Does age matter?

[skiblits]

Does it matter if you get a young skink or an older skink? I know with most fuzzy critters the younger they are the easier they are to hand tame and the more they will bond with you. Is this the same for the BTS? Or can I get a 5 year old skink and it will bond the same way as if I had gotten a baby?

[Katrina]

Babies are usually easier to tame, but an older skink should be fine as long as you don't get a WC one. But a baby is preferable for a first time pet owner - just nicer to know history etc.

[cguarino30]

I agree with the above as general rules, but keep in mind, that one of the greatest things about this species is its individuality. I have seen wild caught adults that were as tame as puppies within a couple months, and blueys that were purchased as CBB and never got past the hissing stage. If it is especially important to you to have a hand tame animal, it may be worth the extra time and effort to go and find an adult that has already been tamed. I know there are plenty of blueys out there that are perfectly good pets but need a new home, so it may be worth looking into.

As far as bonding goes, I have never known an adult bluey that would not bond with a new owner just as much as it had with its old one (though to be fair, blueys, like almost all reptiles, don't bond much at all compared to a dog or a parrot) For the most part, they just become accustomed to handling by people in general. They may prefer being held one way or another, or may not like being touched in one place or another, but I've never heard of one that was tame for one person, but would not be held by someone else.

All in all, though, I agree with Katrina as far as general rules of thumb go.