As I mentioned in previous posts, I have this new baby. I didn't even notice until after I had her a few days that her walk is off. When she's just slowly moving around in her cage or is walking around on you, you won't notice it as much. But when she's out on the floor or bed you'll notice it.
When she went to the vet, I don't think he saw it. So I just explained what I see and he basically told me that she was underweight and probably needed to just get stronger and to keep up with good calcium, uvb and exercise and she'll be alright, that there didn't seem to be any major problems.
Originally, it just seemed like the bottom half of her just wasn't able to be held up on her back legs. Kind of reminded me of the way some german shephard dogs look, where their back legs are lower than their front legs.
But, I've had her for more than 2 weeks, she seemed to be getting stronger and coming along well. Last night she did a full shed and right before I took this video, I had given her a bath to get rid of most of the shed. Anyway, she was doing something weird. Right at the base of the tail before it meets the body, she had it crooked for a few mins and would walk with the tail lifted. I thought she was going to go to the bathroom but she didn't. At one point, she even moved her head to her tail like she was trying to see what was bothering her. Then when she walked, her right back leg was more limp at times. She never did this before, acting like one particular leg was bothering her. But I think it was the base of the tail that was the problem. My son suggested maybe there was some shed still stuck around there but I didn't see any.
Should I take her back to the vet? Do you have any idea what's going on?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2xP5gFBsqk&feature=youtu.be
Leg/tail/walk problems (video)
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In this forum all are welcome to ask blue tongue skink-related questions, share information, ideas, tips, experiences, and pictures with fellow BTS enthusiasts.
If you are wondering if your BTS is acting normally or might be sick, this is where you can get help with that.
This is also where you can have some FUN while sharing the enjoyment you get from your blueys!
- Angcious
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- Location: DE
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Dood
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Re: Leg/tail/walk problems (video)
In my experience skinks rarely walk on all 4's like geckos or monitors and prefer to slither like a snake and use their legs as oars ( http://youtu.be/DuahY0KLiPw ) so I don't find your skinks movement unusual 
I did notice he seemed to favour the right hind leg but near the end of the video he used it so it obviously works
You mention you "helped" your skink to shed, you might of actually removed skin prematurely and caused some irritation, also water, especially city or "hard" well water) is very drying - I recommend moisturizing your skink with some emu oil or an other natural oil (maybe even some vitamin E) to help soften the skin and reduce any tightness
I've never had to remove stuck shed from my skinks they've both always done it on their own but I've only been an owner for 20 months
you might want to double check humidity levels - T. gigas sp. need 60% to 80% - or install a humidity hide

I did notice he seemed to favour the right hind leg but near the end of the video he used it so it obviously works
You mention you "helped" your skink to shed, you might of actually removed skin prematurely and caused some irritation, also water, especially city or "hard" well water) is very drying - I recommend moisturizing your skink with some emu oil or an other natural oil (maybe even some vitamin E) to help soften the skin and reduce any tightness
I've never had to remove stuck shed from my skinks they've both always done it on their own but I've only been an owner for 20 months
- Angcious
- Bluey Beginner

- Posts: 161
- Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2015 6:27 pm
- Country: USA
- Location: DE
Re: Leg/tail/walk problems (video)
That was an interesting video, I never saw any of mine move like that!
Fortunately, she wasn't walking like she was favoring her leg today so I'm thinking it did have something to do with her shed. I didn't have the camera out in time but it was her tail that I thought was even more strange, cocked to the side and lifted. I think I just got scared that we might be going downhill.
I had always made a routine with my older one that when he was almost done with his shed, I'd give him a soak...and did the same thing with the baby. Thought it might be soothing for them but never thought about the water possibly irritating their skin! She was mostly done with the shed, just had a few tiny random patches that had just fallen off in the water. I don't ever pull any of it off though.
Her cage humidity has been around 70, but it's temporary until I put her in her permanent enclosure after quarantine. My other's enclosure is usually around 80.
Fortunately, she wasn't walking like she was favoring her leg today so I'm thinking it did have something to do with her shed. I didn't have the camera out in time but it was her tail that I thought was even more strange, cocked to the side and lifted. I think I just got scared that we might be going downhill.
I had always made a routine with my older one that when he was almost done with his shed, I'd give him a soak...and did the same thing with the baby. Thought it might be soothing for them but never thought about the water possibly irritating their skin! She was mostly done with the shed, just had a few tiny random patches that had just fallen off in the water. I don't ever pull any of it off though.
Her cage humidity has been around 70, but it's temporary until I put her in her permanent enclosure after quarantine. My other's enclosure is usually around 80.
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