Very interesting! awesome information TC, love the video.

Awesome !! Great Info

Thanks TC.

gratz on the new vid, very good content =)

Thank you TC

Thank you for this vid. I'm struggling to keep my 3mo bt from brumating. His heat lamp only arrived today so thankfully starting tomorrow he will be warmer. Was a relief to hear your thoughts on this for young ones.

I enjoyed that video also learned something

Great info TC. Just starting to double check all my knowlage on this subject atm so nice to have the vid. Keep up the good work.

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

+Ben Taylor thanks Ben! You gonna breed next season?

@benkelly5319

6 жыл бұрын

Prob the season after all depends on what sexs i end up with going to try to get 2 more in may. Then will need to wait atleast a year. Dont think proven northerns sell much in the UK and i imagine there rather expensive. Wont be doing it for the money so no rush. Plus i dont have that much room atm.

I'm getting my first BTS baby this coming weekend and your channel has helped a ton

The best things that come out of thursdays

Thank you. I've noticed Gustavo is not as active the last week or so and was planning on shooting you a question on this. I think I know what's going on now. I'll bump up his light to accommodate him. Thank you for the info. He is such a sweet animal. I'm enjoying him mor and more. I need to spend more time socializing him so he isn't constantly buried in his cypress chips. He seems to be more active in the early morning and that is unfortunately when I am in the most hurry to get to work. Little stinker. I wish he would learn to be an evening skink instead of a morning skink. Oh well. I can't adjust my work, so, I will try to adjust his schedule

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

+Lori Maddox darn that work schedule lol! Im super glad to hear you're enjoying your friendship with the lil one!

Vid is awesome. The shirt is better

you need more subs

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

agreed :-P

On Behalf of all the new BTS owners that watch your videos I thank you for sharing your knowledge and personal experiences about the Skinks. Thank You so Very Much I can't seem to find anyone with professional wildlife care experience your are truly the best. THANK YOU SO MUCH. There is so many things that i have learnt from you and with this knowledge that you have passed i have now resolved things that i was doing completely wrong. You Have Inspired Me To Share My Knowledge With The World Thank You.. Without you I dont know were Lucifer (My Bluey) and I would be right now and once again Thank You so Much. GO REPTILEMOUNTAIN.TV.

@ReptileMountainTV

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much 🙏🙏👍🏼😁

Thanks for the info pleass keep up the great videos! Do the Indonesian species brumate/hibernate as well? More specifically the Halmahera species? If so what should the process be?

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

+Shamel Mahmoud Thanks! Nope they don't brumate.

My girl had been under her substrate since before Christmas....I think it's time to up my lighting timer to 16 hours a day

@ReptileMountainTV

4 жыл бұрын

Sleepy girl

man the 2017 holdbacks have grown so much! how long does it take on average for one to reach adulthood?

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

They can be breedable in 7-9 months. I have a 2016 female who is smaller than Normandy at 4 months old! Fully grown I'd say 2 years but adult-ish size within a 6-12 months.

In the Northern parts of Australia you get a wet season and a dry season, the temperature doesn't change much so I'm not sure that brumation would be natural for a Northern Blue Tongue. However I live in South Australia, in a temperate area where the Blue Tongues and other lizards do brumate. My Blue Tongues live outside, a couple free roaming, they escaped and there was no point in catching them again, but one female I keep in a 4' tank outside and she brumates as she sees fit, she simply goes to bed. When I see her out again in spring I'll offer some food like a bit of banana, tomato or strawberry but it can be another month before she actually wants food. I avoid meat/meaty foods during the waking up period as the weather might turn cold again preventing her digesting it properly. Also tempting her with favourite foods may entice her to eat before she's really ready, when she's hungry she'll eat fruit and veg anyway. One thing I have found is that being woken up in the middle of brumation can be fatal to Eastern Blue Tongues, I have witnessed this on two occasions. Once with an adult and once with a juvenile. Despite raising the temperature and keeping them inside they just wasted away, under the same conditions that are successful otherwise. An abrupt waking and heating seems to be very detramental, they use energy but it seems like their digestion is not functioning properly and they slowly lose weight and energy. One comment I have to make is that people overseas keep Australian lizards at very high temperatures. Anyone herping in Australia can tell you that they hide from the heat of day, basking in the early morning sun, hiding during the day then maybe basking in the late afternoon sun. You won't see many Blue Tongues, Bearded Dragons or Sleepy Lizards after 10am on a summer's day so I see no reason to keep them at temperatures over 30C in captivity when they do their best to escape from those temperatures in nature. My Eastern lives in an aquarium outside, with hollow logs buried in about 4" of substrate and she will retreat underground if the temperature approaches 30C. Her tank is in a shaded area, but gets dappled morning sun until nearly noon, just not full afternoon sun. The free roaming Blues bask in the morning but I never have seen them out in the afternoon. Oh, and for over 30 years I've copped flak over feeding gourmet dog and cat food to my lizards (as part of a varied diet) so I'm glad to see that these videos support that! :)

