations are as accurate as they possibly can be based on our own observations and interactions. You never know when a baby could completely do something other than what is listed, so just know that it would be impossible to 100% guarantee any reptile personalities, and that we mostly post them just for fun. Why do we reserve? That doesn't seem fair!
If we didn't reserve, and each female successfully gave birth, we'd possibly have up to 40 or more babies! That's a lot of babies to have with no individuals ready to purchase. We would likely end up having the babies well over six months, and by that time, they begin growing rather large and often require bigger caging which we simply do not have. We also look for people who are doing their research early on and who are truly anticipating and planning for the arrival of their bluey. In other words, it also helps prevent impulse buying. I made a reservation for an IJ, but none were born
If you reserve an Irian Jaya and none are born, you may add the additional funds ($50) at that time for a Northern if you wish and keep your spot in line. Otherwise, you may cancel completely. Likewise, if you made a reservation for a Northern and none were born, refunds would be issued to make up the difference in price ($50). There is no reserving IJ's or Northerns specifically—it is simply first come, first serve for all animals listed. Now, it's always possible that more babies are on the way, and sometimes, they can be born as much as a month apart (although not common). In these cases, and if pick #1 chooses to wait for the rest of the babies to be born, we ask that #1 cross off a few babies they know they aren't interested in, and allow other folks high up on the list to possibly choose one. This way, folks below pick #1 don't have to wait a month to get a baby they really know they want now! I picked a baby, but have changed my mind!
This is perfectly fine as long as the baby is not already taken by someone who has chosen after you. Just send us an email with your requested change, and if the baby is not already spoken for, he's your's! Keep a VERY close eye on your emails
Once we begin shipping, the list will go fast. If we are unable to get a hold of you for more than 3 or 4 days, we must skip to the next person. In the past we have waited for more than a week, and sometimes contact is still never made. It just gets to be too long; especially when summer is drawing to a close and people want to get in a little outside time before winter hits. It can be very disappointing, so please, please keep a close eye on your emails! Check your spam folder, and email or call us absolutely anytime for updates. Also keep a close eye on this page as reservations are constantly being updated. Refresh your page several times if you are not seeing changes regularly. If you plan on going away for more than a few days, give us your top five choices. We do not make exceptions for vacations! When your turn comes, we just cannot wait for more than a few days. If you will not have computer access for a length of time, we can arrange phone calls or texting when your turn arrives. Important: If you are skipped due to lack of contact and are bumped a few spots down, you automatically will get the next pick once contact is made again. Sample Reservation List
 Reservation List 2011
Remember that names are placed on this list IN ORDER of reservation payment received! • Pearl has begun giving birth as of 4:00pm PACIFIC TIME, JULY 17, 2011!
• Peach has begun giving birth as of 4:30pm PACIFIC TIME, JULY 25, 2011!
• Sassy has begun giving birth as of 4:30pm PACIFIC TIME, AUGUST 2, 2011!
• No babies from Moe Dee yet
1) Alicia B. shipped!
2) Leslie D. shipped!
3) Ke L. shipped!
4) Lee B. shipped!
5) Karly shipped!
6) Nathan Y. shipped!
7) Angie C. shipped!
8) Edward M. shipped!
9) Erica F. shipped!
10) Kris P. shipped!
11) Andrew P. shipped!
12) Jeff G. shipped!
13) Vincent C. shipped!
14) Tracey C. shipped!
15) Lucy F. shipped!
16) Michael L. shipped!
17) Julien R. shipped!
18) Becky local pickup!
19) George W. shipped!
20) Brian H. shipped!
21) Mike D. shipped!
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Key: A strike/grayed out name signifies the person has selected his/her baby. Click here to view a hilarious compilation video from the summer of 2007! You can see Peach in this video as well as a bunch of babies.
