Biting?

[Merlin_Aurora]

So, my blue tongue skink has bitten me twice and my friend once. We haven't moved fast around him to entice a bite. He usually chills with us for a minute before he just randomly bites. It hasn't been hard at all, except for when he bit my face. He had put his mouth on my jawline and as I turned my head instinctively, he bit down harder, but let go after a second. He left a mark only that time. He bit my arm and my friends leg as well. Why?? We haven't enticed him to do so at all. Also, he doesn't eat anything but scrambled eggs and chicken! Maybe a grape, once in a blue moon. Help??

[Richard.C]

theres a good chance its wild caught,but even the odd captive bred can bite randomly,the chilling as you put it and then biting out of know where could be a stressed bluey in freeze mode,then biting when freezing doesnt make danger go past,normally they huff or hiss first as threat display though,then snap and bite if still feeling threatened,though they are all individuals

could be a number of reasons for this behavior though,how long have you owned it?how big is it and what species or sub species is it

try not to stress,in time it might settle down,my moneys on it still getting used to you and its being nervous/stressed a little

[Susann]

There is also a very good possibility that he is just checking things out. They can be just like human babies and want to feel things with their mouths. It is just a matter of learning their signals and body language--whatever the reason for the biting. You'll learn to see the signs for a possible bite coming.

[Katrina]

If he hasn't bitten hard, and only 3 times... I'd assume it is a curious / young skink thing. Just make sure you don't hand feed and your hands don't smell tasty and he shoudl grow out of it.

I'd be more concerned about the diet - that isn't really balanced at all. How old is the skink? How often are you offering food? Do you always give in and offer chicken or eggs if he doesn't eat? Are you supplementing it? Good luck!

[Spindown]

I've noticed young skinks are very bitey, much in the way some rodents are...aka they are checking things out, with their mouth (and teeth, sigh). When I had my IJ, she would always come up to me and bite my hands. It took a while for her to figure out I wasnt food, and then the biting stopped.

I recently made a custom cage for one of my Northerns. I put a temporary popsicle stick ramp to the second level, and put her on the top to show her what was up there. She wandered around, and then when she got to the ramp, she looked at it, and then did a few experimental chomps. Funniest expression ever (What the heck is this!? This isnt food! Why is this even IN here if I cant eat it?!)

[Richard.C]

not just youngens,years ago i had an old corrugated tin water tank with no lid or floor as my first outdoor enclosure,by years that would be around 30 years ago now,lol,adult blotchies used to climb up the sides where tin was rivetted and try to eat the washer part around the rivetty thing that holds the tank in a circle,adult blotchies were the worst ,not sure why but they would try it year after year,now in a different enclosure though anything odd enters and they try to eat it,eg the shoes i wear in get taste tested,my sister went in bare footed last season and got her big toe bitten,lol,if im in there the family dog,a red heeler drops its ball in to get thrown and usually the ball doesnt sit still as a few blotchies try biting it,they cant get mouth around it so it gets pushed around whilst they try

whilst it could be exploritory bites,taste testing so to speak,it also could be a sign of a scared one biting ,usually you get threat display first,or at least huffing or hissing,though some will do nothing just bite out of the blue,thats there warning