Excessive sleeping?

[DaveTheSkink5]

I've been a part of this forum for a while now and I finally got my first BTS - A baby Northen Bluey. I've had him for a week now, and he seems to sleep a lot. I have his lights set from 9a-9p so that I can watch him/handle him for a while as I usually don't get home until around 5p during the week. I put in his food for the day (I've been offering food every day because he doesn't seem to be eating consistently yet) and leave. When I get back, his food looks untouched and he is still where he was sleeping in the morning (buried in the dirt under his warm hide). I've been digging him out and waking him up when I get home so that he still has a few hours to eat and bask. On the weekends I wake him up around when his lights come on. Is this typical behavior, or is something wrong? I can add photos/info abut his set-up if necessary. Thanks!

[IvanDanko]

Hi Dave,

Congrats on the new skink. To start with skinks love to sleep, hide and burrow - it is normal behaviour particularly for a baby as being introduced to a new environment is very stressful and they will often rarely be seen. It is also very normal for them to not eat for quite a few days in a new environment. You should not be digging up your skink - this can be extremely stressful for them. Allow your skink to come out and adjust in its own time and do not force it to be active. As it becomes more relaxed it will usually start to eat a bit more.

[DaveTheSkink5]

Thank you!