BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

We're thinking about taking Finny back to the rescue. I'm stressing myself out way too much since she's stressed. They would take better care of her, and it's quieter at the rescue. It makes me extremely sad but I think it's best. She's stressed here, and it's not just because of her mouth. It's very loud here. Every time I see her hiding with her mouth bleeding it makes me very sad and worried. I know she would eventually get better (probably), but al the noise would still stress her out. They can give her the medicine better, as I don't have the courage to. I would (eventually) be less stressed and although she would be stressed from the move, I think she would get used to being at the rescue again. As long as they take better care of her than us and she finds a better home (someone already wanted her right after we claimed her), I think it's best. I feel like I'm giving up, but I know she's stressed and we're stressed. Plus, I won't have much time for her when school starts again...

(sorry for the bad grammar, I'm not feeling the best right now)

I can't say for certain without seeing Finny, but I get the vibes you worry too much. Bluetongues are extremely resilient creatures. I see you post about him sleeping, hiding, etc., but do realize this is VERY normal skink behavior. I say mine do this 80% of the day, if not 100%. Is this your first reptile? I assume it is (or one of few), and I understand you may be worried you are doing things wrong, but as long as you read over the caresheet, FAQ, forum, you should be good. Just take it slow. You sound like a great owner for Finny.

They could seriously care less if they have any interaction with you. Some of mine do like to roam outside of their cage, but most of the time they like to stay to themselves. They aren't dogs, and really don't need to be socialized often at all.

Dakota wrote:I can't say for certain without seeing Finny, but I get the vibes you worry too much. Bluetongues are extremely resilient creatures. I see you post about him sleeping, hiding, etc., but do realize this is VERY normal skink behavior. I say mine do this 80% of the day, if not 100%. Is this your first reptile? I assume it is (or one of few), and I understand you may be worried you are doing things wrong, but as long as you read over the caresheet, FAQ, forum, you should be good. Just take it slow. You sound like a great owner for Finny.

They could seriously care less if they have any interaction with you. Some of mine do like to roam outside of their cage, but most of the time they like to stay to themselves. They aren't dogs, and really don't need to be socialized often at all.

That might be part of the problem - she doesn't really like to be interacted with. She likes to roam my room, but doesn't really like to be touched or near other people. I think I wanted to be more like that person with the BTS on youtube, but Finny isn't like that. She just isn't the right lizard for me, I think.

The think about blue tongues and any reptile is that they don't require interaction. Most are perfectly happy being left alone. Most blue tongues are very tolerant of handing. Notice I didn't say love. They are not like dogs and cats that love interacting with their owners. We interact with our animals thinking they need but they really don't. I love interacting with my skinks. Most of them do well with handling and one just prefers to be left alone. I'm just happy to observe the ones that are not fond of me. As for hiding most of the time, I have two that almost never come out except when it's time to eat. All skinks have different personalities and behave differently. Good luck with what ever you do decided. Like Dakota said they are incredible tough little creatures.

I'm sorry that Finny is not working out for you but if you're having trouble giving her the medicine from the vet it might be best to return her to the reptile rescue

I agree that they are very resilient creatures and can adapt to many home situations but the "bleeding gums" you describe concern me and a stress free environment might be best until this problem is resolved. If you do decide to return her, please let the rescue know about Finnys issues and give them the documents from the veterinarian who treated her and hopefully they can contact them and try and figure out what is going on with Finnys mouth

I don't think you're giving up, even the reptile vet you took her to couldn't find anything wrong and the symptoms you mention have stumped the members here as well, many of which have had blue tongues for decades.

I don't know what video you're taking about on YouTube but in my experience (and Dakota's and Starscream's) very few reptiles crave affection or even attention from humans and most would rather be left alone. If you decide to get another reptile please don't expect them to act like a dog and be excited to see you enter the room, reptiles just aren't that kind of pet and hiding all the time is not a sign of stress but is quite normal for reptiles that are content with full bellies and have the perfect cage temperature and are not being pestered by anyone

Good luck

Dood wrote:I'm sorry that Finny is not working out for you but if you're having trouble giving her the medicine from the vet it might be best to return her to the reptile rescue

I agree that they are very resilient creatures and can adapt to many home situations but the "bleeding gums" you describe concern me and a stress free environment might be best until this problem is resolved. If you do decide to return her, please let the rescue know about Finnys issues and give them the documents from the veterinarian who treated her and hopefully they can contact them and try and figure out what is going on with Finnys mouth

I don't think you're giving up, even the reptile vet you took her to couldn't find anything wrong and the symptoms you mention have stumped the members here as well, many of which have had blue tongues for decades.

