I think force feeding is an option.

[Blotch]

How is it done properly???
I don't want her to choke. She's taking NO food!!! I even threw a pinkie in and nothing, licked it and closed her eyes.

[AndrewSeike]

Crap - blotch Im really sorry.

I;ve done many force feedings to snakes with a pinky pump to skinks.


I have those plastic syringes and cut the tip off so the end is fat with a larger hole.

you can get a Popsicle stick to pry open the jaws. If you don't have that dab a bit of the liquid food on the tip of its mouth as it licks slide the end into its mouth and gently push in just a small amount. I wish I had my syringe right now. I put in a few bars.

I feed the skink chicken baby food mixed with some greens and vitamins.

be sure the skink drinks after you do this.

Good luck. I hope I was able to help you.

Andrew

[AndrewSeike]

Oh and after giving it a few bars, repeat the process so that the skink gets around half a thumb amount of food.

Wait - how large is your skink? just feed it a small bit.

If it is able to keep it down for the day - feed it again afterward a bit more.
Everyday just a little bit.


Andrew

[Jenn]

Have you been keeping track of her weight? How long has she not been eating? Are you sure it's not just because you are going into winter?

Have you tried baby food? I've found putting some on my skinks lips forces them to lick it to get it off. I've also found that they just really really like it so I'm able to sneak some other food into it.

[Lisa]

Hey Luke, thanks for sending me the pics.
I don't think she looks underweight as such, but it's a little hard to tell since she's a kinky skinky.

I wouldn't force feed until you find out if she's not eating for a medical reason, as opposed to just going off food because it's winter. Like, what if she does have a worm or parasite, or a stomach infection or an injury or kinky related internal issue that food is only going to make worse?

Since blueys aren't 'everyday' eaters like people or dogs etc, and can have legit reasons for not eating, such as it being too hot or too cold, I really think your only two options are either go to a vet or keep observing her. You know her best after all! If she is still active & alert (as much as this time of year allows), if her eyes are clear and not sunken, her nose clear or boogers, if she does not appear to be in any distress (like walking funny, laboured breathing, eye always closed etc), then she may well be just slowing down for winter. It took one of mine two winters before he cooled for one, and now this year he's not looking like wanting to sleep this one away.

I dunno, it's hard when you think one may have a problem and so every little thing they do different you start to panic at.

I certainly wouldn't force feed, unless you can rule out a medical reason for her refusal to eat.

And I'd not let her into contact with the others, just in case she is sick and has something that the other's can catch.

I'm no expert but! I think you need to go do a bit of busking down Flinders or Collins St, haul in a few $$ and go see the vet. If Geoff's recommended them then they'll be good uns.

Someone needs to invent an animal translator like Herb Simpson (Homer's brother) did for babies, so we can just say to them 'ok, what's your problem now?'

Go to a vet, Luke. Ease your mind, maybe her tummy, and if worst comes to worse, you can then have no regrets.

[Blotch]

Just a quick reply to let yall know what's happened.

I haven't read anything yet so I'll go back and read all the replies, but last night I got baby food, got a syringe, stuck it in her gob, and squirted small amounts in her gob. She took everything I gave her, didn't spit it out as the can sometimes do. She actually looked "Happy" afterwards.
I'm going to continue this. As I've stated in previous posts, she normally eats, and even if it is due to brumation time, I'm not allowing her to do so. Her condition is woeful. I've taken more pics and I'll upload them once i've put them on the computer. So hang tight, they'll be uploaded after i eat some brekkie. Oh, The baby food I gave her was chicken and sweet corn - no preservitives, no added colours. Should've seen the chemist when i asked for a syringe though - INSTANTLY thought I was a junkie. So I set her straight and told her it was for my bluey and i don't need a needle. Stupid judgments - Prolly cuz i have long hair. *shrugs*

[Blotch]

Ok I've just read the posts from you guys and it wold seem I pretty much covered everything.

LISA - She doesn't have any symptoms of being sick - well other than she's not eating. Personally, I'm thinking it probably is a brumation thing, but as I stated, I'm not allowing her to brumate in the condition she's in.
Here are a few pics, there's no way anyone can say this is an appropriate state to be brumating in.

[deftones2015]

That's really sad. I hope everything works out. Where'd you get her?

[Blotch]

I got her a few years back off a guy that bred blueys not far from where I live. she cost me $40 - and i still think i did the right thing cuz well, she was missing a foot, blind in one eye, spinal kinks, and what looks like a hair lip - maybe scale rot scar at the tip on her mouth? basically she was a rescue.

She was doing well for a while there, never been a massive eater, always been slender but NEVER this bad, so once i get a bit more weight on her, I'm gonna get her checked. Hopefully by then I have some $$$ and i can take her to the animal hospital at healsville.

