Blue tongue skinks and water

[kungheinei]

Ok upon the advise of Katrina about me bringing up old threads I am starting a new thread about this that I started talking about in the old thread...

It was mentioned there that Blue tongue skinks can go without water for a month, and I questioned if this was true for although I don't know it seems amazing.

A member then told me that breeders just put the blue tongue skinks into a shoebox and stack them away in the winter for months.

However, I am assuming that these blue tongue skinks stacked away by breeders in the winter are in a brumating state (which I understand should still be given water but perhaps their requirement for it is less due to their slowed down metabolism?), whereas the original question in that thread was about people going on vacation and leaving their BTS at home. What if the blue tongue skink was NOT in a brumating state? In that case, can it really go without water for a month? I am not asking if it is recommended, but rather whether they can.

[Bird_Brain]

Whether they can or cant is, IMO, irrelevant. All living animals need water to survive. While I am sure a healthy skink may be able to survive a month with out water, there is no need to ever know when they are in captivity. And if it is needed to know, then that individual owner doesnt need to keep animals to begin with.

[Katrina]

Thanks for starting a new thread.

I only know that people have done this with brumating skinks, like Mel said. As to how long an active skink could go without water, I really hope it isn't something that has been tested! I personally am comfortable leaving my skinks alone for about 3 days, if we are away any longer than that I have someone check in to change water.

Sorry, I know that doesn't answer your question. I would think that a more desert species such as T. rugosa could go longer without water than a more tropical T. gigas type species, but that is just speculation. The breeders who brumated skinks in the garage were all brumating Australian species if I remember correctly.

[Edward]

Whether they can or cant is, IMO, irrelevant. All living animals need water to survive. While I am sure a healthy skink may be able to survive a month with out water, there is no need to ever know when they are in captivity. And if it is needed to know, then that individual owner doesnt need to keep animals to begin with.

I would think that a more desert species such as T. rugosa could go longer without water than a more tropical T. gigas type species, but that is just speculation.

I agree completely with both of you.

[acanthurus]

I have no doubt that T. rugosa can go months without drinking water, and get all their hydration from their food. Over here in summer there can be nothing but blue sky for months.

In saying that though most seem to go to ground during bone dry conditions. It is unusual to see one out during the height of summer and usually its an animal in poor condition.

As noted above though its not something I would try with mine at home. Whilst I don't have standing water in with them they get sprinklers on them once per week.

[kungheinei]

Whether they can or cant is, IMO, irrelevant. All living animals need water to survive. While I am sure a healthy skink may be able to survive a month with out water, there is no need to ever know when they are in captivity. And if it is needed to know, then that individual owner doesnt need to keep animals to begin with.

Brad, I guess you are saying this thinking that I am the one thinking of leaving an animal without water for a month because I ask the question. This problem started because I started a new thread as told to by the moderator and thus this is now taken out of context.

This was stated by another member as true (That person said: "It's true. I guarantee it's true") in another thread so I asked on that thread if true. Other people can read that thread and think that they can do that so I think I am actually doing a service by asking so people can comment because beginners can come across that thread read it and think they can do that. In fact I think it was pretty clear from my post that I am against this and I think that it is NOT true, at least for skinks not in brumation (perhaps even for them).

I may not have a skink now but I have kept herps for almost 5 years now during this period even if I am away for more than a few days I give my house keys to my friend to feed and take care of my pets or actually set up a habitat at their house so they can care for it. I have in the past set up a full six foot cage in my friend's house just so he can take care of my iguana while I was away for a while.

So while you are free to your opinion please understand if you are implying that I am unfit to keep herps, that this is not true, although I understand why you would think that given that this new thread was started. If I have caused un-ease to you I did not mean it. Nor do I mean any offense to the poster who stated what they said in the original thread.

I sort of knew this was going to happen and that's why I put at the top a disclaimer saying that I was told to start a new thread.

For the record: IF AND WHEN I HAVE SKINKS I WOULD NOT EVEN DREAM OF NOT GIVING IT WATER FOR A MONTH.

[Bird_Brain]

Nope, I am not saying that you plan on doing this. I am stating that in Captivity, I feel that limiting an animals supply of water is inhumane and unhealthy. I have been on this forum for quite some time. I have read the vast majority of the threads and I know exactly which thread you were referring too in your first post. So no, having you create a new thread instead of reviving the dead has nothing to do with my post or taking what you wrote out of context.

If we were to continue this on the original forum, my response would have been the exact same.

My point is why does it matter if they can go with out water for months? It just seems very irrelevant to me.

[Katrina]

Brad, I guess you are saying this thinking that I am the one thinking of leaving an animal without water for a month because I ask the question. This problem started because I started a new thread as told to by the moderator and thus this is now taken out of context.

I sort of knew this was going to happen and that's why I put at the top a disclaimer saying that I was told to start a new thread.

I think it was very clear that you were questioning something that had been previously stated and Brad was replying to that - not thinking that you intended to try this. I don't see a problem here - I'm sure if Brad felt that you were questioning if it was an ok practice his reply would have been much harsher.