I don't know what video you're taking about on YouTube but in my experience (and Dakota's and Starscream's) very few reptiles crave affection or even attention from humans and most would rather be left alone. If you decide to get another reptile please don't expect them to act like a dog and be excited to see you enter the room, reptiles just aren't that kind of pet and hiding all the time is not a sign of stress but is quite normal for reptiles that are content with full bellies and have the perfect cage temperature and are not being pestered by anyone

Good luck

I think I agree... The rescue knows about her gums, which is good. I didn't expect her to be like a dog, but I think a reptile that you can handle and just sit with, like a ball python or leopard gecko, is better for me. But I do think you're right - a stress free environment will help.

I am sorry to hear that you have been having so much trouble with Finny; I can tell you I went through a similar experience with my first blue tongue Smaug (who is know known as Thuli). She was very aggressive and defensive towards me and didn't much like being petted or handled. So I ended up doing a trade with Dood, who wasn't as bothered by Thuli's attitude as me and I now have a much more tolerable skink who I don't have to be fearful of (I don't think you ever said that Finny was really aggressive towards you but I can definitely understand being really stressed out about the whole situation). Perhaps trading is an option for you? Or there's the age old method of just waiting it out and spending more time with her (I'm not sure how long you've had her for). My new girl Hotdog Princess is still not as fond of me as I would like but, I am just going to keep trying as I have already seen some good progress from her. I know I personally have to remind myself sometimes that skinks can live for 15+ years and that it may take quite a while for one to get used to you, depending on their personality.

Of course if she is currently really stressed in her current living condition and there is no way for you to alter it, I can understand wanting to give her back to the rescue you got her from in order to give her more optimal living conditions until she finds a new home.

You do you; no judgement here.

J_Couvy wrote:I am sorry to hear that you have been having so much trouble with Finny; I can tell you I went through a similar experience with my first blue tongue Smaug (who is know known as Thuli). She was very aggressive and defensive towards me and didn't much like being petted or handled. So I ended up doing a trade with Dood, who wasn't as bothered by Thuli's attitude as me and I now have a much more tolerable skink who I don't have to be fearful of (I don't think you ever said that Finny was really aggressive towards you but I can definitely understand being really stressed out about the whole situation). Perhaps trading is an option for you? Or there's the age old method of just waiting it out and spending more time with her (I'm not sure how long you've had her for). My new girl Hotdog Princess is still not as fond of me as I would like but, I am just going to keep trying as I have already seen some good progress from her. I know I personally have to remind myself sometimes that skinks can live for 15+ years and that it may take quite a while for one to get used to you, depending on their personality.

Of course if she is currently really stressed in her current living condition and there is no way for you to alter it, I can understand wanting to give her back to the rescue you got her from in order to give her more optimal living conditions until she finds a new home.

You do you; no judgement here.

Yeah. She's pretty stressed out because of her new enclosure and her mouth, plus all the noise. I think we should give her back, though I don't want to. Like you said, skinks aren't the pet that likes to be pet and touched. I'm thinking about getting a ball python (I've always wanted one) later, since I'm not that great with lizards.

finnyskink wrote:

J_Couvy wrote:I am sorry to hear that you have been having so much trouble with Finny; I can tell you I went through a similar experience with my first blue tongue Smaug (who is know known as Thuli). She was very aggressive and defensive towards me and didn't much like being petted or handled. So I ended up doing a trade with Dood, who wasn't as bothered by Thuli's attitude as me and I now have a much more tolerable skink who I don't have to be fearful of (I don't think you ever said that Finny was really aggressive towards you but I can definitely understand being really stressed out about the whole situation). Perhaps trading is an option for you? Or there's the age old method of just waiting it out and spending more time with her (I'm not sure how long you've had her for). My new girl Hotdog Princess is still not as fond of me as I would like but, I am just going to keep trying as I have already seen some good progress from her. I know I personally have to remind myself sometimes that skinks can live for 15+ years and that it may take quite a while for one to get used to you, depending on their personality.

Of course if she is currently really stressed in her current living condition and there is no way for you to alter it, I can understand wanting to give her back to the rescue you got her from in order to give her more optimal living conditions until she finds a new home.

You do you; no judgement here.

Yeah. She's pretty stressed out because of her new enclosure and her mouth, plus all the noise. I think we should give her back, though I don't want to. Like you said, skinks aren't the pet that likes to be pet and touched. I'm thinking about getting a ball python (I've always wanted one) later, since I'm not that great with lizards.

starting out with a sick/unhealthy reptile is hard.. Just get a healthy reptile and you will be fine. I nursed my first bts(who had MBD) back to health when he was sold to me at a discounted price. I was 16, I was not aware if his problems, he did fine.

newbie to the site but just wanted to give my 2 cents.


It is very normal for new owners to expect something extraordinary from a pet reptile right away. But, it takes time to achieve these type of relationships with your pets and some reptiles just won't ever have it.