@ReptileMountainTV

5 жыл бұрын

It triggers when kept in temperate environments. Check out Danny Brown’s book on Australian Skinks in Captivity. He has great chart showing different animals from all regions and what happens when kept in regions different from their natural ones.

@Dave-Rough-Diamond-Dunn

5 жыл бұрын

@@ReptileMountainTV That sounds very interesting, I will see if I can find it. I'm not suggesting it's harmful, just that it may not be necessary, especially as heating is usually used in their enclosure. I have read that brumation is required when breeding Australian Water Dragons so perhaps it is beneficial, cementing the seasonal rhythms. On a similar note, I keep my Green Tree frogs with minimal extra heat so in winter they basically brumate too even though they are from a tropical area and probably wouldn't brumate in nature. Our house gets cold in winter so pretty much all the animals go through a dormant period, inverts, frogs and reptiles alike, whether they come from a temperate climate or not. I'll be very interested in finding the chart you mention. Unfortunately this year all this dormancy led to me keeping ants in our heated bedroom so now I have another dozen enclosures to maintain! Starting ant-keeping at 48 takes some explaining, especially with the house already full of fish, lizards, frogs, scorpions, tarantulas, centipedes, roaches (as pets) and various live food colonies, but hey, I learn something new everyday!

my 6 yr old NBTS started acting like they were going to go into brumation for the first time this year. I think she snapped out of it now though. I dunno.

Hello:) I always appreciate that good tips you give in your youtube channels!! I live in south korea, and it is very amazing thing to interact and enjoy my bts hobby wth people in US;) About the brumation, I have one question. 1yr and 3mnth tanimbar adult bts. I searched on the internet to find about Tanimbar brts brumation, but bc they are rare bts, I could not find enough information about them... I googled but their were totally no information about tanimbar... I heard that island tanimbar is geographically more close to Austrailia than Indonesia, and they are genetically more close to Austrailian bts. I saw you keep tanimbar bts in your youtube channel Could you please kindly tell me how you keep your tanimbar bts brumation? Thank you very much and I always enjoy your youtube! P.S)Although I have lived in US for a year and my sister is US citizen, I am native korean and I am a little bit of clumsy in english... I wrote this question with politeness as possible, but their can be some defects...:(

Hi TC, great video! My question is, if you have a skink that you do not plan to use for breeding, is it necessary to induce brumation at all? Are there health benefits for letting them do this?

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

+Daryn Arnott Ive read info that states it is healthy and other info that states its fully unnecessary for non breeding. I would say it is not needed and to not worry about inducing it.

If we don't plan to breed is it still necessary to initiate brumatuon? Would the process be any different?

I adjust the light source in his cage to coincide with the sun. longer in summer, shorter in winter. It seems to work well. What do you think about this method?

@ReptileMountainTV

5 жыл бұрын

Thats works well

is that near the end of winter for you i live in south east queensland i dont know im doing a report on blue tongues and i have gotten heaps of info from you guys.

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

Its mid-late summer here in the USA. Glad you’re learning lots.

Hi I know this is older video but I have a question. So for brumation it starts November-Mid February and you only provide water? No food? So I assume no handling at all just checking water? For those couple months?

@ReptileMountainTV

5 жыл бұрын

Water only, no food, no handling just water and sanitation checks for the entire time they are without heat.

Great video! I have just acquired a 7 year old Northern and for the past week, she has hardly come out if hiding at all. Is brumation still a possibility, given its already February? Any help is much appreciated. I've only had her for about two weeks

@ReptileMountainTV

4 ай бұрын

Likely its from the transition but season could also he playing a role.

Where did u get the rock background in the tanks behind u?.??.?

@ReptileMountainTV

4 жыл бұрын

They are exoterra backgrounds.

what if ur not wanting to breed is brumation still needed ? my frog eyed gecko dose it on his own he will go a few weeks at a time no food i keep heat low when he dose this and when he is looking for food i feed him he gets no heat during the day only at night since my house is colder at night hes a sponky 9 year old my leopard gecko is pretty much the same way but i keep heat on her fully 90 degress at night shes 10 years old almost 11 =] they eat about 30 meal worms a week i keep food and water in cage at all times my frog eyed is about 14 grams ? not sure my leo is roughly 90 grams

@ReptileMountainTV

4 жыл бұрын

If your animal slows down naturally it is good to follow their lead. If they don't slow down I wouldn't force brumation unless they need to for breeding purposes.

