Adults … The substrate (bedding) can consist of aspen wood shavings, cypress mulch, or even newspaper. Your veterinarian will likely need to prescribe an antiseptic mouthwash and antibiotics to clear the infection. If you can watch the animal eat before purchasing, you'll be able to tell if it has a healthy appetite. They make great reptile pets, but they are sizeable lizard to hold. Juvenile skinks will eat more prey animals than adults. A supplement can help prevent this from becoming serious. As its name suggests, it possesses a large, blue tongue that can be bared as a startle display to predators and enemies. Blue tongue skinks, when socialized, make very friendly and chill pets! Our main focus is to keep these rare gems as pure as they are in their native ranges of Australia and make what was once a dream species to keep for many, become a reality. The largest portion of your skink’s dietary costs will be providing proper protein sources. Offer “gut-loaded” insects or insects fed high-calcium diets for several days before being fed to your pet. Also, you’ll want to be sure to replace ultraviolet bulbs every six months. It is often caused by prolonged stress, unsanitary living conditions, injury, vitamin deficiency, or by eating only soft foods. Some blue tongue skink owners find it easier to feed their pet in a separate enclosure, free of bedding and furniture, this way you can be sure your lizard eats all its insects, the prey cannot hide, and the lizard will not pick up any bedding when grabbing prey and mistakenly ingest it along with the prey. About the Blue Tongue Skink Blue-tongued skinks are fairly large lizards, reaching 18 to 20 inches in length. Juvenile skinks aged 5 to 10 months should be fed every other day. The following substrate all make wonderful flooring for any skink’s enclosure: Avoid cedar chips, clay cat litter, walnut shells, sand, gravel, or corncob bedding, since they can cause respiratory infections, skin infections, or gastrointestinal blockages. As such, artificial plants that offer hiding spots are a better option. Lianne is a veterinarian, epidemiologist, and freelance writer who's written nearly 400 articles for The Spruce Pets. They are docile, quiet, gentle, and easily tamed, which is why they make great beginner pets. Your skink’s willingness to eat and appetite level is a good indicator of comfort level, besides a distinct lack of hissing. Yes, blue tongue skinks actually make very good pets. Some Blue Tongue Skinks are domestically bred, but many are imported from Indonesia and New Guinea. When feeding your blue-tongued skink the protein portion of the diet, Lightly dust your blue-tongued skink’s meal with a calcium carbonate supplement that does. Leafy greens (they can be shredded or pureed and added to meat portion of diet if your skink is reluctant to eat them). do NOT contact me with unsolicited services or … Blue-tongued skinks make great pets! If your skink isn't able to shed fully, or sheds irregularly, it may be a sign of an underlying health issue. They can be quite docile and easy to care for, as long as the owner is properly educated to their needs. The Australian species can be pricier because they can no long be imported. They are commonly called blue-tongued lizards or simply blue-tongues or blueys in Australia.As suggested by these common names, a prominent characteristic of the genus is a large blue tongue that can be bared as a bluff-warning to potential enemies. Ensure the appropriate temperature gradient is provided by measuring temperatures in various spots around the tank, not just one. Blue-tongued skinks comprise the Australian Genus Tiliqua, which have the few largest members of the Skink family Scincidae. Do you remember your first encounter with a Blue Tongue Skink? In addition to the incandescent basking light, provide a full spectrum UVA/UVB light for 10 to 12 hours per day. This bulb will have specific instructions on how far away to keep it from your skink but typically it is about 10 to 12 inches. General Info and Care. Regardless of age, all Blue Tongue Skinks should be given a calcium supplement several times a week. If you’re simply looking for a pet, a Northern skink will work well, as they are hardy, docile, and great for beginners, plus they are on the cheaper end of the spectrum. By using The Spruce Pets, you accept our, Blue-Tongued Skink Behavior and Temperament, Spiny-Tailed Lizard (Uromastyx): Species Profile, An Overview of Pet Reptiles for Beginners, The 9 Best Bearded Dragon Supplies of 2020, Axolotl (Mexican Walking Fish): Species Profile, Desert