Escaped his terrarium BTS but will never be forgotten...

[JoshChimera]

My 3-year-old Tanimbar BTS has escaped his cage sometime Wedneseday. I went to school and work; a very busy schedule leaving my home at 7am to 3am the next day. I usually get home at 1am 4 days a week. But was sleeping for a couple hours in my car this past Wednesday... My skink was never seen or found by myself or family. Thursday morning I search my home and bedroom... No sign of my skink. He is now gone for good... outside I presume.

I bought him from Ray Gurgui spring of 2010. He was born on March 13th, 2009. My last time with him was this past Monday, giving him a dip in a plastic sweater box while he was shedding... Gone but never forgotten... There is hope... I guess... my local reptile shop told me they heard of someone losing their escaped reptile and having come back 3 months later... I left some fresh cantelope out if he was still in my home... No sign of him eating it.
Gone but never forgotten... I really will miss him... I hope you live, Skinky... out there in the wilderness...

My last time spent with my Tanimbar BTS, this past Monday:


Over the years:




He was a baby:

A baby picture from Ray:

[Fatal_S]

He's been gone 2 days and you've given him up for dead???

For god's sake, I've had reptiles loose for months that turn up later happy and healthy. Keep looking!

[tylociraptor]

He's been gone 2 days and you've given him up for dead???

For god's sake, I've had reptiles loose for months that turn up later happy and healthy. Keep looking!

QFT.

My corn snake got loose and spent two weeks wandering the house. I don't know how she survived the cold nights, but she did, and one morning decided to come home, dodged all my traps for weeks, but fell asleep on my keyboard.

[JoshChimera]

Thank you Fatal & tylociraptorl! You guys help me feel better about this.I wish he would just wander out from where he is hiding right now... Since I am home...

[Rhianimal]

Here's hoping your skink returns. Don't lose hope! Reptiles can make do for a long time on their own. Had a corn snake go missing for two months, and he turned up under a toilet seat having a drink. Was a little hungry and smelled like a musty basement for a long time, but he was fine.

[JoshChimera]

Rhianimal that is some story. Thank you.

[Fatal_S]

I've gotten so used to having the animals get loose. My kingsnake always took winter vacations and was missing for many months. She'd turn up in spring when she got hungry. And my skinks seem to get out every couple months (my sisters are awful about locking tanks, or the skinks break something I've made, etc). Just keep looking, and listening. They like tight spaces, piles of laundry, etc.

If you want hope, think of the Merauke who escaped outdoors, in a wilderness area, and was gone for months. Somehow survived and was re-captured!!! BTS are amazing, so don't give up.

[Nae]

Definitely dont give up! If I can refind *wild* ones, then Id say there is a very high chance of finding your little dude!

Leave smelly protein foods out (Whatever it is that you feed), dust some flour at entrances to door ways and suspected hidy places so you have see if their are any little foot prints going in or out. If you have any piles of stuff like clothes that he could potentially have crawled into, dig through it one article at a time. Check all stuff like cupboards - Even if you think there is no way of him getting in there, a family member may have accidentally left it open for a few hours at some point.

I dont know about other species, but shingles are amazing for finding their way home. Once someone kept moving one out of their yard because it kept scaring their children. Drove it a bit down the road and popped it into some safe bushland. But it came back. Again. And again. And again. Eventually they put a small dot of spray paint on it to make doubly sure it was the same one coming back, and sure enough it was!

Therefore, the kids were told to get over it

[bella3]

BTS are amazing, so don't give up.

I agree! I am very sorry he got out, but I believe you can find him. It will probably take a lot of patience, but he will probably turn up

[LarissaLurid]

I heard of someone who had a tortoise they lost while it was outside and it showed up months later in a neighbors yard! 2 days is nothing, I've had my Red Tail Boa climb into my couch and hide out in there for a few days before he wanted to come out from his hiding spot too.

Look under all appliances, they LOVE fridges bc its dark and warm, also stove, in clothes drawers, under ANYTHING on the ground, etc. Look in places you even think they wouldn't be. They can hide quite well, so just keep looking and search under, behind, and inside everything in the house.

