Norbert the BTS

[lifesagame]

I think I'm going to stick with the name Norbert (and if he turns out to be a girl he can be Norberta) but he seems to be settling in well. I haven't tried to get him out yet but he's interested in my hand whenever I do anything, as long as it's not too close to him. He doesn't seem to be a fussy eater, I was surprised that he goes for the butternut squash before the protein bit of his meal, and has spent a lot of today wandering around his vivarium and squeaking at everything. He got here on Saturday afternoon so it's only been four days but he seems fine with people and has tried to get out of the vivarium once already and crawled over my hand when I was trying to relocate the thermostat probe thing so he doesn't seem scared of us.

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I may have taken more photos than I should of him but he's so curious about everything at the moment. Plus he's so small and cute and I know he won't be this size for long.

[Whnthsungoesdwn]

He’s adorable, and I love the name ☺️ Congrats!!!

[Janella]

Awe, he is adorable. Congratulations on Norbert

[Angel_BTS]

So super cute! I love the picture of him sleeping on his basking spot

[kayla990]

Awww he's adorable! Haha like how he's eyeing up the back wall, wonder how high he'll try to climb it Congrats!

[lifesagame]

Thanks I can see how blue tongue skinks are addictive! He’s already worked out how to climb out when it’s open rather than trying through glass so has to have a little climb around on my arms each time I want to do anything in there!

[kingofnobbys]

he likes his digs ....

[kingofnobbys]

Thanks I can see how blue tongue skinks are addictive! He’s already worked out how to climb out when it’s open rather than trying through glass so has to have a little climb around on my arms each time I want to do anything in there!

Front opening viv is the best open for smartypants skinks like BTs ..... they soon work out where their bed and their food is and will given the chance put themselves back to bed (in their tanks) if they can crawl/ climb in without human help.

My two have been doing that since they were little juvies , and all my waterskinks have too. The beardies do it too.

[splashy07]

So cute! Looks like a great setup for him, too. Make some room. You will not stop with one!!!

[lifesagame]

Thanks I can see how blue tongue skinks are addictive! He’s already worked out how to climb out when it’s open rather than trying through glass so has to have a little climb around on my arms each time I want to do anything in there!

Front opening viv is the best open for smartypants skinks like BTs ..... they soon work out where their bed and their food is and will given the chance put themselves back to bed (in their tanks) if they can crawl/ climb in without human help.

My two have been doing that since they were little juvies , and all my waterskinks have too. The beardies do it too.

He’s on top of a cabinet so can’t get in and out himself, so I’m definitely keeping an eye on the open door when I’m having to do any cleaning. He knows food, he always checks the cool end if I put my hand in to make sure there’s nothing tasty there. My beardie used to want to come out to go to the toilet but other than that he was definitely an unsocial lizard so having Norbert who wants to climb on me all the time is very different!

I let him wander on the floor yesterday as he wanted to explore and he discovered the floor length mirror. He spent a while trying to investigate his new skink friend!

So cute! Looks like a great setup for him, too. Make some room. You will not stop with one!!!

Thanks, he’s already decided that the ramps aren’t needed and just climbs onto the tops of the hides and basking spot. When I have my own place I think I’ll end up with more.

[kingofnobbys]

Thanks I can see how blue tongue skinks are addictive! He’s already worked out how to climb out when it’s open rather than trying through glass so has to have a little climb around on my arms each time I want to do anything in there!

Front opening viv is the best open for smartypants skinks like BTs ..... they soon work out where their bed and their food is and will given the chance put themselves back to bed (in their tanks) if they can crawl/ climb in without human help.

My two have been doing that since they were little juvies , and all my waterskinks have too. The beardies do it too.

He’s on top of a cabinet so can’t get in and out himself, so I’m definitely keeping an eye on the open door when I’m having to do any cleaning. He knows food, he always checks the cool end if I put my hand in to make sure there’s nothing tasty there. My beardie used to want to come out to go to the toilet but other than that he was definitely an unsocial lizard so having Norbert who wants to climb on me all the time is very different!

I let him wander on the floor yesterday as he wanted to explore and he discovered the floor length mirror. He spent a while trying to investigate his new skink friend!

If he's a boy.... careful with mirrors that reach to floor .... when his hormones kick in or he becomes an adult .... he's likely to see the skink in the mirror as a rival or a trespasser , the boys are very territorial as I found out once when we had a wild adult male water skink visiting inside our house for a while ... I placed my wife's little mirror on the floor against a wall .... he wasn't impressed when he suddenly spotted the other skink staring back at him .... some territorial behaviours which escalated very fast to threat displays and bang !!! he attacked the mirror by charging it .... was funny but I never did that again to him , took several weeks for him to come back inside (scared himself off ??) and I never repeated the mirror thing with subsequent lizardy house guests , or my pet water skinks , bluetongues or beardies.

[lifesagame]

Will keep an eye out for that, thanks. I’ll stick some paper on it or something when he’s wandering around as it’s attached to the cupboard so can’t move it. It is above normal skink head height at his current size but as he was exploring he was trying to climb everything and saw himself when on his back legs but I think it’ll be eye height when he’s older. I’m trying to keep an eye out to see if any signs of being a boy appear but I know he’s (or she’s) too young to tell at the moment.