Bluetongued skinks are ideal for beginners, as they have loads of personality and great dispositions. However after trying to find an answer online ive seen a lot of people say their skink pees on them. Bluetongued skink tiliqua scincoides intermedia this care sheet applies specifically to the northern bluetongued skink, but most species and subspecies of bluetongued skinks can be kept using these guidelines. Check out the care sheet for a thorough and resourceful pool of information about your blue tongued skink pet to provide more care and knowing how to deal with various uncommon situations. The northern bluetongued skink is the largest of the worlds skinks, with a long body reaching 1724 inches in length. They even have a blue tongue skinkspecific formula. Indonesian blue tongue skink tiliqua gigas is a very docile, curious lizard with a heavily build, broad bodies. An excellent care sheet that i recommend is the one on. Blue tongued skinks are not good climbers, therefore horizontal space is required. They are gentle, and have a spectacular appearance.
Care of the blue tongued skink the blue tongued skink tiliqua spp. The blue tongued skink is an interesting animal to own, and is not too difficult to care for. What you can do to aid in the shedding is first give a warm soak for about 20 mins, then use some sterile saline eye drops without preservatives in the eyes and lastly take a qtip with some cooking or mineral oil and gently rub over the retained shed. They come from new guinea and australia, and can get over a foot long. They average 1820 inches in length and are found throughout eastern australia. Skinks are easytocarefor, lowmaintenance lizards, and make good pets for children and beginners, as long as owners are prepared for their relatively large size compared to other pet lizards. Australian blue tongued skink lizard care sheet australian blue tongue skinks or lizards are a not only a great pet but also a good choice of lizard for the beginner. Bluetongue skinks are very docile, curious lizards. Client educationblue tongued skinks care of the blue tongued skink the blue tongued skink tiliqua spp.
Blue tongued skinks, as with most pets, require a clean environment to thrive. The bluetongued skink scares its predators by showing the blue tongue image credits. We are the most comprehensive group of sites on the web with the largest collective knowledgebase in the world. Nov 26, 2010 hello and happy holidays, the shedding can be a problem if the humidity is not correct in the tank. Most blue tongue skinks can reach ages of 20 years or. The majority of species found in the pet hobby are the new guinea and indonesian species tiliqua gigas, and the australian species tiliqua scincoides. We have a select few captive bred pink tongue skinks for sale at excellent prices. Blue tongue skink care sheet uv lamps must always be guarded to prevent burns, or injuries should the bulb shatter. The following mini care sheets are meant to provide only basic care information. Reptilinks offers a 5050 omnivore blend made with whole rabbit, green beans, collard greens, dandelion greens, and.
Blue tongued skink tiliqua scincoides the blue tongue was one of the first australian lizards to be reported by zoologists. Their habitat ranges from open woodlands, at the margins of forest and fields, and semidesert habitats. Jan 05, 2009 im looking into getting a blue tongue skink, and already have the following, but i do not know if they are correct for a bts. A true aussie a juvenile pink tongued skink will retain its dark mask, but the prominent body pattern begins to lighten at 4 to 6 weeks of age. If you are keeping the skink in a bioactive enclosure you can spot clean and monitor the enclosure. Can be anywhere from seven to 24 inches in length depending on specific species of bluetongue skink. Dealing with blue tongue skink metabolic bone disease. I will say that my skink still doesnt really like me and huffs when i take him out, but he seemed relatively calm today with little fuss. However, this care sheet will focus exclusively on the northern blue tongued skink tiliqua scincoides intermedia as these tend to be the most popular throughout europe. Hi omar, try reptiles shows if the stores in your area dont have them or online at sites like or. Hes the first reptile that ive ever owned, and im super happy with him. The vivarium must be secure to prevent escape and free from hazards. It is better to keep these blue tongue skinks independently. Always provide your fire skink with a mediumdepth dish of water for bathing and drinking, changed and cleaned daily.
While female skinks usually retain this pattern throughout life, adult males often become nearly uniform brown or olive in coloration with orangered coloration on their jaws during the spring breeding season. Skink lizard care tricias chinese water dragon page. Vegetation includes turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens, and some fruits in small. When considering a blue tongued skink as a pet, its important to be aware of a few things. Introduction to blue tongued skinks the bluetongued skink is a.
As juveniles half of their diet comes from insects, whereas. According to many, blue tongue skink reptiles are among top 5 reptile choices for beginners and children. Best substrate for blue tongue skink bts i have had my blue tongue skink for 11 years now, i keep her on carefresh bedding she loves to burrow under it. The bluetongued skink is an interesting animal to own, and is not too difficult to care for. Blue tongued skink tiliqua scincoides intermedia this care sheet applies specifically to the northern blue tongued skink, but most species and subspecies of blue tongued skinks can be kept using these guidelines. Tiliqua scincoides scindoides does not get as big as northerns however they are still considered a large skink. Everyone please welcome usangai as a new moderator of r. They are commonly called bluetongued lizards or simply bluetongues or blueys in australia. Join requests must answer the questions before approval can be granted. Arcadias omni gold blue tongue skink diet is also really good if you can get your hands on it, and herpavet lizard food by vetafarm is popular in australia. Average size average lifespan diet feeding housing 20 24 inches long 15 20 years bluetongue skinks are omnivores.
