Marbles vs Waxworms

[ManahShepard]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD8vEsaGaQA

Just thought I give another update, its been awhile. Plus, he has his new bed!

[CricketForestwater]

Hehehehe! "rrr! Grrrr! Shake it! Kill it!"

[BlueGuy]

Haha can't wait for mine to be like that. With his very own personality though. Mine still continues to hide all the time and never comes out. At least when people are around

[CricketForestwater]

Now, I'm still a newb to this so I'm certainly no expert, but I'd suggest holding him more often, Blue. Especially when there are people around, exposing him to them that way, maybe even having them hold him if he doesn't freak out. Exposure is the key with...well, anything, really. The same is done with puppies: the more you expose them to and allow them to realize it's not harmful, the less they will be afraid of and the more comfortable they will be in any setting.

[ManahShepard]

Yeah, Blue. Cricket is right about that, it'll never get used to you if you never expose it to things on a daily basis, short-often hold sessions, some feeding by hand, bringing it around places of the house you often go too.

Marbles is now used to me opening the cage, I often associate me coming around with good yummy stuff coming. Not necessarily bad foods for them, you can find out which frequent good food you can feed them that is their favorite!

And in no time he'll/she'll eventually look forward to seeing you. And stop being hissy xD

[LarissaLurid]

Haha my skink always tells me when he is hungry, he sits by his food bowl, puts his front two feet either on it or right in front of it and puts his head up like OKAY MOM IM HUNGRY, WHERE'S MY DINNER!? He also knows when I turn his light on at night it means food time!

[BruinsEv]

Haha can't wait for mine to be like that. With his very own personality though. Mine still continues to hide all the time and never comes out. At least when people are around

Adorable vids, but unfortunately I am in the same situation as Blue. I recently took a hide out of her tank to "force" her to interact with me. She has been buried for 5 days, not even coming out to eat. Maybe it's not the right solution, but I figure the more I force her to be around me, the more she won't care if I pick her up in the future. I still have yet to attempt to pick her up.. SCARY!

[AnnaMonroe]

I love the shake of death!!

[ManahShepard]

Bruins, I would put the hide back and try the food or stroking approach. Unless of course your skink has been violent with you about being touched. Sometimes I pick Marbles up for short periods throughout the day or just touch him and let him lick/sniff my hand.

Now he hangs out under his cardboard and pushes it closer to the glass, up a bit so he lays under it and watches me all day or comes out occasionally.

The only time I really force him to spend time with me is when I hold him. But, I guess you gotta do what you gotta do. I hope he tames down for you!

[BlueGuy]

Ohhhh I thought thats since i only got him last week i should let him get used to his enclosure first? I'll start bringing him out everyday now

[Fatal_S]

Skinks do not like being poked or petted, especially in their tanks. If you're going to reach in, either pick them up and hold them securely so they feel safe, or keep your hand still (flat works for me) and let them approach you. Petting does not make sense to them. Maybe when they grow up and get used to you it'd be alright, but it's not something you should be using to 'tame' your skink. It doesn't make them feel good, it just freaks them out.

[auristi]

Oh noes! I pet Kahless all the time when we have cuddle sessions. He usually calms down when I do it and falls asleep. Hope im not freaking him out! He's also super cute when he eats his worms. No jumping get them like marbles but he does the death shake. Love it!!

[Fatal_S]

Ah, let me rephrase. Skinks do not like to be petted. It is not like a dog or cat or person where touching = happy brain chemicals.

What I'm trying to explain:
Reach in and pet skink = probably get bitten
Pick skink up, calm down, and pet skink = probably fine
Pick skink up, calm down, put skink down, and pet skink = probably fine

It's the initial reaction I'm trying to explain. Once they've realized you're not trying to eat them this time they won't care as much. But reaching into the tank and either just waving your hand around (too scared to pick up) or petting them probably won't get a good reaction from most reptiles.

[auristi]

Ahhhhh ok! Yes I just take him out to interact, he never seemed pleased when I tried to touch him in the cage. Never got bit tho! I thought he was a bit of a grump and then I read stories on here and have realized he's really quite a love bug. He only hissed at my bf once when he got into the part of his cage that wasn't set up yet and was all cold and scared. Never bites and just chills and burrows in the blanket with us.

[El Lobo]

Ohhhh I thought thats since i only got him last week i should let him get used to his enclosure first? I'll start bringing him out everyday now

I would stick with your first thought.

[BlueGuy]

Ohhhh I thought thats since i only got him last week i should let him get used to his enclosure first? I'll start bringing him out everyday now

I would stick with your first thought.

Ok will do. He is starting to slowly come around. I fed him quarter of a boiled egg by hand today just to see if there a little trust there.

[ManahShepard]

Do whatever you think is right, but he could start getting used to being alone. I personally think it depends on the personality of the skink.

Marbles has been fine with what I do with him - but then again he was with James and was apparently used to being moved around a lot, etc, so the situation changes on the skink and what it is used too.

The only time I've gotten nipped is when Marbles smells food on my fingers, after handling the food and he gets excited he smells the food first and doesn't realize its my fingers. But he lets go promptly when figuring it out.

[bella3]

Personally what I found worked for me is I let her get used to her surroundings for about 3 days only taking her out to eat. After that I slowly started keeping her out longer and longer until now she seems fine with it. Similar to what ManahShepard said, I think she was outside a lot and handled before she was with me which was is great.

[BlueGuy]

Ok. Thanks

[LarissaLurid]

Ohhhh I thought thats since i only got him last week i should let him get used to his enclosure first? I'll start bringing him out everyday now

I would stick with your first thought.

I agree, BlueGuy, if you have only had him a week, he still could be settling in. I'd give him time first, you can't just bring him home and force him into being held when he doesn't know where he is. Your first thought was correct, let him settle in first.