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Blue Tongue Skink Care
This document is for guidance only and should not be used as the sole source of information. New information is being developed regularly. It is recommended to find multiple sources of information before buying a pet.
CARE OVERVIEW
Common Name: Blue Tongue Skink
Scientific Name: Tiliqua spp
Native to: Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania
Size: 7 to 24inches depending on species.
Life span: 15 to 20+ years.
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
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General appearance: All blue-tongue skinks tend to have a heavy build with small legs and toes. They also exhibit the typical triangular blunt head of most skinks. All species get their name from a bright blue tongue.
Enclosure: Most hatchlings and juveniles can be kept in a 20-gallon aquarium. Full sized adults should be kept in 40 to 75-gallon aquariums or similar enclosures.
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Heating and Lighting: A temperature gradient of 75° – 80 F should be established with a basking area of 90° – 95° F during the day. Temperatures should not fall below 70° F at night. As with most diurnal species full spectrum light is required. This can be achieved by using UVB fluorescent bulbs.
Substrate: We use paper towels for our newborn skinks and do maintenance every other day. For juveniles to adults, you can use any wood shavings (cedar and pine should be avoided as it may cause health problems).
Humidity: Blue Tongue Skinks are a tropical ground dwelling species and thus get sprayed every morning.
Diet: Most species are omnivorous (eating both plant and animal matter). Generally a diet consisting of 60% plant and 40% animal will provide a healthy mix for your animal. Mixed vegetables, various greens, small amounts of high quality dog food, crickets, mealworms, and thawed pre-killed frozen mice can all be fed to your skink. Different types of meat as well ground chicken, turkey and beef can also be added to their diet. Fresh water should be provided daily.
Maintenance:
The enclosure should be spot cleaned daily. A thorough cleaning should be performed every 6 months or so. A 5% bleach solution is an excellent disinfectant. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the enclosure before replacing the substrate and placing the lizard back in the enclosure.