Change in behaviour, seasonal?

[Hwill172]

Hi everyone, new to this forum as I adopted a BTS a few months ago. She is a 9 year old female and her previous owner had to give her up due to health issues.

When I got her she was hiding for a few days as suspected, but once she got comfortable she was extremely friendly. Easy to handle, wanted to come out a lot, very curious etc.

Since about mid September her personality has completely changed. She is very skittish, hides for days on end, and only eats about half of her food on feeding days. Is this change due to the seasonal adjustment or does it sound like something else is wrong? She is almost like a completely different skink.

Thanks! Any insight is greatly appreciated.

[splashy07]

More than likely seasonal, would have to know the species though. I keep five different species and this time of year they are mostly going into their brumation cycle.

[Ackley]

I noticed similar behavior with mine around the same time of year she tends to become less active, hides more, and eats less as the weather cools. Blue tongued skinks can pick up on shifts in daylight and temperature, even indoors, which can trigger semi brumation behavior, where they naturally slow down and eat less.

As long as she’s still eating some food and isn’t losing weight or showing signs of illness (like unusual discharge or lethargy beyond hiding), this is often just a seasonal shift. Just keep monitoring her, and she’ll likely perk up again in spring. This seasonal change can feel pretty drastic if you're new to BTS, but it sounds normal!