Raaahbin
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- Jan 27, 2010
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Hi folks,
Quick question to those more experienced with such things. We have a new stimmie hatchling - almost a couple of months old now, although we've only had him for just under two weeks. He's a lovely little guy, and has been pretty easy going since we got him. For the first couple of days after he arrived we left him completely alone, then because his original enclosure had a weird plasticky smell (see another thread here) we made up a new click clack for him, so we handled him in order to move him. That seemed to go really well - we didn't pick him up or anything, just waited for his curiosity to do the job. The next night we handled him a little too, then fed him (which was no problem at all) and left him alone for a couple more days.
After that, we've handled him a bit each night up until two nights ago. Each time we've done the same thing - just offered a hand in his enclosure, and waited for him to come to us. Even when we haven't been in the process of handling him, during the night we'll regularly find that he's moved from one place to another, or we'll see him basking on the tiles or hiding in the toilet roll that sits on the tiles. Two nights ago (one night before we'd normally feed him), we went to handle him just as before, and this time he barely poked his head out of his hide rock, then went back in and didn't reappear. Last night, same thing only he didn't even poke his head out. Concerned at the lack of response (and the fact that we hadn't seen him out and about at all), I gently stroked the bit of his side that was nearest the opening of the hide rock, and he moved, but just to move a little further into the hide rock. Once again this morning I've got up early (well before the sun is up), and he's still in the hide rock.
The last time he was handled, a friend was having a bit of a hold of him and dropped him (probably about a metre) onto the wooden floor, but I gently picked him up immediately and he didn't seem to be behaving any differently (he didn't even seem overly perturbed by the fall), so we didn't think there was any likelihood of injury, but... now (like any first time parents) we're getting very worried.
What are your suggestions? He was so "friendly" and easy going for the first week or so, this complete hiding-and-not-coming-out for days is worrying us, but we don't want to disturb him if he just needs some non-stop quiet time. Could he be shedding? Could he be sick? At what point do we do something more, like taking the hide rock off him (which we know will get him perturbed and defensive) or taking him to a vet?
The temperature gradient is good, the enclosure has been regularly cleaned, everyone's washed hands carefully before handling, he's fed easily the one time we fed him... everything seems fine, except his 2+ day disappearance.
Would appreciate any input from those who've seen it before!
Quick question to those more experienced with such things. We have a new stimmie hatchling - almost a couple of months old now, although we've only had him for just under two weeks. He's a lovely little guy, and has been pretty easy going since we got him. For the first couple of days after he arrived we left him completely alone, then because his original enclosure had a weird plasticky smell (see another thread here) we made up a new click clack for him, so we handled him in order to move him. That seemed to go really well - we didn't pick him up or anything, just waited for his curiosity to do the job. The next night we handled him a little too, then fed him (which was no problem at all) and left him alone for a couple more days.
After that, we've handled him a bit each night up until two nights ago. Each time we've done the same thing - just offered a hand in his enclosure, and waited for him to come to us. Even when we haven't been in the process of handling him, during the night we'll regularly find that he's moved from one place to another, or we'll see him basking on the tiles or hiding in the toilet roll that sits on the tiles. Two nights ago (one night before we'd normally feed him), we went to handle him just as before, and this time he barely poked his head out of his hide rock, then went back in and didn't reappear. Last night, same thing only he didn't even poke his head out. Concerned at the lack of response (and the fact that we hadn't seen him out and about at all), I gently stroked the bit of his side that was nearest the opening of the hide rock, and he moved, but just to move a little further into the hide rock. Once again this morning I've got up early (well before the sun is up), and he's still in the hide rock.
The last time he was handled, a friend was having a bit of a hold of him and dropped him (probably about a metre) onto the wooden floor, but I gently picked him up immediately and he didn't seem to be behaving any differently (he didn't even seem overly perturbed by the fall), so we didn't think there was any likelihood of injury, but... now (like any first time parents) we're getting very worried.
What are your suggestions? He was so "friendly" and easy going for the first week or so, this complete hiding-and-not-coming-out for days is worrying us, but we don't want to disturb him if he just needs some non-stop quiet time. Could he be shedding? Could he be sick? At what point do we do something more, like taking the hide rock off him (which we know will get him perturbed and defensive) or taking him to a vet?
The temperature gradient is good, the enclosure has been regularly cleaned, everyone's washed hands carefully before handling, he's fed easily the one time we fed him... everything seems fine, except his 2+ day disappearance.
Would appreciate any input from those who've seen it before!