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Problem skink

Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 7:02 pm
by herps101
Over the last few weeks, my blue tongue skink, which will be a year old this coming summer, has constantly been trying to climb the walls and scratches at the front glass. I have both sides and back covered with tile, I've added lots of tunnels for exploring, offering food more often, and getting him out as much as I can. The problem is that he does this the entire day while at work and school, I can tell because the tank is rearranged. Even when I do get him out, he immediately wants out. Is it because this is breeding season? I originally though it was a girl (more like hoping because I thought my other was a boy), but I had them out at the same time to see what would happen, very supervised of course, and the little skink charged my older one and went for the tail. The older one just looked like he (she?) was completely above the little one. Lol. Any advice is welcomed as to how I should handle this. I'm worried about nose rub and back problem (constant L shape when wall climbing).

Thanks ☺️

Re: Problem skink

Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 4:33 am
by MechHAN
It's really not that bad...but maybe the tank is a little small for your skink?Mine did these and after I change tank larger it less happened...

Re: Problem skink

Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:52 am
by starscream3232
The L shape in their back that they develop is called saddleback. I know a breeder that had this happen to a couple of his animals. Unfortunately there's no really way to prevent it. It just depends on the skinks personality. If they get saddleback its not harmful to the skink. Just not pleasing to the eye. It's happens to young animals that are still growing fast. Since yours is a year old hopefully it won't happen.

Re: Problem skink

Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:38 am
by Pokersnake
I had this problem for a week or so. He would obsessively dig at the left hand side of the tank (which faces the TV), especially the front corner. He even messed up some scales on his nose doing this. I realized that this frantic digging started when I removed my skink's hammock and ceased when I put the hammock back in. My theory is that he wanted to observe what was going on outside, but didn't have his high vantage point anymore, so he thought he could dig out.

Re: Problem skink

Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:59 pm
by Scincoides
The wall climbing is very common in northerns, I've had a few of my animals develop a Saddleback due to it. as for gender, males seem to wander non stop during the breeding season, and that seems fairly consistent across all of the 8 species that I keep. It's very possible that his restlessness and climbing may be due to the skink being male and having the natural instinct to roam This time of year