Hurt peter's

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Jelandusn
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Hurt peter's

Postby Jelandusn » Wed Mar 22, 2017 3:32 pm

Hi guys. I know these aren't blue tongue but I thought I'd ask here anyway. I have two peter's skinks and one seems to not be doing well. I had them together because the place I got them from and everywhere I've read said they live together. One is eating and drinking every day. The other has just stayed buried since I brought it home. I dug it up every day when I put food in and showed it the food and water but it would just rebury itself. I didn't handle it much other than to dig it up and put it near the food. Today, since I hadn't really seen it much, I decided to check and see how it looked. That's when I noticed its feet. It is missing some toes! I don't know if they were like that before it came or if it happened while here. I probably should have checked them over before getting them but I am embarrassed to say i didn't. I have separated them and put it in a tank with a small layer of sand and a hide. This way I can peek in and see it without having to uncover it each time. Also, being uncovered means he can see the worms and hopefully that will tempt him to eat. Is there anything I can do for this guy to help him eat. The other one eats worms but not crickets. I've also gotten some mangos to try. Does this look like they got in a fight? Could it have been the crickets I left in? There are 3 medium crickets in the tank with the one who is eating but only worms in the tank with the hurt one. Could I have two males? I don't know how to sex them but I hear there's a way?
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Re: Hurt peter's

Postby Dwarfbeardeddragon » Thu Mar 23, 2017 3:34 am

how long have u had them? i would say he was hiding because of relocation stress, my western bearded dragon (pogona minor) did that too. looks like a cricket bite to me. It was a good idea to separate them, i'm not familiar with the species but better to be safe than sorry. ill let some other people respond as im no professional but for now i wish you luck with your skinks! :mrgreen: :D
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Re: Hurt peter's

Postby Dwarfbeardeddragon » Thu Mar 23, 2017 3:36 am

also for sexing,try shine a flash light right up against the back of their tails and you might be able to see something.
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Re: Hurt peter's

Postby Jelandusn » Thu Mar 23, 2017 5:12 am

I got them last Thursday. Normally I don't use crickets but the person I usually get my roaches from is out and the ones I ordered haven't come. They weren't eating the worms so I decided to offer some crickets because that's what they said they were eating at the store. They said it would be ok to leave a few in as long as it isn't 40. He made it seem like it was no big deal and since they specialize in reptiles I figured they had more experience then me and went against what I normally do. I've gotten them out and will not be getting any more. I wish my roaches would start producing enough for me.
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Re: Hurt peter's

Postby Dwarfbeardeddragon » Fri Mar 24, 2017 6:44 pm

okay here is some suggestions for the crickets: i wouldn't just chuck them in for now, have your tried hand feeding? that would be a good idea, or if you do chuck them in wiggle them in the tweezers so they actually take notice of the cricket then you can put it in and they will hopefully chase it (unless they are slow moving skinks like bobtail skinks) to avoid the crickets munching on your skinks put some lettuce or spinach or some sort of green in that you know your skink wont go for so that the crickets will eat the greens and not your skinks toes! make sure to keep us updated
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Re: Hurt peter's

Postby Jelandusn » Mon Mar 27, 2017 10:52 am

I'm happy to say that the hurt one who isn't eating seems to be doing a little better. She is more active and drank a lot two days ago when I offered some water. There's water available always but that's the first time she touched it. She also
did a teeny tiny poo and considered eating a cricket but changed her mind. Her hurt toes also look better. I put her food and water dish right by the entrance to her hide hoping she will munch and drink if she doesn't have to leave her hide. I'm going to leave her alone for a week and go from there.
The other one is doing great!! He eats whenever I offer and also munches on whatever bugs are left in his bowl during the night. When he hears me come, he peeks his head out to see if there is food. I really hope the other one starts eating. They are so cute!
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Re: Hurt peter's

