Male or Female?

[Logancrook]

I'm going to get a BTS soon but I am wondering if I should get a male or female. Is there any behavior differences? If so what are they? Also which do you recommend, Male or Female?

[Fatal_S]

1) I've moved this to the general forum as it's a general question.

2) There's no easy way to tell the difference between a male and female. If someone tells you the skink they have is a female/male, ask how they know. Most of the time everyone just makes up genders (because unless you're breeding them, it doesn't really matter).

3) Generally, males tend to be slightly more exlplorative, while females are more sedate. However that's a very general statement, and every skink is an individual. Some are adventurers, some are scaredy-cats, some are lazy, and a few are defensive/aggressive. Gender is not a good way to pick out a skink.

Pick a skink based it's health, background (CBB are generally much better pets than WC, especially for beginners), looks and personality. Talk to breeders and have them pick out a baby that suits your lifestyle.

For example, if you have a busy family with small kids, you don't want a shy skink; you'd be much better with a bold, outgoing skink. Or if you want a cuddle-buddy, the breeder can probably pick out a skink that's content to spend hours chilling while watching TV. But don't worry too much about personality to start with - the skink will adapt to your lifestyle over time. Health is the most important factor for picking a new reptile.

[Laurenk]

Generally, males tend to be slightly more exlplorative, while females are more sedate.

Really? I was told on this site that Cocoa, who I got a week ago, was probably a female wild caught, and she loves attention! I really don't think that she is WC...

[Fatal_S]

The word generally is there for a reason. If you have 50 males and 50 females, and average it out, your males will probably be more explorative overall than the females. Individually though every skink has it's own personality. Thus why picking by gender doesn't really help.

[Laurenk]

True. Anyways, have you ever worked with WC that are friendly right from the get-go?

[Dakota]

I have CBB skinks and they just now got over being hissy!

[Laurenk]

Silly stinkers!

[Bluish]

Only 2 of my nine adult skinks were properly sexed by the previous owner. One of them because she had babies.
The retailers seem to like labelling every Merauke as female perhaps because they all have smallish heads and out of season the hemi-penal bulge can be subtle
I prefer females myself because I feel bad for the males in breeding season as the relentlessly pace the cage.
My female Northern is as least if not more curious and friendly as my big male.

[Richard.C]

also some wild caughts are very tame,even from the get go,ive casually picked up wild ones here and they dont hiss,huff or struggle,others carry on a treat,same with captive born and breds,some very tame,others are nut jobs,lol

hard to pick what they are from temprements as it varies alot

same with sexing,some are easily sexed,others are buggers

[Laurenk]

Hmm... Well, all I know is she LOVES snails! She ate 4 in 3 seconds!

[Logancrook]

Ok thanks a lot. This is great info. I will take it all into consideration when I get mine!