BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

I am putting this under the advanced forum simply because of the more sensitive nature of my question.

Has anyone had a skink pass away while hidden?

Over the years I have unfortunately had several skinks pass, and I noticed a pattern - they would all come out and lie in the open to die. The same seems to hold true for when they are feeling ill - skinks that normally hide all the time are suddenly laying out in the open. I've also heard second-hand experiences that seem to follow this trend.

So I'm wondering if anyone can contribute to this idea, either with experiences that agree, or better yet with ones that disagree?

The reason I ask is because I basically take this idea as fact now. If my skinks are hiding away, I don't worry about them and I don't dig them out to check on them; I just assume that they're feeling fine if they're burrowed away. But if I see a skink laying out in the open, especially if it's not it's normal behaviour, alarm bells go off; I pull that skink for a check, then watch it more carefully for a while (monitor intake/waste/activity). So far this has worked well for me, but I realize that if my thesis is wrong, then I should probably be checking on the hidden ones too.

All first-hand (and even credible second-hand) experiences are appreciated.

Many thanks,
Melanie

PS: While I'm asking, how about other reptiles/animals? Is coming out into the open to die a common behaviour?

Now that I remember, Thiswai was above her substrate when I found her dead. She was against a corner, though.

Ive had a couple die that were found in there hides,well ones tail was hanging out of hide,the fact ut hadnt moved by next day made me go check on it,another passed inside a large hide,roughly 2 foot by 4 foot in size,bother were outdoors kept though,easterns

Most though have been out in the open like u mention though

Never had a blotchie die in that way but has happened a couple of times with Easterns -where they have died in the open. The animals were otherwise healthy looking - weight wise etc. One in particular had been treated for an RI another had suffered a lump on the jaw in the preceding year.

Scotts1au wrote:Never had a blotchie die in that way but has happened a couple of times with Easterns -where they have died in the open. The animals were otherwise healthy looking - weight wise etc. One in particular had been treated for an RI another had suffered a lump on the jaw in the preceding year.

So most of your skinks who've passed did so while burrowed away?

Huh. Interesting observation and it has made me think. I have found wild shinglebacks that have been very ill with the bobtail flu out in the open. Some of them on deaths door. I have also found one or two dead in the open, like in the middle of a bush trail. So this behaviour is not just in captivity.

Fatal_S wrote:PS: While I'm asking, how about other reptiles/animals? Is coming out into the open to die a common behaviour?

I can't comment on skinks but I have had mixed behaviours from the reptiles we have had that passed. My beardie hid a lot more than usual in the month or so leading up to her passing, and she died in one of her hidey-holes. My tegu, on the other hand, passed away partly buried in his substrate but mostly exposed. Both appear to have died in their sleep.

With our boa, we had to euthanise.

I cannot speak for Blue Tongues, but I think what your saying is probably true. My Blue only comes out to bask, and then he's usually in a hide. I do know that with my friends skiddish leopard gecko, he came out when he died.

Actually I've only had a couple die, never during brumation but I know of a number of instances where blueys have died after brumation - I suspect from infections. I know of someone on this forum who lost two Alpine blueys that died during brumation (probably froze), but yeah my experience is that death normally follows a period of activity, probably as a result of discomfort, irritation, starving for oxygen etc. Blueys suffering from RIs (consequently starving for oxygen) tend to roam around with their heads held up. This may be an instinctual response as popping the head up and moving around would possibly be a response to drowning of their hide in the wild.