BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Hi - we have a bluey "Rush" who is 3 years old. It's winter here in Melbourne and he hasn't been hibernating but still eating very well. Lately when we have gone to either pat him or clean his enclosure he has started to dart at us. Normally he is very calm and would love a pat. In the past month he has finally stopped climbing the glass. Nothing has changed in his enclosure or the room where he is. We can't even pick him up to let him run around because when we go to put him in back in he lunged or darts at us with his mouth open.
Any ideas why the sudden change in behaviour??

I'm not sure but it's odd that he would be climbing the glass during winter. Are you sure your temps aren't too hot in the enclosure? Do you have a nice temp gradient? What do you feed him?

Strong suspicion is he knows winter is coming to an end and if you''ve bad a warm few days, he knows it and is getting "frisky" , time to let him have more time out of his tank to burn off some of that pent up energy by roaming about exploring inside the house (in safe areas) , my George has been a bit frisky in the last few days too , George Isn't being at aggressive but he's definitely "energised".

Your skink is hormonal and uberhorny.

That was my first thought too but it's mid winter! Thought it would be too early for friskiness ...?

Thanks everyone!! We have limited the heat time as I was rather conscious of it getting too hot. Yesterday we didn't see him at all so hopefully he stays buried and wakes with with a happier outlook.
We have been feeding him twice a week which he seems to be eating more than usual. His last meal was cooked chicken with raw egg - one of his favourites. I did question if he was being fed too much in winter but when he basically inhaled his food I thought maybe not.
I could just be paranoid that there is something wrong but I would hate to miss vital signs.
We have another couple of months with very cold temps so after that we will get him to run around.
Hopefully everything we are doing is right!!

alichamp wrote:That was my first thought too but it's mid winter! Thought it would be too early for friskiness ...?

I saw some water skinks and delicate (brown garden) skinks out sunning themselves yesterday (was warm and sunny here) , so I have no double there might be some earlier birds mating amongst them. The earliest I've seen very young / newborn baby sinks in my yard has been on Father's Day , the deed would have been done in July I expect.
'
I'm within a few km of the sea so never really gets that cold here.