BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

My skink seems to be doing good on the outside. Active, responsive, eats, basks, but for some reason her stools are getting progressively worse. Like so bad I could never include photos. They smell so bad you might be able to smell it through the screen. I just don’t understand. The urate is normal and there is a solid stool but then what comes out next can only be described as tar. Blacker than black. I feed her kitten food daily. All meat no fish. Sometimes I mix in veggies and greens, fruit when I have it, and mealworms when I’m handling her. I see her drinking her water. Guzzling it actually. Does anyone have any insight to what might be wrong? If I remember right the brands of catfood I feed are IAMS and Fancy Feast.

Hi there, first what age is this skink? Second, what is your husbandry? Third what type of skink is this and where did you get it from? My first guess is parasites. However, some foods can cause the stools to be off as well.

Janella wrote:Hi there, first what age is this skink? Second, what is your husbandry? Third what type of skink is this and where did you get it from? My first guess is parasites. However, some foods can cause the stools to be off as well.

Hey thanks for responding. I mentioned a while ago in another post that the breeder told me about 2 1/2 months old when I got her which would now probably be 3 1/2 months, but I’ve been told can’t be right because it doesn’t line up with breeding seasons. I did get her from an expo though. She’s a Northern. I use a day bulb and uvb bulb during the day. I don’t remember the wattage but the basking spot does get up to 90-100. For night time I use a ceramic heat emitter and under-tank heating pad beneath the hide she sleeps in. I have always suspected parasites seeing as how she might be smaller for her supposed age, but there’s no other signs of parasites. Just recently she’s started having really nasty stools.

I would check a fecal first to rule out parasites. If that comes back negative, then it is diet related.

Janella wrote:I would check a fecal first to rule out parasites. If that comes back negative, then it is diet related.

I assume just find an exotic vet and ask them to run a sample? Or are you saying this is something I can do myself. Also I think I need to mention that it’s like every other time she goes to the bathroom. Some of them come out perfectly normal. It’s weird.

I would make an appointment with an exotic/reptile vet and have them check a fecal. This is not something you can do yourself unless you have access to a microscope and lab.

Being northerns are captive bred they rarely suffer from parasites, and their weight would reflect high levels as they would continue to eat and not gain. I would simply change diet and see what happens. Some cat food can result in nasty stools.

splashy07 wrote:Being northerns are captive bred they rarely suffer from parasites, and their weight would reflect high levels as they would continue to eat and not gain. I would simply change diet and see what happens. Some cat food can result in nasty stools.

I’ll probably make a vet visit just cause. Can’t hurt to make sure. I’ll also try changing diet, but what do you recommend? She has been gaining weight though. And maybe a bit too much. She’s a little wide.

My Northern came from one of the best breeders in Florida. I was his second owner though. When I finally got him he was LOADED with parasites. Not sure if he came that way or was from the first owner feeding him things that had parasites. Either way, it can't hurt to double check a fecal.

Janella wrote:My Northern came from one of the best breeders in Florida. I was his second owner though. When I finally got him he was LOADED with parasites. Not sure if he came that way or was from the first owner feeding him things that had parasites. Either way, it can't hurt to double check a fecal.

That’s terrible to hear. What kind of symptoms did you skink have?

He was off of feedings and never a good eater. He also would lay around alot and not bask.