I assure you your skink didn't die in 2 days without food lol.

[Rhianimal]

Skinks are also so big and unwieldy that someone would likely notice a skink sneaking outside when they were going outside. My little guy can't even move across the floor without being very obvious. If your doors are left wide open for long stretches of time, maybe he got out, but Larissa is spot-on. 2 days without food is no issue. Under appliances would be a great place to check, and I have no doubt they can squeeze into the small area underneath those things. Could have gone under furniture. My skink learned how to climb carpeted stairs (probably my least favorite trick ever), which means climbing anything fabric would be possible.

Wouldn't hurt to put out a small container of water on the floor. Your skink will definitely get thirsty!

[LarissaLurid]

Skinks are also so big and unwieldy that someone would likely notice a skink sneaking outside when they were going outside. My little guy can't even move across the floor without being very obvious. If your doors are left wide open for long stretches of time, maybe he got out, but Larissa is spot-on. 2 days without food is no issue. Under appliances would be a great place to check, and I have no doubt they can squeeze into the small area underneath those things. Could have gone under furniture. My skink learned how to climb carpeted stairs (probably my least favorite trick ever), which means climbing anything fabric would be possible.

Wouldn't hurt to put out a small container of water on the floor. Your skink will definitely get thirsty!

When my skink was younger and got lost, he actually went under the fridge. I tore apart the entire house and DID look under the fridge so many times. Then I started cooking vegetarian meat stuff for tacos I was making like 2 days later and he pops his head out licking the air like "oh hey guys, is that food i smell "

Believe me, I was freaking out and REALLY upset because I had no idea where he was, but come to find out that when he was under the fridge, there's actually a tiny ledge that he crawled up into that he couldn't be taken out of or seen while he was in. My bf found this out when he stuck his hand under there. So believe me, they can get into places you didn't even know existed! Leaving food out won't do anything if they aren't in that area, they'd have to be kind of close to know it's there so don't feel bad if they don't come out while you aren't looking to grab a bite of food left out.

[Richard.C]

I had a big female blotch escape many years ago,was gone for months,one winter day we went to games cupboard to entertain our selves on a poxy winters day and there she was,curled up brumating amongst the games

Dont give up just yet

[Lea]

I had one get out when someone was supposed to be looking after my skinks, when I was away. He lived as the monster under my house for near on a year before I caught him again, perfectly well although, not too happy to be back in captivity. He will most likely turn up when you least expect him, when holding a dinner party or something, just to scare your guests. They are resourceful and at least where you are, the temperatures remain fairly mild, so he will probably be having the time of his life. Just keep your eyes open and check your garden and house over for any hazards that might injure him while he roams free. Hopefully he will turn up soon.

[tylociraptor]

Thank you Fatal & tylociraptorl! You guys help me feel better about this.I wish he would just wander out from where he is hiding right now... Since I am home...

Lots of great advice in this thread. The nice thing is, skinks don't seem to shy away from their owners as some reptiles will, once out. Follow the advice here.... the flour, the protein source, like dog food... you should be able to find him, if he's still inside. Here's hoping, for you, mate!

[crm2000]

This made me so sad

[Rani-May]

I hope your skink comes back, or out of hiding. sounds like you have a lot of love for the little guy

[Linnea]

im going to be really weird and tell you another thing that seems to make at least my northern awfully happy to seek attention.

cooking christmas ham, or cooking anything that smells tasty for several hours.

doesnt hurt to try - at least you get good stew, ham or soup for a week

[LarissaLurid]

im going to be really weird and tell you another thing that seems to make at least my northern awfully happy to seek attention.

cooking christmas ham, or cooking anything that smells tasty for several hours.

doesnt hurt to try - at least you get good stew, ham or soup for a week

Yea! Like I said, when I was cooking even vegetarian meat, my skink smelled it and came out within 5 minutes! lol

Definitely a good idea to cook up some meat or something to get them to come out.

[Rush]

Been following your posts since the beginning. I wish you the best in your search. I'm sure he's still around somewhere