Taking a BTS outside.

[jesswebb93]

I was wondering if anyone had some good tips on taking a BTS outside for some natural sun? Is this safe? I did that with my fully grown bearded dragon a while back and he got spooked when he saw a bird and jumped off my lap and ran into some bushes. I got him out, but he was puffing up and gaping his mouth. I haven't tried it with him again or my BTS since I'm afraid something like that might happen again. The weather is nice in Florida right now, so part of me wants my BTS to get some natural rays.

[NickBrahz]

I sit outside my with BTS every day for him to get nice natural sun, as long as you are there with him holding him or he is in a safe covered location (I have one of those thick black plastic tubs which i use a mesh lid on, just make sure there is shade if it gets to hot for him) then it is strongly recommended to, BTS is very unlikely to dive off like Beardies do.

[Dakota]

I'm in Florida, too, and I take mine outside at least weekly. Not only are they getting pure UV from the sun, but it is very stimulating for them.

[splashy07]

Maybe unlikely to take a dive, but I would make sure you are supporting him somehow, not just letting him sit on your shoulder while you walk around. Their little feet and tiny claws can not hold on like a beardie, and if they do fall it spells disaster. Other than that, I think taking them outside is a great idea, but supervised of course.

[Dood]

I put my skink in a wire rabbit cage with a blanket to hide in and a shaded area to retreat to if it gets too hot

I also use this cage for my parrot and rabbits to go outside for some sun or nibble the grass but not escape the yard

[Susann]

If you do use some kind of tub or container, please keep in mind that it can get very hot inside there, especially on day when there's not much of a breeze --even if you shade part of the container. Also keep in mind that for UVB to reach your skink, it needs to be direct sunlight; light goes through glass or plastic but UVB rays do not.

I take mine outside from time to time as well. Some things to keep in mind:

#) some skinks take a few times to learn that the wide open areas with sky above is nothing to be terrified of. I always assume that my first timer outside is petrified, and I do everything very slowly. I hold them in whatever way makes them feel most comfortable, then after standing outside for a while letting him get used to the air and the smells and sounds, I sit down on an open grassy area. I lower the skink onto my lap and let him crawl onto the grass at his own speed.

#) some skinks can more very fast outside. Chasing Dubia roaches and getting off the grass is the fastest I ever see some of my skinks move! My grumpy, fraidy-cat Sam is my one who so far has not learned to enjoy the outside exploration. Immediately on getting onto the grass he will always beeline for the closest bush.
It's not so fast that a grown human can't keep or catch up, but you definitely need to be ready to react quickly.

#) some skinks have a unique tendency to revert back to their wild personality when they get outside. Some are mushy teddy bear pets inside but then surprise their owners with turning into a wild animal when getting outside; they can suddenly start to huff, hiss, flatten, tilt, and display outside, even if you've never seen him do any of it before.

#) a skink on grass, just burrowing around trying to get into the roots, making cute little trails, can disappear in the blink of an eye. It is amazing how well a brightly colored, striped skink can get camouflaged in green grass! You have to always keep both eyes on a skink exploring outside.

#) never trust any kind of harness or leash, or temporary playpen, to keep your skink from getting away while you step away from the skink.

In my opinion, a skink outside needs to have a designated person to keep eyes on the skink at all times, unless of course you have a safe outdoor skink pit set up. But it can obviously be very healthy and fun for a skink to get some fresh air, UV rays, and a new environment to explore.