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Trouble swallowing or normal?

Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 5:22 pm
by stinkyskinky
We've had our BTS since Dec. He (dont know sex) eats mainly canned dog food and veggie mix per the food chart. In an attempt to offer more variety, I've tried superworms, crickets, and snails, but he won't eat any of them. Oh well, easierfor me, I guess. We offer fruits that we have on hand, but he'll just eat a bite or two.
Anyhow, other than just liking his dog food mix, we've had nomajor issues with feeding, and he's a laid back dude. Only huffs a little when we get him out of his viv. Je gave my son the tongue one day when he was outside and my son ran up behind him and startled him. My son got down and let him lick his fingers and he was fine.
A week or so a go, we were offering some grapes, cut into quarters. He ate a few and then opened his mouth wide like a yawn, but then just stayed like that. After realizing it wasnt a yawn, I thought maybe it was a tongue display, but nothing had happened like the previous instance to acare him. Finally, when he closed his mouth he made several gulping movement. So, I figured he did the mouth thing to swallow. Didnt think too much of it, but today, we gave him some hqrd boiled Easter egg, which he chowed down on. But he did the big open mouth thing again, amd after made these wiggling movements like a snake does to get food down to its stomach.
Is that normal? Should I be concerned? Thanks in advance, Becca

Re: Trouble swallowing or normal?

Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 5:26 pm
by Katrina
Totally normal! :D

They can stuff some huge things down the hatch, but it might take a bit of gaping / head raised to get it down. Nothing to worry about!

Re: Trouble swallowing or normal?

Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 6:00 pm
by stinkyskinky
Cool. I knew you guys would have the answer. Thanks so much!

Re: Trouble swallowing or normal?

Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 6:03 pm
by Katrina
No worries! It is scary the first time you see it. Then you feed a bunch of roaches and realize they will contort to any position in order to get the prize down! :lol:

Re: Trouble swallowing or normal?

Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 3:48 pm
by AnnaMonroe
Katrina wrote:...and realize they will contort to any position in order to get the prize down! :lol:



lmaooooo!!! xD

Re: Trouble swallowing or normal?

Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 4:17 pm
by stinkyskinky
I can't (yet) bring myself to buy roaches for the purpose of bringing them into my house!:)

Re: Trouble swallowing or normal?

Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 4:51 pm
by Spindown
I would normally say Dubias cant infest a house...but you live in Florida :P

Re: Trouble swallowing or normal?

Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 5:03 pm
by Lea
It's easy to over feed our little skinks, as what we see as only a reasonable portion, can actually be far too much. They don't have huge muscular stomachs, it's fairly long and slender, so manoeuvres like a snake body shuffle are fairly common. Don't be alarmed, but it could be worth checking your portion sizes aren't just a tad too big for a skink belly?

Re: Trouble swallowing or normal?

Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 5:05 pm
by Spindown
Also, sometimes they take bites that are a bit big, I've seen a few occasions where when they eat their normal dinners they get a whole glob and make the silly stretchy gulpy face :P