On 9/16/2026 at 12:55 PM, ColeBOzbourne said:

I am also not a fan of 'skanks'. However, I think 'skinks' are very cool. Some of them are called legless lizards and easily confused with a small snake.

pap fan of both skinks and skanks

😎

On 9/16/2026 at 2:43 PM, Alpha84 said:

GammaGal, these are just flashback hallucinations from all the psychedelic drugs that you abused in the 1970s. There's nothing there. Just go have a lie down my dear, drink some warm milk, and in a couple of hours you will no longer be imagining all these bizarre things.

This is probably "off topic" ....but hey, how long can a topic about a wayward skink continue ? hmmm probably longer than i think, but what i want to ask Alpha is : how do you create the ..uh..content that is pretty creative ? (Ai creation, i guess, based on your prompts? ) Being of the "older gentleman class" here on AN i am not the tech wizard . Still prefer a folding map to get around... like in the "good ole days" . Anyway, your "cartoons" are worthy of mention in the context of the rather boring "copy and paste" so prevalant on forums nowadays.

47 minutes ago, rumak said:

Being of the "older gentleman class" here on AN i am not the tech wizard .

I think you meant LIZARD and not wizard.

Tech lizard.

31 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

I think you meant LIZARD and not wizard.

Tech lizard.

sorry ..... i speak with a wisp

Live box traps are available.

commonly for rodents

but prolly work for Skinky.

On 9/16/2026 at 12:30 PM, GammaGlobulin said:

Note3:  This one is REALLY BLACK and VERY LARGE……

Jeez....... for a second there I thought he was peeping into a NBA's team locker shower room

1 hour ago, Luuk Chaai said:

Jeez....... for a second there I thought he was peeping into a NBA's team locker shower room

Ah. I see what happened now. “Sun Skink” was a particularly clever euphemism employed by GG for what he actually encountered in his bathroom, something he is considerably more fond of...

Edited Friday at 11:40 PM2 days by Alpha84

8 hours ago, papa al said:

Live box traps are available.

commonly for rodents

but prolly work for Skinky.

Would you not first need to choose the correct bait?

I have no idea.

Where would I get a live cockroach.

Anyway, too much trouble.

And, the skink is still in the bathroom, as of today, and with a saucer of water.

Next week, we will need to remove the cardboard boxes, etc., under which the skink is hiding.

This is the best solution.

5 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Where would I get a live cockroach.

A live cockroach? As in just one? 🪳

Why not 30? Just open the kitchen cupboard. Job done.

1 minute ago, Alpha84 said:

A live cockroach? As in just one? 🪳

Why not 30? Just open the kitchen cupboard. Job done.

If I wanted a live cockroach around here, I would need to exit the house to find one.

I sometimes see them outside, but not indoors.

6 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

If I wanted a live cockroach around here, I would need to exit the house to find one.

I sometimes see them outside, but not indoors.

Roaches outside? In Siberia? Really?

On 9/16/2026 at 2:30 PM, GammaGlobulin said:

This one is REALLY BLACK and VERY LARGE……

Many women would view getting hold of something like that as a VERY LARGE win. Why aren't you counting your blessings and being more grateful?

Some people are just never thankful for being blessed with what they have.

SKINK UPDATE: He is till alive, and also too shy

Dear Folks,

As of 06:37 hours, the skink is still alive and doing fairly well in my bathroom.

He won't come out, even though, on Friday, we did our best to coax him, for his own good.

As far as I am concerned, he can just stay in my bathroom, and become a pet, for life.

a. He has water, which I refresh once every 48 hours.

b. I know that he is drinking the water I am giving him.

c. But, now, what can I feed him?

d. There are only a few things for him on my menu, but I am not sure what skinks might eat.

e. He has a choice of steamed rice, bread, chicken breast meat, chopped finely, egg omelette, tuna steak, and a bit of olive oil. These are the only options, and I just hope he will not be too picky in the future.

==============

Fortunately, I have more than one bathroom, and I will NOT share bathrooms with the skink.

Fundamentally speaking, I have already begun to think of the skink as my pet, and I as his captor, even though he arrived, probably by God's Will, and not because I, living alone as I do...needed a pet.

I just hope he will not live for another 4 or 5 years.

I will not be able to care for him this long.

