Responses to handing/apparent predators

[critterguy]

Thought I'd split this one off from the other thread.

BTS response to handling
we can assume habituated skinks are not seriously stressed by handling.
http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/ ... S/abstract

But on the occasion skinks do displays signs of stress/threat including(arranged in what seems to be escalating threat)

-Huffing
-body flattened, pointed towards threat(similar to "shield" response in Phrynosoma)
-open mouth huffing -flickering tongue display
-open mouth lunging -wide open mouth tongue display


Whats curious is that most of us have not had the priviledge of seeing the last...seems that behavior is confined only to wild skinks.

Thoughts?

[Jeff]

Baby northerns frequently give full on displays with mouth wide open and the tongue completely unrolled and wagging just like you have seen in videos of wild skinks. Most of them seem to lose the desire to do this in a few days to a week, and it's kind of sad because it is one of the coolest looking things they do. I have one extra small baby this year that still does it every time I get near him though. He is probably my favorite.

I am also very surprised that my shinglebacks, which are the least defensive skinks I have, will give genuine displays when I move toward them after they have been outside for 5-10 minutes. Not just once in awhile, nearly evry time. Being out there definitely triggers something in them very quickly. I only wish I had a quick camera so I could get good pictures of it because each "lunge" only lasts a second or two, and I can't get it with my ancient piece of junk.

These displays by the shinglebacks are extremely interesting too. In my animals they appear to be strictly "display only". I can pick them up while they are displaying, and they make no attempt to bite me. They continue the display for the normal 1-2 seconds, just as they do when I don't pick them up. After the display is over, they are the same calm gentle skinks they always are. I have never had them start a display while in my hand. It is just like the difference between a cage aggressive animal inside its cage and outside its cage. I have also NEVER had any of them display inside under any circumstances. Only the shingles are affected dramatically. Being outside does not have much affect on any of my other skinks.

I really need to video this because it is pretty cool to see. I am just horrible at getting the video from my camera posted online, so it is a pretty major project for me.

[Nae]

Come summer, I could easily get a video of a wild shingle gaping, lunging, hissing etc, if anyones interested?

[Scotts1au]

Sub-adult blotched in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4bhNpknz_4

[Alioop]

Good one Scott!

[xxmonitorlizardxx]

Has anyone seen a gigas skink to a full tongue display? :/

[Gene0514]

My baby IJ does huff, lunge and flash his tongue sometimes if I try to pick him up, but he's getting better.

[Spindown]

wow that was interesting! My I.J. will gape but he doesnt stick out his tongue like that, very cool (poor angry skink lol).

[Nae]

Something just struck me as rather odd.. Mazi used to live outside 24/7 in a MASSIVE bird aviary, full of logs and rocks and plants etc etc, yet he was never aggressive. But, like Scotts Blotchie, when you place some outside, they go from sweet to wild. Why was Mazi fine? Could it just be ones that are kept indoors primarily? Does anyone else keep theirs outdoors 24/7 and experience any aggression?

[James Wilson]

Has anyone seen a gigas skink to a full tongue display? :/

My 27 inch Merauke faded Gigas did, and it got her on the cover of the November 2001 issue of reptiles magazine for the article I did back then. I was also happy to get the centerfold as well. The photo shoot was a lot of work, and fun.

[xxmonitorlizardxx]

thanks

[tiliqua38]

I remember that Reptiles issue!! That was ten years ago?? It's amazing how time flies.

My IJ has never showed any defensive behaviors at all. He has been laid back from the day I brought him home 12 years ago. But he was not a baby when I acquired him.

[Lea]

I have a video of lizzie, a shingleback, having a real paddy in the outdoor enclosure. I'll look it up when I get home. Usually the laziest of the bunch and wouldn't rise to anything unless food was involved, lol, she could still throw a good old wobbly, Tongue flaring, mouth gaped and looked quite a wild animal- even though she has been in captivity her entire life.

Instinct is still strong, it can't be domesticated out of them, which makes them fantastic and fascinating creatures.

[Lauriek]

If my shingles have been out in the garden for an hour or so and I go to pick them up, I get the defensive behaviour. Yet they are very gentle when in their cage. They have never bitten me but the blotchies have, especially Barnum and Bliss. Bliss & I go snail hunting and she's quite happy to be picked up when I have to put her back in her cage. Bailey just wants to run away. Balto's too small to do anything but baby blotchie jaws can be quite strong !

[Richard.C]

some westerns and blotchys displaying,i find juvies are worst for it,generally grow out of it with age as they get accustomed to u,even outdoors kept ones

[El Lobo]

Love those pics Richard.

We have had 2 litters of wild blotchies I know of in our backyard in the past few years. The first young ones were probably a few weeks old and very laid back, but the second when we found them were only just born and they were really feisty. They spun around with the hiss and lunge as soon as they saw a hand.

There was another a few years ago who was probably 1-2 years old and liked to warm himself on our driveway. I learned very quickly not to try and pick him up, he had real attitude.

[Scotts1au]

I find that males are often the more aggressive as adults, some bad ass girl ones though. haha