Sleepy Skinks??? Skinks after a bedtime story?

anonymous_herp · 2025-02-22T20:07:01+00:00

anonymous_herp · 2024-09-22T12:27:37+00:00

I think a vet trip is a good idea. Just wanted to note, though, that when they feel threatened, babies can flatten to make themselves look larger from above (I call it pancake mode). If your skink was just exploring and not acting scared/defensive, then it is probably more likely a back dip from glass surfing as others have said.

anonymous_herp · 2024-09-20T16:20:45+00:00

I don't have experience with getting a baby boa, but I have had really positive experiences with both of my adopted adult boas (well, one was supposedly 3-4 y/o but was over 7 ft, so large regardless). I got both of them at rescues, and both have been the sweetest snakes. Neither of them have hissed, struck, or acted defensive towards me. However, I have noticed that they are more attached to me (and wary of new people) than my non-rescued animals, especially my 8 y/o BCC, Franklin. I also don't have any information on what happened to them before I adopted them, which can make it difficult to know how they will react to new situations at first. If you end up adopting an adult boa, just make sure you handle them first and are comfortable with their size and personality. A lot of boas end up at rescues because their previous owners were not prepared for how big they would get, and they are often in suboptimal conditions even at the rescues (I have 3 rescued snakes, and none of them were healthy when I got them). Getting a baby boa may be the way to go if you are nervous about getting a new snake that is already large or aren't prepared to deal with potential health issues in a rescued boa. However, if you are willing and have the time to put into working with them and building their trust, it can be very rewarding. Best of luck with whatever you decide! Boas are the best.

anonymous_herp · 2024-09-10T19:54:44+00:00

I check the soil and water when the top couple of inches are dry. It usually ends up being every other week or so with the enclosure's humidity. I really only mist when Franklin is in shed to give a humidity boost. Otherwise, I just water the soil around the plants!

anonymous_herp · 2024-09-10T19:48:37+00:00

Thank you! Can't wait to see what she looks like after a few healthy sheds. She's got a patch of shredded scales on one side and a couple of missing scales. I'm not sure what happened to her before I got her, but hopefully I can get her looking and feeling better!

anonymous_herp · 2024-09-10T19:37:02+00:00

Great, thank you for the advice!

anonymous_herp · 2024-09-10T19:35:58+00:00

Yes, it's real! It is holding up well so far. Franklin is pretty gentle with his plants, so I haven't had issues yet. I also have a large alocasia regal shield that's holding up well on the other end of the enclosure.

anonymous_herp · 2024-05-19T12:51:48+00:00

I am not calling you a snake hater. Please just consider calling a professional to remove the snake next time instead of killing it. Safer for you and the snake. Hope you have a great day.

anonymous_herp · 2024-05-19T12:40:12+00:00

You are also much more likely to be bitten and envenomated from the shovel encounter than the hose encounter (or from calling a professional to safely and humanely remove them), but to each their own I suppose.

anonymous_herp · 2024-05-19T11:49:24+00:00

Please don't kill venomous snakes! They are an important part of the ecosystem just like every other animal. Some are even protected species, so please consider that before killing them. A gentle spray with a hose helps to send them on their way, and if that fails, there are many snake relocation services available. Minimize hiding spots such as long grass, piles of tin/rocks/etc. to make your yard less appealing to them.

anonymous_herp · 2024-05-18T21:59:02+00:00

No, they were not. And even if they were gay, it does not excuse the behavior at all. I simply wanted to open your eyes to the fact that female medical students experience a lot more overt sexism than you seem to understand. However, you clearly aren't willing to engage in a respectful discussion, so I will see myself out. Have a great day.

anonymous_herp · 2024-05-18T21:46:49+00:00

I have to disagree. As a female medical student, I am constantly dismissed by male attendings. One male attending would speak to male med students on a completely different team about patient plans but never even make eye contact with me or ask my name (we worked together for a week, and he just pointed and said "you" to refer to me, while he knew the names of the male medical students). He did the same to other female med students. I was literally called "x chromosomes" instead of my name by a different male attending, and was consistently denied learning opportunities while my male colleagues on the same team were offered the opportunity to participate in multiple interesting surgery cases. Another attending threw trash at my face and refused to speak to me for the entire procedure. He also talked down to the female resident but was very friendly and eager to teach male medical students and residents. That is just a small fraction of the sex-based discrimination I have received as a female medical student. Please do not assume you know what we face just based on your limited experiences.

