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New Blue Tongue Skink. Baby stays burrowed.

Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2020 12:17 pm
by DyingAllNight
I just got my 3 month old BTS yesterday. When I 1st placed my BTS in its new home my basking light didn't work, but I ordered one and it arrived the following day(today). The problem is my BTS has not come out from borrowing for nearly 10 hours, I have ReptiChip. Now that my basking light works the basking side of the cage is about 95 F and cool side is at 72 F, which should be good. But he is still borrowed. I know they like to borrow but I also want him to eat since he is young(3 months).

My questions are:
1) Did I send him into a burmation state since he had no basking light the 1st day he arrived?
2) Should I put food in his cage and hope he eats?
3) Did I put too much substrate in the tank? I gave him a place to hide with tubing but maybe I put too much substrate in and I am encouraging him to just hide.

You can see my cage.

Pic BTS 2.jpg

Re: New Blue Tongue Skink. Baby stays burrowed.

Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2020 1:53 pm
by mb606587
1. No it is not brumating. 1 day without heat isn't a big deal. When breeders ship overnight, there is no basking heat either and that does not induce brumation. Your skink is exhibiting fairly typical behavior. Let it acclimate to its new surroundings on its own terms.
2. Absolutely yes. Food should be offered every day and removed in the evening if not eaten.
3. Nope. Allowing enough substrate for burrowing is a good thing.
4. Do you know the subspecies of skink you have and where did you purchase from?