Too docile?

[Pepper]

Okay, I've been waiting to get a fire skink for a LONG time and finally got one, well, I got to choose between 3...

One was fairly large, the next smaller, and then a another one a tad smaller then the other small one..

Well, the big one was very feisty, bitey etc, foaming at the mouth he was so aggitated..how they say they are supposed to be, the second one was feisty but with less biting, and the third one tried to get away, then just chilled out...

Well, thinking the smallest one was probably sick I wasn't going to get him, but going against my better judgment.....I did, I don't know why, I have no clue, but I did...

Well, I bring him home, set him up in his tank, substrate to burrow in, a water dish, plant to hide under, and a nice hide, along with UVB bulb that also emits heat, I also put a shallow dish with some meal worms in it.

Well, about 30 minutes after he was in, he went and got a drink, AND went up to the bowl and ate a meal worm or two..well I was thinking, okay, maybe he's just..nice? No, there's gotta be something wrong...

Well, I went to school at 6 in the morning, came back at 3pm, all the meal worms were gone, and he was of course burrowed down under.

Well, I took him out because I wanted to check him out under a magnifying glass because I thought I saw a bug on him when I got him...I didn't see anything, in his eyes, nose, ears, or under his scales, or any where else, he is a nice weight, clear eyes, clear nose.

He DOES try to get away, huffs a little bit, but does not try to bite, and licks me a lot, and looks quite active, he also sat on my hand and let me give him a meal worm...by hand...

I would think a sick animal would not be active and alert, eating, etc..

BUT it does say they are supposed to be feisty and pretty nasty at first..

So, opinions...

Tired and stressed, and just not acting mean?

Sick?

Or...just oddly calm?

 

[Lena]

Well, I'm sure you read about my experience with Manny. =/ Poor little fella was far too docile and ended up dieing a day after I bought him.

Be on the look out, keep him warm and hydrated.

 

[Gecko]

There's a difference between being lethergic and different temperments. If it's docile enough to pay attention try and let it lick a little fruit mush off your finger. Something sweet not acidic.

They like to burrow though so that's perfectly normal.

 

[Pepper]

Yeah, thats why I'm sooo confused. But I'll keep an eye out on him, although I'm not going to be holding him for a while and just let him settle in.

He is active, eating, and when I hold him he's not just, laying down with his head resting, he's actually looking around, looking at me, tasting, etc...just not, well attacking me, haha.

I remember I purchased a rat as a pet one time, he was just, well sleeping on me, they tried to tell me he was just nice, and an hour later he died sleeping on me..I already knew he was going to die, but figured he can have a nice last hour out of a noisy pet shop.

But this guy seems, well, calm with me, but active in his.."environment" haha.

I'm going to see how it goes..

Thanks for the advice

 

[Pepper]

Here's some pics, I took a video, but it was too big to upload into photobucket...T_T

Here's some pictures..

His Set up:You can see his head on the far left behind the water bowl haha.

I'll try to grab a video later.

 

[Musicanimal]

He's very handsome! I really wanted to get one of these guys, and I've ended up with a blue tongue and schneider instead. Good luck with hiim, hope all goes well. I've heard of a few being docile, so hopefully he's just a good guy.

 

[kyahbean]

He's cool looking!!! Yeah, I thought skinks were supposed to be mean. But maybe some are just nice. Hopefully you got a nice one. Good luck!

 

[Pepper]

Yeah, I'm sure hoping..

He does huff at me, it kind of sounds like a sneeze, but he only does it if I UN-bury him.
And then he instantly tries to "swim" in his substrate and does try to get away.

Maybe he just doesn't feel the need to bite me.

I think the only thing I'm worried about is if I don't check on him everyday to see if he's alive that when I do check a few days later he has been dead for a while......

I think I just need to try and relax, and ignore him for a week and let him settle in.

 

[Musicanimal]

I don't see a problem with a quick check up on him to be sure he's safe. I totally did the same thing when I brought home my schneider. The first night, i went in to check on him, he was sleeping, but then....he wouldn't wake up...I hollered to hubby, and seriously thought he was dead. In the morning he had moved, lol, so...he's just a heavy sleeper. My blue tongue will hiss a little as I grab him to pick him up, but that's all he does, he'll sit in my lap forever, maybe because he's nervous, or doesn't care. Now my schneider, he LOVES to get out, he begs I think. Or he's just wanting to escape from me. But he will climb up me and sit on my head. He doesn't mind my hands or anything. I do know I've read about fires being less friendly than these two species though. However I do believe that they can be friendly, just based on a personal individual basis. Have fun with him. I'm so happily envious of you.

 

[Pepper]

Yeah, today I gave him 3 small meal worms and 3 giant meal worms in a dish and left the room for a few hours because I didn't know if he knows I'm in the room when he's buried.

I came upstairs a few hours later, all the food was gone, and he was out laying under his hide, then noticed I was staring at him and slinked away and buried himself again haha.

So, seems like normal activity so hopefully all goes well!

I really want a Blue tongue, they seem really cool. But, I shall have to wait for the future as my room is over loaded with animals haha.