Dry Scales

[Fortuitous]

Hello everyone,

I hope you all are having good luck with your skinks. I am relatively new to Reptile keeping but I Care immensly about My skink Drogo. I live in a basement apartment so I never thought I would have a problem with humidity since basements tend to be humid, but it actually is quite the opposite. My Basement is very dry and recently Drogo's Scales have become a little dry and rough. My Hydrometer generally reads around 20 to 30 percent humidity but it fluctuates often. Drogo just molted so I know he is not going to shed anytime soon. I have increased the size of his water bowl in order to increase the humidity in his tank, but it has not helped much. I am wary about misting his tank excessively because i do not want to foster bacteria, but I do mist him often. Is there anything I can do to "soften" him back up? Also I am a bit of a Hypocondriact when it comes to my lizzard so let me know if this is not something to worry about. And I do not have much money, since I am putting myself through college, so i would appreciate affordable solutions.

Thank you and I really appreciate all of the help and advice

[Dakota]

I give my skinks a good warm bath for a couple of hours when they get the dry belly-scales. Seems to work just fine.

[Jeff]

Is it just the belly scales that are dry? That is the normal issue. The ambient humidity is not generally a problem. It is usually that the substrate is too dry. What are you using for substrate? It should not take too much misting to keep things like cypress mulch from drying out. If you are using something like Carefresh or aspen it doesn't work very well to mist it. It will dry out very fast, then actually seem to suck moiture out of your skink's belly scales.

[Fortuitous]

Yea its just his belly scales. I currently have eco earth coconut fiber as substrate. I will try giving him a warm bath, even though he freaks out even in very shallow water.

[Coomassie]

Just mist down his substrate once or twice a day and that should solve the problem. I also found adding a large waterdish will help because they will sit in it and soak their bellies.

[Fortuitous]

Ok great i have drogo soaking in a warm bath right now

[El Lobo]

I don't understand what soaking in a bath is meant to achieve. Dry skin is not primarily caused by a lack of hydration, rather a lack of natural oils.

Most BTS don't like being placed in water, particularly with little or no option to exit by their own volition.

[Dakota]

It has always worked for me.

[El Lobo]

It has always worked for me.

What a thoughtful response, supported by solid logic. Undoubtedly based on extensive experience caring for BTS and other animals.

[Fortuitous]

I don't understand what soaking in a bath is meant to achieve. Dry skin is not primarily caused by a lack of hydration, rather a lack of natural oils.

Most BTS don't like being placed in water, particularly with little or no option to exit by their own volition.

Well it worked nonetheless. Do you have any suggestions?

[Fortuitous]

im new to this, but honestly it did work. I dont want to stress him out by bathing him, but I don't know what else to do, I will try changing substrates, and see if that helps.

[Dakota]

Edited by Brad: Be respectful in your responses!
I'm glad it worked for you!

[El Lobo]

:rofl:
I'm glad it worked for you!

Could you explain the use of the rofl emoticon. Am I missing something that passes for humour in these posts?

Well it worked nonetheless. Do you have any suggestions?

im new to this, but honestly it did work. I dont want to stress him out by bathing him, but I don't know what else to do, I will try changing substrates, and see if that helps.

[Dakota]

Ohhhh no reason..

[El Lobo]

I don't understand what soaking in a bath is meant to achieve. Dry skin is not primarily caused by a lack of hydration, rather a lack of natural oils.

Most BTS don't like being placed in water, particularly with little or no option to exit by their own volition.

Well it worked nonetheless. Do you have any suggestions?

It probably has worked immediately after a soaking, but let's see how it is in another 24-48 hours.

In my opinion a humid hide is a far better option. It allows the skink to self-regulate its needs for moisture.

There are other things such as applying oils that can be considered if the problem persists.

[El Lobo]

Ohhhh no reason..

You have to compound it with another gratuitous emoticon.

You are sailing very close to the wind with these posts. I hope you are aware another warning will bring an automatic suspension of your account.

[Richard.C]

if you need to soak your bluetongue for a few hours often,your husbandry is way off,they dont need to soak at all

dakota if u soak for hours in warm water,how is it still warm after hours?????

id be inclined to create a humid hide,or change substrate to another that doesn't turn bluey into beef jerky,they don't like sitting in a tub of water,they really don't need to be soaked if you get cage conditions correct

if your cage is turning them into beef jerky,your not keeping them correctly,ifu have to chuck them in water all the time your not keeping them correctly

drying them out stresses them,drying them out and needing to soak them for hours is stressing them out more,the fact they are drying out is a sign you need to change cage conditions,chucking them in a tub of water is a poor way to try and correct incorrect husbandry

[Dakota]

I had to do it about twice a year.

@Richard-- I watch the temperature, letting it drain a little bit, as it is pouring some in at the same time usually fixes the problem so it doesn't get to cool.

Edit: I did for my IJ, that is. I only soak my Meraukes to make sure all shed gets off, and it seems like they are enjoy it, as well..

[Richard.C]

Dakota in another recent thread you said they hated being soaked and also that you were soaking them often to try making them poop,meraukes, thats more than the twice a year you just mentioned and you say they hate soaking,now they seem to love soaking


they don't need to be soaked in the first place if conditions in cage are adequate

floating about in a tub for hours to help with dry scales is poxy advice to give people,far from a long term solution and definatly not a normal part of husbandry to be aiming for in the keeping of them

[Jeff]

This would be a good time to stop posting on this thread Dakota. Each post comes across more childish than the last.