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 #1785404


R U S S
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 SCHNIDERS WON’T EAT...NEED HELP???

Hey everybody! I’m a newbie! While searching the net for info (about my schniders skinks problem) I came across this site so I thought i would give this forum a try...

Ok, I have two schniders skinks and due to the slight difference in coloration I believe one to be a male and the other female. I’ve had the "female" for going on two months and the "male" for just over a month. Both of them seemed to have pretty healthy appetites up until the last week or so. I used to have to seperate them when it came time for them to eat. I fed them crickets (tried leafy greens and various fruits but they wouldn’t touch it???) and mainly super mealworms slightly dusted with calcium powder. They absolutely LOVED the mealworms up until recently? I understand that they need food at least every other day but for the past few days they haven’t eaten at all?....and I’m just wondering why? Is this normal behavior for them to not want to eat at times?

I know that the UV light helps with their digestion so I don’t think thats the problem? Its just that I absolutely love these little guys and I’m starting to get really worried about them not eating? Is there anything I can do? Is there something I’m not doing right?

Any help or additional info would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

Thanks,
Russ









07/07/08  03:19am

 #1786193


SFRS
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   Message To: R U S S   In reference to Message Id: 1785404


 SCHNIDERS WON’T EAT...NEED HELP???

i’m not a master at all on this but i surfed the internet and found some (possibly) useful items.

diet: (does this sound close to what you are feeding/trying to feed them?
The Berber Skink is an omnivore. They need a balanced diet of meat protein and vegetables. Insects should be their main meat source. Offer them crickets, mealworms, butterworms, silkworms, and earthworms. Pinky mice can be offered once in a while as well. As for the vegetables, feed them a mixture of sweet potatoe, carrots, beans, and softened or mashed fruits. Keep a water dish in the enclosure at all times. Make sure to clean the water daily. You can place small fish in the water diah as well, which may be eaten by some Berber Skinks.

Also what is your lighting and cage specifics.(size, ’decorations) what about your temperatures. also it might be due to impaction. could you possibly post a picture of there undersides. i think that ?lizardboy? who used to own one gave his berber some occasional olive oil???
07/07/08  08:27pm

 #1787968


R U S S
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   Message To: SFRS   In reference to Message Id: 1786193


 SCHNIDERS WON’T EAT...NEED HELP???

Thanks SFRS for your quick reply!!!

Well...I’ve read on several websites that they need a mixture of various mealworms, crickets, and green (leafy) vegitables. The veggies just sat there untouched. I think I will try your advice and try mashed sweet potatoes, beans, and maybe mashed bananas, tomatoes, and maybe cucumbers (non-leafy stuff) along with other types of worms...maybe they might like that instead? I sure hope so!!!

As for my terrarium...its a 50 gallon tank. I have both a UV and heat lamp and heating pad. I used calci-sand as my substrate. Inside I have a few (3) fake plants, a rock "house" that gives them a place to hide and feel safe, a climbing vine, a thermometer (which usually stays anywhere from 80 - 85 degrees), another one that reads the humidity level (which usually reads 50 percent) and of course a water dish that I make sure always has fresh water, and a little "feeding bowl" that I put their food in.

Side note: Their terrarium is in front of our living room window so that they can also get natural UV rays.

I was handling them earlier and they are still pretty active and energetic (trying to climb all over me LOL)...so they appear to still be healthy and in ok shape, but I will try your advice and see what happens.

I’ll see if I can post some pics of them sometime too!

Once again...thanks for your fast reply and advice

Russ
07/09/08  12:31am

 #1804943


Ndngumby
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   Message To: R U S S   In reference to Message Id: 1787968


 SCHNIDERS WON’T EAT...NEED HELP???

maybe shedding? mine slow down on eating at shed time and burrow alot to try get sheds off ..i find if mine dont eat i will remove crix and try next day and usually they devour crix next day...just a thought tho...
07/22/08  11:19am

 #1805824


JackAsp
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   Message To: Ndngumby   In reference to Message Id: 1804943


 SCHNIDERS WON’T EAT...NEED HELP???

I would ditch the calci-sand. It was a good idea that didn’t work as well as intended. Lizards that ingest too much of it end up, basically, with cement in their intestines. I would switch to a different flooring material, and only offer very easy-to-digest foods suxh as earthworms (in a dish, not on sand) otr tuna canned in water, or things of that nature. Nothing with a shell like mealworms. Once you see bowel movements you can start mixing up different types of insect again, but right now you really want to get their insides cleaned out before there is physical damage. I’m not saying I know for a fact that it is calci-sand impaction, but my second guess after that is mealworm shell impaction, so... same solution. And even if I’m wrong, this isn’t the kind of change that’s going to harm them. Worst case scenerio, they’ll look around and say "Didn’t this used to look a little different? Oh well, what’s for dinner? Hey, tuna!"



07/23/08  01:04am


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