If I should die before the skink, then who might care for him, after my death.

================

Well, anyway, the first thing to do is to decide what kind of food I should leave for him, beside his water dish.

Does anybody know what skinks might enjoy?

My guess is that steamed rice and a bit of chicken might go over well with him.

================

This is NO JOKE......because....

The skink is alive and well in my bathroom.

And, I now wish him well.

I never expected this to happen in my old age.

At my age, the last thing I need is either a child or a pet.

So much stress now, you would not believe.

GG, I honestly don't know what to say in response to your last post other than a picture is worth 1,000 words.

40 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

SKINK UPDATE: He is till alive, and also too shy

Dear Folks,

As of 06:37 hours, the skink is still alive and doing fairly well in my bathroom.

He won't come out, even though, on Friday, we did our best to coax him, for his own good.

As far as I am concerned, he can just stay in my bathroom, and become a pet, for life.

a. He has water, which I refresh once every 48 hours.

b. I know that he is drinking the water I am giving him.

c. But, now, what can I feed him?

d. There are only a few things for him on my menu, but I am not sure what skinks might eat.

e. He has a choice of steamed rice, bread, chicken breast meat, chopped finely, egg omelette, tuna steak, and a bit of olive oil. These are the only options, and I just hope he will not be too picky in the future.

==============

Fortunately, I have more than one bathroom, and I will NOT share bathrooms with the skink.

Fundamentally speaking, I have already begun to think of the skink as my pet, and I as his captor, even though he arrived, probably by God's Will, and not because I, living alone as I do...needed a pet.

I just hope he will not live for another 4 or 5 years.

I will not be able to care for him this long.

If I should die before the skink, then who might care for him, after my death.

================

Well, anyway, the first thing to do is to decide what kind of food I should leave for him, beside his water dish.

Does anybody know what skinks might enjoy?

My guess is that steamed rice and a bit of chicken might go over well with him.

================

This is NO JOKE......because....

The skink is alive and well in my bathroom.

And, I now wish him well.

I never expected this to happen in my old age.

At my age, the last thing I need is either a child or a pet.

So much stress now, you would not believe.

If he's in your apartment, he has enough food and drink to survive. Especially if you have smaller lizards, which most everyone does at one time or another here. Like the lizard that calls my house home, he's also secure there, safe from any predators that live outside.

8 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

If he's in your apartment, he has enough food and drink to survive. Especially if you have smaller lizards, which most everyone does at one time or another here. Like the lizard that calls my house home, he's also secure there, safe from any predators that live outside.

But, I am sure he won't have enough food to survive if locked in one of my bathrooms for another week.

This is, actually, what I am worried about most.

Is your objection to this skink that he is common?

Would you find him more acceptable if he was an elite Sun Skink?

8 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

But, I am sure he won't have enough food to survive if locked in one of my bathrooms for another week.

This is, actually, what I am worried about most.

He can get out of your bathroom through the molding at the ceilings.Likely the same way he got in, and from the outside above the sheetrock , out through any holes in the roof.

Edited yesterday at 12:52 AM1 day by fredwiggy

36 minutes ago, Alpha84 said:

GG, I honestly don't know what to say in response to your last post other than a picture is worth 1,000 words.

There is absolutely NOTHING trivial about a long-lived skink.

Also, when I was young, I read a bit about, and by, Albert Schweitzer.

I am talking about having a deep reverence for creatures such as skinks, which I now do.

Albert Schweitzer dedicated his life to the philosophy of "Reverence for Life," believing that all living creatures possess a will to live and deserve deep compassion. [1, 2]

Core Philosophy

• Reverence for Life: Schweitzer formulated this universal ethic in 1915, stating, "I am life that wants to live in the midst of other life that wants to live."

• The Circle of Compassion: He argued that humanity cannot find true peace until our moral responsibility and empathy extend to every living creature, not just human beings.

• Opposition to Cruelty: He actively spoke out against unconscious cruelty toward animals, recognizing that animals feel pain and suffer just as humans do. [1, 2]

Sure, I could easily wipe out the skink in my bathroom....but then....

How would I feel about having done so.....TOMORROW....?

So, I will do just what Schweitzer would do, if he were here today.

I will find some way to keep this animal alive until I am able to set him free, alive.

