Blue Tongue Skink Care Sheet

                                                               

Things to consider

First and foremost, there are many things you need to consider before getting a Blue Tongued Skink. If cared for properly, blue tongued skinks can live upwards of 20 years in captivity. This is a long term and serious commitment. Ultimately, they will only be able to rely on you to meet their needs.

Do not buy on impulse. Do your research first.

Are you set up for your new blue tongued skink?

Have you located a qualified exotic veterinarian?

Do you have the time to commit to a blue tongued skink?

Can you afford the upkeep of a blue tongued skink?

How do you feel about having live feeder insects in your home?

Housing Your Blue Tongued Skink

Blue tongued skinks require a fairly large enclosure in order to maintain a good temperature gradient. There must be a hot side for basking and a cooler side for them to escape from the heat when they need to.

Acceptable tank sizes for an adult:

24" x 24" x 12"
36" x 18" x 12"

The more floor space the better and always use a screen lid.

Never keep more than one blue tongued skink in an enclosure. They are solitary lizards and no matter if they appear to be getting along, it only takes one bad mood and one good bite to result in one of them losing a limb.

Substrate

The natural habitat of the blue tongued skink is the woodlands and grasslands of northern and eastern Australia. They may come from a hot climate, but that does not make them desert animals.

The best substrate you can give a blue tongued skink is Reptile Carpet or artificial turf. You can also use paper towels or newspaper. They do enjoy burrowing so if you feel like to need to use a substrate they can burrow in, stick to thick aspen shavings, not shredded.

Heating

Blue tongued skinks require a wide temperature gradient. The surface temperature at the basking spot should be 95 – 100 degrees, the cool side should range from the mid 70's to low 80's and the nighttime ambient temperature in the 70's.

Lighting

Blue tongued skinks require a day/night lighting cycle of 12 hours on and 12 hours off. They also require both UVA and UVB bulbs. 

Furniture

Items to include in your blue tongued skinks enclosure are:

Hides - several

Low branches for climbing and basking. Blue tongued skinks aren't much on climbing.

Large water bowl

Temperature gauge

Humidity gauge

Humidity

The humidity in your blue tongued skinks enclosure should range between 25 and 40%. Anything higher than that could cause bacteria growth and lead to health problems. Keeping a large water bowl in the enclosure should suffice.

Diet

Blue tongued skinks are omnivorous, meaning they eat fruits, vegetables, greens and meat. Their diet should consist of 50% greens and vegetables, 40% meat and 10% fruit.

Insects that can be fed include, mealworms, supperworms, waxworms, silkworms and butterworms.

Greens include, among others, turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens. Never lettuce!

Vegetables include, among others, butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, summer squash and such.

Fruits include, among others, mango, papaya, figs and raspberries.

Meats include, cooked  and shredded, lean chicken, beef, turkey, canned cat food and an occasional mouse.

Click here for a complete care guide on Blue Tongue Skink Care