What makes BTS's awesome is 95% of them have the chance for some level of a bond with their owners. Sometimes, it is just a "you feed me, so I know you" bond and other times it is a "I love you! Pet me and hold me!" type of bond. It all depends on the personality of your skink.

As an reptile owner who owns many amphibians and reptiles, this is something you need to come to terms with before buying a reptile. You don't get to pick their personality. But, you can help morph it to a certain degree. I have seen wild caught skinks go from terrified and nippy to happy being pet and sleeping all night long on the chest of a 7 year old boy. But, there is no way for you to truly get the personality of your pet until you give them time to get settled in with their surroundings and most importantly, settled in with you. This can take months and sometimes, won't ever happen. But, the reason why Bearded Dragons and BTS's are so popular is 9.5 times out of 10, it does happen. So, your chances are good that one day, you will from a decent bond.


Going back through your posts, I can see you obtained her on April 26th 2015 and it is not even been 3 months and you're deciding she isn't the lizard for you. During those 3 months, she has had what you thought was sunburn, bleeding gums that now requires medication that you're too afraid to give her, swollen eyelids, multiple sheddings, and fear of being held, and issues eating anything but catfood..... One thing that many owners of BTS's will agree on is a connection with their skink. They can see emotions in their eyes. They can see their skink looking at them and they will even watch/follow your eyes too. This is just an opinion, but I bet 20 bucks she is sensing all of your worrying and is also causing her to worry and be stressed.


But, the bottom line is it seems like you are a worry wart and a bit too impatient with her. You have an injured reptile in a fairly new environment that is stressing because you're stressing. He/she is pretty much gonna do nothing but hide and sleep for next few months. It is just how they are. What she needs is a stable environment with little to no interactions, besides feeding/cleaning, for some time. She needs to be able to get used to things and get over the stress. Once that happens, I bet she will be a totally different lizard.


Also, I did not notice any posts of where you live but, if you live in Texas (or near the northern parts of) and decide you don't want her, I will gladly take her so she doesn't have to go back to the rescue. I will gladly pay what ever you paid for her so you are not out any money, too.

Good luck!

mdeford09 wrote:newbie to the site but just wanted to give my 2 cents.


It is very normal for new owners to expect something extraordinary from a pet reptile right away. But, it takes time to achieve these type of relationships with your pets and some reptiles just won't ever have it.

What makes BTS's awesome is 95% of them have the chance for some level of a bond with their owners. Sometimes, it is just a "you feed me, so I know you" bond and other times it is a "I love you! Pet me and hold me!" type of bond. It all depends on the personality of your skink.

As an reptile owner who owns many amphibians and reptiles, this is something you need to come to terms with before buying a reptile. You don't get to pick their personality. But, you can help morph it to a certain degree. I have seen wild caught skinks go from terrified and nippy to happy being pet and sleeping all night long on the chest of a 7 year old boy. But, there is no way for you to truly get the personality of your pet until you give them time to get settled in with their surroundings and most importantly, settled in with you. This can take months and sometimes, won't ever happen. But, the reason why Bearded Dragons and BTS's are so popular is 9.5 times out of 10, it does happen. So, your chances are good that one day, you will from a decent bond.


Going back through your posts, I can see you obtained her on April 26th 2015 and it is not even been 3 months and you're deciding she isn't the lizard for you. During those 3 months, she has had what you thought was sunburn, bleeding gums that now requires medication that you're too afraid to give her, swollen eyelids, multiple sheddings, and fear of being held, and issues eating anything but catfood..... One thing that many owners of BTS's will agree on is a connection with their skink. They can see emotions in their eyes. They can see their skink looking at them and they will even watch/follow your eyes too. This is just an opinion, but I bet 20 bucks she is sensing all of your worrying and is also causing her to worry and be stressed.


But, the bottom line is it seems like you are a worry wart and a bit too impatient with her. You have an injured reptile in a fairly new environment that is stressing because you're stressing. He/she is pretty much gonna do nothing but hide and sleep for next few months. It is just how they are. What she needs is a stable environment with little to no interactions, besides feeding/cleaning, for some time. She needs to be able to get used to things and get over the stress. Once that happens, I bet she will be a totally different lizard.


Also, I did not notice any posts of where you live but, if you live in Texas (or near the northern parts of) and decide you don't want her, I will gladly take her so she doesn't have to go back to the rescue. I will gladly pay what ever you paid for her so you are not out any money, too.

Good luck!

