Suddenly aggressive after 4 years docile?

[laeabbott]

Hi everyone. I bought my Merauke here in Japan when he was still a baby. He was captive born, but no information about whether he was captive bred (I understand chances are low. Lol). He had a bit of the juvenile fear that made him wary of people when he was younger, and wasn’t all that fond of interacting with people outside of being given food, but since coronavirus has hit I’ve had a lot more time at home to socialize with him.

I wanted to help him become more comfortable exploring outside of his tank, so I gave him half a blueberry every day if he walked down a little ramp that I made him. He usually would eat a blueberry and go back into the tank, but more and more he became comfortable with me holding him, moving him around, exploring the office, etc.

As a result, he’s really socially grown the last four months. He’s been way more interested in exploring the office outside of his tank, so we lizard proofed the office, living room, and kitchen so he could have a supervised wander a couple of hours each day. It’s become routine.

Today, he was out walking around in the office and I was sitting on the ground with a book. He walked up to me like he might usually, and sniffed my elbow. Then totally out of the blue he attacked it! It was so out of character for him that all I could do was sit and watch him do it! Even when he was a baby he never displayed aggression like that. I actually bled. He tried to roll my elbow skin like a little crocodile.

I put him away immediately (which he didn’t fight???) and he seems uninjured by the event. He’s acting totally normal now—Fine with me touching him without huffing, etc.

The only other unusual behavior that he exhibited recently was chasing my girlfriend out of the office (she had just taken him out of his couch hideout, and he really isn’t comfortable being carried around by people other than me. That’s the first time he's chased someone), and he recently tried to eat the broom...

Any idea about whats's gotten into my bluey?

[OlitheHalmahera]

So my bluey can be a nipper but only in situations where he seemed to expect food and got confused. Like when he is basking where I usually give him a whorm.
Like today he bid his antibiotic cream container, beacuse I thought I chould get away with cleaning his whound, while he was basking.
Then after he got his worm, he just let me clean, and didn't pay any attention to the cream container.

Maybe your skink got confused aswell? At least I don't think is something to worry about.
They aren't a domesticated animels so him suddenly getting nervous beacuse of fx quick movement or a shadow that suddenly over him and having his instinkt decide biting or running is the best cause of action, well that is just a part of having a skink.

I wish you the best of luck with your boy.