Northern Bluey not eating?

[Angel_BTS]

Hi Beau my northern Bluey hasn’t had a decent meal in around 2 weeks. He isn’t in brumation yet.
I just wanted to know if this is normal? Has anyone else’s skinks done this before?
Thanks!

[Y33T]

Mine hasn’t really eaten in the past few weeks too.

[Janella]

Can you guys provide more info? Age of skink? Temps, where you live? diet? Enclosure? Etc

[Angel_BTS]

Can you guys provide more info? Age of skink? Temps, where you live? diet? Enclosure? Etc

Sure He is about 6 - 7 months old, and he lives in a 4 foot long melamine enclosure. I live in Australia so the temperature varies, but his temperature in his tank is 32 degrees on the hot side, and 28 degrees on the cool side. He has a desert UVB tube in his enclosure, and also gets time in the sun outside, about once a week. He gets fed high quality cat food, banana, broccoli, grasshoppers, crickets, snails and his vitamin and calcium powder. He usually gets served this food every day. I purchased him from the same reptile store that Bindi came from. Bindi is doing really well, and she has the same living conditions as him - she lives in a 3 foot melamine enclosure. I use cypress mulch for their substrate. Hope this helps!

[Angel_BTS]

UPDATE: Came home today, and decided to give hand feeding a go. It worked!! Seems like from now on, all I need to do is to hand feed him, and he’ll eat! Silly Beau

[Janella]

I am glad to hear you got him to eat. What kind of skink is this? The reason I ask is that your basking spot seems slightly low. Most like them a little hotter. Also I would try to add in a little bit more veggies to your diet. Overall though, every else sounds good. Also I am by no means an expert, so perhaps maybe one of the more advice keepers can chime in.

[Y33T]

One is 2 years old and the other is 1 year old, they’re in 3 foot fish tanks currently and in the process of getting them 4 foot wood vivariums. I too live in Australia, temps are currently 30 degrees on hot side and 21 degrees on the cool side, temps are low because its almost winter here. The humidity rarely gets above 60%, they’re easterns so humidity shouldn’t be a problem. Currently they don’t have UVB but still given supplements with D3 and taken outside. They are often fed high quality or grain free dog food with baby food (made sure its all veg and fruit), arugula/rocket and other various veggies in the mix every 3-4 days and dusted with calcium with D3 every third feeding. right now they have a bowl of superworms they can pick at if they still feel hungry. They were on coir peat bedding but now they’re on paper towel until they go into their new homes.

[Janella]

If it is almost winter there, they may be starting their brumation.

[Angel_BTS]

I am glad to hear you got him to eat. What kind of skink is this? The reason I ask is that your basking spot seems slightly low. Most like them a little hotter. Also I would try to add in a little bit more veggies to your diet. Overall though, every else sounds good. Also I am by no means an expert, so perhaps maybe one of the more advice keepers can chime in.

Thank you for your reply! He is a northern Bluey, I used to have the basking spot temp set at 36 degrees Celsius, but the vet told me I didn’t need to have the temp so high, and that I could reduce it to 32 degrees. I tried incorporating carrot, cucumber and other veggies into their diet, but both my skinks started becoming very picky, and would leave the veggies aside and eat their insects and protein. I can get them to eat broccoli so far, so I’ll be introducing new veggies into their diet slowly, so hopefully they’ll start getting used to them. Thank you for your help

[Janella]

Hey back, no problem. With Northerns, I would recommend having your temp a little warmer. As for the veggies, I would try blending all the foods together so that way they can't pick out their favorites. They then are forced to eat their veggies. Mine love, squashes, cactus pads, zucchini, carrot, green beans, sweet potato, dark leafy greens, etc. Good luck and don't give up!

[Angel_BTS]

Hey back, no problem. With Northerns, I would recommend having your temp a little warmer. As for the veggies, I would try blending all the foods together so that way they can't pick out their favorites. They then are forced to eat their veggies. Mine love, squashes, cactus pads, zucchini, carrot, green beans, sweet potato, dark leafy greens, etc. Good luck and don't give up!

Thank you for the helpful info! Blending their food together is a great idea, I’ll give that a try. I’ll increase his basking temp to 36 degrees again

[Janella]

Glad to be of help. Anytime.

[Angel_BTS]

Glad to be of help. Anytime.

Thank you