Blonde Tarantulas: Species Profile, Mexican Redleg Tarantula: Species Profile, Madagascar Hissing Cockroach Species Profile, Lighting for Your Pet Chinese Water Dragon. On the flip side, wild-caught skinks are often loaded with parasites and possibly disease, which can be time consuming and costly to eradicate, so stick with skinks bred in captivity. Watch on YouTube. Blue tongue skink as pet can be a right choice for anyone who can take out a day or two in a week to look for his pet and to ensure that it is in good shape. The natural habitat for blue tongue skinks is in Australia and Indonesia. Keep your lizard close to the floor or a piece of furniture in case handling does not go well and your skink leaps from your arms. Provide a large, shallow, and sturdy water dish. The average blue tongue skink size is pretty big compared to other popular lizard species in the reptile trade. Although it should be noted a complete setup may run you close to $1000. Also, keep in mind that the height of the enclosure needs to accommodate a hood to hang a heating element, but, since blue-tongued skinks are terrestrial, they don’t need a tall enclosure for climbing equipment. Blue tongue skink: Most blue tongue skinks can become very tame and friendly. These can thrive in the captivity and also, kept as the house pets. Northern blue-tongued skink. With gentle, frequent handling, your skink WILL bond with you and come to recognize your face and voice. ), Background information on Blue Tongue Skinks, Where to buy a healthy Blue Tongue Skink (plus what to look for! Offer as much food as a baby will eat two to three times per day to encourage proper growth and nutrition. While you can share chicken or turkey you would eat, you can also purchase pinky mice, crickets, and mealworms to round out your lizard’s protein requirements. By sticking with a reputable breeder, you can ensure that your pet is healthy AND you’re getting only the best information possible when it comes to caring for them. Take a look below at 2 of the more predominant health conditions you’ll want to be especially wary of…. However, the exact size you can expect is going to depend entirely on the subspecies you choose. A Blue Tongue Skink makes a wonderful pet for anyone, whether you’re just beginning your foray into reptile care, or you’re a more advanced hobbyist. The seller, whether they’re a breeder or pet store, should be able to answer any and all questions you have about the skink, such as the age and typical diet fed. One of the most common illnesses in blue-tongued skinks, respiratory infections can be caused by a dirty tank, poor diet, stress, high humidity levels, or low tank temperatures. Blue Tongue Skinks also enjoy rocks placed under their heat lamp to provide an ideal basking spot. These species will likely cost around $150 to $250. As I mentioned before bites from pet blue tongued skinks are quite a rarity but they can and will happen. Always choose a pet that has been bred in captivity rather than captured from the wild. The Northern blue tongue skink is one of the largest available. Eastern Blue Tongue Skink. While lots of reptiles od not like being handled, and some merely put up with it, bluetongue skinks are very personable and at times love to be scratched on the chin or head. When you do handle them, ensure it is in short doses of no more than 10 minutes and that you fully support their body. Initial handling sessions should be limited to 10 minutes or less to avoid stressing out your new pet. Named for their distinctive blue tongues, blue-tongued skinks are medium-sized lizards who are very popular pets among reptile enthusiasts. Check the length and width of the rock or platform to ensure your lizard can lay on it comfortably. Although they tend to be very laid-back, skinks also tend to form strong bonds with their owners, and that might be why they are so popular. These lizards are common pets, bred in captivity. Blue-Tongued Skink. Fortunately, mild infections often pass within a week. Tanimbars are known to stay feisty and hissy throughout their lifetime, but it’s not always true. If you need to decrease the humidity in the enclosure, be sure the water dish is placed on the cool side to avoid rapid evaporation. These guys are known for being one of the better skinks to have as pets, I have 3 friends with them, they are total dolls. In fact, they're a pretty popular lizard species. Proper ventilation and substrate also greatly influence humidity levels, so for Northern blue-tongued skinks, choose the appropriate substrate to avoid excessive humidity. Does