I recently acquired a Muddy Eyed Crocodile Skink (T. novaeguineae), through my work, at an exotic veterinary clinic, from a fellow who was keeping her in some pretty sub-par conditions. I brought her home this past Tuesday, after an injectable dewormer (she has a pretty heavy parasite load) from our reptile vet. She is also on a liquid calcium supplement, as her previous home was not supplementing her at all. I strongly suspect she was wild caught and he did admit to purchasing her from one of the less reputable pet stored in the area.
Since I got her, she has been refusing to eat. I have tried crickets and mealworms (her main previous diet), as well as silkworms, and waxworms. I'm having trouble sourcing anything else to try (butterworms, waxworms, etc). She seems interested in food- she watched them wriggle around very intently- but she doesn't go for them. I've tried feeding her on the morning (after the lights come on, and after a misting when she is most active) and she does seem interested, but won't eat. If I leave the food overnight or if I leave the room for a few hours it does disappear, but I suspect the food is escaping more than she is eating. She did poop the first three days I had her (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) but did not poop yesterday and has not pooped today. She is quite active, and rarely hides in her new set up even though she has plenty of places to retreat to, now (her previous home only had one single hide on the warm side, where she spent literally all of her time). I have seen her soaking in her pool, and drinking water droplets off the fake plants and glass panes.
Her set up:
10g aquarium (old fishtank i had laying around) 20"L x 10"W x 12.5"T
Hydroballs for drainage, and a 2-3" Eco Earth/Plantation Soil/Jungle Bedding/sphagnum moss substrate
Large water dish/pool
Multiple hides
25 watt red heat bulb suspended above mesh top, and small UTH (UTH alone was not warm enough- my ambient temperature is on the cool side)
15 watt UVB bulb, upon reptile vet's recommendation
Mesh top, 1/2 covered by towel to help keep humidity in.
Her parameters:
Humidity: 82-85% (digital, and corroborated by the silly plastic in-tank gauge I have)
High Temp: 87-88F (one specific spot on top of her log jumps to 90F)
Low Temp: 75-76F
Her weight on Wednesday: 40g - I have not yet reweighed her as I am reluctant to handle her and cause her more stress.
Her enclosure:
Meet "Toothless" the Crocodile Skink: (taken at the vet; I haven't been handling her at all)
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can encourage this lady to eat something? I know they can go a while without food- but it's been at least 5 days,and possibly longer than that, and I am starting to get concerned!
