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Okay...so...I have moved Dill into her new home.
I don't think she likes it.
She keeps going down to the bottom of her enclosure, which seems odd to me. You'd think she'd want to be up higher in the enclosure.
When I move her, she climbs right back down.
Not only that, but when I go to pick her up...she GRUNTS at me!! I have never heard her do that before.
I'm worried about her desire to be on the bottom of her cage, rather than up in her hide, or in the plants....and what about the fact that the floor of her cage will be the coolest area of the cage??
Am I worrying needlessly...is this just an adjustment period?
And what are those grunts she's making? Is that a warning noise, for me to leave her alone..or is she getting sick, and that's an indication of breathing difficulties??

This is her new home:

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Kim

Hi Kim, I have a few enclosures that are somewhat similar to the one you have( Nice Job by the way!)that my monkey tail skinks stay mostly on the bottom during the day and up in the branches and hollowed logs at night. Here is an observation I have made with location of these enclosures that may or may not help answer your question, originally I had these enclosures in a down stairs room of my house, when this was the case the monkey tails that were in them only stayed in the top part of the cage and came down for feeding and to ocassionally explore. Now here is the interesting part I have found, when I moved them to an upstairs room in the house they stayed in the bottom part of the enclosure most all of the time and ocassionally explore the top at night. I have a feeling that they have a sense of height just as if you where in the downstairs of a house or an apartment you would sense a differant feeling too as opposed to being in the upstairs. I hope you understand what I am saying, it is just my observation, there could be some truth to this or maybe not.

This actually makes a lot of sense. I mean, an average house is about as high as a tree they'd live in normally, so by placing them at the bottom of that "tree" they try to get further up, but by putting them, right at the top, they will stay lower down, maybe so as to get food etc. Maybe they do have a sense of altitude that has been overlooked?

SOUTHERN FLORIDA CORUCIA RESEARCH CENTER (SFCRC)

Location: LEE/1.

Corucia zebrata is a high-canopy arboreal species (STLI=.17). Although in the wild-They have been observed descending to the ground on occasion. The same is true of another high-canopy arboreal species: The Chondro Python: Morelia viridis.

Brian
SFCRC

n/p

Hi Kim,

I don't think we've had the pleasure before.

Perhaps, if your picture is any indication, Dill is retreating to the bottom where it is darker. My Corucia often sleep at ground level. It could just be an individual preference. In an earlier post by Brian, I believe it was mentioned that Dill has difficulty climbing due to missing digits. This could be another factor. In her case, It may be uncomfortable to hang very long in the upper levels. The grunt seems to indicate Stress or other unhappiness but I'm not a top Corucia expert.
Try making the upper part of the cage shadier-like a rainforest with vines perhaps that would make Dill feel at home.

As with many animals...trial and error...trial and error.

hope this helps.

Jean

Nice looking enclosure. How long did it take for her to adjust to the enclosure when you first got her? Didn't she take a week or so to get used to the move and eat? I wouldn't worry to much for the first few days- she needs to get used to the new place. If she is hanging out on the bottom alot, I would make sure she has everything she needs down there- A hide, food, water and a bask zone (this could be safely achieved with a reptile heat pad. She should adjust soon. You might try adding piles of plastic plants around the hides, so she can be really hidden and 'safe' when she wants to be.
Gertie barked and grunted when defending a newborn. One of her twins Candy, barks when I pick him/her up as she tries to bite me. Vocalizing in my PTS has been a threat behavior, but it could also be discomfort or stress. Dill maybe scared and defensive because of the move.
Cheers, Jess