Help with learning Mating

[scarletscales]

So I think I'm finally ready for a few baby skinks, both for myself and some well trusted friends. And I don't wanna deny my bluetongues the urge when it arises. But I was wondering if any skink veterans were able to help with knowing when my lizards are ready to mate, and how to help them get it going.. As well as maybe helping them prepare for such a thing, if they even need preparation.

Thank you
-Scarlet

[kingofnobbys]

How old is your skink ?

Advise I was given for my easterns was
>> no brumation in their first winter.
>> wait until they are at least 2 years old to mate them ( is very hard on a juvenile or subadult female BTS ) if it's been mated and has then to take maybe 8 to 12 baby skinks full term to deliver them all live .

Developing baby skinks inside the "pregnant" mother will take all the protein and calcium she consumes and this is a problem if she's not fully grown or fully developed.

[scarletscales]

How old is your skink ?

Advise I was given for my easterns was
>> no brumation in their first winter.
>> wait until they are at least 2 years old to mate them ( is very hard on a juvenile or subadult female BTS ) if it's been mated and has then to take maybe 8 to 12 baby skinks full term to deliver them all live .

Developing baby skinks inside the "pregnant" mother will take all the protein and calcium she consumes and this is a problem if she's not fully grown or fully developed.

When I got them they were about 4 year old or so I was told.. So If I had to guess, they are both approaching 7 years of age. So I'm aware they are able to mate. I'm just not sure how to tell when they are wanting to, and how I can help them with it.
They have been living together pretty much all their life contently, long before I got them, and show no hostile behavior to each other at all, and were sold to me as a pair, but not a mated pair. So I'm jstu trying to keep an eye out of signs they want to mate, if I can recognize them. And then help them get through it all, they are my little ones. uwu

[mb606587]

How sure are you that you actually have a pair? If you've been cohabitating for years without any surprise babies, it's possible you have two same sex individuals.

[kingofnobbys]

How old is your skink ?

Advise I was given for my easterns was
>> no brumation in their first winter.
>> wait until they are at least 2 years old to mate them ( is very hard on a juvenile or subadult female BTS ) if it's been mated and has then to take maybe 8 to 12 baby skinks full term to deliver them all live .

Developing baby skinks inside the "pregnant" mother will take all the protein and calcium she consumes and this is a problem if she's not fully grown or fully developed.

When I got them they were about 4 year old or so I was told.. So If I had to guess, they are both approaching 7 years of age. So I'm aware they are able to mate. I'm just not sure how to tell when they are wanting to, and how I can help them with it.
They have been living together pretty much all their life contently, long before I got them, and show no hostile behavior to each other at all, and were sold to me as a pair, but not a mated pair. So I'm jstu trying to keep an eye out of signs they want to mate, if I can recognize them. And then help them get through it all, they are my little ones. uwu

It sounds like you have two females.

If you had two males, I think you would have had to separate them long before now , the boys are best housed separately as males are territorial.

Can you take a photo from above of both them next to each other . It's easy to pick the male from a female if you have a mixed pair.

[scarletscales]

It sounds like you have two females.

If you had two males, I think you would have had to separate them long before now , the boys are best housed separately as males are territorial.

Can you take a photo from above of both them next to each other . It's easy to pick the male from a female if you have a mixed pair.

I've shown both of them on here before, the verdict was a male and female from a fair few people.

This one is Mordred.

20190611_012217.jpg

And This one is Chrome.

20190611_012257.jpg

[mb606587]

Yeah if I had to guess I'd agree Chrome is male and Mordred female. But unfortunately, visually sexing BTS is merely guesswork and even the experts get it wrong. The possibility looms you have two females. However, the behaviors you described from the one indicate male.

[kingofnobbys]

I think you've mixed pair. When your boy is leaving sperm plugs I think he's ready.

Bit early yet for them to be getting interested in some hanky-panky. Being mid July and the middle of winter here in NSW , unless you up on far north coast where it's warmer.

Have they been in brumation ?

Most the breeders I know will encourage their breeders to have a dormnant period over winter as they believe it gets their breeders better prepared for breeding season and synchronises the peak fertility of the males and females.

I think you'll find all they'll need is to be together and nature will take it's course and then in a couple of months she'll be getting ready give berth.

I house my two housed separately and never let them be physically together as I'm not interested in breeding BTs and having to deal with timewasters when it comes to rehoming / selling their offspring , and really unless you have very hard to find morphs , it's not ever going to make much money breeding BTs.

[scarletscales]

I see. Well thank you for all your help~ It is rather early down here in NSW. I'll just let them be and see if Nature does what it wants.