i have a big problem please read

[Dorosz0869]

i live in the boston area and im looking for a skink replacement because i got a full grown female in the male when i was expecting a baby ive been extremely careful about what i do in my room with it in my presence and i stopped sleeping in my room just to give it peace she is very healthy and i only go in my room to turn the lights on and off and to feed it also my house is extremely quiet in respect for her so she can get used to the envirement and i followed everything people told me to do on this forum to make her happy but the real reason i hate her is because she bit me the last literal 8 times when i feed her and im sick of it like i said maybe its because she was full grown when i got her but im about to give her away for free but for now i will take care of her for i am still an animal lover but im ganna get a baby asap but for now any suggestions

[Kbell31]

Im sorry but the grammar in this thread is killing me....

[Krippschick]

You have only had her for a week or so right? Wear gloves for now if you worried about being bit, and it might take a lot longer than that to get her used to you. Do you have her where she can see you and hear you? Do you spend time just sitting by the tank? Its not always an overnight thing, nor is it a week or 2 with some skinks. The next one you get could bite as well...if you arent willing to spend the time with this one, maybe you should look at something smaller or Im not even sure, any animal could bite...dog, cat, bird, reptile...I guess it just depends on how much time you want to spend. The way you are wording it is hard to understand to begin with, but what you are saying and the way you are saying things....sounds like maybe you shouldnt get another one. Most people here believe you take an animal for life, no matter what(well not if you cant afford vet care of basic care and the skink is suffering ..you know what i mean)....like giving your kids away because they are bad (not that i havent thought about it haha...just joking). But sometimes typing can be misunderstood in its meaning, so like I said try gloves with her for a while. Hope it helps a bit, and Im not trying to be judgemental or mean.

[Fatal_S]

I'm reading your post like this:

I consider myself a fan of children. I haven't really done much research, but I'm gonna see about getting one.

Okay, I went to adopt a baby from a guy in a van, but they gave me a teenager instead. It's been kidnapped and beaten for a while. I've been leaving it in its room for a while to let it get used to it. However whenever I go in to feed it it freaks out and starts screaming and throwing things at me. I really hate it.

I think I'm going to give this one away and go back to see if the van guy has any actual babies. Don't worry, I'll keep feeding it until I find someone who wants it. Maybe if I'm really lucky the new kid won't have been kidnapped/beaten much and will enjoy living with me.

I get that you're frustrated, and maybe you're not ready for a skink. But assuming a baby is going to be any different from an adult is a stretch. They can all be awesome pets, and they can all be terrible pets. It depends on the time, effort and patience granted by the people involved.

If you do get a baby, do everyone a favour and get a Captive Born and Bred baby from an amazing breeder. One who can show you the parents, who adores their animals, and who has actually put time into socializing the babies. And do a ton more research first. Jumping into the purchase of anything isn't smart. Take time to look for the right breeder, have everything set up and ready, and consider how you're going to go about winning over your skink. Animals need a commitment, and true animal-lovers recognize this.

[Krippschick]

That analogy puts in perspective quite well Mel. Much better than my post. "Like" ....facebook geekness i know...

[Dorosz0869]

thanx everybody, i ment to word it differently though, i ment that it looks like it really hates me because she is worse and gets more agressive each time, she gets more protective and teritorial each time, its not that im not ready for one its just that she dosnt like me, i am trying to type at a slow speed to get as little grammar problems as i can this time. i ment to say that if it gets to a certain degree where i cant even be in the same room without threatening her then i would give her away so someone else could make her happy. i typed really fast and probably like always, messed up my wording. i dont know if its important but i also have a leopard geckoe across the room that the skink can see, and i am ready for a skink because i did reasearch every day for a month before even looking for one and i had a tank ready for it too. i adore her it just that i dont think she will get used to me. i only want the best for her beacuse i would give her away, not out of anger, but out of wanting her to maybe be happier in a new home than mine. i want to keep her and even gave up my room for her because i sleep on the couch. i read that giving them baths in nice warm water calms them down as u just sit by them silently and watch. i dont want to try it though without further reasearch. i made a promise to myself that i will try to comfort her for 2 years befor finding a probably better home. i hope this works because i really like her and want to kep her. i hope my new non-rushed draft will inform you better.

[Fatal_S]

The new post is both easier to read and easier to stomach. It sounds much more like an animal-lover than the first post did.

Note that most skinks hate baths. They try to get out, they poop, and they're just not happy. Don't do that if you don't have a good reason (they pooped all over themselves or need help shedding).

I know the feeling of getting a skink who hates you. I bought Jenga online, and he despises humanity. He chases me around, attacks the tank as I walk by, and tries to bite me every chance he gets. I've had him now for over 4 years. He's better than he was, but not by much. Thing is, I recognize that he's probably had some shi**y experiences with people in the past. At the minimum he never had any good experiences. And he's a CBB Caramel Northern, so he wasn't even a WC import. I also have Cash, a WC Tanimbar, who isn't aggressive but rather extremely shy. He obviously doesn't want to deal with me, so I give him his space and we get along alright. I personally cope with these more difficult skinks by having several other, friendlier, skinks who I can dote on. That way if Jenga and Cash want nothing to do with me at any time, I can spend time with other skinks who appreciate my attention. And on the occasions where Jenga/Cash are feeling friendly, I'm always there to give them another try at becoming friends. I appreciate them for their unique personalities <3

The way I see it, you have both a right to a pet who isn't trying to harm you, but a responsibility to the animal you already own. I wouldn't expect someone to keep a vicious dog, but I would expect them to find it a great home who is prepared and able to treat the animals issues.

