Reptile & Amphibian Forums

....who can answer a few questions for me, especially about brumation?
Thanks, Susan

Susan,
I can help you with your blue tongue skink questions. Fill free to email me any time. mebarb54@aol.com
~Joel Ebarb

Thanks Joel, I will.
Susan

hello,

i'm yoko and i had 3 pairs of Blue tonque skinks. I know a little bit about them. What do you want to know?

Hi Yoko
Thanks for replying. I live in Sydney, Australia, which is why i posted on this particular forum, and i have a baby Eastern BTS, rescued from a cat (which killed 8 of her siblings.)I want to know, if I leave her outside during the winter (and of course this climate is her natural habitat) how long will she hibernate (or is it brumate?...what's the difference?) Will she just sleep all winter? Should i still put food and water out for her? Friends have told me that blue tongues sometimes emerge in the middle of brumation on a sunny day (we have lots of sunny winter days) to soak up a bit of sun, then go back to sleep. Also...is brumation necessary for health? If I kept her at room temp inside (around 16-18C in winter - would she not hibernate?
Hoping you can help,
Susan

Hello there, i dun think it is a good idea to keep the baby outside as it may not hav the necessary fat reserve to hibernate.
Even though it is in its natural surrounding. As all lizard store their fat reserve in its tail ,i think u should feel its tail to see if it has enough reserve .If not maybe u can leave a light out to keep it warm,some food n water too of-course

Most book will not recommand u hibernate any reptiles below 1 year old .