Brumation in Summer [Uk]?

[BlueThunder]

Hi guys,

My Northern BTS lives in London (where the weather is changeable), is about 11 months old, and for the last 2 weeks has been burrowed on the cool side, under his hide, without moving (he is still alive, given the odd hiss when I check). The temps are 32-33c on the warm side, which haven't really changed since he arrived. The night temps are about 23c on the warm side (in order to try and avoid brumation like I was told to do in his first year).

He hasn't eaten for at least 2 weeks, despite being offered food around then several times. His pooping frequency and size has been going down the last month or two, but his weight seems good, and he has grown rapidly.

I had arranged a vet visit for this coming Thursday, but I'm now wondering whether he has gone into brumation, even if the temps are stable....

Given the possible brumation, I wondered if it was better to cancel the appointment and wait him getting up and about again .I called the vet to ask their advice, and was told that Blue tongues don't "hibernate" and I should bring him in. Admittedly I'm not sure they know he is a Northern but slightly concerning.

So, should I get him checked out, or leave him be?
Thanks!

[kingofnobbys]

Try nudging up the photoperiod (basking light and UV) by 2 or 3 hours per day.

My easterns and water skink and beardies all tend to hunker down if the weather turns nasty ( wet stormy dismal - dull ) , what's the weather been like while this has been going on ?

[BlueThunder]

Weather is fine, quite warm actually. There have been rain storms, but generally the weather is getting hotter and his tank has measured 35c so higher than usual. The UV light is on from 7am until 9pm. I could up it, but the skink is buried under a hide with substrate pushed to the entrance, so it can't actually see it.

I did bump up the temp by 1c once the weather cooled a few days ago, but no change. I could bump up more I guess to get to 35-36c again.

Out of interest, if I can't get him to move by Thursday should I leave him to it, or dig him out and take him to the vet? I just assumed that moving him would be the wrong thing to do, if he is indeed starting brumation.

[mb606587]

I would pull him out and just do a quick health check at this point. Make sure he's alert, his eyes are bright and not sunken in, no discharge from the mouth or eyes. Sometimes just taking them out can jumpstart them and get them back to their old routine.

[BlueThunder]

I would pull him out and just do a quick health check at this point. Make sure he's alert, his eyes are bright and not sunken in, no discharge from the mouth or eyes. Sometimes just taking them out can jumpstart them and get them back to their old routine.

I gently dug him up last week, after he'd been burrowed for about 10 days. No sign of any problems like you mentioned. He walked about for a minute, had a drink, then immediately burrowed back down and hasn't moved since.

[mb606587]

I would try bumping temperatures. Your basking temperature is a bit on the low side IMO. Your skink should be large enough now to go without food for months at a time so missing a few meals is no big deal but it isn't typical for a normally active skink to all of a sudden brumate at the start of summer. If bumping temperatures does not elicit a response in another week or 2, I'd consider taking him to a qualified vet.

[7.62]

My bluey was doing the exact thing for 3 weeks. I finally uncovered him and gave him a treat (raspberry) to try to spark some activity. He roamed around for about 10 mins then dug himself back deep in the substrate. So the next day I did they same thing and then feed him a nice big meal. That caused him to want to bask to aid in digestion. The extended period in the heat got him back to normal it seems because the past two days he has been back to his normal self! Maybe worth a try, and as others suggested a vet visit wouldn't hurt. (That would have been my next step if this didn't work.)

[BlueThunder]

Thanks for all the replies.

I took him to the vet. As it turns out, he has had an infection which according to the vet probably stemmed from his tail being bitten off prior to me purchasing him! I'm now giving him antibiotics and painkillers, and I've seen an upturn in his movement, and he has started eating again