I live in fl and I do brumate my hognose for breeding but not breeding my blue not yet atleast so should I brumate him

hey im getting a bts and have a few questions. for lighting what do i do can i have not uvb light or no light and just d3 thing in their food if so im scared that room temp or a little colder would kill the skink am i wrong for thinking this. Feeding: if i were to use dog food how much do i give daily and how much do they take their greens? would love your help since no one in my area nows anything thanks in advance!

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

+Aaron check out this page and let me know if this helps. www.reptilemountain.com/northerncare

You said that you can prevent brumation in juveniles, can you do this in adults as well? The Indonesian BTS I just got is a bit under weight and with the fall/winter approaching I don't want him to slow down on eating as I am trying to put some weight on him. Does lengthening the light hours in the tank work for adults as well? Also, is preventing brumation in adults harmful in any way?

@ReptileMountainTV

5 жыл бұрын

One can attempt to prevent or deter brumation but it cannot always be forced. Adults can also sometimes be deterred. Indos don’t naturally brumate at all so you should be able to increase the light and be fine.

@TheEnvy911

5 жыл бұрын

ReptileMountain.TV Thank you very much!

I have a five lined skink that seems like he went into brumation. He has a night and day time heat lamp. Do you think a heat pad is a good idea? Also he gained a little weight before he started brumating, is that normal? He is a full sized adult male

@ReptileMountainTV

4 жыл бұрын

Gaining weight before brumation is great! I just posted a brumation video that should help.

Just a question, what size of tankes do you have

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

I use 36x24 in tubs

Is it necessary to put a pet BTS into brumation if they won't be used for breeding? Do they need to brumate to stay healthy?

@ReptileMountainTV

4 жыл бұрын

It depends on the species. Easterns, Blotched, Westerns all should be brumated for good health. Others should be allowed to do what comes natural based on what part of the world they are being kept. For example a Northern doesn't naturally brumate in the wild however, they will likely brumate to an extent if kept in a more temperate climate.

@irThumper

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the reply :) I'm not a BTS owner yet, but have the choice between an adult Indo female or a Northern baby. I know the baby shouldn't be allowed to brumate for health reasons, but how about as an adult? My frog/bug/future skink room is kept at 77-79 F during the day and 72-75F at night year round. My frog lighting (they don't use supplemental heating in their tanks) is kept on 12 hrs and off 12 hrs. (We are in NW Oregon)

Is this necessary for adult northerns kept as pets not being bred? Also, I live in FL and don't have a skink but am doing research as I plan to get one next year

@ReptileMountainTV

5 жыл бұрын

No its not required if not breeding. You skink might go off food and slow down/hide a bunch anyway but nothing you need to do really.

Not one Oregon trail commet look into nubes that's old school programing

Is it necessary to overwinter them for their health? Or are they just fine without brumation?

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

+Twichl Ive read info on both side of that question. And I wasn't able to find anything definitive that says it's specifically unhealthy nor does it shorten their life. So I would say it is not required but the animal may do it regardless of our efforts it just happens. Its not a huge deal if they are in good health. If yours does just keep an eye on their body weight.

My irian jaya is 4-5 months old. And it seems like she is starting brumation but it's the beginning of August is that normal and is she going into shed? Help please 😊

@ReptileMountainTV

5 жыл бұрын

Increase the light in the enclosure to 14 on 12 hours off. And make sure you temps are correct. Check out my caresheet on my website for more info on temps.

I didn’t realize that mine was going into brumation until a week ago. He’s been trying to for about a month and I kept making him come out because I didn’t realize that’s what he was doing. He ate a couple of worms right before I learned what he was doing so he didn’t have a week to make sure his food was out of his stomach. Do you think him having that little bit in him could hurt him? I’ve been talking to some people on a BTS forum and from what they’ve said and what I’ve read, I decided to leave his lights on like normal. Could this be bad for him? He’s 6 months old, should I make him come out after a few more weeks and try to make him stop? Sorry, i know I’ve had to ask you a ton of questions since I got him

@ReptileMountainTV

5 жыл бұрын

His siblings are slowing down a bit also. Keep the temps bumped up 2-5 deg. Even extend the amount of light offered by 2 hours. Its okay if he slows down and isn’t as active. If he is provided a heat source at normal range then feeding is fine and should be offered even if he doesn’t partake. If you have stopped the heat then by all means don’t feed. If you fed and stopped heat put it back on immediately as they can have serious complications from not being warm enough with undigested food in their belly. And you can always ask me anything! 😁👍🏼 always!