Pricing, Shipping, Guarantees, and Support
We prefer checks/money orders (but Paypal is accepted for an additional fee [explained in detail below]), and shipping is $70.00 overnightUPS anywhere in the USA. Currently, we are not shipping internationally. Baby Irian Jaya are $150.00 + Shipping, Peach Northerns are $200.00 + Shipping, and Pearl Northerns are also $200 + Shipping. We understand that shipping is expensive (and even more expensive as of late due to the new package dimensions stipulation and crazy gas hikes), but overnight shipping early morning delivery is absolutely necessary and we do all we can to minimize your cost. We do not charge handling fees, supplies fees, or reimbursement fees for the expensive styrofoam-inserted reptile shipping boxes we use. We try to keep shipping prices exact. It almost always costs us more than $70 to ship, but if it is under $70 more than a couple dollars, we are happy to reimburse you via PayPal.
The only fee we do collect is the large Paypal commission fees if you do decide to use PP. In the Paypal buy now buttons below, $7 or $8 (7 for IJ's, 8 for Northerns) is automatically pre-added for the Paypal fee as well as the shipping cost of $70.00. If everyone used Paypal to purchase their pets (which is certainly the most popular method these days) we'd lose over $100 per group of babies; just on Paypal fees! Checks and money orders work best for us because it's essentially free for everyone, and we don't cash it until your baby is ready to ship. We don't want to nix Paypal for everyone, so we kept the option open basically because of popular demand. Last minute shipments, and going up against the clock
To put it simply, we try to avoid this at all costs. We typically plan a few days in advance, and like to take our time getting boxes constructed and prepared, quadruple checking addresses and ensuring the correct baby goes to that address. When you've got three dozen babies, the only differentiating means of identification we have is the unique striping on each animal! We compare the baby to his/her profile pictures (particularly the overhead shot of course) and make absolute certain we've got the right baby. We also like to take 15-30 minutes to spend with the baby before just picking him up and sticking him into a box. We let him walk around the table, on our laps, and just spend some general interaction time with them. If all of this is rushed, it leaves us feeling uneasy...did we grab the right baby, did we miss a number on the address...did we put the right baby with the right address, and so on. We do make exceptions, and understand that finding a shipping day that works for everyone can be difficult in your busy work week; so always feel free to email us and inquire. Shipping is safe
It would be a lie to say it's not a scary thought when it comes to shipping an animal. It's probably the #1 question we get, and it's certainly an understood fear. We have our system down, we do not take risks, and we let you know what's going on every step of the way. Tracking numbers are emailed or text messaged immediately upon shipment of your BTS, and included with your purchase is a free Guaranteed Live Arrival accompanied with a 30 day health guarantee on top of that. Even beyond the 30 days, we wouldn't leave you hanging if tragedy struck. We will be with you every step of the way no matter what the problem is. Once again, we care about the people and the animals most. If the buyers aren't happy, then nobody's having fun and it ruins the whole exciting experience for everybody. Compare your baby to his/her parents!
Another bonus when buying from us is the treat of knowing exactly who the parents of your baby are, and the additional added bonus of getting to watch your baby's siblings grow up! We keep track of all purchases and ask customers that they post updates whenever possible on the forum. Knowing the parents of your BTS is a rare thing in this hobby unless you find someone who loves what they do. It's also much more fun than you might think because you can study the parents and find little features on your new pet that might have come from the mother or the father. And of course, we're always happy to talk about little personality quirks your bluey may have inherited. When do you ship?
