BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

(TL,DR: Young Indonesian Skink seems more interested in droplets of water on glass than the dish, should I spring for a mister/fogger for water instead of the dish or am I just paranoid?)

Hello! I just got my first BTS, a Halmahera thats just a few weeks old as far as the breeder told me, and have a concern that hopefully one of you more experienced keepers can answer.

My skink's a really good eater, even eating some cucumber the day I brought it home and almost always cleans his whole plate only a week later. I'm concerned, though, about his hydration. I have a rather large water dish for him (for humidity and all as well as the ability to hop in if he desires for shedding purposes) and I've only seen him show interest in it once.
I'd just assume it was that I wasn't seeing him drink, but today when I was misting his enclosure, he ran scuttled up to where I was spraying and started licking the droplets off the glass like he was parched. He's currently in shed, so I don't know if that has something to do with it, but I just worry for the little guy, being a beginner and all. I've had anoles and red bellied toads, but never something as big as a BTS.
I'm currently working on getting the humidity in his tank just right, since it's been a little low, but multiple mists a day, lots of soaked moss, and tropical bedding have been working, so I'm just a bit confused.
He's already had 2 bowel movements, both seem healthy, but has slightly chalky urates if this helps at all

Sorry for the rambling! Just want to make the enclosure the best I can for the little guy!

Thank you!

Hiya!

Never had to spray for humidity for a bts (I live in a super humid environment, and have an Eastern) But I frequently mist my two other skinks, and they always race over to drink the droplets. I think it could be they're reminded of the rain, if that makes sense.

Maybe the previous owner of your skink removed the water dish periodically (I know some people do for variuos reasons) and your skink associates the misting as it's primary water source?

In any case, I almost never see my Blue Tongue drink water, but I know for a fact he does.

Just throwing some ideas out there. Your skink is definitely not wild caught? Sometimes wild caught skinks have weird tendencies.

Mine all drink lots of water. (I have Northerns and Easterns.) I seldom mist the enclosures unless I detect an upcoming shed period, but have large water bowls in all cages. One of my Northerns is smart enough to soak in it before a shed. I would never remove the water bowl, especially in your case of an Indo. It helps greatly to increase humidity levels. I noticed that mine will lick the droplets off the bowl on the outside when changed. Just instinct, I presume, they like the droplets!

Yeshika wrote:Never had to spray for humidity for a bts (I live in a super humid environment, and have an Eastern) But I frequently mist my two other skinks, and they always race over to drink the droplets. I think it could be they're reminded of the rain, if that makes sense.

Oh yeah, that does make sense, thank you! I was just worried I wasnt misting enough (even though i thought I was misting plenty, if not a little too much since he was in shed) or that I should splurge on one of those crested gecko dropper things haha

In any case, I almost never see my Blue Tongue drink water, but I know for a fact he does.

Just throwing some ideas out there. Your skink is definitely not wild caught? Sometimes wild caught skinks have weird tendencies.

I’m almost positive he wasn’t wild caught since the breeder had two adults with him not for sale that he said were a breeding pair, but he could’ve made it up, who knows
My little man seems braver than what I’ve read (hes already exploring and letting me pick him up after only a week in the tank) so I’d have to assume hes at least accustomed to people

Thanks so much for the feedback!!

splashy07 wrote:Mine all drink lots of water. (I have Northerns and Easterns.) I seldom mist the enclosures unless I detect an upcoming shed period, but have large water bowls in all cages. One of my Northerns is smart enough to soak in it before a shed. I would never remove the water bowl, especially in your case of an Indo. It helps greatly to increase humidity levels. I noticed that mine will lick the droplets off the bowl on the outside when changed. Just instinct, I presume, they like the droplets!

Thank you for the reply! I haven’t seen mine soak before, and after all he’s only shed once, but he has run underneath my spray bottle while I was misting him like he knew what he was doing to help him shed haha, it was really cute.
I may just have to get a bigger water bowl then and not worry so much about lots of misting, thanks!

My eastern bluetongues and eastern water skinks LOVE water …. the bluetongues love a good drink and the water skink (she does her impression of a micro-crocodile - she adores swimming and splashing and just luxuriating in her water dish for ages).