BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

For those of you who know Tink you know that he has a huge appetite. Well he is not hungry and I am getting worried. I rechecked all the temps. I cleaned the cage but nothing is really tickling his fancy. He ate two superworms. I even gave him a pinkie treat and nothing. Tink eats like clock work usually/

One word- Brumation

I have never seen him do this how long does this last. When should I get concerned.

yeah im facing this too my BTS wont eat anything infront of her.. if she does touch it.. its like two little bites and she is done... im thinking of live food now just to attract her and make her eat haha.. also i should of taken this into consideration because i just ordered 400 red worms online that will arive tommorow.. and if she does not eat reguarly for like 3 - 4 months or so during this winter.. i might loose a lot of them... but there are a lot of ducks in this pond around our apartments.. so i will just spoil those guys if i need too..

I think they're just moody critters. On some of Drews posts, ( his Boris is a picky fellow from what I understand, right Drew?) someone had mentioned that in the wild, these guys sometimes go for months without food. I know my guy has gotten picky too. This past summer, he snarfed food down like there was no tomorrow, then in the last month and a half or so, his appetite dwindled. I thought "Brumation" too, but as of late, he's picked back up again! I guess they just eat when they're hungry, and they're more aware of their body cycles than we humans are.
In short, keep an eye on his weight, and keep offering some food. I don't think its much to worry about unles he starts dropping weight fast.
good luck!

actually that might be right.. i think it will be a good idea to go back to foods he/she didnt like in the past and maybe he will actually prefer them now... sorta like children.. their taste buds just change.. and now they like this and hate their old favorite...

Yes, a healthy adult can go months without eating.

My older skink Blue hits major brumation around mid-Nov and I usually don't see him again until March at the earliest. Even if you do not brumate your skink they will naturally decrease their eating as winter sets in. I wish I could brumate all winter....

Trikks has gone into brumation, will not eat, and sleeps all the time. I've just gotten used to the fact, and I'll take him out every week or so to make sure he isn't dropping weight, as he's only 34g. I miss the little guy, even though he never liked me. He was already reasy for brumation within days of his arrival from Andrew. There's a huge climate change, so I think that's what set him off.

34g wow Fatal hes a tiny thing.

He is, I can barely feel him when I'm holding him. Because of his size I'll be regularely checking his weight. I wish he wouldn't go into brumation, but he seems very determined.

Everyone thanl you for your reply. I am glad that other people are experiencing what I am. I am going to0 tryu some of his least favorites but let him just do his own thing. I will kepp you updated. THanks everyon

Krista

Mines been having a nibble once or twice a week for at least three weeks now ,and yesterday he ate a whole plate full

Will babies brumate?

I am glad to read this thread. Kona (almost 4 months old) has barely ate anything in weeks and sleeps a lot, it seems like she is always buried. We do still get her out "to play"....should I not do that and just leave her alone???

How do you know when if she is actually brumating vs. just not eating and sleeping alot? (sorry if that is a dumb question).

Thanks for any additional insight.
Amy

yup!
its a week diet for my skinks,
i have come to understand and accept that not all skinks are alike, not all ae chompers even lickers.. boris and bowie will recieve there first meal after 1 week of diet. yes, they can go in the wild without food for months.
as lons as they are active, stools are fine, alert and no obvoius signs of sickness they wil be fine.
maybe im just used to feeding bottomless pythons!
goodluck and keep us posted

kvega92 wrote:Everyone thanl you for your reply. I am glad that other people are experiencing what I am. I am going to0 tryu some of his least favorites but let him just do his own thing. I will kepp you updated. THanks everyon

Krista

Read all about brumation on the caresheet....

He'll likely eat every now and again during winter if you offer it...

Zach wrote:Read all about brumation on the caresheet....

He'll likely eat every now and again during winter if you offer it...

Zoochie, methinks you need to make the area about what blueys do in winter a little bigger! Is a very common question this time of year from you northerners

Krista, if (and it's most likely) your bluey is brumating, it's not necessary to offer him food. You can if you want to, but they don't need it as their metabolism slows while they sleep the winter months away and so they don't lose weight or condition.

Amy, brumating is a broad term that basically means your bluey shuts down for winter. That may mean eating less or not at all, basking less or not at all, generally less action all around but not necessarily that they just go to sleep now and wake up when it gets warmer. So no, not a dumb question, it's just that not eating and sleeping alot is brumation! And yes, blue tongues do brumate their first winter, when they are only one or two months old.

At this time of year for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, if your bluey is alot less active and not eating, then it's a good bet that your animal is going into brumation, rather than it being ill. They're all just saving their energy for shag time come spring

Well mine will have had a wasted" save the energy till sexy spring", I can just imagine the disappointment on his face, a boo hoo.

Leigh wrote:Well mine will have had a wasted" save the energy till sexy spring", I can just imagine the disappointment on his face, a boo hoo.

Leigh wrote:Well mine will have had a wasted" save the energy till sexy spring", I can just imagine the disappointment on his face, a boo hoo.

Yeah mine are always happy campers when they wake up, but when reality sets in after a couple of days and they realise that shag time was just a rumour put about by the other sluttier skinks in the playground, well they all get a little grumpy.

Besides, wouldn't you?
It'd be bad enough being told you're only allowed at it a couple months a year, but then to be told 'ah sorry, maybe some other year'.
Can't say I'd be too chuffed