We usually keep the babies for up to one month, or until roughly their first few sheds. We use this time to completely devote our attention to their growth, health, behavior, eating habits, etc. This isto ensure they're healthy, eating well, used to human handling, and gives us a chance to learn their individual personalities so we may post them on this page. Note that the names we give them are just nicknames to tell them apart, and can of course be changed to whatever the customer would like. Which species is right for me? Northern or Irian Jaya? • Northerns are an Australian species that have long been thought of as the best type of BTS for a pet (in the USA). Here in the states, they are quite tame. They get big, they're beautiful, and what we have here is the last of our "stock" because Australia does not allow the import/export of any animal for the pet trade. Because of this reason, they are very special. Northerns are becoming harder and harder to find (but still fairly common in the BTS world), especially with the advent of cross-breeding to the commonly imported Indonesian species (Irian Jaya's and Indonesians). • Irian Jaya BTS are from Indonesia, and are often what you see in the pet stores for $199.99. They are snatched from the wild and sold to pet stores for about $25. Irian Jaya's are truly terrific BTS that are capable of shades of orange, brown, and red. The babies we have on our site are 100% captive bred. Irian Jaya (and Indonesians) are the easiest type of BTS to find, but keep in mind, finding a truly captive bred bluey can prove to be very difficult. Nearly ALL pet store blue tongues are wild caught. Very, very rarely do you see Northerns in pet stores because it's simply not cost-efficient for reptile businesses to breed them. That's why we see tanks full of bearded dragons at every shop (and not blue tongues) because bearded dragons have clutches and clutches of eggs many times during the year while the BTS only has 5-15 babies (on average) every 1-2 years. If you're trying to make money in a reptile business or pet store, blue tongues are not the way to go! It's much easier to snatch BTS out of the wild and sell them than wait on babies for months and years on end. • All in all, either are a great choice. Northerns generally are bigger; lengthwise and girth. That is, Northerns typically get longer and fatter! The typical length for our Northerns is 20-22 inches. Typical length for the IJ's is about 18-20 inches. Give or take, there are always surprises and there are no guarantees. Some babies will invariably be smaller or bigger than others, and sometimes we'll get one or two huge Northerns or IJ in a batch! You really can't go wrong with either, and since their size is generally the same, it basically comes down to which colors and patterns you like best. Northerns have the brilliant orange side splotching, and the IJ's consist of more reds, tans, and browns. 
Check out the baby page for more pictures!
The nitty-gritty• We offer a thirty day health guarantee, and ship next-day to your residential home or place of business.
• Shipping is $70.00 UPS NextDay to your door. Please note that UPS charges an extra $15 for Saturday morning deliveries.
• SOMEONE MUST BE PRESENT TO ACCEPT THE PACKAGE AT YOUR FRONT DOOR THE NEXT MORNING. Make sure someone is home and able to hear the door! If packages are left outside in a hot morning sun...bad news. Theft is also possible. This has never happened, but we must take precautions. Once again, someone MUST be home to answer the door and accept the package from the driver PERSONALLY. We simply cannot be held responsible for packages that are left outside because contact or access could not be gained.
• Money orders and checks are the preferred method of payment (checks held until payment clears), but PayPal is also accepted at a slightly higher price. (PP takes quite a bit of commission when dealing with large amounts of money). Also please note that we only accept Paypal after the babies are born. Reservations can only be made with check or money order.
• I know most people prefer a boy or a girl, but unfortunately it is very difficult to determine gender at this young age without putting them atdanger (i.e. probing). Probing is not 100% accurate as it is, and yourisk seriously damaging the animal.
• We only sell to NON-SMOKING homes. It is both unfair, and cruel toforce any animal to breathe in second-hand smoke day in, and day out.Our animals require and deserve clean fresh air. This has drawn criticism in the past as some folks feel this is discrimination or segregation, but I have personally received a reptile that reeked of cigarette smoke, and I was not happy about it. I can't imagine an animal that would have to live in it.
• We ask that if you ever decide to sell your animal, please consult usfirst as it is possible we may be interested in buying the animal backfor a fair price. We do not want to lose track of any of the babies; so, please, please contact us if at any time you need to find the BT a new home.
• If and when you choose or are eligible to purchase, we may send you a small list of simple questions consisting of information such as experience, your plans for the pet when on vacation, how and where the BTS will be kept, who the primary caregiver will be, etc. Note: This option can often be bypassed if we have a telephone conversation. This is not meant to question anyone's competence, but we've detected some serious impulse buys in the past and it's important that simple requirements are understood such as regular diet, temperatures, and housing conditions.
• We reserve the right to refuse service to any individual if we feel they are unequipped or incapable of caring for a reptile. |
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