Many Blue Tongue Skinks owners are unaware of how good their pets are at escapes and hiding in unbelievably tight spots. One of the crucial things is to find reasons why your Blue Tongue Skink is trying to escape. You should also know how to find it once something like that happens.
Blue Tongue Skinks have a strong instinct to escape, but you should recognize the trigger factors that force your pet to do that. The most common are stress, boredom, inadequate
This article shows you why your Blue Tongue Skink tries to escape, how to stop that, and what you can do when it succeeds in its intentions.
Table of Contents
Why Your Blue Tongue Skink Is Trying to Escape
So let’s have a look at the reasons in detail:
1. Inadequate tank size
An average adult Blue Tongue Skink requires a horizontal
You should be prepared for your little fellow to grab the first chance to escape if its space is too tight and confined.
Some owners use a
You should be aware that an adult reptile needs enough space to move, particularly after including all the necessary accessories inside.
2. Inadequate living conditions
You might have set up your
High temperature
Like other reptiles, Blue Tongue Skinks require adequate outside conditions to help them regulate their body temperature.
However, they won’t tolerate a too-hot
| Feature | Value |
| Temperature | Cooler end – 75 to 82 F (24 – 28 C) Basking area – 90 to 100 F (32 – 38 C) |
| Humidity | 60% to 80% |
| Light | UVB lighting during the day |
The first sign that your reptile is too hot is that it is trying to climb the glass, but you can also expect to see it lethargic and confused while avoiding the warmest area.
As a result, most Blue Tongue Skinks end up dehydrated or give their best to run away from the terrarium.
The crucial way to prevent your pet from suffering is to provide a sizable
The next step is regularly controlling the inside temperature with an infrared thermometer. Once you notice it overheats, turning bulbs and heating devices off is necessary.
You then need to get heating devices with lower wattage or you need to regulate them with a thermostat if that is possible.
Lighting
Blue Tongue Skinks significantly benefit from full-spectrum UVB lighting, but you should choose the right type. Never purchase the one with a plexiglass, glass, or plastic base under bulbs to protect your pet from burning.
Your reptile won’t tolerate colored lights or the light source positioned less than 18 inches (46 cm) from the outer
Humidity
The proper humidity in your Blue Tongue Skink
Most Australian species enjoy humidity of approximately 40%, while Indonesian types thrive at about 60 to 80%. Any significant deviation will endanger your pet’s health and encourage it to attempt to escape.
3. Your Blue Tongue Skink is stressed
You can expect Blue Tongue Skink to escape when it is unhappy or under stress. Reasons for these feelings are various, including:
- Inappropriate handling (Read our guide on handling here)
- Fully exposed
tank placed in a high-traffic area, particularly when you get a new pet - Loud noises
- Monotonous and inadequate diet
- Lack of
food - Cage mates, particularly of the same sex
- Too small or poorly maintained
tank - A tank without substrate to burrow
If you are careful enough, you will notice that your reptile is under stress and prevent possible escape on time. The most common symptoms are:
- Head-hiding and hiding more than usual
- Atypical signs of aggression
- Changes in appetite
- Hyperactivity and persistent
food -seeking - Disturbed bathroom habits
- Panting and open-mouth breathing
- Sticking the body to the walls
Taking steps to reduce your reptile’s stress levels is in its best interest. A Blue Tongue Skink that isn’t stressed will happily enjoy its life without trying to escape.
4. Your Blue Tongue Skink is bored
Blue Tongue skinks are intelligent creatures that enjoy exploring and burrowing, so you should properly arrange the
Add enough decorations and enrichment accessories to the
If your pet still looks bored and glass surfs despite plenty of gadgets added to the
Doing that twice a year will be enough to keep your Blue Tongue Skink entertained. Meanwhile, let your skink hunt its
In such conditions, it is unlikely your Blue Tongue Skink feels stressed and wants to run away.
5. It Is Mating season
You can expect your Blue Tongue Skink to become active during the breeding season in the early fall and try to escape while looking for a mate. As expected, it is particularly true for males.
Once brumation is over after a cold period, your pet will be ready to mate. In such a case, it will grab the first opportunity when you leave the
What to Do When Your Blue Tongue Skink Has Escaped?
Once your Blue Tongue Skink escapes from its
As you can guess, your home doesn’t provide the adequate temperature, humidity, and lighting conditions this species requires.
Close the doors and windows
The first step is to ensure your Blue Tongue Skink can’t go out from your home by closing all windows and doors.
Although living outside of a
Make your house safe for your skink
The next to do is to make your home safe for your Blue Tongue Skink as much as possible. Cover wires, remove tiny objects it can swallow, and turn off lamps and hot surfaces to prevent burning.
If you have a cat or dog, removing them from the area is crucial to avoid unwanted encounters.
Increase the inside temperature
Blue Tongue Skinks can spend days without food and water, but low temperatures are fatal for this species.
Therefore, you should turn the heating on to make the surroundings as adequate for your escaped pet as possible. However, be careful with potentially dangerous hot radiators.
Offer food and water
The quickest way to attract your Blue Tongue Skink out is to place water and its favorite food and treats in one spot. Sometimes cat and dog
Check your pet’s movements
As you know, Blue Tongue Skinks are the most active throughout the day. Therefore, you can follow your pet’s movement around the house by dusting flour over the floor in rooms closest to the
Dust it in the morning and check traces during the day or evening.
Never give up!
You can expect your Blue Tongue Skink to crawl into a hidden place and refuse to show up regardless of your efforts.
However, you should never lose hope and stop looking for it. If you make your house safe and warm, your pet can survive for weeks, sometimes months, outside the
- Eastern Rat Snake: Nature’s Pest Control and Fascinating Reptile - September 20, 2024
- Eastern Racer: The Fast and Agile Snake - September 19, 2024
- The Eastern Indigo Snake: The Majestic, Non-Venomous Hunter of the Southeast - September 18, 2024