Climbing Out

[kaijubait]

After owning Godot for about 6 years, she has suddenly figured out how to climb out of her vivarium by scaling the heat lamp fixture.
Anyone ever had a bluey suddenly get 'clever' before? And suggestions?

[Lauriek]

Actually, she has been exploring her vivarium all the time. They are very curious skinks. She has finally worked out how to get out. And now, she will try again. If anyone tells you they can't climb, they are wrong !

[Fatal_S]

Sounds like you need to invest in a sturdy lid

Clever skink: My big caramel northern learned how to fall safely. I'm impressed, but none too pleased.

Story:
I was vending at a reptile expo. Jenga had been locked away in a bin all day where he could be seen, but couldn't get his mouth onto any passing fingers. He was bored. When it slowed down, I decided to take him out for a bit. I tried putting him on the table, but he kept trying to suicide-dive and I had to keep catching him. I decided it was high time he learnt that falling wasn't fun, and that I wouldn't always catch him. I usually do this at home by letting them fall short distances onto soft-ish objects. They get a start, and it seems to make them think twice about suicide-diving again.

At this expo, I sat in a lower chair and let Jenga on my lap. He looked down, and dived. Hit the floor and got a start, as expected. Back on my lap. This time he spent some time walking around peering over the edge. Yay, progress. Then he dived again. Again, he seemed a bit stunned by the fact that he hit the floor, and back up on my lap he goes. He spent a good 15 minutes quietly looking over the edge. He wanted down, but falling wasn't so fun now that I wasn't catching him. You could practically hear the wheels turning.

Once again, he dived. I rolled my eyes. Except instead of belly-flopping, the bloody genius used his stubby little legs to lessen the impact. No impact mean he wasn't stunned. Not being stunned meant he was free to run for the hills - with me hot on his tails trying to catch him. I did of course, and he went back in the bin. He's too clever for my own good. Never trust a skink.

[Rani-May]

And some people say skinks are dumb... Pfffft

[Richard.C]

My male kimberley is dumb,he learnt to climb out,once he dropped into a cage with adult sand goannas,luckily he wasnt lunch,all the other times he went into the stumpy tails cage,so there he has stayed

[dsteamn]

Mine got out a couple of times before I saw how she did it. I have a wicker basket I keep in her tank that she likes to curl up in. One afternoon I heard a noise and looked over to her. She was on top of the basket trying to get on the light. As I watched, I saw that she wrapped around the cord between it and the light, crawled over it and up on to the aquarium light I have over the tank. She paced back and forth looking down. She also sat and looked out the window for a bit, which was eye level to her. Finally she started for the edge. I grabbed her just in time. She had done it three times before so she knew what was going to happen, but was willing to do it anyways.

I put a screen over my cage. Its not secured down but she can't balance and get up and over with it on. Good luck however you solve the problem. They are definitely sneaky little characters.