BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

I have a young blue tongue “Ozzy” (about 4 months old) and he eats really sporadically and is not very active. He has only eaten one small piece of apple in the past 7 days even though I have tried the things he has eaten before like grated button squash with dog food, crickets and silkworms. He seems to be developing a pattern of eating for a couple of days and then not wanting anything for a week and then pooing quite a lot. Is this ok? What colour poo is normal- sometimes it varies, should it be an even brown colour? He also likes to spend almost all his time in a rock cave on a heat mat even though I have a 34 degree (approx) basking area and a nice big tank with a cooler area too.
I have also started using an infra red and now a blue bulb at night to keep him warm overnight but it’s not exactly cold in Eastern Australia in summer but quite humid. I also take him out to get some time in the sun every day where he is protected and has access to shade.
Am I doing anything wrong, he doesn’t seem happy although looks healthy and has grown a lot since I’ve had him.

Sounds to me like Ozzy is growing up. And you may be offering him food a bit too often, so he's starting to just pick out his favorites. I suggest you start feeding him only every 4-5 days, letting him get a bit more hungry in between. But other than that he sounds like a perfectly normal skink, happy even. And sounds like you are taking very good care of him, worrying about everything like a good owner should.

Here is a link to a thread in the FAQ section called "Poop Palette" : viewtopic.php?f=24&t=23702

I don't know what temperature your house drops to at night, but as long as it's not below 60F (15C) there's nothing wrong with letting temps drop a bit in the tank at night, it's actually good for them.

They tend to go through stages of more and less activity, but in my experience with Meraukes, don't know if this holds true with Aussie species, my females tend to be less active than males. Maybe Ozzy is turning out to be Ozzette...?

You're doing good. I'm sure Ozzy is as happy as Ozzy can be!

Usually doesn't drop below 20-25C during the night over here in eastern Ausland, Don't worry about having to use bulbs and such to keep it warm at night because you have to remember in the wild they only get the warmth during the day and not during the night and they survive just fine.
You seem to be giving him a large selection of food each day so he might be starting to becoming a fussy eater, put in some food if he doesn't eat it take it away and offer him the same type of food next time as well and he will eventually eat it, they won't starve themselves they will eventually eat the food even if it isn't the favourite kind.
Brown poop is perfectly fine.

Susann wrote:Sounds to me like Ozzy is growing up. And you may be offering him food a bit too often, so he's starting to just pick out his favorites. I suggest you start feeding him only every 4-5 days, letting him get a bit more hungry in between. But other than that he sounds like a perfectly normal skink, happy even. And sounds like you are taking very good care of him, worrying about everything like a good owner should.

Here is a link to a thread in the FAQ section called "Poop Palette" : viewtopic.php?f=24&t=23702

I don't know what temperature your house drops to at night, but as long as it's not below 60F (15C) there's nothing wrong with letting temps drop a bit in the tank at night, it's actually good for them.

They tend to go through stages of more and less activity, but in my experience with Meraukes, don't know if this holds true with Aussie species, my females tend to be less active than males. Maybe Ozzy is turning out to be Ozzette...?

You're doing good. I'm sure Ozzy is as happy as Ozzy can be!

Thanks for your reply I feel less worried now and will stop constantly monitoring temps and poo.
I guess being a first time skink owner its hard to know what to expect even though I've researched loads and even taken him to the vet who said young blueys need to be kept at 30c night and day.Sometimes you get a lot of different info.
I did have a look at the poop palette before and it was hard to compare Ozzy's which was a tinged a bit green a couple of times. Anyway I'm glad you reckon I'm doing a good job and I really appreciate you replying.

NickBrahz wrote:Usually doesn't drop below 20-25C during the night over here in eastern Ausland, Don't worry about having to use bulbs and such to keep it warm at night because you have to remember in the wild they only get the warmth during the day and not during the night and they survive just fine.
You seem to be giving him a large selection of food each day so he might be starting to becoming a fussy eater, put in some food if he doesn't eat it take it away and offer him the same type of food next time as well and he will eventually eat it, they won't starve themselves they will eventually eat the food even if it isn't the favourite kind.
Brown poop is perfectly fine.

Thanks for the advice about the food,that makes sense and is not something I would have thought about by myself
I am going to do exactly what you suggested and stay on one food until he eats it. That is a great idea!
It's funny we have native blue tongues out in the yard on our acre rainforest block and seeing a big one the other day race through the short grass away from the noise of our car it is hard to believe it is the same spiecies as my Ozzy who takes a while to walk at a very slow pace anywhere.Maybe he is just too spoilt and becoming a couch potato in his cave on the heat pad

rudeoz wrote:

NickBrahz wrote:Usually doesn't drop below 20-25C during the night over here in eastern Ausland, Don't worry about having to use bulbs and such to keep it warm at night because you have to remember in the wild they only get the warmth during the day and not during the night and they survive just fine.
You seem to be giving him a large selection of food each day so he might be starting to becoming a fussy eater, put in some food if he doesn't eat it take it away and offer him the same type of food next time as well and he will eventually eat it, they won't starve themselves they will eventually eat the food even if it isn't the favourite kind.
Brown poop is perfectly fine.

Thanks for the advice about the food,that makes sense and is not something I would have thought about by myself
I am going to do exactly what you suggested and stay on one food until he eats it. That is a great idea!
It's funny we have native blue tongues out in the yard on our acre rainforest block and seeing a big one the other day race through the short grass away from the noise of our car it is hard to believe it is the same spiecies as my Ozzy who takes a while to walk at a very slow pace anywhere.Maybe he is just too spoilt and becoming a couch potato in his cave on the heat pad

Mines going through a fussy period aswell where all it wants is meats and insects so now im forcing him to eat veggies or nothing.
Your Ozzy would be able to move that fast aswell, when they get scared or threatened they sprint really fast in the case of the car scaring the wild one, bluies are naturally abit slow and lazy more so when they grow up.