Having some issues with my northern ... Help!

[auristi]

Ok Kahless is nearly 5 months now and he was totally fine up until about a week ago. He ate well and pooped on time and was always out basking for most of the day. Now however, he hardly eats, never comes out and I've seen no poop action (which I'm assuming is from the lack of eating). He spends all his time burrowed in his cool side hide. I was letting him be for a bit but I have started to take him and place him in his basking area to try and warm him up. At first he would just go right back to his cool side hide but the last few days he has stayed and basked. His temperatures on the hot end are between 90-95 and his cool end is in the 78-85 range.

I am wondering if because of the cool temps where I live (I am just near red deer alberta and winter is starting) and the fact that we are in a baemsnt suite may be contributing to this. I am more worried about the lack of interest in food and general inactivness more than anything. Should I be upping his temps? He has a night time heat lamp but that is focused on his hot side as that was where he used to sleep. Should I put a second on his cool end?

I am also having issues with his humidity. I will be placing a humid hide in his tank tmro as I can't seem to keep the humidity up in his tank and where I live gets prettttty dry in the winter months

Sorry for the loooong post. Is there something here I should be worried about or is this normal for them to start doing is in the winter months?

Thanks!

[Fatal_S]

This is normal. It's called brumation. In my experience a hiding skink is a healthy skink, so let it hide out and snooze the winter away. Check every couple weeks to see if it wants food, leave fresh water, and wait for spring.

[Richard.C]

Northerns being tropical species can sense the coolness outside easily,so will brumate even with hot day time basking temps,there a dry season brumater,in the wild its the dry season that shuts them down,less food around,less water and cooler over nite temps,they could probably remain active,though lack of food and water at that time of year would put a heavy toll on

Just be wary of cage /temps being to cool,where they are from day temps consistant year round,cooler nights in winter dry season,hot and humid during the wet

[auristi]

So should I just leave everything as is? Still have his lights come on in the day and put food out for if he wants to eat? Phew I was kinda freaking .. I didn't know they did it that young. It may seem silly to ask but he won't starve or anything right? How long do they normally do this? Is there a time I should be waking him up or will he do it naturally?

[auristi]

I'm also pretty sure he started doing this when his night temps started dropping. So what you are saying makes sense thinks guys!

[Richard.C]

Yep thays what my northerns do,i dont use nite heat so gets quite cold towards winter right through to spring,i leave day heat on,sometimes they still eat,but not consistantly,like in summer,they sometimes pop out and bask,or sometimes go curl up like your describing

Even babies do it as if they sense the cooling instinct tells them to brumate,little tykes will need to be watched a bit,as they can lose weight fast,even dehydrate fast ,so always good to check there condition if they arent coming out alot