BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Finny is ok with generally being pet/touched now, but she's still afraid of being picked up. She flails her little legs and tail, even though I am supporting her chest/front legs and tail/back legs. How do I gradually get her used to being picked up and held?

P.S.: She still has some shed left on most of her head and one of her toes. Can I get it off with a wet q-tip or giving her a soak and gently rubbing it off with my thumb?

Some skinks just don't like to move through air, even if their legs are supported. Which means they will have a problem with being picked up.
I've found with skinks like this that it can help if you find a way to have their whole body lay on you, rather than you holding them.
I'm sure you've already seen this in the FAQ: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=25118
Try having him either lay towards your shoulder or on your arm like I show in that thread.

Some skinks will just always huff and be nervous about being picked up and moved/carried. That's normal.

Yes, try soaking and rubbing the shed that's left, it should hopefully come right off.

I found it helpful with a soak to also rub a dab of olive oil on the shedding skin too to help soften it up that little bit more and then it can be a bit easier to rub or push the shed off. Just be extra careful around the face so you don't get any oil drop into eyes.

I checked on her this morning and the shed on her head was gone, except for that 1 scale right above her nostrils! She must have gotten the rest off while burrowing; but she still has that shed on her toe.

Susann wrote:Some skinks just don't like to move through air, even if their legs are supported. Which means they will have a problem with being picked up.
I've found with skinks like this that it can help if you find a way to have their whole body lay on you, rather than you holding them.
I'm sure you've already seen this in the FAQ: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=25118
Try having him either lay towards your shoulder or on your arm like I show in that thread.

Some skinks will just always huff and be nervous about being picked up and moved/carried. That's normal.

Yes, try soaking and rubbing the shed that's left, it should hopefully come right off.

But that's the thing. At the rescue, she didn't try to wriggle away when being held, but she did pee.

OK. Both wriggling and peeing are his two ways of saying the same thing: I'm nervous, I don't like this, put me down!