Other people can read that thread and think that they can do that so I think I am actually doing a service by asking so people can comment because beginners can come across that thread read it and think they can do that.

I see your point here and I definitely agree that we don't want to be spreading rumors or bad advice, because you never know what a newbie will pick up on. However, I don't think that any newbie reading that will actually think it is ok to do this. It was stated that they can "potentially", but no one is actually saying that it is ok or should be done. The caresheet recommends access to clean water at all times and so does everyone on the forums, so while I do see your point here I really don't think any newbie would actually read that and decide to act on it. Perhaps I'm overestimating some people's common sense though.

I do think that what Mel said is likely generally true (definitely the food part, water is probably depending on species), but again - no one has done any research to prove or disprove it and like Brad said, it is irrelevant.

[Katrina]

I have no doubt that T. rugosa can go months without drinking water, and get all their hydration from their food. Over here in summer there can be nothing but blue sky for months.

In saying that though most seem to go to ground during bone dry conditions. It is unusual to see one out during the height of summer and usually its an animal in poor condition.

As noted above though its not something I would try with mine at home. Whilst I don't have standing water in with them they get sprinklers on them once per week.

Thanks for posting this - observations from someone who sees them in the wild are invaluable! In the height of summer are they active only dusk / dawn kind of thing and hidden away during the day? How long does this last for approximately?

[acanthurus]

To be honest, during the hottest months over here (Jan and Feb) when temperatures stay consistently above 35 derees celcius it is rare to see any at all. When you do find one it is often in poor condition as stated above, or around a watered area, such as the lawn strips through Kings Park in Perth.

[Fatal_S]

It was my post/s that started this question, and I re-iterate that it is true and I guarantee it's true. A healthy skink can go for months without water. BUT, as my original post says, it's not recommended/good, and a skink should have access to water.

To add to the disqualifers (again):
A "healthy" skink could survive. An unhealthy one may not, and you can't always tell who's really healthy.
I cannot say that an active skink, even a fully healthy one, could continue without food and water. If they could get water from their food, they'd be alright, but without either I cannot say how long they'd live. In my experience, skinks without access to food/water will naturally put themselves into a false-brumation. I've never tried to interfere with that.
Simply, they should have water. Just because they can survive doesn't mean it's healthy for them.

I try to word my posts so that any new member reading will see that I am saying "it's possible but not safe". I have no problem with you questioning my post, since the ability to go without for so long does seem amazing to most people.

[Lea]

For you interest. Most likely a death by dehydration ... a dead shingleback found in a very dry and arid area of SA. I am speculating, not having necropsied or taken bloods on the dead animal, but the skeleton was undisturbed by animals and almost perfect, like it lay down and died.

[kungheinei]

I am stating that in Captivity, I feel that limiting an animals supply of water is inhumane and unhealthy.

100% agree.

My point is why does it matter if they can go with out water for months? It just seems very irrelevant to me.

Well some people can be interested in general facts about creatures too, not just how people keep them as pets. People watch shows on national geographic etc. and gather information that most of the people watching will never need to know, much less use that information. It is general interest.

But seeing that is not encouraged on this forum, that's ok.

[Lea]

Kungheinei, of course it's encouraged! I think Brad, Reptileking, was just trying to emphasise the importance of not withholding water from your skink, no matter how hardy they are, as was Fatal_S. I am sure, also, that it was meant as a broad statement for all users and not a personal point at you to stop your very interesting thread in it's tracks.
Unfortunately, all too often people take something like this too literally and believe it or not, they will actually "experiment" to test it out! I guess our over-cautious comments made you feel like you couldn't openly discuss this and I am sorry for that. Please, continue to talk about this! It's a fascinating phenomenon of these very unique animals that they can and do survive the harshest climates and conditions!

[Bird_Brain]

I am stating that in Captivity, I feel that limiting an animals supply of water is inhumane and unhealthy.

100% agree.

My point is why does it matter if they can go with out water for months? It just seems very irrelevant to me.

Well some people can be interested in general facts about creatures too, not just how people keep them as pets. People watch shows on national geographic etc. and gather information that most of the people watching will never need to know, much less use that information. It is general interest.

But seeing that is not encouraged on this forum, that's ok.

You can take what I say however you want. I do not sugar coat what I have to say and I dont have the writing/typing skills to "beautify" my posts. Like i said before, take them how you want, I dont care either way. Forums are great, but what is typed can be taken many different ways. To me, you seem to have taken my posts as personal attacks, which they arent. Just my opinion that demanding to know the exact length of time an animal can go with out water is irrelevant.

[Katrina]

Well some people can be interested in general facts about creatures too, not just how people keep them as pets. People watch shows on national geographic etc. and gather information that most of the people watching will never need to know, much less use that information. It is general interest.

But seeing that is not encouraged on this forum, that's ok.

I really hope that it doesn't appear that way. We definitely encourage general interest questions like that. It is just unfortunate because some of the questions you have asked we don't really have answers for you - no one knows. BTS aren't very popular and not many studies are done on them.