BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

For the past 3 days, Sammy hasn't eaten and is hiding alot. She seems to be about to shed or trying to get ready for brumation.

I don't want her to brumate this winter so I am wondering- should I increase her basking bulb temp? At the moment I have a 50w basking bulb above her tile that brings the temp up to about 95 degrees. I was thinking about trying a 60w bulb to bring it up a little more so maybe she won't be thinking about the cold weather so much. Her cooler side is around 77 degrees.

What changes do you make to your bluey's enclosure when the weather starts to get cold?

I believe you cannot stop natural instint, wait for the others to say so though

Yep, if she wants to kip, she will despite what you do. But 3 days is nothing, not until you don't see her for at least 2-3 weeks is she brumtaing.

I'd be looking at raising the ambient temp in the rest of the tank rather than the basking spot, maybe with a heater on in the room for a couple of hours in the morning.


P.S. There's nothing wrong with them brumating their first winter. They all do in the wild!

P.S. There's nothing wrong with them brumating their first winter. They all do in the wild!

Really? That makes me feel better. I read on here somewhere that it wasn't a good idea to let babies brumate. She was born June 28, 2007.

Alot of people don't, but there's really no reason not to other than it's hard buying a baby and all you want to do is bond, but within a couple of weeks they're sleeping!

If you had a sick one then it's probably adviseable, but the majority of captive bred babies are off to a way better start than wild ones. They literally eat their birth sac only and then that's it till spring.

I haven't slept mine their first winter simply because they showed no signs of wanting to, but if they did I would let them. My eastern didn't sleep his second winter either but the last two he has.

Three days but is nothing, I reckon you'll see her again soon enough anyway.

Well, today Sammy ate a few bites of her breakfast atleast. She's looking pretty irritable. I think she is definitely suffering from PSS (Pre-Shed Syndrome). Which can't be comfortable.

She's lying on her basking tile at the moment and I can see how dark she's become. There is a small shred of shed hanging from her unhappy head. Hopefully this will be over for her soon. Poor baby.

I was kinda wondering the same thing about Pele'. It just seems too early for him to try to brumate. He is due to shed any day now---but usually his appetite/hiding is only affected on shed day. I take my guys out every day and his excessive hiding began after one cool day. For now, I'm going to keep digging him out to play outside and eat. If he keeps this up past his shed, then I'll worry a little more. Why don't you just wait til Sammy sheds to change things. Then, consider what Lisa told you about raising the ambient temp. Even small changes in bulb wattage can really increase your basking temps. Is 96 the highest you are getting throughout the day at your basking area?

Once I got my temp gun, I had to fiddle with Pryce's temps, and bring them down. This seems to have messed him up as he's now working on an odd schedule. Last night he was up and about at 10 pm and then 1 am, trying to get out and getting into trouble. He also hides during the day, and I was afraid he was going to start brumating. Hopefully he'll settle down with the new temps and stay up this winter. I'll miss them too much if they start sleeping this year.

Is 96 the highest you are getting throughout the day at your basking area?

Yeah, I actually changed her bulb to a little higher wattage and brought it up a few degrees but I'm still only getting 96-97 degrees on her tile. The rest of her enclosure is up to 84 now.

mom22wins, that sounds like you'll have to raise the basking spot,other wise the rest of the set up might get too hot, it might be easier than playing with lamp sizes in the long run

I think I'll try that. How hot is too hot on the cooler side? I thought around 80 degrees was ok.

Your BTS will brumate if he wants. What people mean by not letting their babies brumate the first year means that they will not brumate them.

What i mean is, when conditioning an adult for breeding, often, many people will turn off the basking bulb and just let them sleep the whole winter with no food or heat.

Your BTS will brumate if he wants. What people mean by not letting their babies brumate the first year means that they will not brumate them.

What i mean is, when conditioning an adult for breeding, often, many people will turn off the basking bulb and just let them sleep the whole winter with no food or heat.

Oh, I getcha! Do you think 80 degrees is too hot for the cooler side of the tank?

No, but I wouldn't let it get much warmer.

What are your night temps?


I would continue to offer food, as long as there is a basking spot, he will use it as nessesary. Once he stops taking food, you know he is really ready for brumation.

I would weigh him weekly during this time, if he does fully brumate, and make sure his weight doesn't drop drastically.

No, but I wouldn't let it get much warmer.

What are your night temps?

My night temps usually get about 72 degrees. Today I noticed the cooler side temp went up after I took out her gazeebo (which blocks alot of the cool side from the basking heat). So I went back to my 50w spot. The enclosure still got up to 87 degrees since it was so hot out today and we weren't home running the air that much.

I just ordered an electronic temp controller. It should keep it from getting to hot while we're gone and from getting to cool at night.

mom22wins wrote:

No, but I wouldn't let it get much warmer.

What are your night temps?

My night temps usually get about 72 degrees. Today I noticed the cooler side temp went up after I took out her gazeebo (which blocks alot of the cool side from the basking heat). So I went back to my 50w spot. The enclosure still got up to 87 degrees since it was so hot out today and we weren't home running the air that much.

I just ordered an electronic temp controller. It should keep it from getting to hot while we're gone and from getting to cool at night.

Hey ... if you found that electric temp controller on the web would you post the web link? Would love to check it out.

mom22wins wrote:

No, but I wouldn't let it get much warmer.

What are your night temps?

My night temps usually get about 72 degrees. Today I noticed the cooler side temp went up after I took out her gazeebo (which blocks alot of the cool side from the basking heat). So I went back to my 50w spot. The enclosure still got up to 87 degrees since it was so hot out today and we weren't home running the air that much.

I just ordered an electronic temp controller. It should keep it from getting to hot while we're gone and from getting to cool at night.

If you found that electronic temp controller on the web would you post the address? I would love to check it out.

Mom22wins ... if you found that electronic temp controller on the web would you post the address? Would love to check it out.

mon22wins ... if you found that electronic temp controller on the web would you post a link? Would love to look at it.

I know the feeling lol. It was 87 degrees in my apartment today! So guess what my cool side was lol...