Postby Dwarfbeardeddragon » Wed Mar 29, 2017 3:19 am

Good to see your little one is doing better
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Re: Hurt peter's

Postby splashy07 » Fri Mar 31, 2017 12:10 pm

They're so adorable, I see them at expos all the time but I tend to shy away from imports. When I use crickets I crush their heads if I am going to leave them overnight. I know, sounds awful but heck, they are hopefully going to get eaten anyway. They thrash around quite a long time and don't die right away. Another suggestion is what I do with my Cuban anoles, they are in a naturalistic type enclosure in which feeder insects breed. I throw food in there (carrots, greens, etc) for the insects so they do not munch on the lizards at night. Best of luck with those adorable skinks, I've been tempted many times.
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Re: Hurt peter's

Postby Dwarfbeardeddragon » Sat Apr 01, 2017 5:20 am

i do the same thing with my crickets, it feels so bad when you crush their heads :? :?
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Re: Hurt peter's

Postby kingofnobbys » Tue Apr 04, 2017 6:23 am

splashy07 wrote:They're so adorable, I see them at expos all the time but I tend to shy away from imports. When I use crickets I crush their heads if I am going to leave them overnight. I know, sounds awful but heck, they are hopefully going to get eaten anyway. They thrash around quite a long time and don't die right away. Another suggestion is what I do with my Cuban anoles, they are in a naturalistic type enclosure in which feeder insects breed. I throw food in there (carrots, greens, etc) for the insects so they do not munch on the lizards at night. Best of luck with those adorable skinks, I've been tempted many times.


why not leave some greens and grated veg in the tank overnight if the crickets are staying in the tank o/night ?

....this is what I do ,and the crickets will be drawn to the greens and grated veg where skinky or dragon can find them if he gets up overnight for a midnight snack ( all my skinks and beardies do this on a regular basis esp when young ), and they make quick work of any crickets they find on or near the food dish when they do.

I also crush the crickets' heads too, but only when I'm handfeeding my skinks and beardies. It does tend make easier to handle , and any left in the tank will not move about as fast either if their head has been crushed or if you pull off the big hopper legs at the back.
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Re: Hurt peter's

Postby Jelandusn » Wed Apr 05, 2017 11:46 am

Thanks for the cricket tips. I've been doing mostly butter worms and roaches in a bowl for the one who is eating and hand feeding crickets a couple of times a week. I just dont feel comfortable leaving crickets even with food for them. I feel terrible that this guy has missing toes because of something I did. For now, I dropped the one who isn't eating back at the pet store to see if they can get him to eat. I'm hoping that in a familiar setting it will. It's been a week and he hasn't eaten there so I'm not sure what else can be done. For now at least one is doing great. Since they are social I'm hoping the second will come back soon so they can be reunited.
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Re: Hurt peter's

Postby kingofnobbys » Thu Apr 06, 2017 7:21 am

Jelandusn wrote:Thanks for the cricket tips. I've been doing mostly butter worms and roaches in a bowl for the one who is eating and hand feeding crickets a couple of times a week. I just dont feel comfortable leaving crickets even with food for them. I feel terrible that this guy has missing toes because of something I did. For now, I dropped the one who isn't eating back at the pet store to see if they can get him to eat. I'm hoping that in a familiar setting it will. It's been a week and he hasn't eaten there so I'm not sure what else can be done. For now at least one is doing great. Since they are social I'm hoping the second will come back soon so they can be reunited.


Are you sure you didn't have 2 boys.... they might be social but not so happy about sharing space if both are boys, the hand injury looks suspiciously like it's been bitten while establishing the pecking order, in which case the one who is doing well has established itself as the dominant and the one who is not is the submissive and not eating because he's too stressed by the tank mate.

Sonce one is doing well, I don't think it's an issue with the UVA and temperatures right in it's tank unless he's too scared to bask and not getting sufficient UVA. I am not sure if Peters Skinks need UVA and UVB , if they do insufficient UVA will result in reduced appetite, as will relocation stress.
Or a temperature issue unless he is too scared to bask . a lizard who is too cool will not be able top process / digest it's food properly and it's metabolic rate will be slower = lower appetite.

