Blue-Tongued Skink

Enclosure type

Terrestrial glass or PVC enclosure; ground-dwelling species needs floor space over height

Substrate

Cypress mulch, coconut husk, or soil mix. Provide 2-3 inches for burrowing. Avoid pine, cedar, and sand. Paper towels for quarantine.

Hides

Multiple hides; warm and cool side; burrowing areas

Notes

Minimum 4x2x2 feet (120-gallon equivalent) for adults. Provide multiple hides, basking area, shallow water dish, and open space. They are ground-dwellers and need more floor space than height.

Ambient / cool side

70-80°F (21-27°C)

Basking spot

95-105°F (35-41°C)

Nighttime

65-75°F (18-24°C)

Heating method

Basking bulb and thermostat; provide temperature gradient

Humidity range

40-50% for Northern species; 60-70% for Indonesian species

Maintenance

Mist enclosure lightly 2-3x per week depending on species. Northern species tolerate lower humidity.

UVB

Required: 5.0-10.0 UVB tube covering 2/3 of enclosure; replace every 6-12 months

Photoperiod

12 hours on / 12 hours off

Lighting notes

REQUIRES UVB 5.0-10.0 tube bulb covering 2/3 of enclosure. Replace every 6-12 months. Some keepers debate necessity but most recommend it.

Staple food

60% vegetables/greens (collard, squash, berries); 40% protein (ground turkey, canned dog food, snails, dubia roaches)

Variety

Variety is key; rotate proteins and vegetables regularly

Frequency

Juveniles: every other day. Adults: 2-3 times per week. They are prone to obesity so do not overfeed.

Supplements

Dust food with calcium with D3 2x per week and multivitamin 1x per week if feeding fresh food.

Notes

Omnivore: 60% vegetables/greens, 40% protein. Feed collard greens, squash, berries, ground turkey, canned dog food, snails, dubia roaches. Variety is key.

Water bowl

Large shallow water dish for drinking and soaking; change daily

Notes

Provide large shallow water dish for drinking and soaking. Change daily. They may defecate in water.

Disposition

Generally very docile; intelligent; can recognize owners; respect the blue tongue warning display

Recommendations

Generally very docile. Handle 2-3 times per week once settled. Support the entire body. They have strong jaws and may bite if threatened - respect the blue tongue warning display.

Obesity, metabolic bone disease, respiratory infections, mouth rot, and parasites. Generally hardy if care is proper.

Blue-tongued skinks can live 15-20 years. Multiple species exist with different care requirements - Northern (Indonesian) need higher humidity. They give birth to live young. Their blue tongue is a startle defense. Highly intelligent and can learn to recognize feeding times and owners. They may vocalize (hiss) when defensive. Prone to obesity - monitor weight carefully.