BTS fussy when taken out

[Versiris]

My Northern BTS is super fussy when I take him out of his tank. I want to offer him a way to get out and explore but he doesn't seem to be exploring so much as trying to find a space to hide. When I put him on my bed he goes under the covers and stays there. If I put him on the floor in any room he heads for the darkest, tightest spot he can find, usually tries to crawl under the couch or desk, which of course I don't let him.

So fast forward to today: I've been trying to come up with a way to let him explore safely and I thought AHA! What about a play pen? So I bought a small animal pen and got him a soft bed and fun tube to explore. Here's a pic:

I put him in and.... all he does is try to escape. He paced and pushed on the wires with his nose and actually moved the pen across the floor. So much for that... he seemed too distracted by trying to escape the fence than exploring the tunnel or bed. I put him back in his tank and gave up, didn't want to stress him out.

Do you think he'd get used to it eventually? I just want a way to take him out of the tank that doesn't require that I have to grab him when he tries to go somewhere unsafe.

[Laceflower]

How long have you had him? New skinks can be stressed no matter their age, and it can take them a while to come around enough to feel safe exploring. I think your playpen idea is brilliant, and I may invest in one myself as I'd like to be able to let Riff explore without having to be on top of her all the time.

Is there anything around that's loud or maybe something that smells weird? If not, just try taking him out for short intervals and giving him a small treat when you do. Increase his play time gradually. Every one of them is different, so it could be any little thing that makes him uncomfortable. They're sensitive little sausages.

[alichamp]

Ditto what Laceflower said!

[Versiris]

Thanks, that's great advice! I realized the reason he was so pushy and destructive is because it's mating season! He's usually more laid back. He's been acting up in his own tank as well, not eating, filling his bowl with substrate and turning over decorations. So yeah, no need to worry, I'll try again once he's stopped his search for ladies.

[Susann]

Another thought is that this is "down-time" for Northerns if you live in the northern hemisphere.... He could be trying to brumate.