I know this is true, but this still isn't the house for her, I think. She never liked being held, even the whole while she was at the rescue, which had been some time. And while she might get used to our house and me within a few months, I'm still going to stress myself out, which will still stress her out. I love lizards but I don't think I'm the best lizard-keeper-person. Starting out with leopard geckos or something would have probably made it easier. She has trouble eating, trouble with her mouth, stressed out from me, and is stressed out from all the noise. I think it's best

I would give her to you, but I'm in Arizona...

finnyskink wrote:I know this is true, but this still isn't the house for her, I think. She never liked being held, even the whole while she was at the rescue, which had been some time. And while she might get used to our house and me within a few months, I'm still going to stress myself out, which will still stress her out. I love lizards but I don't think I'm the best lizard-keeper-person. Starting out with leopard geckos or something would have probably made it easier. She has trouble eating, trouble with her mouth, stressed out from me, and is stressed out from all the noise. I think it's best

I would give her to you, but I'm in Arizona...

Yeah, it is entirely possible that she will never be one to enjoy being held. But, my only arguement would be that I doubt someone running a rescue would be able to give her the same time and care that someone owning only her would and she would probably calm down a lot more with someone spending one on one time with her more.

But, I do understand your frustration and feelings. Looking at your profile, it says you're only 14 and I bet that has a lot to do with it.. Not an insult at all. Everyone either will be or has been 14. It is a tough time in our lives. Hormones and trying to figure out who we are the the things we want to do. Makes choices like this even harder.

If you truly feel you can't give her the proper home and she better off, definitely give her back. It will be better for both of you

mdeford09 wrote:

finnyskink wrote:I know this is true, but this still isn't the house for her, I think. She never liked being held, even the whole while she was at the rescue, which had been some time. And while she might get used to our house and me within a few months, I'm still going to stress myself out, which will still stress her out. I love lizards but I don't think I'm the best lizard-keeper-person. Starting out with leopard geckos or something would have probably made it easier. She has trouble eating, trouble with her mouth, stressed out from me, and is stressed out from all the noise. I think it's best

I would give her to you, but I'm in Arizona...

Yeah, it is entirely possible that she will never be one to enjoy being held. But, my only arguement would be that I doubt someone running a rescue would be able to give her the same time and care that someone owning only her would and she would probably calm down a lot more with someone spending one on one time with her more.

But, I do understand your frustration and feelings. Looking at your profile, it says you're only 14 and I bet that has a lot to do with it.. Not an insult at all. Everyone either will be or has been 14. It is a tough time in our lives. Hormones and trying to figure out who we are the the things we want to do. Makes choices like this even harder.

If you truly feel you can't give her the proper home and she better off, definitely give her back. It will be better for both of you

I agree, yes. I tend to worry way too much than I need to, and even if I tell myself that I'm just stressing out too much, or she'll improve over time, it doesn't really help. I'm still worried, which does seem to rub off on Finny.

I do think the rescue would be better for her... The people that worked there were very friendly and helpful, all the pets looked happy and healthy. Lizards just don't seem to be my forte, heh. I might try to get another lizard, not anytime soon, but later.

I'm especially worried because I used to have a Russian Tortoise that passed away from a respiratory infection only a few months after we got him. I'm just paranoid - having a pet that is healthy would certainly make me feel better.

You have obviously already made your decision, so I'm not going to go on about it. Maybe consider buying a baby from a breeder next time. Rescuing sickly, mistreated skinks is great, but they certainly aren't for everyone.

Taking in a rescue is a big responsibility and could be especially tough for someone without experience with the animal. How involved are your parents? Have you discussed your concerns with them? Let them read up your threads on this forum? Is is possible they can help provide the necessary care in the meantime? If this is a sick skink it needs to be given the recommended treatment while you are deciding.

If you and your family think this is not for you and your circumstances, giving her someone who is able to care for her may give her the best chance. Perhaps you call the rescue and talk to them? Probably a long shot but do you have a local herpetological group or society you can contact?

It is really hard dealing with sick pets and grieving those gone and I wish you all the best. You are not alone though so talk with your family and us and any local experts you can.

alichamp wrote:Taking in a rescue is a big responsibility and could be especially tough for someone without experience with the animal. How involved are your parents? Have you discussed your concerns with them? Let them read up your threads on this forum? Is is possible they can help provide the necessary care in the meantime? If this is a sick skink it needs to be given the recommended treatment while you are deciding.

If you and your family think this is not for you and your circumstances, giving her someone who is able to care for her may give her the best chance. Perhaps you call the rescue and talk to them? Probably a long shot but do you have a local herpetological group or society you can contact?

It is really hard dealing with sick pets and grieving those gone and I wish you all the best. You are not alone though so talk with your family and us and any local experts you can.

We're going to call the rescue in a few days. There actually is a herpetological society in Phoenix, but we're probably just going to take her back to the rescue - they know her best. Thanks.

OK.
Is she getting the medicine/ treatment from the vet in the meantime?

alichamp wrote:OK.
Is she getting the medicine/ treatment from the vet in the meantime?

Yeah, she is.