free roaming?

[ameliagrace]

Hi!
my names Amelia and I'm from Sydney, Australia. I was wondering what the general consensus is on free roaming bts? I have a four foot tank I bought thinking it would be perfect for a bts however once It arrived I realised it was only 40cms deep... not quite deep enough for an adult bluey I don't think.
Ive seen quite a few people free roaming larger lizard species and setting them up with a smaller enclosure they can access on the floor as they please with heating and lighting in there.
i live inside their natural range so climates not an issue, if I where to set them up in a bedroom with a tank on the floor to dig/hide in with heat and uv, but leave the door open so they can come and go as they please, would that be viable?
obviously I'd 'lizard proof' my room to stop him from getting anywhere he shouldn't.
just an interesting idea, I've never kept bts before though so what do you think?

[ThatOneReptileNoob]

I don’t know for sure, but I think the general consensus regarding free roaming is that it’s a bad idea. ‘Course, just about anybody on here has been doing this longer than I have, so I’d take anything I say with a grain of salt.
Maybe you could put the resources you would sink into lizard-proofing your room towards building an enclosure that’s the correct size?

[splashy07]

I know many do it, but I am not a fan. I can go on for hours about the horror stories I've heard over the years regarding free roaming reptiles. Just for starters, someone let the cat in the room...my kid ran into the house not knowing he was there and stepped on him...he got stuck under the refrigerator....he got into the couch cushions and was sat on....he ate a plastic toy under the bed....
I could literally go on all day. I do not have kids, cats or free roaming animals. Simply because it does nothing but confuse and stress them, and I do not keep my living area at 95 degrees.
Many of my skinks are kept comfortably in 36x12x24 cages and are absolutely content in those. Those that can cohab are in trios, in 48x24's. I do not do this but many breeders keep them in rack systems, and they produce yearly for many years. (Unhappy reptiles will not make more reptiles). There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to have a ground dwelling animal walking around on the floor in constant terror of what looms above. I cannot tell anyone what to do with their own pets, I can only suggest why they shouldn't do.

[Rob]

Splashy that was a great reply. Many years ago I had two pet rats. They were as tame as puppy dogs. I used to let them run in the bird room while I was cleaning cages. I did this EVERY DAY for many months with no problems. One day I accidentally kicked one of my pet rats. I can't write this without feeling the guilt all over again.

[splashy07]

I can imagine. I feel awful when a pet insect escapes and....well, escaped bugs do not fare well. I just hope some of the free-roaming advocates take heed. People do what they do, but reptiles cannot reason and they should be protected by those of us who choose to 'domesticate' them.

[rixusaku]

They love to explore, so having them try and get in the space under the door to see what's behind it, getting stuck, and you not knowing about it and opening the door with them under it sounds like an awful horror story.... I wouldn't know how to skink proof a door while having it still be able to open. I wouldn't recommend it unless you were in the room with them and watching them when you let them out, then put them back in the enclosure when you leave the room.

[splashy07]

Oh, and the one about the skink that explored the dog's dish...I don't think you even want to hear about that one. Use your brains, people.

[Janella]

I second not letting your skink free roam on its own. Extreme temp changes can cause infections. Some are master escape artists and can be gone in seconds. Not to mention all of Splashy's hotter stories. Don't do it!

[IvanDanko]

Hi Amelia, to weigh in as a fellow Aussie keeper....

Agree with all of the above and then some. It just isn't worth it. I take my skink only out for handling and or to explore my bed, and during the warmer months try to let her get occassional real UV exposure in a controlled, safeguarded area of the backyard that has been escape proofed, with a wooden run for additional security that is enclosed with hides.

You don't think it will happen, but your skink will eventually get out of your sight, getting lost/injured/worse. And if it gets outside the boundaries of your house (I back onto parkland with tall grass and shrubs) its all over.

[splashy07]

And it's not a matter of if. It's a matter of when. Something WILL happen and it will not end well for the reptile.

[Noodlebasket]

Because you live in the animals natural climate you can take advantage of the outdoors! You don't have to stress about the dangers of allowing them to roam in your house when the natural world is right there! If you have the space on your private property I would strongly recommend researching an outdoor enclosure, whether you intend to use that permanently, or just for little outdoor excursions. I live in Florida in the US, and I have had some success using a kiddie pool (a 4 foot diameter plastic above ground pool) with some mulch in the bottom. But these experiences have all been supervised. If you want something a bit more permanent, I would recommend exploring this https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPXnZ8xWV1g-SvF9MPtqP2A/videos youtube channel! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKGocHPrjEE this video in particular shows off some of his outdoor enclosures. Good luck and I look forward to hearing about any experiments you try!