Blue tongue skink tank to cold at night and doesn’t eat a lot!!!!

[Gabriel]

Hi all, I am new to this forum but have a question that needs to be answered ASAP.

I have a blue tongue skunk in my room. Right now in Vancouver it is sunny and hot. I have a Air conditioner in my room. But when I turn on the AC the room obviously gets cold. Thus my blue tongue skinks tanks is cold. It sometimes drops below 60f and that’s a big No no for Blue tongue skinks. My blue youngest skunk also doesn’t eat a whole lot. He is roughly about 10 inches, I assume that he doesn’t eat because he gets to cold at night. Although his bask spot is roughly 90f or higher during the day. I just thought that the eating think maybe affected due to being to cold at night. So that brings me to my question. What should I do? Should I buy a ceramic heater or under ground tank heater? If you have different ideas please let me know. Although I recon that a ceramic heat setup would be more pricey than just a heat pad I would like to get some advice on what to do.

[mb606587]

I prefer ceramic heat emitters if night temperatures regularly drop under 65 degrees. Doesn't need to be a super powerful bulb, just enough to raise the night temperatures to around 70 degrees. A 90 degree basking temperature during the day is a bit low. Basking areas should be at least 100 degrees or even slightly warmer. A skink kept at inadequate temperatures tends not to eat due to the metabolism not operating at full efficiency. Also, what species is your baby skink? If you're not 100% sure, post a picture. Sometimes sick wild caught skinks are passed off as captive bred skinks and that would definitely affect the appetite.

[kingofnobbys]

What temperature do you have the room airconditioner's thermostat set to ?

I find my skinks like it above 24 degC overnight, and this is the night time temperature we try to maintain overnight in winter , and we up to 26 degC overnight in summer.

I just took a squiz at the Vancouver temperatures, your summer time temperatures are the same our winter time temperatures. This may well the issue. Nudge up the room temperature and maybe invest in a viv dimming thermostat and a CHE to keep the overnight temperatures more comfy ( mid 20s in degC ) overnight.

[Gabriel]

I prefer ceramic heat emitters if night temperatures regularly drop under 65 degrees. Doesn't need to be a super powerful bulb, just enough to raise the night temperatures to around 70 degrees. A 90 degree basking temperature during the day is a bit low. Basking areas should be at least 100 degrees or even slightly warmer. A skink kept at inadequate temperatures tends not to eat due to the metabolism not operating at full efficiency. Also, what species is your baby skink? If you're not 100% sure, post a picture. Sometimes sick wild caught skinks are passed off as captive bred skinks and that would definitely affect the appetite.

Ok thanks for the reply. I will get right onto getting better temps for my skink. He is a meruke BTS

[Gabriel]

I prefer ceramic heat emitters if night temperatures regularly drop under 65 degrees. Doesn't need to be a super powerful bulb, just enough to raise the night temperatures to around 70 degrees. A 90 degree basking temperature during the day is a bit low. Basking areas should be at least 100 degrees or even slightly warmer. A skink kept at inadequate temperatures tends not to eat due to the metabolism not operating at full efficiency. Also, what species is your baby skink? If you're not 100% sure, post a picture. Sometimes sick wild caught skinks are passed off as captive bred skinks and that would definitely affect the appetite.

[Gabriel]

thanks So much for the help

[Slinks]

I use a che at night because my room gets cold with the ac on also. I have it on a thermostat set for 72

[Slinks]

How long have you had your young skink?

[Gabriel]

How long have you had your young skink?

I have probably had him for about 4 months I’d say. I got him at a Vancouver reptile show from a company known as AK47 reptiles.

[mb606587]

That's an Indonesian skink, not a Merauke. Either way, it's probably wild caught. It's always recommended to have an experienced herp vet test a fecal sample for signs of internal parasites. A skink infested with parasites tends to refuse food as well. Keep your humidity levels high with this one, get your basking temperatures over 100, night temperatures over 70, preferably over 75, and have it vetted for parasites and you should be on the right track.

[Gabriel]

That's an Indonesian skink, not a Merauke. Either way, it's probably wild caught. It's always recommended to have an experienced herp vet test a fecal sample for signs of internal parasites. A skink infested with parasites tends to refuse food as well. Keep your humidity levels high with this one, get your basking temperatures over 100, night temperatures over 70, preferably over 75, and have it vetted for parasites and you should be on the right track.

Ok thanks so much for all the advice. You really know your stuff. Always nice to have help from a expert, haha. I did get a ceramic heat emitter. The only thing is that I bought a dome that only handles 75 watts max and I bought a 100 watts ceramic heat emitter.