BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

I am keeping a pair of shingleback skinks, and they have been consistently mating for the past two years. The first mating of this year occurred eight months ago, and recently, the female has been staying inside her hide, not eating, and rarely coming out. When she does occasionally emerge to the basking zone, it happens about once every four days, but this interval seems to be getting longer. I am curious to know if these behavioral changes might be related to pregnancy and would appreciate any advice.

Please refer to the photos I uploaded; they show the enclosure, and the male and female are always housed together. Aside from the male biting during mating, they get along very well. In the photos and videos, the female appears slightly darker compared to the other individual, with a smaller head size. I have uploaded relevant photos and videos. If you could help confirm whether our female might indeed be pregnant, I would greatly appreciate any guidance.

The current basking zone temperature is maintained at 40-50°C, while the warm zone stays between 27-33°C and the cool zone between 24-27°C. At night, all heating devices are turned off by a timer, so the nighttime temperature drops slightly to around 21-26°C. This slight reduction also allows for fresh air, as the enclosure’s door is partially open to the outdoors, which causes slight daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations due to external climate. Humidity is kept consistently at around 28-38% with a dehumidifier running at all times.

If the female is pregnant, is it safe to continue providing these environmental conditions? If she is not, would it be advisable to seek a veterinarian’s diagnosis? I am concerned, as it would be better if she could at least bask, but she hasn’t been doing so, which worries me.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

I keep the same species. Last year I as almost certain my female was gravid, but she passed three unfertilized ova.
Females usually bask excessively when gravid, but will be a bit more shy and the males can become defensive. (My guy took a snap at me during this time). With their size and body shape it is difficult and sometimes impossible to tell when a female is carrying. Watch for labored breathing in late stage gestation. No need to change anything. Gestation can be from four to six months.

Thank you for your response. For now, I’ll keep a close eye on the female’s breathing without making any changes to her environment.