For you, right now, start looking at really good options for rehoming your skink. You're not looking for money, which is great, but do be picky about where the skink goes. You want someone with quite a bit of reptile experience, and skink experience is even better. Someone who understands that the skink may need some extra TLC to become a good pet.

In the meantime, work on showing your skink that you're not a threat. Don't let it bite you (block with something, wear gloves, etc) and don't let it scare you away, but don't do anything to make it miserable (poking, baths, lots of handling, etc). You can start with basic handling, ie: picking up, having out on the couch (put a blanket over so it can't get into the cushions). When it's out try offering it bits of yummy food (chicken/fruits/bugs). Get a feel for it's personality.

If you find a good home, then don't feel bad for passing it to someone more prepared for a troubled skink. And if you end up becoming friends with the skink while looking for a home, all the better.

[Rachael t]

I don't see how leaving it unattended in your room is going to get it used to you... Do your normal stuff in the room and ot will get used to your presence. You could put a towel over half the front of the tank so it had some shelter. It is obviously a very scared, stressed out lizard. Just keep to your normal routine and let her adjust to your lifestyle, not going into your room will hake it worse. And don't give it a bath, would you like being picked up by a giant stranger and stuck in water? Lol

[Krippschick]

Please keep us updated with your progress and what has been working. Good learning experience for us all. Pics when she is calmed down enough would be awesome as well.

[Dorosz0869]

Thank you very much.I will keep you updated and you don't have to worry because i'm animal lover,and no matter how much the skink dislikes me I will still make sure it is healthy,and hopefully it will get use to me some day...

[Bird_Brain]

One thing I have noticed with new reptile owners is they forget that reptiles are not domesticated animals. they are in fact a wild, exotic animals. These exotic animals can calm down enough to be able to handle, but they will always have the tendencies/possibilities to resort back to their natural behavior. IMO, reptiles dont make good companions, however, they can make a good pet. IMO, dogs, cats, and horses are companion animals (Im sure there are anothers that I cant think of on the top of my head). The vast majority of these animals thrive for human companionship and have a strong bond with their owners (cats could possibly be an exception to my list). Small mammals (hamsters, gerbils, sugar gliders, etc), reptiles, and fish are all considered a pet to me. These animals typically do not care if you are around. They may tolerate your presence but dont need it (obviously naturally social animals may bond with you if they dont have a companion of the same species, but if given the option, they would rather have a same species companion).

I just want to make sure everyone knows that these are all my opinions, and not proven facts (although I think Im right! ).

Also, IMO, if you do want to get an animal for a pet purpose, I HIGHLY recommend you spend the little extra money and get one that is CBB from a responsible breeder. I am probably one of the cheapest guys out there. I love bargains, however, I will always pay top dollar for quality animals. When dealing with an animal, we are not dealing with a disposable item. These are living breathing creatures. As an animal community, we should all strive for purchasing and supporting quality animals. Dont get me wrong, I am just as guilty as most others and have bought pet store animals. There is always room for improvement.

[Spindown]

There are a lot of ways to "tame" them, or get them used to you, there are a LOT of threads concerning this on here, I'd recommend you do a search, as I'm not going to track them down.

I don't see how leaving it unattended in your room is going to get it used to you... Do your normal stuff in the room and ot will get used to your presence. You could put a towel over half the front of the tank so it had some shelter. It is obviously a very scared, stressed out lizard. Just keep to your normal routine and let her adjust to your lifestyle, not going into your room will hake it worse. And don't give it a bath, would you like being picked up by a giant stranger and stuck in water? Lol

This may be true for some skinks, but my Indo has thrived being in a low stress, low sound room with just the other skink tanks for enrichment and his own tank furniture...hes calmed down OODLES since we got him two years ago. We tried all the various techniques normally used for skinks to calm them down, only made him more stressed out. It really depends on the skink. He went from huffing, and pooping and squirming to he lets us pet him without huffing (usually) and occasionally pick him up for short periods. All I did was come up to him everyday, pet him for a second or two, and talk to him a lot. I'd clean and feed and whatnot, but that was it. Gradually I would pet him for small increasing increments and now I've started to pick him up for a few seconds (making sure hes supported), and then I put him down, pet him, and talk to him, and leave him be. No peeing, pooping, or thrashing around.

This does not work for every skink. Most of my other skinks have needed much more attention and want to be out a lot more, while hes very content doing his own thing. Thankfully I have several skinks and snakes to play with while letting my Indo do his own thing.

I DO recommend covering 3 of the 4 sides (back and two sides) to give your skink a more closed in feeling, this made mine feel a lot better, and they were less stressed. Skinks are NOT the top of the food chain, and they want to feel as safe as possible, or they are always watching their back and they can really stress out if they feel unsafe. They do not understand glass as a barrier, and thus do not associate it as being a "wall" where it blocks possible threats.

[Spindown]

Oh, and I agree with Brad, I definitely recommend paying for a CBB, even if it is more $$. You do get what you pay for with animals (usually). A big expense in the beginning CAN save you hundreds or even THOUSANDS of dollars in vet bills and heartbreak in the future.

Zergling (my Indo) was our very first bluey, and i'm 99% sure hes a WC animal who the pet shop was starving. Now I know better, and do my best not to even go INTO petstores.

[Katrina]

Great advice everyone. Welcome to the forum, Dorosz0869. Good luck with your new acquisition!