Did you try hand feeding it ? I think it's worth persisting, as this will ensure he at least gets some insect protein and calcium.
is easy, simply squash the head of the cricket and press the gooy end of the bug against the side of the mouth near the nose , can even gently use the index finger on your other hand to gently pull the jaw down far enough to slip the cricket in , or , if you are scared of being bitten doing this, you can use plastic playing cards (simply fold a card in half across the narrow axis , cut a hole large enough to push a cricket through in the middle of the fold, slip the folded card inbetween the lips and upper and lower teeth and open the fold enough while still in the lizard's mouth to deposit a cricket in the mouth , remove card leaving cricket in or partly in the mouth - if lizard is hungry and gets the taste, he'll eat it , repeat process.
Alternatively If he's really stubborn and spits the bug right back out, use some BugPie made as a paste and give it by squirting a bit a time into his mouth using feeding syringe (Iarge bore) and maybe a S-Steel crop needled (only needs to go into the mouth).
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Re: Hurt peter's

Postby Jelandusn » Tue Apr 18, 2017 11:14 pm

kingofnobbys wrote:
Are you sure you didn't have 2 boys.... they might be social but not so happy about sharing space if both are boys, the hand injury looks suspiciously like it's been bitten while establishing the pecking order, in which case the one who is doing well has established itself as the dominant and the one who is not is the submissive and not eating because he's too stressed by the tank mate.

Sonce one is doing well, I don't think it's an issue with the UVA and temperatures right in it's tank unless he's too scared to bask and not getting sufficient UVA. I am not sure if Peters Skinks need UVA and UVB , if they do insufficient UVA will result in reduced appetite, as will relocation stress.
Or a temperature issue unless he is too scared to bask . a lizard who is too cool will not be able top process / digest it's food properly and it's metabolic rate will be slower = lower appetite.

Did you try hand feeding it ? I think it's worth persisting, as this will ensure he at least gets some insect protein and calcium.
is easy, simply squash the head of the cricket and press the gooy end of the bug against the side of the mouth near the nose , can even gently use the index finger on your other hand to gently pull the jaw down far enough to slip the cricket in , or , if you are scared of being bitten doing this, you can use plastic playing cards (simply fold a card in half across the narrow axis , cut a hole large enough to push a cricket through in the middle of the fold, slip the folded card inbetween the lips and upper and lower teeth and open the fold enough while still in the lizard's mouth to deposit a cricket in the mouth , remove card leaving cricket in or partly in the mouth - if lizard is hungry and gets the taste, he'll eat it , repeat process.
Alternatively If he's really stubborn and spits the bug right back out, use some BugPie made as a paste and give it by squirting a bit a time into his mouth using feeding syringe (Iarge bore) and maybe a S-Steel crop needled (only needs to go into the mouth).


I'm not sure on gender but I separated them after I noticed the hurt toes. After a week of still not eating I took him back to the store where I got him. I figured he'd feel more comfortable in an environment that he was used to and I would bring him back after he was eating well again. It's going on three weeks at the store and he's still not eating. That will make 5 weeks of no eating. I don't know if I should leave him at the store or bring him back and try. They are a store that specializes in reptiles so I kind of feel like he's in better hands there. I did try hand feeding. I tried every other day and left some bugs in a bowl on the days I didn't. One day he almost struck at a cricket but changed his mind. He did drink a lot of water once but that was the only time he willingly put anything in his mouth.
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Re: Hurt peter's

Postby Scincus » Wed Jun 07, 2017 5:38 pm

Won't be super helpful since my reply is late, but males of this species seem to get along fairly well. I've talked to several people who keep them in groups, and they haven't noticed any signs of violence toward each other. The males I have have not shown any aggression either.

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