Since vet visit new baby skink is a wreak..help please

[Snowysmom]

Hi everyone-

I am a new reptile and Skink mommy. I got my 2 month old female 3 weeks ago tomorrow. I had to wait a week to hold her until I saw she was eating and moving out of her hide. At Petco when I held her and in my home before her vet visit she sat quietly in my hands and lap for a few minutes at a time and then I would put her back in her home. The 3 or 4 times I took her out of her home, I had to go in her hide to get her because she most of the time goes in her favorite hide when she sees me go by the front of her home. I felt bad about bothering her in her hide so stopped taking her out for 3 days.

Went to the vet for a wellness check up and vet told me to hold her daily even if it meant going in the hide. Well, after the vet visit, she now is always about to jump out of my hands or off my lap.She is frantic and wiggley. She no longer sits in my hands or lap and lets me rub her head. She always is looking for escape. I saw her 2 days ago go up on both her hides and go up the wall with her front legs 4 times. She has never done this before. She is always bothered by me walking by the home, so I also used wallpaper on the front as of today to see if it helps her feel secure again. Another thing she did last night is when I was spraying down the tank, she came out of her hide which she never does and went to the end of the tank and tried to escape as I was spraying. She seemed to know the top was open and was frantic. I am thinking that the vet visit and me taking her from her hide has ruined our bonding that WAS going well. I was up all night and sad about having a pet that's always trying to escape. Her whole demeanor has changed. Besides covering the tank except for most of the screen top, what can I do? I have deep substrate, 2 big hides, a fake plant, clump of moss, perfect temps, and I clean home. Her appetite is great and she likes everything I feed her. I cannot fit anymore in the temporary 20 gallon tank. It is a nice home for a few more months.

I hope we can pick up where Snowy and I left off when she was happy with me. Thanks for your help.

[lucasrusinak]

its fairly common for blueys to seem very calm and still when in pet stores but very different once in your care. Usually pet stores don't keep the temperatures needed to keep them warm enough, so they are rather lethargic. Once theyre getting the heat they need, they'll be much more active.

I'd say waiting the week or so before starting to hold him was a good idea, i did the same. constant interaction with it for the first couple of months will bring him around. Do you know what kind of blue tongue skink it is?

EDIT: you also should think about upgrading the tank. A 20 gallon is pretty small even for a 3 month old skink. a general minimum is a 40 gallon breeder (36x16x18) but the bigger the better.

[Richard.C]

Reaching in from above is akin to a bird of prey swooping down to get them,also pulling them out of there hides to hold them they lose there feeling of a safe hide as they will always wonder when that bloody giants going to lift it up and grab them again

Best way to get them to trust you is leving them alone,let them feel safe in there hide,and use there love of food to bring them out,they soon learn your no threat and see you the bringer of all things yummy and will great you at front of enclosure

Young ones are generally the most timid,natural instincts,as lots of things consider them a tasty treat

[Lauriek]

TIME !! You need (perhaps I should say 'must' ! ) give your skink time to adjust to his surroundings. It may take only a week, or many more. The best thing to do is to leave him alone and not pick him up. One of my blueys, Bliss, has a top opening viv. I just don't reach in and 'swoop down and pick her up'. Here in Australia, they have certain birds that will prey on them and they swoop down, pick them up and then drop them from a great height. Anything 'swooping' down will get a hissing, agressive reaction.

With Bliss and the others too, I let them know I'm there. Once Bliss sees me, she'll start flicking her tongue out and she knows that food often comes when the viv is opened. In other words I let her know I'm there before I pick her up. Just be patient. Let your skink learn that opening his cage means food. Sometimes just watch him without opening the cage or picking him up.

They are not a cuddly pet, inspite what many say here on this site. They can be tamed to a certain extent, but your skink has to gain your trust first.

Time.

[Snowysmom]

Thank you guys. Snowy is a Merauke. I know you must bond early and food is a great idea. Yesterday she came out from her hide as I was spraying down the tank and I thought about running to the kitchen and grabbing a few mealworms I had sitting around. So, it worked. She took 3 from me. I hope when I get her new home it is a front opening style though. I agree on the whole me being a potential predator to Snowy and her being uneasy because of this.

Also, yesterday I put paper on the outside of the front of her home and it was the most active day she ever had exploring and even went in her new I hide that I bought weeks ago for the very first time. She hung out a lot away from her favorite hide and even crawled under a big clump of moss that I replenish every week and loved squirming around in there for a while. I had so much fun peeking from above and seeing her play like this. New for her. So nice to see.

I just have the top of her home open now. Snowy seems to have thrived in a day with covering that 4th wall.. Is this how I should keep it forever or when she and I have a better relationship, can I remove the front paper someday?


Thanks

[Haley]

My guy is about 6 months old now and has gotten used to me being around. I was home for half the day today and he came out in the morning when the light flicked on and move around his enclosure to where he pleased. I would slowly take parts of the paper down after giving your bluey awhile to adjust. They will have to get used to seeing you moving outside their enclosure at some point. Just take it slow and steady