I just bought a blue tongue skink that is 9-10 inches long. How long should i wait before i can handle it. You know, to get it used to its surroundings before handling! THANKS

A Week is about right. Try offerig it fruit.vegetables by hand. Let it investigate your hands...be sure to wash them first. If you have a glove with your scent in it, put it in the cage with the skink and leave it. He will scent entrain to the glove. That is what I sis with my gila monster and the monkey tailed skink I have and it seemed to make a big difference. My gila soon started sleeping in the glove instead of it den. http://zoocrewkids.blogspot.com/

PS always pick the animal up under its body and not over the top. Lizards have a pineal eye that alerts them to things coming from above and causes undue fear.

I say that you should let it get comfortable to its surroundings then after a week you can take him out for short periods of time then longer and longer until he is very comfortable to everything

Wait about a week or so.

Reptile owner