Eastern Brumation

[King Julien]

Hi, I've had my Eastern (adult, sex unknown) since oct/Nov 2020 so I am yet to house them for winter (I'm in the southern hemisphere so winter starts in June) and was wondering if brumation in captivity is necessary, as I've seen a few debates on it online. Is it necessarily? Is it good for their health?
I understand prep for brumation such as not feeding your skink for 2ish weeks, then turning heat off, etc etc, just wondering if it's a good idea or not for Easterns. Also if it is advised, if you have any tips for brumation you'd like to share that would also be great

[Noodlebasket]

As far as I understand it, you can try to induce it and if it works then cool. I haven't found anything that says it would harm them if they brumate, but I also haven't seen anything that says they would "miss" brumation if they don't do it. Mostly it seems that if you want to breed you have to brumate, otherwise you can and the skink might agree with you. I am not an expert and I'm curious to see what others would suggest.

[IvanDanko]

My blotchie Peanut just passed her first birthday and I was debating this decision on whether to brumate myself. Being across the pond from you our winter is at the same time - generally as Easterns inhabit a large part of the Eastern seaboard of Australia and beyond they are both from areas which will get quite cold over the winter. From my understanding if they begin the process do not fight it but it is up to you whether you induce the process or not. I for one think it is probably beneficial for them and a part of their healthy natural yearly cycle (depending on locality of course). I think alot of the time they will detect the changes in weather conditions regardless of whether you drop the heat or not. This year I might experiment with a partial brumation and see how it goes - id say see how your skink responds in winter and take it from there.

[splashy07]

Yes, it is good for their health and a natural part of their life. I breed northerns and easterns and do not do anything to encourage brumation, they disappear on their own in late october through November at which time I will shut off their lights. (October/November is fall here).
So actually, I do not shut them down until they tell me to.

[Joleeza]

My blotchie Peanut just passed her first birthday and I was debating this decision on whether to brumate myself. Being across the pond from you our winter is at the same time - generally as Easterns inhabit a large part of the Eastern seaboard of Australia and beyond they are both from areas which will get quite cold over the winter. From my understanding if they begin the process do not fight it but it is up to you whether you induce the process or not. I for one think it is probably beneficial for them and a part of their healthy natural yearly cycle (depending on locality of course). I think alot of the time they will detect the changes in weather conditions regardless of whether you drop the heat or not. This year I might experiment with a partial brumation and see how it goes - id say see how your skink responds in winter and take it from there.

I[quote="King Julien"]Hi, I've had my Eastern (adult, sex unknown) since oct/Nov 2020 so I am yet to house them for winter (I'm in the southern hemisphere so winter starts in June) and was wondering if brumation in captivity is necessary, as I've seen a few debates on it online. Is it necessarily? Is it good for their health?[quote="King Julien"]review


Hi. I have two sixteen years old Eastern BTS and they are both healthy. I live in Sydney which is where they naturally live.
I have never induced brumation but they know what season it is and they do it on their own. One of them has always done it but now they both do even with heat and lights on. I do keep a heat source on in the day throughout brumation as they do come out to bask occasionally like they would in the wild.
Good luck with your BTS.