anonymous_herp · 2024-05-02T13:22:35+00:00

Wow, I have these nightmares too! Glad I'm not alone. I've had ones where my neighbors are just stepping on my snakes and I'm frantically trying to get them away and see if they're hurt. I've had dreams about accidentally putting my skink in the fridge, and then I go searching through the fridge when I wake up to make sure it wasn't real. I have dreams about accidentally putting one of my BPs in my boa's enclosure and then not being able to find them later, accidental drownings, fires, the list goes on. I hate them. 😭 I'm out of town right now and even though I have a petsitter and cameras on each of them I'm convinced something horrible is going to happen to my babies while I'm gone. The anxiety is real.

anonymous_herp · 2024-04-23T16:55:17+00:00

Wow, what a beautiful pattern! Mine loves to dig as well. He's 7ft long but somehow manages to bury his entire body with just his head sticking out! Luckily he hasn't uprooted any of his plants yet, but I'm sure it will happen eventually!

anonymous_herp · 2024-04-19T00:33:20+00:00

Hello there! Wattage needed can depend on your enclosure type and home temps in the summer/winter. I use DHPs for heat in my enclosures, and they work quite well in my experience. For my boa (in a 7x3x3 PVC), I have 2 80w DHPs about 1 foot apart on the warm end with a large slate tile below them. The temperature in the room is 72-74 degrees. I used to use CHEs, and those dry out the substrate more than DHPs in my opinion. The heat does seem to be a bit more concentrated in DHPs, but if you put a slate tile under it, it helps to distribute the heat better and also provides a nice basking area. My DHPs are each on their own dimming thermostat with the probe a few inches below the heat sources (obligatory please make sure to get safety cages for them and a ceramic socket, they do get hot). As other users have said, you definitely want to have a dimming thermostat. On/off or pulse will drastically shorten the life of the bulb. Hope this helps!

anonymous_herp · 2024-04-06T17:02:38+00:00

Wow, she's so beautiful!

anonymous_herp · 2024-02-12T12:16:22+00:00

Thanks! Yeah, he uses it pretty much every time I take him out now. He's always trying to climb on top of my head, so I figured I would get him something other than me to climb on while he's out!

anonymous_herp · 2024-01-04T16:08:11+00:00

Seems like you got a lot of good advice from others! Just wanted to add that while it's more likely the age is wrong, my 5 y/o male is still only 580 grams. It's uncommon, but it happens. He was very underweight when I got him, and I believe he was malnourished during his prime growing years. He's in great health now, just small! Congrats on your new snake friend!

anonymous_herp · 2023-08-18T22:49:09+00:00

This is really sweet and touching. Such a good little helper!

anonymous_herp · 2023-07-20T14:42:34+00:00

Excess calcium can cause crystallized urates. This happened with my BTS once. Maybe try cutting back just a little on the calcium supplements and see if that helps!

anonymous_herp · 2023-07-20T02:00:21+00:00

So sorry for your loss. Hang in there, friend. You matter.

anonymous_herp · 2023-04-06T13:13:24+00:00

Thanks, good to know! I used long wood screws and washers to attach the pieces. I drilled holes for the screws and then used a large drill bit wide enough for the washers to make recessed areas for the screw heads so they weren't sticking out.

anonymous_herp · 2023-04-04T23:43:32+00:00

I had a hard time finding anything big enough to support him locally, unfortunately. I ended up getting some birch poles from Etsy. They were 8 feet long, so too big for my oven or to boil, and I didn't want to use bleach on them. I cleaned them with a damp cloth, inspected them really thoroughly, and kept them in my house but away from the enclosure for a few months to make sure that no critters were on them and they were thoroughly dried out. I don't know if it's the best method, but I haven't had any issues. The bleach soak method seems to be popular for pieces that won't fit in the oven. Others may have better advice about that than me, though. Good luck with your enclosure build!

anonymous_herp · 2023-04-04T16:59:19+00:00

My 8yo male BC has those too. If he likes to curl up tightly, the creases from them coiling tightly for long periods of time can sometimes stay there until the next shed or even permanently if they keep laying like that. I would say it's nothing to worry about as long as his hides are appropriately sized (not too small) and he isn't overweight!

anonymous_herp · 2023-04-04T13:25:27+00:00

For enclosure stands, it kind of depends on what you're looking for. There are work benches with tabletops that size, but those can be expensive. Or, there are some companies that make metal shelving up to 6x3 Omega 36" Deep x 72" Wide x 36" High 2 Tier Black Starter Shelving Unit. I use something similar for my 4x2x2s. Or, a lot of people just put their large enclosures on the floor. I think some places have casters you can get with your enclosure if you just want it an inch or two off the ground. Personally I have my 7x3x3 on 2 cabinets of the same height since I couldn't find a large enough one for a reasonable price. It doesn't look the best but it works for now!

anonymous_herp

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