Betty gets a bath.
Meet “Betty”, a Blotched Blue-tongue Skink. This has been a bumper year for skinks at Sook Farm. We’ve been finding them everywhere. Since they invariably have ticks both behind their front legs and in their ears, we’ve made a habit of picking them up and bringing them inside for a thorough de-ticking. Afterward we put them back where we found them, as the males in particular are territorial.
Upon closer inspection, Betty proved to be wounded with a gash below her vent, and it looks like she’s been “crushed” a bit near her back legs. She moves OK, so we’re just feeding her and keeping her clean until she heals up.
what a big skink you have.
Jeez, that’s like 5 times the size of the skinks around here.
there’s a whole family of blue tongue skinks of a decent size, then there’s a gazillion species of more ‘normal’ skink size, ie small enough that you must be careful if handling them, about 4-8 cm long.
Betty’s currently sunbathing in the sun room, and looks like she’s going into a moult. I’m giving her a gentle bath of her back end each day and putting hydrogen peroxide on her wounds to try and keep them clean and help her heal up well. Main worry is whether she’s got any real internal damage including to her vent, and her back legs. So far the signs are pretty good that she’s got reasonable use of both, but only time will tell whether she’ll recover enough to be released.
Glad it looks pretty good for her. Of course, if she can’t be released, I expect she settled in nicely with the rest of the “family”.
Blue-tongue Skinks, are found all over Australia, and in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Some of the species are very spectacularly colored (golden or pink-markings, etc.) and one variety gets up to 30″ long. Our local Blue-tongue is one of the shorter versions, mostly due to their stubby tails.
Because of their size, which makes them handleable, and their relatively calm nature they are popular as pets. Wild Blue-tongues hiss and try to bite when picked up, but only the most aggressive ones are really serious in their attacks (it’s best to use a towel to pick up those ones – or just leave them be). Of course, it’s best to catch all reptiles cold, when they just can’t be bothered reacting.
As Imogen mentioned, we have other species of skinks in Tasmania (14 skinks and 1 lizard species), all of the more familiar small and slender appearance. The non-“bluies” are mostly black or dark brown, with different configurations of stripes or speckled markings. Walking through our yard will send dozens of them scurrying for cover.
We’re definitely not looking to add Betty to our collection of pets. She’ll be much happier returned to the out-of-doors. She is doing well, so we’re fairly certain she’ll be up for release in a week or so. If not, we can pass her on to the reptile rescue folks to use in their public education displays.
you’re still logged in as Imogen — though I’d recognize that nerd-posting style no matter what the login says. π
Yes, I just figured that out. (Usually Imogen remembers to log herself out, so I don’t have to [because, uber nerd that I am I, forget to look at the log in – my mother used to call me “the absent minded professor”]).
I’m glad the skink is doing well — and she looks quite attractive, moulting or not, in the new picture you posted.
We put her in the storage room yesterday, so that she could get some sun.
In this photo she’s just starting to shed her skin. At least half came off after this morning’s bath.
The one on the left was the feistiest skink we’ve thus far encountered. It probably didn’t help matters much that Luna attempted to “aid” in his capture.
That beats the hell out of having a measly tongue stud.
Sure does. Of course by saying so, you may have started a new trend of having ones entire tongue tattooed blue.
Which made me remember this guy – Lizard Man (Click on “Body Modification”, not for the squeamish).
Well Luna does creates a particular kind when she’s shedding.
Keres’ is out shopping btw, but will be back hot and tired soon. It’s 30+ here today (high 90s I think that is).
Here’s our critter, Pablo:
Pablo looks like he’s got the same temperament as Albert.
Very cute! (and cranky)
The photo makes him look evil, he’s actually very sweet.
he looks cranky-cute – just my kind of pet. π