BECAUSE.....What, really, is the difference between a skink and a killer whale, when all is boiled down to the essentials....?

(Whales should NEVER be boiled down.....for oil. Listen to Michael Jackson, please....)

So, I am saying....if you cannot free a skink, then just think about freeing a willy......

A willy, such as this, is born to be free, same as my skink...

Set the skinks and orcas free........

And....DOWN, DOWN, DOWN.....with Florida's SEA WORLD......

Edited yesterday at 01:11 AM1 day by GammaGlobulin

22 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

He can get out of your bathroom through the molding at the ceilings.Likely the same way he got in, and from the outside above the sheetrock , out through any holes in the roof.

No.

He cannot.

He is HUGE.....

Not sure how he got in.

I left the outside door open for a short time.

Sometimes......

A SHORT TIME is all you need.

16 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

There is absolutely NOTHING trivial about a long-lived skink.

Also, when I was young, I read a bit about, and by, Albert Schweitzer.

I am talking about having a deep reverence for creatures such as skinks, which I now do.

Albert Schweitzer dedicated his life to the philosophy of "Reverence for Life," believing that all living creatures possess a will to live and deserve deep compassion. [1, 2]

Core Philosophy

• Reverence for Life: Schweitzer formulated this universal ethic in 1915, stating, "I am life that wants to live in the midst of other life that wants to live."

• The Circle of Compassion: He argued that humanity cannot find true peace until our moral responsibility and empathy extend to every living creature, not just human beings.

• Opposition to Cruelty: He actively spoke out against unconscious cruelty toward animals, recognizing that animals feel pain and suffer just as humans do. [

  , 2]

Sure, I could easily wipe out the skink in my bathroom....but then....

How would I feel about having done so.....TOMORROW....?

So, I will do just what Schweitzer would do, if he were here today.

I will find some way to keep this animal alive until I am able to set him free, alive.

BECAUSE.....What, really, is the difference between a skink and a killer whale, when all is boiled down to the essentials....?

(Whales should NEVER be boiled down.....for oil. Listen to Michael Jackson, please....)

So, I am saying....if you cannot free a skink, then just think about freeing a willy......

A willy, such as this, is born to be free, same as my skink...

Set the skinks and orcas free........

And....DOWN, DOWN, DOWN.....with Florida's SEA WORLD......

I think you should have listened to what your mother told you about skinks!

45 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

But, I am sure he won't have enough food to survive if locked in one of my bathrooms for another week.

This is, actually, what I am worried about most.

With reptiles, there is more to consider than just food and water. The glaring clue here is even in the name of the 'Sun Skink'. Does the inside of your bathroom get any sunlight?

Yes, sun skinks need to bask to warm their bodies and process nutrients. [1, 2]

Why Basking is Important

• Body Heat: Sun skinks are ectothermic (cold-blooded), meaning they cannot make their own body heat. They rely on external heat sources to raise their body temperature so they can move, digest food, and function properly. [1, 2]

• UVB and Vitamins: As a diurnal (day-active) species, they naturally spend morning hours basking in patches of sunlight. Sunlight or specialized UVB lighting provides vitamin D3, which lets them absorb calcium for strong bones and a healthy immune system. [1, 2, 3]

Basking in Captivity

• Heat Lamp: If you keep a sun skink in a tank, you must use a proper basking bulb (like a halogen flood lamp) rather than relying on room light. [1]

• Temperature: The warm basking spot should reach between 95°F and 105°F (35°C–41°C), while the cool side of the enclosure stays around 80°F to 90°F (27°C–32°C). [1]

• UVB Light: Place a high-quality linear UVB tube (such as a 5% or 6% UVB bulb) right next to the heat lamp. [1]

• No Glass Blocking: Never place the tank directly in front of a normal window for "free sunlight." Glass and plastic block beneficial UVB rays and can trap dangerous heat inside the tank via the greenhouse effect.

20 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

No.

He cannot.

He is HUGE.....

Not sure how he got in.

I left the outside door open for a short time.

Sometimes......

A SHORT TIME is all you need.

He got in, he can get out. You'd be surprised how small an opening they can get through. I had a foot long one in my bathroom who I saw go through the molding area not a 1/4 in. wide. They aren't going to go through doors as they'll come in from the roof, through any trees touching the house or just by climbing the walls.