the Blue Tongue Skink Make a Good Pet. Skinks like to bathe in their water but also often defecate there, so frequent cleaning is required for the water dish. Blue-tongued skinks enjoy soaking in water, but they are poor swimmers, so ensure your lizard can easily get out. Other Blue Tongue Skink varieties are smaller and may only reach a little over a foot. Blue tongue skinks can be found roaming the tropical forests of New Guinea, Indonesia, and Australia. Pet skinks do well in enclosures that offer a hiding spot from people and plenty of room to turn around to avoid scraping off skin. An easy way to win over your skink? Regardless of the variety of skink you choose – I recommend the Northern Blue Tongue Skink, as it’s exceptionally hardy and easy to care for. A combination of under-tank heating and a basking light on one side of the tank works well. This is by far the most common reason that you will get bitten by a blue tongued skink. Adult blue-tongued skinks over 10 to 12 months old only need to eat about three times per week. This comes with a benefit since they are guaranteed to be captive bred. Provide a couple of sturdy hiding spots since they like to burrow and hide. Specifically, you’ll want to pay special attention to overall oral health. Only approach your skink’s cage to clean and offer food, and allow your lizard to hide in the various shelters placed in the enclosure. phil goss. Ball Python Care Sheet: Addressing ALL of Your Care, Diet, Husbandry, & More Questions! Indonesian blue tongues are still being imported and can be cheaper but it is important to buy from a reputable dist… Baby skinks under 5 months old will need to eat every day with one day of fasting. Two of the more common pet varieties are the northern, Regardless of the variety of skink you choose –, Since these unique reptiles are such popular pets, especially, Absence of scars, retained shed, or wounds, Ideal body weight with no jutting hipbones or spine, Abdomen should be clean without discoloration or injury, Mouth and nose should be clean with no bubbly secretions, Mouth is clear of pus and gums are a healthy pink, Jaw should be strong and not rubbery or hanging open, All five toes are present and the tail is unbroken, Eyes should be clear without cloudiness or discharge. Blue Tongue Skinks are fascinating creatures, not only in looks, but also in personality. A separate multi-vitamin supplement can also be offered one to two times weekly, on days where you don’t supplement with calcium. They are omnivores and can eat different types of food, which makes it easier to feed them. Cork bark, wood, rocks, PVC pipes, or other hides can be used. Mouth rot, or stomatitis, is an infection affecting the mouth and gums of reptiles. Blue Tongue Skinks are omnivores and require BOTH live animals and plants to remain healthy. They have long, solid bodies, triangular-shaped heads and comparatively small legs. As one of the most versatile pet reptiles, Blue Tongue Skinks make excellent pets (opens in a new tab) for beginners and advanced herpetologists alike. Your veterinarian will likely need to prescribe an antiseptic mouthwash and antibiotics to clear the infection. Blue Tongue Skink Background Key Takeaways: Blue Tongue Skinks hail from semi-desert regions of Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania and make great pets due to their mild mannered disposition. And while there should be no legal issues with owning this animal, be sure to double-check that it's permissible to have a blue-tongued skink where you live. The same goes for wild caught skinks that can have parasites. In fact, because these lizards are both interesting and easy to care for, they can make excellent pets for keepers of all experience levels – even first-time keepers, who’ve never cared for lizards before. If you're interested in a lizard that's easy to care for but aren't sure about the blue-tongued skink, there are other beginner-friendly lizards you can check out: Otherwise, you can check out these other profiles of reptile and amphibian breeds. They’re omnivores, who thrive best when provided with a variety of fruits, vegetables and animal matter, including rodents, insects and … Each Blue Tongue Skink species requires slightly different humidity levels, so let’s discuss the most popular pet—the Northern blue-tongued skink. Written nearly 400 articles for the Spruce pets uses cookies to provide you with a basking area 90... Only soft foods skinks should be limited to 10 minutes or less to avoid provoking or startling,... 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