BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Hi! So yeah, I had an adult Northern for awhile, a rehome from someone who couldn't keep it anymore, and we didn't quite click so I sent it to a fantastic new home. I want to try skinks again but with a baby this time. Before I do that I want to make sure that I understand baby care and how it's different from adult care.

So here are my questions:

1) Can you tell much about how skinks turn out in terms of friendliness and personality from how they are as babies? Or will most any baby that's raised the right way become a friendly adult?

2) Speaking of that, how do you raise a baby to become a friendly adult? Just lots of handling and interaction? Are there any particular activities that are important?

3) It sounds like babies tend to be more flighty and aggressive, what's the best way to deal with that? Should you leave them alone if they are biting or displaying their tongues or is "tough love" better?

4) I have my old adult's enclosure still, it's 4' by 2'. Can I keep the baby in that or will it not like having such a large cage? Also what kind of substrate would I use? Can I use the aspen shavings my adult had or do you have to use something else for babies?

5) Is baby food different than adult food? It sounds like some people just feed dog food, while others feed something similar to adults that has veggies mixed in.

Thanks so much!

Saber wrote:1) Can you tell much about how skinks turn out in terms of friendliness and personality from how they are as babies? Or will most any baby that's raised the right way become a friendly adult?

Yes. And yes.
I believe most of the time, if a skink is calm and friendly as a baby you would have to mistreat it somehow for it to become aggressive as a juvenile or as an adult. Most of the time. It does happen, and abuse or neglect is not always the cause. But I would say it's a pretty safe bet that a calm baby will most likely continue to be friendly as it ages.
By the same token, generally even a timid, flighty, or defensive baby can be be calmed down with lots of patient handling.

Saber wrote:2) Speaking of that, how do you raise a baby to become a friendly adult? Just lots of handling and interaction? Are there any particular activities that are important?

You raise a friendly adult, in my opinion, by patiently respecting your skink's boundaries and limitations. And by being secure, gentle, and calm. If your baby huffs, displays, and/or tilts when you reach for it, then try to reach your hand toward it as little as possible while you calmly and gently teach it that nothing bad happens when a hand comes towards it. I know that can seem like a contradiction in terms, but by that I mean, when you reach for it, don't do it unnecessarily, for example to pet it on the head or stroke its back, and when you have decided to pick the baby up, do not back down no matter what the baby does or how much of a tough guy it tries to act as. Reach, grab, gently secure, and place the baby where you are going to place it. I would also stay holding it as little as possible. Put it in a safe place where he can explore and maybe take some treats, or eat its meal.
Generally past the initial nervousness when grabbed and placed in a space they don't feel totally comfortable in, once they've become interested in checking things out, they don't put up nearly the same amount of fuss each time you grab them, so I usually take that opportunity to reach out and move them onto my lap, or onto a plate of snacks, or onto the couch, etc. Slowly start giving them the idea that nothing bad happens when the big weird hand comes at them.
That's the only "activity" I would suggest. Let him learn that the outside of the tank isn't just about the big human restraining it, it's about interesting things happening.
Some skinks never stop huffing every time you grab them. Don't take it personally, just remind him, every time, that good things happen that they don't need to huff about. Even if they do.

Saber wrote:3) It sounds like babies tend to be more flighty and aggressive, what's the best way to deal with that? Should you leave them alone if they are biting or displaying their tongues or is "tough love" better?

See my above answer. I firmly believe a combination of both is generally good. Show them that you won't back down when they put up a fuss, but don't be reaching for them unnecessarily in the beginning. Grab them, place them, and leave them be until they've calmed down and started exploring. Only place them in a safe area where you don't necessarily have to constantly be reaching out, for example, to keep them from falling off the couch or crawling into the speaker cords.

Saber wrote:4) I have my old adult's enclosure still, it's 4' by 2'. Can I keep the baby in that or will it not like having such a large cage? Also what kind of substrate would I use? Can I use the aspen shavings my adult had or do you have to use something else for babies?

A large enclosure is just fine for a baby as long as you provide it with lots of places to hide and feel secure. About substrate, see the thread in the FAQ section on substrate. It's more about the species than it is about the age of the skink.

Saber wrote:5) Is baby food different than adult food? It sounds like some people just feed dog food, while others feed something similar to adults that has veggies mixed in.

Most of us feed a bit more protein during the first year or so, but it is not a must. As long as pieces are cut small in the beginning, babies can eat exactly the same stuff adults do.

Susann wrote:

Thank you so much, that's so helpful! I don't have my baby yet but once I find one I'll probably have more questions, haha.