@megamuff97

5 жыл бұрын

ReptileMountain.TV okay, thanks!

Do you need to cool down a skink for brumation if you don’t want them to breed?

@ReptileMountainTV

5 жыл бұрын

Its not a requirement however I believe it can help with overall longevity.

How do I avoid a baby eastern go into brumation. It is now autumn here and the tank has natural light from a window + infrared and heat pad. I don't want this little one to waste away.

@ReptileMountainTV

4 жыл бұрын

Light cycle and temps are huge. You need to make him think the days are longer.

@ReptileMountainTV

4 жыл бұрын

Natural light will make him follow natural seasons.

@marthanewsome6375

4 жыл бұрын

@@ReptileMountainTV Thanks for replying. As the days get shorter I can add an aquarium plant light, that should do it I think. Thanks for the advice. Also, he is doing great now I have more hides for him. He is settling in at last and comes out and eats a heap teaspoon of top line chicken dog food every morning and chomps on some veg. I can't believe what a couple of days have done. I really thought he was going to die. They are tough little ones.

Does one have to brumate a pet onbreeding skink to keep him healthy?

@ReptileMountainTV

5 жыл бұрын

Its not required, no. They may do it anyway. There are some people who think it might help an animal with overall wellness but I don’t know of any specific data to support the idea yet. It certainly isn’t harmful to brumate if dome correctly.

If not breeding skinks do they NEED to be brumated? (In the Pacific Northwest)

@ReptileMountainTV

4 жыл бұрын

Northerns do not need it. However if they do you can let them.

I have eight month old blue tongue should I let him hibernate

@ReptileMountainTV

4 жыл бұрын

You can but you cam also try to keep him ip and fed. I recommend not brumating the first year of life.

Do they still shed normally during this time?

@ReptileMountainTV

5 жыл бұрын

Not usually. Shedding is tied to their metabolic rate, activity, and growth. They usually shed right after emerging from brumation.

is this only if you want to breed your skinks? Or the hibernation is for every skink? And if I do have to let my skink hibernate what do I do? Like food wise and stuff? I did hear about the food in the video but I'm a bit confused..

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

TwentyOnePilots l-/ its only for breeding really. Some animals will slightly slow down for winter season no matter what. If you choose to brumate and stop the heat you mist stop feeding completely 2 weeks before going to no heat and remain not feeding until you give heat again.

@twentyonepilotsl-2852

6 жыл бұрын

Alright so if I don't want to breed then I can just keep doing my regular schedule? Because right now he is a bit slow and staying near the basking area, but other than that hes fine.

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

TwentyOnePilots l-/ correct

@twentyonepilotsl-2852

6 жыл бұрын

Alright thank you

How long should you let them hibernation for

@ReptileMountainTV

4 жыл бұрын

I let mine 4-12 weeks depending on species etc

Do northerns over a 1yr still have to hibernate if u arnt planing on breeding them.

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

+BlkR0se nope not at all. They still may slow down and not eat much for a bit.

@rosecorabett

6 жыл бұрын

ReptileMountain.TV thank you, ur videos have been a great resource.

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

+BlkR0se Awesome! Glad they are useful.

Hey, I commented on this other guys KZread channel and asked him what websites would be the best? he told me that you could tell me some trustworthy breeders... -Thanks Lucy

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

Austin Molyneux at Scincoides.com, Ray Gurgui at ThunderbayHerps.com and Greg Accetta at facebook.com/ribluetonguesskinks will be a few of the best of the best to start off.

@lucyt202

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks, I'll go check that out

@lucyt202

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks

Hi , thank you so much for video! For northerns adults can they be paired up in around February? Right after they started eating again for about one or two weeks?

@ReptileMountainTV

4 жыл бұрын

Theu actually breed best immediately after warm up or right at the end of cooling. I pair in Dec/Jan actually. But they can be paired all the way through February as well.

@Beyondherelienothin

4 жыл бұрын

I see. Thank you for the reply ! Would you pair them up a few times to increase the fertility rate?

@ReptileMountainTV

4 жыл бұрын

Yes I pair mine a minimum of 3 times and try for 5 times

hahaha Ive been saying bruminate not brumate hahahaha.....funny

@ReptileMountainTV

6 жыл бұрын

lol