Toad is home!

[sacs4010]

Well, a little while ago I recieved a FedEx package from Susann. I recorded myself opening the package at home and out of the package came Toad! For those of you who may not know, he was number four of seven Merauke babies that Susann's Maddie gave birth to a weeks ago. I am in the process of uploading a the video I made of me unboxing my package with Toad in it. I will post pictures and updates with the days to come. So please check back and leave some comments. Thanks Susann and everyone else on the boards for their help and support!

Brad

[sacs4010]

Here are a few pictures. Link for my video is coming soon! Enjoy!

[Susann]

Was he very huffy? Or did he do OK coming out of the container? He usually always calms down really fast.

[sacs4010]

Here is the link to my Toad unboxing video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ26Yq7 ... e=youtu.be

[Susann]

He seems to have come through the ordeal just great! Good to see. I worry tons every time
Did he get any more huffy as you grabbed him out? He's usually not too uptight but man was he mad when I put him in the container!
(Not that I blame him!)

[Coomassie]

Yay! I'm so glad to see you ended up with a baby! He is lovely.

[sacs4010]

Nope Susann, once I picked him up he was just fine. I set him inside his enclosure, he swam in his water bowl for a second and off her went into the moss. Last time I saw him he was hiding in his cool side hide and I have not seen him since. It is going to be oh so much fun finding him in a little bit when I try to feed him. lol Thanks Coomassie, I am really excited about my new pet and pal.

[sacs4010]

I am uploading another video of Toad right now. This one is of him eating his first meal with me. As soon as it is completed I will post the link. I just wanted to thank Susann again. She has been a real champ. I have been pestering her for weeks now. It sounds very corny, but I am basically acting like a first time parent. lol This is my first BTS, but not my first reptile. Please tell me what you all think. I love to hear from all of you on the forum and thanks again for all your help everyone!

[sacs4010]

A few more pictures of Toad! I know, I mixed his food too much and it turned into mush. It looked like dog poo when it had the runs. lol Here is a link to my second YouTube video of Toad too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJKPksB ... e=youtu.be

Brad

[Susann]

Hey, I didn't notice while he was here, but he looks like he has really light colored eyes. I don't know if it's just the lighting, the camera? I notice the same thing in many of my pictures, but not all.
They look really cool.

[sacs4010]

I will check it out more closely tomorrow. I would need to look at another one of the siblings photos, but I shall do it.

[Susann]

Oh it doesn't matter I was just saying that in those pictures, his eyes look really cool.

[sacs4010]

Hmmm? They seem the same to me Susann. He does seem to give me the stink eye a lot so far. lol

[sacs4010]

I think I gave him a bit too much substrate to hide in. lol I may never see him inside his enclosure till he grows up more.

[Susann]

Yeah, I was afraid of that.
And when you have to dig them out of the substrate, they tend to NOT be happy!

[sacs4010]

I will slowing take some out. I know what a good amount to put in next time by seeing what happened with the amount I had put in this time. lol Underneath the hot side hide there is no moss, so he has a dry area to go to if he wishes. I know that I will need to figure out a good balance of Toad feeling secure in his enclosure, but not to the point where he is always afraid when he is outside of it. I hope that makes sense. lol Basically I would like for him to want to come out and explore and I do not want him to always be afraid when I take him out. He really only hissed when I first took him out and when I may have startled him when he was trying to eat. So all is well.

[sacs4010]

I just looked at the first picture had posted of Toad. Man! He has grown pretty *darn fast. lol How quickly do Meraukes grow?

[Susann]

Uuumm, pretty quickly the first little bit, especially if they're good eaters, which we know Toad is. I don't know that there's any general "standards" for growth rate, they are all individuals. But you can see a huge difference in the first weeks and months.

[sacs4010]

OK everyone. I have a question. I have not seen Toad take a drink from his water bowl yet. He seems to be hiding all the time except when I take him out of his enclosure. Should I be concerned? I do plan on taking out a lot of the bedding and some of the moss. He is getting fed tomorrow. What do you all think?

[donkeybuff]

A healthy skink will not dehydrate itself. Your skink is new, so it is probably doing everything it needs to when you are not watching. I'm sure Toad is getting the water that he needs. Also, if he's hiding all the time, you should probably leave him alone instead of taking him out for now.