Caring for your skink thank you to mariah healey for creating such an informative care guide. Provide hiding areas consisting of branches andor hide box. Two of the more common varieties in the pet trade are the northern, tiliqua scincoides intermedia, and irian jaya, an undescribed t. Appearance as their name suggests, bluetongued skinks have a blue tongue that they use to catch prey, and keep their eyes clean. Blue tongued skinks comprise the australasian genus tiliqua, which contains some of the largest members of the skink family scincidae. Bear in mind that these guidelines can be applied to the other species of blue tongued skinks. In total there are 30 users online 3 registered, 0 hidden and 27 guests based on users active over the past 5 minutes most users ever online was 477 on tue nov, 2018 4. In order to provide the most accurate and up to date data i searched for and cross referenced information about the following herps on the internet, through herp magazines, and through specific herp care books. My blue tongue skink is shedding and its getting stuck. Bluetongued skinks are omnivorous reptiles that eat a wide variety of vegetables and animal protein. Can be anywhere from seven to 24 inches in length depending on specific species of blue tongue skink. First of all, we do not advise purchasing wild caught animals. The lizard is known as bluetongue because its tongue can range from bright to dark blue, and it has a habit of displaying it prominently. It may still be a good item to change out the bedding a few times per.
The blue tongued skink is a large, diurnal lizard, whose appetite for slugs and snails makes it a favorite pet among gardeners in australia. This care sheet applies specifically to the northern bluetongued skink, but most species and subspecies of bluetongued skinks can be kept using these. Hello and happy holidays, the shedding can be a problem if the humidity is not correct in the tank. Jun 02, 2017 blue tongue skink cage maintenance, blue tong skink care, blue tongue skink housing, blue tongue skink enclosure, blue tongue skink diet, blue tongue skink breeding, blue tongue skink, blue tongue skink substrate, blue tongue skink heating, blue tongue skink lighting, blue tongue skink uvb, blue tongue skink humidity, does a blue tongue skink need uvb. When you buy a pink tongue skink from us, you automatically receive our 100% live arrival guarantee. Blue tongued skink care caring for reptile pet blue tongue skinks.
The bluetongued skinks are represented by a variety of species, subspecies and races native to australia, new guinea and indonesia. The bluetongued skink is a mild mannered lizard which is native to the. This care sheet is showing the way we found works best for us from our years of experience of caring for this species. Appearance as their name suggests, blue tongued skinks have a blue tongue that they use to catch prey, and keep their eyes clean. A complete guide to owning and caring for the blue tongued skink.
The forum is a great resource to use to ask questions, find information, and meet others that share the same love for these amazing animals as we do. Blue tongued bt skinks are mild mannered, social lizards native to the semidesert and open. The ultimate guide to blue tongue skink care reptifiles. The blue tongued skink scares its predators by showing the blue tongue image credits. Bluetongued skinks are bred in captivity and sold as house pets. Offer a variety of live insects including crickets, mealworms, waxworms, superworms, and cockroaches. Blue tongue skinks are native to australia, new guinea and islands of indonesia. The largest blue tongue in the queensland museum collection. This species is generally gray or graybrown with narrow dark bands of irregular shape across the. Eardrums are sunken into cavities on the sides of the head. These grounddwelling diurnal skinks have tiny legs and feet, heavy bodies, and a large, blue tongue that can be bared.
Generally a diet consisting of 60% plant and 40% animal will provide a healthy mix for your blue tongue skink. Blue tongue skinks belong to the land and as such, they need more floor space than climbing places. A true aussie a juvenile pinktongued skink will retain its dark mask, but the prominent body pattern begins to lighten at 4 to 6 weeks of age. Nathan litjensshutterstock many scientists believe that the blue tongued skink uses mimicry as a defense, which means that it mimics a few behavioral patterns and anatomical features of death adders genus acanthophis, a poisonous snake popularly found in. Detailed blue tongue skink caresheet bluetongueskinks. Young skinks should have half of their diet from insects, whereas adults should.
Nathan litjensshutterstock many scientists believe that the bluetongued skink uses mimicry as a defense, which means that it mimics a few behavioral patterns and anatomical features of death adders genus acanthophis, a poisonous snake popularly found in. Blue tongue skinks are a genus of diurnal, grounddwelling lizard found throughout australia and parts of indonesia. This species is generally gray or gray brown with narrow dark bands of irregular shape across the. When purchasing your blue tongue skink, be sure that you do have a blue tongue and not a pink tongue skink. Skinks are easyto care for, lowmaintenance lizards, and make good pets for children and beginners, as long as owners are prepared for their relatively large size compared to other pet lizards. Thank you to mariah healey for creating such an informative care. The blue tongued skinks are represented by a variety of species, subspecies and races native to australia, new guinea and indonesia.
