I'm from Kentucky in the U.S.
I finally got my first blue tongue skink saturday Nov 2nd! He's estimated to be 4 years old, which for some reason, I'm doubting just because of how small he is.
However before even thinking about purchasing, I came on here, read through 74 pages on this forum! Yes, I read a bunch of topics that you guys posted just to get the idea of what I was getting into, I also read the amazing care sheet too!
I own a Leopard Gecko named Mordy and I DID own a silkback bearded dragon. However I had to rehome him, boyfriend didn't like how much work was involved with a silkie. I liked him alot, but he was waaay too much work. But he has found a nice home with a great family.
So since I was missing a day buddy, I found out about blue tongue skinks! Like I said earlier, after a long time of researching. I finally felt ready to get one! However I wanted an adult, an already hand tame adult. Which I got pretty lucky with this one!
When I went to get him. (He was a craigslist find) He was in a box with a blanket on top of him. I moved his blanket and heard that first ever huff. It was cute lol! I picked him up and held him close, WOW they feel so different! Really an amazing animal!
Anyways, I took him home along with his original home as well!
As we were taking the 2 hour drive back home, he acted like he wanted to climb up the box, so I took his two little front feet and placed them up on the box! As you can see with the pics below, he enjoyed the car ride quite well! He liked watching the cars go by haha!
Instead of
on about him. I'll go ahead and get to the question part!When I got him, it was below 55F degrees. From what I read, about this time Northerns go into brumation. Which I didn't want him to, but I believe him being exposed to the cold like this, made him go into brumation. I did bring a heat pack btw! The owner had nothing in the box but a blanket, but when I was with him I put the head pack on one side of the box under a towel, so he warmed up a little.
Okay so when I brought him home, I understood that he would hide for a while, just because it's a new home and such, but does that saying go when he is actually put back into the same tank that he's been living in? She sold me his tank and all. In which I'm treating him as if he was placed in a new tank. So basically trying to leave him alone.
I'm wondering if he's actually hiding, or brumating. Because one day I checked on him, I have the box cut up into a hide. I saw his little head and he was asleep at 4pm. So does this mean he's brumating? Or just taking a nap? Since adults eat once or twice a week, I put food in his tank on monday for 24 hours, he's not touching the food nor water. Which makes me believe he's actually brumating. opinions on this?
And here's the last question, I promise!
When I went to pick him up, the owner said that they just switched to aspen, they originally used cocoa fiber. They did say that he seemed to like it cause he can burrow in it now. However I noticed that his right eyelid was slightly swollen Sunday. Since I'm a little concerned about it, I pulled him out Monday to check, I only had him out for 1 minute just to check on him. His eye looks like it's getting better, I'm thinking since he's not used to aspen, he just irritated his eye. However I have called a few vets within an hour radius of me, to make sure they have dealt with blue tongues and just in case I had to bring him in.
Even though I believe he's brumating, is it okay for me to check on him like this? I know that you're supposed to NOT handle them at all during brumation, but I would be worried that if it's something else, he would get worse rapidly if I didn't check on him.
Okay there's just one more thing I HAVE to add!
Ever since I had him all setup in his new home, he hasn't huffed at me once! The previous owner said that he would do it occasionally, but so far he seems to be a super tame, lazy lizard. Even when I told my boyfriend to leave him alone (sunday) He took him out anyways and put him on the floor. It was amusing to watch him walk around lol! However he went under one of my shelves.. Woops..
well it all ended great! Ryan (bf) and I were debating on trying to move the shelf so we can get him, I pat the ground gently and was making high pitch baby talk. He actually stuck his head out and walked right out! Oh this is so awesome! Okay okay, that's it I promise!
**BTW in the picture of someone holding him, that is my friend, not really experienced with reptiles, but I was watching just to make sure he wasn't going to slide off and fall.