12 minutes ago, ColeBOzbourne said:

With reptiles, there is more to consider than just food and water. The glaring clue here is even in the name of the 'Sun Skink'. Does the inside of your bathroom get any sunlight?

Good point.

I will keep the light on in the bathroom.

Not sure what wavelength of light they might like best.

I have a 25 watt CFL lamp in that bathroom.

It is WARM WHITE.

Do they need just warmth?

Or, do they require some particular wavelength of light?

Panasonic Tornado Bulb 25W, Warm White.

Panasonic Tornado lamp, 25 watts, Warm White light. It is a compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb with a spiral shape that offers high brightness and energy efficiency.

Main features

• Bulb type : Compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), spiral or tornado shape.

• Power consumption :  25 watts

• Lamp base : Standard  E27 screw

• Color temperature :  2700 or 3000 Kelvin (K)  , which provides warm white light or a soft yellow light, creating a warm atmosphere.

• Brightness : Approximately  1,590 lumens (lm)  or 1,750 lumens, equivalent to an incandescent bulb of approximately 150 watts.

• Lifespan : Approximately  8,000 to 10,000 hours.

• Energy saving : Saves up to 80% more electricity than conventional incandescent bulbs.

• Additional features : Made from lead-free glass tubes, environmentally friendly, and includes a built-in electronic ballast.

Spectral Characteristics

• Color Temperature (CCT): Approximately 2,700K to 3,000K (Warm White / soft yellow-orange tint).

• Spectral Power Distribution (SPD): Displays a combination of discrete, sharp mercury emission spectral lines (notably around 404 nm, 436 nm, 546 nm, and 579 nm) superimposed over broader continuous emission bands produced by the rare-earth tri-phosphors coated on the inside of the glass spiral tube.

• Color Rendering Index (CRI): Typically around 80 to 85.

• Luminous Flux: Roughly 1,500 to 1,600 lumens for a standard 25-watt warm white spiral/tornado CFL variant. [1, 2, 3, 4]

So anyway, I think this skink can tolerate a light source which puts out radiation from between 404 nanometers to 579 nanometers.....

In addition to this artificial light, which I will keep ON 24hrs, there is also a very nice window for the kink.

And, as well, he is getting plenty of fresh air from an opening in the window, near the ceiling.

I wish he would climb up the wall, and go out through this exit point, but.....

Maybe he likes it where he is.

Or, probably he is a lazy skink.

==============

Concerning the UVB requirement........

He will not get this from the Panasonic lamp.

He can only get this if he decides to leave his new bathroom enclosure.

Edited yesterday at 02:10 AM1 day by GammaGlobulin

Good chance he came looking to meet another skink, but then stayed for the kink.

53 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Sometimes......

A SHORT TIME is all you need.

Clearly two short times is better than one long time.

3 minutes ago, Alpha84 said:

Good chance he came looking to meet another skink, but then stayed for the kink.

Maybe he should have proactively seen a shrink....

Before he skulked around here in my bathroom.

3 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Maybe he should have proactively seen a shrink....

Before he skulked around here in my bathroom.

A shrink, a skink, a kink, a skank or even a bit of pink, what's a few different vowels among friends in your bathroom anyway? Why not ask your mink?

7 minutes ago, Alpha84 said:

A shrink, a skink, a kink, a skank or even a bit of pink, what's a few different vowels among friends in your bathroom anyway? Why not ask your mink?

By any name, you know what THIS is.....

And, this is PERFECT PROOF that this skink is alive and happy....

In fact, I saw him about five minutes ago.

Just as I was about to take his picture, he escaped under a box.

This is a very shy skink.

Later this week, hopefully, we will remove the boxes....and then.....

I will not let him leave my house before taking a few nice photos.

============

Thankfully, due to this skink, I have recently lost all my fear of skinks.

1 minute ago, GammaGlobulin said:

By any name, you know what THIS is.....

And, this is PERFECT PROOF that this skink is alive and happy....

In fact, I saw him about five minutes ago.

Just as I was about to take his picture, he escaped under a box.

This is a very shy skink.

Later this week, hopefully, we will remove the boxes....and then.....

I will not let him leave my house before taking a few nice photos.

============

Thankfully, due to this skink, I have recently lost all my fear of skinks.

I'm so confused now, is this your skink or your skank???