Escaped Bluey

[SJR]

Hi,
A week ago my 10 year old took our Bluey outside in the yard and somehow forgot about him and didnt realise till the next day he never brought him back in. We have searched our yard and neighbours and door knocked houses with no luck, wondering if anyone has any advice or has experienced similar. Our lizard was not used to being outside regularly, only once or twice a week so would not be too familiar with the surroundings. Am I to assume that my lizard has died? I am heartbroken.
By the way I am on the Gold Coast QLD Australia so the weather during the day is not too cold.
Thanks Sue

[Linnea]

put out his favourite, super smelly food in the entire garden. continue to ask around. maybe put posters up in the area. this might attract more blueys and cats and dogs....so a bit bad.

check the houseground where it might be warm. do so on the closest houses.

if anyone nearby has a cat then question them again.

even if you lizard had been outside, he wouldnt have been "familiar" with the garden, as in, finding his way back "home". but their natural instincts like hunting, digging, hiding and eating are still totally enough for them to survive. im not so sure if it might have thought of brumating outside though......

if he wasnt taken by a cat, hit by a car and the temps are above 15 degrees at night, its likely hes alive - but i cant promise that. its a wild guess.

check again and again! he couldnt have gotten too far, they hide so much during the day and night if theyre unsecure....but thats perhaps the main problem here.

good luck! im very sorry to hear about this....hope someone who is better at catching skinks will find their way to the thread to fill you in on more details.

[phaemas]

Cheack under bushes dig carfully in loos soil set up a live trap with his favortite super smelly food and a heat lamp. is what I would do. Keep me notified

[Susann]

Am I to assume that my lizard has died? I am heartbroken.

I would not assume that he is dead. When put out in nature, I guarantee that his instincts kicked in immediately. I absolutely see this in my skinks when I take them outside; they right away try to either burrow down into the lawn, or get to a bush or anything to hide under. They automatically seem to know what to do. When a bird flies over, it's actually quite amazing how they react.

I've read many BTS keepers in Australia mention that the tamest of BTS become very wild and even aggressive when kept outdoors. They instinctively know how to defend themselves. So rather than assume he is dead I would think that he's having the time of his life in the environment that he naturally knows how to adapt to.

I would unfortunately think it quite unlikely that you would find him, but weirder things have happened! I wouldn't give up yet.

[Fatal_S]

If he can find hides, food/water, and warmth around your home chances are he'll stay nearby. Consider setting up a few secure hides (that a skink can get into but a dog/cat/bird can't and putting out a bowl of dog/cat food every couple days. Maybe he'll come visit.

I wouldn't assume he's dead. We had a member here who's BTS went missing in the US and it was found many months later. And the US isn't nearly their natural habitat. So don't give up; keep an eye out for him. Because he was well fed and cared for your skink has a great chance in the wild

[SJR]

Thank you everyone for your most helpful replies.
We had another day searching, have put out some hides and put food along the fences.

I have some new hope now that Meaty the lizard will be ok and hopefully I will get him back.

Will let you know if he appears
Sue xx

[El Lobo]

As he is a male and given the time of year I would suggest he has only one thing on his mind......girls!

Because of that he may well have moved quite a distance from your property in his quest. Presuming he is an Eastern, widening the search area might be appropriate to around 8-10 neighbouring properties either side as well as in front and behind your house.

They will generally stay close to fence lines and avoid the open areas of properties so as not to expose themselves to predators. Another favourite place is under building materials if any of your neighbours have such in their yards. Old sheets of roofing materials, firewood piles, uncleared rubbish etc., all provide shelter. Also longer grass and low bushes, rockeries, will provide securing hiding spots. I have wild blotchies in my backyard that will come and sun themselves up against the bricks of the house when the sun has been out for an hour or so. That may be the best time of day to do a search.

Good luck with finding him.