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#1670688

LadyLizard
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Schneider’s Skink needing to gain weight

Hey, I have a schneider’s skink and I am trying to get her to put on some weight. She has lost a significant amount of weight since I got her back from the pet store (I had to take her in because she had an infected toe nail). I have been feeding her a calcium (and Vit D3) powder sprinkled cricket or two each night but she doesn’t seem to be putting on weight. I feed them cat food and lettuce every three days and it seems to be half eaten each time. Also, she lives with another skink and I think he might be eating all the food, but i watch her eat the crickets nightly so she for sure has that.
If you have any ideas on other things I can feed her to get her weight back up please let me know!
Thank you for your input!

03/21/08 10:48pm

#1672847

Lizard boy 101
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Message To: LadyLizard In reference to Message Id: 1670688

Schneider’s Skink needing to gain weight

I’ve had the exact same problem with Slinky and was never able to solve it. I can feed him 50 waxies in a week and he still stays skinny. I’ve brought him in for parasites, temps are correct, ect, but nothing seems to work. I had to get rid of him, but if anyone has any suggestions I’d still like to hear.

Alex

03/23/08 04:17pm

#1674097

JackAsp
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Message To: Lizard boy 101 In reference to Message Id: 1672847

Schneider’s Skink needing to gain weight

Pinkies. Tomato hornworms. Nightcrawlers. Trout worms if nightcrawlers are too big. Freshly shed superworms, but ONLY the freshly shed ones if you’re dealing with an animal that’s not at the peak of health. I buy 50 at a time and only see a couple of sheds a week. Hard-boiled egg. Large roaches. Tuna, packed in water. Very small children. You can try zuchini, cooked sweet potato, and mango, to help out with non-meat nutrients, but they might not go over well.

03/24/08 04:29pm

#1678774

LadyLizard
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Message To: JackAsp In reference to Message Id: 1674097

Schneider’s Skink needing to gain weight

Thank you so much! That was very helpful. Though in canada, finding where to buy very small children to feed to lizards is difficult... I will keep my eyes open :)

03/28/08 01:04am

#1680052

Aliceinwl
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Message To: LadyLizard In reference to Message Id: 1678774

Schneider’s Skink needing to gain weight

Separating the skink, at least temporarily may also help. Has she been checked for parasites? Do her poos look nice and solid? She may have picked up something new during her stay at the petstore (musical crickets, hands going unwashed between animals etc.).

03/29/08 12:14am

#1680097

LadyLizard
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Message To: Aliceinwl In reference to Message Id: 1680052

Schneider’s Skink needing to gain weight

No parasites but I’ll try separating her. I think the guy might be sad. When she was gone for a week he looked so depressed but hopefully it helps!
Thanks for the advice!
xox

03/29/08 01:00am

#1687273

NiftyJosh
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Message To: LadyLizard In reference to Message Id: 1680097

Schneider’s Skink needing to gain weight

I stopped feeding my pair mealworms and superworms and started with 1/2 a raw egg mixed with grated veggies and fruit every 2 or 3 days. Both are plump and actually the female is most likely gravid..

Crickets every few weeks but only to keep their hunting skills up.

How often do you take them out? I would take mine out everyday in the beginning but it seems too much so I went for every 3 days and they seem much more relaxed. They eat more and active for a greater precentage of the day.

04/02/08 11:20pm

#1691308

LadyLizard
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Message To: NiftyJosh In reference to Message Id: 1687273

Schneider’s Skink needing to gain weight

Alright thanks. I will try that. I have some giant worms and she seems to be gaining some weight back. I take them out every couple days because I’m so busy with work and school, but I feed and mist them daily.
Thanks for the advise:)

04/06/08 03:39am

#1697431

NiftyJosh
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Message To: LadyLizard In reference to Message Id: 1691308

Schneider’s Skink needing to gain weight

no need to mist them ever.....in fact, i think that might raise the chance of them getting a respitory infection.

mine are kept at 0-10% humidity depending on time of year. they seldom drink out of the water is provided seeing as they are an exclusive desert species and their diet provides them with basically 100% of their water needs.

try giving them fruits or chopped soft veggies and see how they react

i will post pics of my pair soon

04/10/08 10:52am

#1697600

LadyLizard
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Message To: NiftyJosh In reference to Message Id: 1697431

Schneider’s Skink needing to gain weight

Hmm that’s weird. about not spraying him. The vet I talked to here and the pet store and my friend who’s had skinks all told me to mist them.
I do feed them fruits and veggies, and they eat it (though I’m never sure if its just the male that’s eating everything). But she is gaining a lot of weight.
Thanks again to everyone who posed suggestions :D

04/10/08 02:05pm

#1757919

Ndngumby
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Message To: LadyLizard In reference to Message Id: 1697600

Schneider’s Skink needing to gain weight

i noticed mine going into shed so i misted then to help but other than that i never misted....i just dont want bad shed and missing digits so it seems happy in the arid heat....its getting so long now too ...brat lol..got a lil dent in tip of tail i keep think is going to fall off but it grew right along with the shed...just a funny lil quirk i guess

06/11/08 01:30pm

#1758263

LadyLizard
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Message To: Ndngumby In reference to Message Id: 1757919

Schneider’s Skink needing to gain weight

Hehe that’s so cute. Right now I have some moss sitting in a little thing of water to keep it slightly humid but i stopped misting. And do you have any pictures of yours? I think all skinks are just so adorable. They make me suuuper happy haha.

06/11/08 08:34pm