Question about Eastern Water Skinks...

[Jewel]

Hi everyone, my partner and I have just taken the plunge into owning reptiles for the first time. He has a Children's Python and I have two Eastern Water Skinks. The skinks were in the same tank at the store but when I got them home and settled them into the new tank, I noticed that the slightly bigger one "Scotch" was attacking the smaller, sleeker "Whiskey".

After two days of letting them settle in, I noticed that Whiskey was fleeing whenever Scotch went close and also wasn't eating, although Scotch ate enough for both of them. I decided to separate them and now have them in different tanks and Scotch is fine but Whiskey still isn't eating.

The reptile show we purchased them from gave me crickets to feed them but Whiskey has left them to roam freely through the tank and is ignoring them. I wondered if they were too big but Scotch, who is only slightly bigger, is managing just fine.

Should I be worried?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bluetongue1]

It definitely sounds like a classic case of dominant/submissive behaviour. The first thing to realise is hat if the two skinks can still see each other, the dominant/ submissive behaviour and reactions will continue. They need a 100% effective visual barrier between them. Even lizards at the opposite ends of a room have been known to die as result of the stress induced from this behaviour. Your submissive skink needs to de-stress and feel like the enclosure is its territory. That will take time, depending upon the degree to which it was stressed.

Did the store confirm that it was actually eating crickets of that size? I suspect it wasn’t eating at all if they reacted the way they did for you when in the same enclosure. It is not incapable of eating prey that size but just not up to it at this point in time. Try something smaller and less ‘difficult’, such as little crickets or mealworms, or looper caterpillars or small spiders out of the garden. Wood roaches are great and if you get yourself a shallow ceramic dish and paint a thin band of fluon 1 to 2 cm wide around the inside top edge, the woodies cannot get out. Bonsai dishes are especially good as they also lean inwards at the top. You just heed to seal the hole with a rubber bung or glue some stiff plastic over it.

You have done the right thing so far. Try feeding every 3 days and leave the skink alone in the meantime. Make sure it has plenty of cover to hide in when it wants to.

I am sure you will find it is just a matter of time but do not try to rush it. Keep us informed how you go.

Blue

 

[Jewel]

Thanks for the advice - I've already separated them but I'll put the rest into place and let you know