She was a narky *checkerboard when i got her, for a long time too, then she just warmed to me. most people she goes stupid with but with Myself and my GF, she is quite calm.

[DeadEye]

Yep ive been away all weekend but you got it , ive sent my pics to you .And how to doit safely I would like to know whats causing her to go off her food , i mentioned some .....your doing well .
As long as you mark the tube with a texter in black, and pop it in a glass of water to check for bubbles..That will mean your in the lung ,there like long socks , thin ,like ladie,s stockings ..Then puree egg yoke vitimins brocalli all pureed up , ive seen em alot sicker than her. Her tail has a fat supply .Use lettace apple all blended up to a liquid .
back to work
cheers Mate


Like i said we put in a suppliment for flat birds called spark ...As birds are dinosours to he picked up and loved his tube feeds ,would open his mouth never gave us any grief.But the wild ones with bobtail influenza ..drew some blood opening there mouth...But when there weak ..piece of cake ..just stop if ya hit anything and haul it back ...Lookin good sorry been away all weekend in a nationa park
cya mate..Check some pics lata Buit log with a massive lace monitor i found ..I love this hunting in hollow logs my mate calls me Hazard Haza
LOL
Yep thats me in the log Lying on spiders and scorpions Haza

[deftones2015]

I hope everything goes well with your rescue.

[Lisa]

OK I can see from them pics that she is a little small, although does she, or is she, developing properly with the kinkiness?

Animals stop eating for a reason. With blueys it can be seasonal, or like other animals it is because they are sick. I'm just worried that, without knowing why she's not eating, and if it is an internal problem, then forcing food into her could do more harm than good. Ian's have a known illness, and babies can be born fussy and in these instances force feeding can help. But I wouldn't force food into her first without knowing it's not going to exacerbate a possible problem.

I'm just saying, they don't stop eating for no reason, and you saying she's actually losing condition makes it sound to me like an illness. If she was just slowing down for winter then she shouldn't be losing condition because her whole metabolism will slow so that will slow growth rate. If she's not actually losing condition but just not eating, then no, don't brumate her in that state, but leave her heat and lights on.

I hear you when you say she looks happy about it, but we can't tell for sure. And they can't tell us. I think my blueys like it when I scratch them because they close their eyes. But who knows, it might be a defence thing. Playing dead or something. By all means trust your instincts. You know her best! It's a pity you don't have a good vet nearby who'll give you a freebie visit.

Good luck with her! I hope she comes good for you!

[Blotch]

oh jeeze lisa - You wouldn't believe how shattered i was when i first took them to the vet. After being told he's a reptile expert and them having him pull out a printed version of Craig looses Web site I was Shattered. If I wanted someone to tell me something that I had read numerous times before It sure as sugar wouldn't have been someone that i had to pay a rediculous consultaion fee to. I was flabbergasted! hehe I like that word.

I don't think she's sick. I put it down to brumation, Picky eating and maybe a dominant room mate - That i'm not sure about - so I've seperated her. She's all by herself now. I see what you are getting at - and hey - you're not wrong - but as I've explained - I'm not taking her to someone that's just gonna probably read me a caresheet from here and charge me $75. I'd rather eat a bluey turd.

Another thing I was thinking is that it could be lack of UV light. Although it hasn't been proven, one thing I noticed was she pooped a heap once I started taking her outside again. So - perhaps it's having an impact on her eating too??? So i've set a plan in motion - force feeding - although not with a tube down to her gut - just squirting small amounts of baby food in her gob and allowing her to swallow before squirting more - and increased sunlight. I hope to get the outdoor enclosure done by spring.
Fingers crossed hey? Who knows, in a month or so she may be a big fatty in great condition, eating heaps and back into the normal swing of things. Well 3 months or so anyway.

[Lisa]

Yeah I'd never take my lizards to my dog's vet. They're good for furries, but not scaleys. It's surprising how few vets here in Aus have little or no experience with native fauna.

I think the sunlight definately would've helped, but probably in conjunction with her having a wander outside. Mine always go to the loo after walkies. I don't care how good a UV light says it is, nothing beats real sunlight for good health in non-nocturnal reptiles.

[Blotch]

totally! I even notice a massive difference in myself. If i've been inside alot then go outside in the sun i notice i feel a heap better.

[KyleWeiss]

If there's any one that's mending skinks the best way, Ian (DeadEye) is it... that guy is covered in bobtails most of the time.

Good luck taking care of the sick one, Blotch.

KW

[Leigh]

totally! I even notice a massive difference in myself. If i've been inside alot then go outside in the sun i notice i feel a heap better.

Thats why most of us up here get S.A.D. {seasonal adjustment disorder} we get winter twice a day for most of the year