Do you think my skink has an RI?

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Coolcar91
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Do you think my skink has an RI?

Postby Coolcar91 » Wed Mar 31, 2021 2:05 pm

Hi! So as you guys have seen, I’m a new owner, and I have been asking a few very specific questions. This is another one of those times. From what I’ve read about respiratory infections, a lot of things could be symptoms but aren’t necessarily. I’ll go to a vet of course if there’s any real concern, but I don’t want to do that if I’m just being a helicopter mom about nothing. So, if any of you guys would tell me if these are normal skink things or something to worry about, that would help a lot! So, here goes:

Reasons he may have an RI:
He sneezes(or huffs-a combination, I think) a lot-sometimes it seems involuntary, and his body kind of jumps.

He has a little patch of something around his nose-damaged scales, normal scuffs from digging or eating, or “discharge”? Picture included.
EDIT: the powder around his nose does look like the calcium powder I put on his food every other day-that could also be what it is.

He had some bubbles coming out the side of his mouth after eating some snails-I’ve read that might be normal, but still worrisome!

He sometimes holds his mouth slightly open, and has opened it about halfway for no apparent reason a couple times.

His mouth sometimes makes a creaky noise when he opens and closes it.

Reasons he may not have an RI:

He’s not lethargic at all-he still climbs around and is very friendly, except when he was shedding.

His temps are pretty good-about 70-75 on the cool side and 90-95 on the warm side(warmer on his rock).

His humidity is about 30-50 percent.

His eyes are clear, and he’s not wheezing or crackling or anything like that.

I’ve read a lot about respiratory infections, and since he’s a Northern, I know they don’t often get them.

Okay, that’s basically all the information I have that’s been worrying me...sorry to bother you if all of this is nothing, but if there might be a problem I have to take care of him. I don’t have much experience with reptiles, and I want to treat him right. Thank you to anyone who actually read this far! :lol:
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splashy07
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Re: Do you think my skink has an RI?

Postby splashy07 » Thu Apr 01, 2021 4:23 am

Looks like he's on aspen, I'd change that. Had extreme difficulty with it when I first started keeping northerns, at the time I was told to use it. Not good. Way too dry, experienced excessive sneezing and abnormally difficult sheds.
Coolcar91
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Re: Do you think my skink has an RI?

Postby Coolcar91 » Thu Apr 01, 2021 6:27 am

Okay, he’s definitely had both of those...should I switch to cypress mulch then, or would you recommend something else? Good to know that that might be the reason for the sneezing!
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splashy07
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Re: Do you think my skink has an RI?

Postby splashy07 » Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:11 am

I use coco husk, repti bark, cypress mulch or similar. Sometimes a combination of all three depending on what I have around. The only thing I use aspen for are rodents and some of my colubrids. I've found it does not work at all for my northerns.
Coolcar91
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Re: Do you think my skink has an RI?

Postby Coolcar91 » Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:13 am

Okay, next time I change the substrate I’ll try one of those, thanks!!! Are any of the other behaviors I mentioned problems, or are they all normal or substrate-related too?
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Re: Do you think my skink has an RI?

Postby splashy07 » Mon Apr 05, 2021 5:06 am

I would immediately switch out the substrate and take it from there.

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