BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Have any of you just kind of... not enjoyed owning a certain skink? Its never their fault for the behaviours they develop through an owners negligence (or just their personality in general) but I just felt really guilty for having to pass mine on.

I had posted before about adopting a year old blotchie, unfortunately in the 5 months I owned him that I felt he was better suited with another owner with more experience than myself.

I knew he wasn't going to be a typical skink and needed much patience (given how non socialized he was), but gosh the amount of stress he gave me in that short time really put a damper on my excitement of owning a first skink. I've learnt my lesson; don't take up a neglected skink as a first pet unless you are really ready for it. I unfortunately underestimated his fear of people.

I did find him a new owner, she was well knowledged and had other lovely skinks all kept seperate with light/UV which was fantastic. Im sure he'll get the space and time he requires there to open up!

This parts more of an intro
I was late to baby season in Australia once I was looking into a new skink but still managed to aquire a month old Northern from a breeder. I've named him Syrup, he's currently 2 months old now and growing fast He has his hiding days but I no longer have the worrying monolog of "is this a normal skink thing or an avoidant habit". Syrups an active lil guy who loves to bask, has already gotten used to me walking about, can be a lil jumpy but still seems quite curious. I am excited to bond with him as he grows

These pictures arnt the best sorry. Been having him on my bed to let him roam a bit, always have a hand ready for when they walk right off lol. I also adore his pattern, Northerns had always been my favourite species

I feel your pain, OP. Before I got my Northern, I tried a young red bearded dragon. Supposedly, they are easy to tame and raise. My little hell raiser was not. No matter how much time I spent trying to get it tame, it never would. Anytime I stuck my hand in the enclosure, it would flatten out and hiss to no end. After 3 months of this and no progress, I gave up and sold it back to the pet store I bought it from. It was safe to say the we did not click and I don't know why. Based on his behavior, I want to say he might have been wild caught.

Go forward a few years and I purchased my first skink from a breeder in Nevada. He was 4 months old by the time I found him. He has been THE best reptile I have kept to date. Only time he's hissed was right after I got him in the mail and he was still cool from his trip. After he warmed up, he took a stroll on the table, I fed him some puree and he was happy. He was easy to tame and has not bit me out of fear or other stress. They will test bite when younger, and I think that is important. It's the same thing you do with puppies so they learn not to bite too hard as adults. I've had my Northern for 3.5 years now and couldn't be happier. I would like to get another sometime down the road, maybe try my hand at breeding.

Good luck with your new buddy!

Awe, I am sorry your rescue didn't work out, but good for you for rehoming to someone who can work with it. Congratulations on Syrup. I love the name by the way. Gorgeous little baby

Ahh that's a shame about the beardy I hope he was able to find someone who could keep up with that feisty nature. They're so individual that you just don't know what you've accepted till you experience it.

jdheff1982 wrote:  He was easy to tame and has not bit me out of fear or other stress. They will test bite when younger, and I think that is important.

Gosh babies really do take a nibble at everything! Syrup's nipped his feeding plate, his own shed, his urate right after weeing it out, how gross I've been using food as a positive reinforcement for when I handle him (he's nipped me while getting the food I held, quite a painful pinch from those lil chompers!). Couldn't do it with my blotchy because he'd wee on me every chance he got
If you have any pics of your northern on you, I'd love to see too

Janella wrote:Awe, I am sorry your rescue didn't work out, but good for you for rehoming to someone who can work with it. Congratulations on Syrup. I love the name by the way. Gorgeous little baby

It was a nice thought but I underestimated the patience he required, it sucks having your first skink and never being able to hold them even after months
Orangey brown northerns always made me think of having maple syrup drizzled along their backs, maybe if I get another I'll call em maple

Here's a better photo of him peering by the glass. He does a bit of nose running against the glass doors, I'm not sure if they grow out of it or not

Here is a picture of my Northern Mintaka. I also have a Merauke named Noodles. I adore both my skinks. They are amazing.

Oh Noodles that can't be comfortable
Absolutely gorgeous set ups you have there! I've been having a bit of trouble finding plants I like the look of, so mines not very colourful atm.

Thank you. Noodles is very much a character. I use all fake plants. Noodles never roots them up or moves them around. Mintaka on the other hand...well he does it all the time.

I'm having a similar problem with my skink I got him after he was already a year old and I feel like all he does is hide when I'm in the room he never is just out unless there's food put out and when ever I try to take him out for handling he hisses for the first minute or 2 until he relaxes I've had him almost 2 months and nothing has changed

hunterG09 wrote:I'm having a similar problem with my skink I got him after he was already a year old and I feel like all he does is hide when I'm in the room he never is just out unless there's food put out and when ever I try to take him out for handling he hisses for the first minute or 2 until he relaxes I've had him almost 2 months and nothing has changed

Yeah I've heard year+ skinks will take a lot longer to come around. See how you go for a few more months, it took me 2 months to start getting some progress with my previous skink

hunterG09 wrote:I'm having a similar problem with my skink I got him after he was already a year old and I feel like all he does is hide when I'm in the room he never is just out unless there's food put out and when ever I try to take him out for handling he hisses for the first minute or 2 until he relaxes I've had him almost 2 months and nothing has changed

They're all so different; mine took 6 months to finally come around, but now he's like a puppy - he hears me coming and runs up to the glass for play time.

Ohgeez wrote:

hunterG09 wrote:I'm having a similar problem with my skink I got him after he was already a year old and I feel like all he does is hide when I'm in the room he never is just out unless there's food put out and when ever I try to take him out for handling he hisses for the first minute or 2 until he relaxes I've had him almost 2 months and nothing has changed

Yeah I've heard year+ skinks will take a lot longer to come around. See how you go for a few more months, it took me 2 months to start getting some progress with my previous skink

Trust building and bonding takes time and patience.

If the lizard has never been handled and never had pleasant experiences with people , it will be harder to gain their trust and bond with them , but the lizard will come around when it's ready, I REPEAT , when and only when IT IS READY TO. This is something you must do on your lizard's timetable.
Hand feeding them treats when you are trying to befriend them is a great way to get a lizard to trust you, because it will soon come to associate your hand and you with what to it is a pleasureable experience (in the case of BTS getting a fav treat which could be a mealworm, a superworm, a silkworm , a snail , a chunk of banana, a bit of hardboiled egg, or piece of some kind of sweet berry) will override any fear it had of people , you'll soon have a skink who takes treats from your finger tips or open hand , and then looks you in the eye in anticipation of more.
After a short while your skink will greet you when it see you and it seek you out.

With some lizards , it will only take a week or two, others it might require 6 months or more.