When you buy a pink tongue skink from us, you automatically receive our. Bts species descriptions from descriptions and pictures of all bts species. There are many care sheets available on the internet that go over the feeding and housing requirements of blue tongue skinks. I have a blue tongue skink myself, and have had him for a year were guessing that hes around 2 to 2. We try to provide this heat over of the enclosure while letting the rest of the enclosure cool to 80 o f on the opposite side. This species is generally gray or graybrown with narrow dark bands of irregular shape across the back. They are commonly called blue tongued lizards or simply blue tongues or blueys in australia. There is also an excellent forum there with very knowledgeable keepers. This skink has a large head and small legs with delicate toes. All tiliqua species except the adelaide pygmy skink, t. Bluetongued bt skinks are mild mannered, social lizards native to the semidesert and open woodland regions of australia, new guinea, and tasmania. Blue tailed skink care sheet caging needed appropriate size habitat for adult skink to exercise and roam. The lamp must also be replaced according to the manufacturers instructions. These skinks reach a size of up to two feet and can become incredibly docile.
Blue tongue skinks are omnivorous eating both plant and animal matter. The pink tongued skink hemisphaeriodon gerrardii, known for its namesake pink tongue, is a muchcoveted species on the american herpetocultural scene. Check out the care sheet for a thorough and resourceful pool of information about your bluetongued skink pet to provide more care and knowing how to deal with various uncommon situations. Blue tongued skinks are ideal for beginners, as they have loads of personality and great dispositions. Bluetongued skink tiliqua scincoides the bluetongue was one of the first australian lizards to be reported by zoologists. The schneiders skink is a long tubular skink with sandy coloration. To achieve this we attach a strong basking lamp to the ceiling of the enclosure on one side.
Easy intermediate blue tongue skinks are a genus of diurnal, grounddwelling lizard found throughout australia and parts of indonesia. As suggested by these common names, a prominent characteristic of the genus is a large blue tongue that can be bared as a bluffwarning to potential enemies. If you are buying a baby, then the 2 can be mistaken. Most bluetongue skinks can reach ages of 20 years or. The tail is shorter than the body and tapers to a point. I prefer skinks to other reptiles because they grow larger than geckos, are very smart, have smooth scales as opposed to beaded dragons, who have very. They are commonly called bluetongued lizards or simply indonesian skink or blue tongue skink in this matter. Frozen mixed vegetables, various greens, small amounts of high quality dog food, crickets, mealworms, and thawed prekilled frozen mice can all be fed to. The information contained in this care sheet reflect the opinions and methods of the mentioned breeder, based on. This care sheet is brought to you by the live food experts at timberline. As such they require a warm basking area of 100 o f during the day. House the grown up blue tongue skinks in cages of size 36 x 18x 10 l x b x h that have full screen covers.
Schneiders skink, berber skink, dotted skink latin name. Create a dense leafy area for hiding and another area for basking. Blue tongued bt skinks are mild mannered, social lizards native to the semidesert and open woodland regions of australia, new guinea, and tasmania. There are a variety of species and subspecies of blue tongued skinks. If possible purchase captive bred animals, as they are more likely to survive a reasonable time and suffer less with health problems. Care of the blue tongued skink the bluetongued skink tiliqua spp. Thank you to mariah healey for creating such an informative care guide. Apr 10, 2012 blue tongued skink tiliqua scincoides intermedia this care sheet applies specifically to the northern blue tongued skink, but most species and subspecies of blue tongued skinks can be kept using these guidelines. Tiliqua scincoides scincoides the eastern blue tongue skink is a subspecies of large skink which is common throughout eastern australia, often found in bushland and suburban gardens where conditions are suitable. They have a partially prehensile tail and are livebearers.
Bluetongued skinks comprise the australasian genus tiliqua, which contains some of the largest members of the skink family scincidae. The pinktongued skink hemisphaeriodon gerrardii, known for its namesake pink tongue, is a muchcoveted species on the american herpetocultural scene. Blue tongue skink name derives from the cobalt blue tongue. Indonesian blue tongue skink tiliqua gigas reptiletalk net.
Naturally, bluetongued skinks spend a long time basking in the full heat of the sun. We recommend a spot clean as often as possible every day and a full clean every 4 weeks or so. The bluetongued skink is a large, diurnal lizard, whose appetite for slugs and snails makes it a favorite pet among gardeners in australia. The eastern blue tongue skink or the common blue tongue skink as it is known in australia is anything but common outside of its native home land.
1487 529 1037 688 617 1296 959 984 1483 1135 1340 376 900 1335 740 640 947 203 212 1355 528 666 1387 1449 847 163 166 664 56 154 281 1169 1008 612 1065 360 884 402 509 599 265 1118