BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

I posted the thread last week about the female northern that might be pregnant. I mentioned in that post that the first few months she was gaining about 15-25 grams a week. Well at the most there is 2-3 weeks left before she gives birth. I weighed her this morning and within 4 days she has gained 65 grams. is there typically exponential weight gain within the last few weeks of pregnancy since (like humans) the last few weeks the babies grow more rapidly. Just trying to collect every scrap of info on this matter since literature is spare.

one more thing, I am usually lucky to see any of my skinks drink water. She has been drinking ALOT more frequently, is this common in gravid females?

Im printing out all these threads and filing them in the hopes of compiling enough info on the matter to help someone else in the future.


Thanks guys and gals

I weigh all of my gravid females weekly from the time they come out of brumation until after they give birth. In my experience it is actually common for them to lose weight the last week before delivering. Not all of them do, but many have. It is also possible for them to carry a lot of water weight. Especially when they are drinking extra, which is common. I just weighed a female yesterday, and as soon as I did, she peed about 1/2 gallon (exageration). When I weighed her again she was 40 grams less. Since you usually don't know if she just finished a long drink, or a major pee, you have to know that this could cause a major fluctuation in weight. I believe that is the main reason that the weight gain seems to spike and fall throughout the pregnancy.

My blotchies this year mated early Nov and went from about 800g to 1kg in a month and a half and definately - weights of four females were similar. After that, plateaud at about 1.1kg in January prior to birth in Feb.

Birth weights of actual babies was ave 34g giving average of 204g per mother (ave 6 babies each). This is weighing them after they consumed their yolk sacks. No accounting for fluid loss of the mother during birth.

Like a lot of animals the latter part of pregnancy is about consolidation of the babies, ie. skeleton, lungs etc. The females also setting into more of a subsistence feeding regime.

In summary minor weight gain in the last month or so, but weight gain has been almost complete after about 60-70 days.

This is my observed pattern for Alpine Blotched blueys, sample size this year 4.

I dunno my silver indo nickel has gained 217 grams in 14 days

Nickel-
5/28- 313 grams
6/3- 442 grams
6/10- 530 grams

When I weigh her again on the 17th i wouldnt be surprised if she weighs even more. Its kinda concerning because I was only expecting 15-25 gramsa week . She eats 2 measured tablespoons of bluey diet a day. I havent changed the diet but I do suspect she may be gravid so im feeding daily instead of every other. you guys think this is too much weight gain? should i cut it back to her regular feeding schedule?

How far into her pregnancy?

I think the risks are low but females bursting, or expelling some babies early is not unheard of. Probably no need to worry.

530 grams is a relatively small lizard.

Scott

Ectothermicfauna wrote:I dunno my silver indo nickel has gained 217 grams in 14 days

Nickel-
5/28- 313 grams
6/3- 442 grams
6/10- 530 grams

When I weigh her again on the 17th i wouldnt be surprised if she weighs even more. Its kinda concerning because I was only expecting 15-25 gramsa week . She eats 2 measured tablespoons of bluey diet a day. I havent changed the diet but I do suspect she may be gravid so im feeding daily instead of every other. you guys think this is too much weight gain? should i cut it back to her regular feeding schedule?

Do you normally feed every other day? For adults?

Most people feed 1-2 times per week for adult skinks. I think it is common for gravid / potentially gravid females to eat twice a week rather than once (I am feeding my potentially gravid girl twice per week).

Oscar Rose ate very little during her pregnancy. Once she hit about day 60 of 138, she all but stopped eating completely. She would take a bite here and there but that's about all. The most I ever got her to eat at one time was 5 or 6 super worms, or a dime size piece of hamburger and greens. They live off of the fat they store in their tails. She refused ANY food the last three weeks. I'm thinking there just wasn't any room for anything besides of sip of water here and there.

I feed the babies every day but the adults are only ed a couple of times a week. That is plenty for them.