BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Hi!! (Again.. >o < !!! I didn't see anything in the rules about having too many posts up at once, but these are all genuinely new questions I keep having as the days go by with my new baby!)


I've noticed my baby has a quite "heavy" breathing pattern. I read Blueys can have 'heavy breathing' after a big meal, but wasn't exactly sure what such a thing looked like, and certainly couldn't find any videos about it!


Here is her heavy breathing. https://imgur.com/a/nYRunL1 I apologize for the back angle, she was in the shade of a large plant and I couldn't get a good video from the side. Though you can see the heavy breathing regardless- it starts behind her arms, her little back lifts up, and then she exhales. The whole breathing cycle quite visibly moves her whole little body!!


She had a VERY large meal this morning. Her appetite is wonderfully healthy, and she has no mucus or wheezing or anything at all that would otherwise indicate unhealthiness.

Yet... man, that breathing sure does seem heavy. Is it normal, though? Thank you so much in advance to anyone who could weigh in!!

Hi again!

BTS often do have very fast paced or irregular breathing at times. It was hard to tell in your video but deep breaths such as that can occur prior to defecation, during shedding and also when in a deep sleep. As you've identified no other concerning symptoms I'm sure its all very normal. As a guide going forward in terms of behaviour also this may assist you:

Relaxed: Breathing from the "neck" (small movements)
Stimulated/active: Increased rate and more movement from the top of the ribs
Stressed: Deep, whole body breaths at a relatively quick pace, can also be quite erratic/irregular.
Sleep: Deep, regular breaths from the ribs with ~5-8 seconds in between (they can often also sleep with one eye open)

IvanDanko wrote:Hi again!

BTS often do have very fast paced or irregular breathing at times. It was hard to tell in your video but deep breaths such as that can occur prior to defecation, during shedding and also when in a deep sleep. As you've identified no other concerning symptoms I'm sure its all very normal. As a guide going forward in terms of behaviour also this may assist you:

Relaxed: Breathing from the "neck" (small movements)
Stimulated/active: Increased rate and more movement from the top of the ribs
Stressed: Deep, whole body breaths at a relatively quick pace, can also be quite erratic/irregular.
Sleep: Deep, regular breaths from the ribs with ~5-8 seconds in between (they can often also sleep with one eye open)

Thank you so much for the response! Yes, she's actually currently shedding, so I suppose it all lines up for why she's breathing this way! She might have also been sleeping too, as she loves chilling out near her basking light.

You've definitely helped put my mind at ease!! I appreciate it!!!

No worries

IvanDanko wrote:No worries

Hi Ivan!! I hope you're doing well, and I also hope this isn't a bother to you at all!!

My skink seems to be done shedding, but she still has periods where she'll breathe "heavily". I got some better video- would you possibly know if this is normal? She seems to be resting, but I still can't tell if it's normal 'resting' breathing And to clarify, this wasn't because she saw me and was getting huffy! I was out of her line of sight before taking this video, and she was still breathing this way on her own.

https://imgur.com/a/o1lWnsq

Thank you so much in advance if you're able to help at all!!!!! I appreciate it so much!!!!

No bother at all

That looks like textbook sleeping to me. If you watch her breathing rate carefully it quickens when she realises she's being watched - the focus of her eye shifts to you. BTS are very perceptive and switched on. In the open their eyes will often only shut for short periods, but they will still be asleep even with them open. Nothing to worry about and she looks very healthy and robust.

Wow!!! Thank you so much!! I'm super relieved. You're really knowledgeable, and that helped out a ton!! I can finally relax about her breathing once and for all

Thank you so much again and have a wonderful day!!!!!!