New halamhera blue tongue skink

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genie
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New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby genie » Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:01 pm

Hi, I have a few questions and hope you can help. My daughter bought a
halamhera blue tongue skink from another place 11 days ago. I have called
them as I’m worried it hasn’t eaten yet. They said not worry because it can
take a few weeks for the skink to adjust. It is a baby one maybe 5-6 inches
long. It has been drinking water. They told me to get some smelly cat food
like friskies and I did but he still won’t eat. He is finishing up a shed
too. I just don’t know if I should be concerned and wanted to see the
opinion of someone else. His cage runs 93-100 degrees on the hot side and
the humidity during the day is 45-55 and goes up to 78 in the night. Any
help would be greatly appreciated. I am just afraid it will die and don’t
want her to go through that. I did read the caresheet and all. We have been doing what it says but want to see how long can the skink go without eating? Like I said she’s had him about 11-12 days now and he is about 5-6 inches long. Thank you so much for any help!
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby Karbon » Sat Dec 30, 2017 9:50 pm

Hi there!
I bought a baby Halmahera back two months ago and he wouldn't eat for about 5 or so days, but he took water.

If your skink is going through shed they're less likely to eat during that time and are usually a bit more lethargic.
I would make sure to always keep water fresh and available and leave the skink alone so he/she has time to adjust.

I would try giving it a little piece of banana and seeing if it'll eat it just to be sure. BTS usually LOVE bananas - mine does.

What food are you trying to feed the skink? It should be grain free wet cat food like chicken and veggies - not any dry food.

I would also see if you can keep the humidity up around 70-80 constantly. They're from a humid climate and 45 low for them.

Hope this helps!!
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby genie » Sun Dec 31, 2017 5:47 am

Thank you! We have tried bananas and he wouldn’t eat it. However, that was like on the third day she had him. We were giving grain free cat and or dog food. We’ve tried hard boiled eggs, and strawberries as well. We give fresh water daily and he does drink from it. We do have a hard time trying to keep the humidity up. Tuesday will be two weeks and I’m afraid that he hasn’t eaten anything for that long. We have also given meal worms and crickets. The pet shop said to try to smelly cat food like friskies to see if he would eat it and he hasn’t yet. We will try to keep the humidity up more. It’s so hard to keep it up but it’s been a little higher the past few days. Any other advice is greatly appreciated.
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby genie » Sun Dec 31, 2017 5:55 am

I wanted to mention she has repti-bark and the moss for the humidity in the cage. She mists the cage about 5-6 times a day to try and keep the humidity up. We’ve tried laying a wet towel on top of part of the lid and that didn’t help much. Not sure how to keep the humidity up in the cage?
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby splashy07 » Sun Dec 31, 2017 7:13 am

If you have a screen/mesh type lid I would suggest putting the lamp to one side and covering the other with foil. A few years back I kept Halmaheras and that managed the humidity. Would try and keep it 70-80 plus at all times for them.
I was able to do that even with a glass tank and screen with the foil. I covered the entire top with just a cutout for the lamp. I have since switched over to all pvc type caging but you can make this work. Think of the Halmahera islands as similar in humidity to the Florida keys. They are incredibly irritable when attempting to shed and conditions are too dry.
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby genie » Sun Dec 31, 2017 7:43 am

Thank you! We will try that today and see if that helps. We are just so worried since he hasn’t eaten. I know they can go a little while without food but I know he is a baby too.
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby splashy07 » Sun Dec 31, 2017 1:52 pm

Just something else I'd like to mention, Halmaheras are always imported no matter what the seller tells you, and may come in with parasites. Don't put off that vet visit too long. And try not to handle or stress him in any way for a while. His experiences with humans besides you so far have probably not been favorable. Gorgeous little creatures. Here are a few of mine some years back.
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby genie » Sun Dec 31, 2017 7:07 pm

Thank you! We have been able to keep the humidity better in the cage with tinfoil. It did drop a few times but it has been up
Better than it has been. She did give him a soak to help with the shedding. She hasn’t been handling him lately because he hasn’t eaten. He is moving around the cage and he does drink water. I think we may get a mister to help with the humidity when we aren’t home. Yours are definitely healthy in the picture. Any other advice to help him along?
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby craigb » Sun Dec 31, 2017 8:25 pm

Every lizard (monitors, tegus, chameleons, alligator lizards, horned lizards, collards, beardies, etc) I have every kept liked to eat live food. Maybe try a few crickets, Dubia raoches, or silk worms.
I do not feed blue tongues very many or much of any one food item.
I mix up a schedule of cat food, dog food, fruits, veggies, insects and even thawed mice.
I lightly dust every other meal with vitamin and calcium powder.
Education is expensive.
Ignorance is priceless

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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby genie » Mon Jan 01, 2018 11:47 am

Thanks. We have tried crickets and meal worms with no luck.
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby genie » Mon Jan 01, 2018 4:42 pm

I think the upped humidity is helping the shedding. You can see the dead skin coming off his back now. We’ve been keeping t around 70-90%. The pet shop told us 50 was fine but obviously not. He hasn’t eaten but hoping that’s because he is finishing his shed. She will soak him again tomorrow to help him. He is still drinking water which is good. She’s thinking about getting a mist matchine to help with humidity. Does anyone have recommendations for this? Thanks for all of your help!
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby Bryson26 » Mon Jan 01, 2018 4:48 pm

As long as the tank isn’t drinched to a point where it’s an fish aquarium it should be fine.. you want it damp not soaked
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby Bryson26 » Mon Jan 01, 2018 4:49 pm

So I would recommend a fogger instead of a mister
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby Bryson26 » Mon Jan 01, 2018 4:50 pm

Zoomeds reptifogger or exoterras fogger would be great choices
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby splashy07 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 6:12 am

And if you haven't already add a very large water dish. That helps immensely with humidity.
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby genie » Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:26 pm

Thank you! We called the the store we got him from and they said to try some grub pie and crested gecko diet. We’ve done both. He wouldn’t eat it but the crested gecko diet is like a paste so they said to put it on his lips and make him eat it off and he has done that. He did eat some of that which is good. His skin is coming off from his shed.
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby Janella » Tue Jan 02, 2018 8:10 pm

Hi, I am glad to read the shedding is getting better. Now to get this little one eating. Can you tell me what all have your tried? I see you typed cat food and dog food, banana, strawberries, grub pie, and gecko diet. Also mealworms and crickets right? Did you see the diet chart on our forums sight? Have you tried blending up some sort of protein with vegetables and fruit? What about trying can-o-snails from Zoo Med? My guys go absolutely nuts for snails. Or even egg. My guys like it raw, scrambled, or even hard boiled. You can feed them just the snail or use them as your protein source mixed with food. Also do you know about how much your skink weighs? Have you had a fecal done on it yet? If your skink has parasites, that could play a huge roll in why it may not want to eat also. Since it has been almost 2 weeks without eating, I personally would recommend a vet visit and fecal check. Good luck and keep us posted on how things go.
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Re: New halamhera blue tongue skink

Postby genie » Fri Jan 05, 2018 5:45 pm

Thank you, we have tried eggs different ways too. I actually talked to a breeder by the name of Ray and he explained that what has happened is we have a skink that doesn’t know how to eat. My daughter has since started putting stuff on his nose and making him lick it off. However, we are bringing him t the breeder so he can help her and show her what needs to be done. This was our next option to help this baby.

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