Blue-tongued skinks are popular pet reptiles because of their easy demeaner, straightforward care, and longevity. With over 1,700 different species of skinks in the world, it is important to research the specific needs of a species to be sure you are providing them with the best care practices. In the case of blue-tongued skinks, there are several species commonly being bred and raised in captivity, with the Northern blue-tongued skink the most common in our experience. It is important to always learn about the life history and needs of any pet reptile to ensure they have what they need. Here, we will provide some basic information on blue-tongued skinks to get you started.
By doing your homework ahead of time, you will ensure that you will have the best habitat and nutrition for your blue-tongued skink prepared prior to their arrival.
Quick facts
- Blue-tongued skinks are native to Australia.
- Blue-tongued skinks are ectotherms and depend on environmental temperatures to regulate their core body temperature.
- The scientific name of the northern blue-tongued skink is Tiliqua scincoides intermedia.
- Northern blue-tongued skinks are the largest and skink from this genus .
- You cannot determine the sex of a blue-tongued skink from external characteristics; instead, you need to use another modality such as imaging or endoscopy.
- Blue tongued skinks are omnivorous, so they eat both plants and animals.
- With appropriate care, blue-tongued skinks can live for 15-20 years.
Enclosure
For blue-tongued skinks, it is important to provide the largest enclosure possible. There are a number of different types of enclosures available for these large skinks, including glass tanks, reptile specific enclosures, and home-made enclosures. The larger the enclosure, the more exercise the skink can get, which is important to maintain an ideal weight and reduce the likelihood for problems associated with obesity. It is preferred that the enclosure is at least 2-3 times the length of the skink. When selecting an enclosure tank, the horizontal size (length and width) is most important. Blue-tongue skinks are naturally fossorial (e.g., like to burrow), so they don’t need a vertical tank with height because they don’t do much climbing.
The type of material used for the enclosure is an important consideration for disinfection. This is generally not a major concern for glass tanks or commercially made reptile enclosures but can be an issue for home-made enclosures made of wood. Because wood is difficult to disinfect, it is not recommended as building material for an enclosure.
Substrate
Blue-tongued skinks are fossorial and like to burrow, which should be obvious from their elongate, snake-like body and stubby legs. There are a number of different substrates that can be used for these skinks, including astroturf/green carpet, recycled paper substrates, and different types of wood substrate (e.g., cypress, aspen). The astroturf/green carpet substrate is good after first acquiring a skink to monitor its feces, or to use in separate smaller enclosures as a feeding station. The recycled paper is good because it allows the skink to burrow. While wood mulches are aesthetic, they can impact the humidity in the enclosure. The substrates should be spot-cleaned daily to remove waste and changed regularly (based on type and how soiled they become).
Accessories
Blue-tongued skinks should be provided with accessories that allow them to burrow and hide. One example of a burrow is to cut a hole in the lid of a plastic sweater box that is large enough for the skink to enter/exit and to place it under the substrate. The skink can retreat to the burrow to mimic its natural behavior.
Weighted food and water bowls should be provided. The weighted bowls will reduce the likelihood of the skinks tipping over the bowls. The bowls should not be too deep, especially for juvenile animals, to prevent drowning. Fresh water should be provided daily.
Temperature and Lighting
All reptiles should be provided with supplemental environmental heat to ensure they can meet their needs. As poikilotherms or ectotherms, they depend on their environmental temperature to regulate their core temperature. For blue-tongue skinks, heat can be provided through two avenues: a basking lamp and an under-tank heater. A basking lamp should be situated over one side of the enclosure to provide a gradient of temperature. If the enclosure is large, multiple heat lamps with variable wattage (higher on one side, lower on the other side) may be needed to achieve the desired environmental temperature range for blue-tongued skinks. The daytime temperature range for blue-tongued skinks is 80-88oF. By having a gradient of temperatures, the skink can move from warmer to cooler temperatures based on its preference. The nighttime enclosure temperature can drop by 10oF; this is often achieved simply by turning off the heat lamp. An under-tank heat pad can be used in areas where ambient temperature in a household becomes too cool for the skink (<70oF). The environmental humidity for these lizards should be 40-50%.
An ultraviolet B (UVB) bulb would also be beneficial for blue-tongued skinks. Research done using Fluker Farms UVB bulbs has shown that these animals can increase their vitamin D concentrations following UVB exposure. Vitamin D is an essential hormone that regulates bone health, immune function, and heart health, among other factors.
Blue-tongued skinks should be exposed to basking and UVB lighting for 12 and 2 hours per day, respectively.
Diet and Nutrition
Blue-tongued skinks are omnivores. Thus, like us, diversity in the diet is the key to providing these lizards with balanced nutrition. Providing a variety of foods, such as live and freeze-dried insects, commercial diets (e.g., Crafted Cuisine), mixed vegetables (e.g., carrots, green beans, squash), and fresh greens (e.g., romaine lettuce, collared and dandelion green), is a fantastic way to meet their needs.
Juvenile skinks should be fed daily, but as they age that can be altered to every other day. Because the skinks don’t get much exercise in captivity, they can become too heavy if fed daily. Smaller meals that they must search for can increase their daily exercise.
Handling and Safety
Blue-tongued skinks are typically gentle lizards and can be handled by supporting their long body with your open hands. They tend to want to move forward at all times, similar to a snake, so be sure they don’t fall an injure themselves.
Because blue-tongued skinks can carry Salmonella, it is important to thoroughly wash your hands after handling these animals or their enclosure. Children should always be supervised when handling any reptile and observed closely to ensure they thoroughly wash their hands after handling the lizard or anything associated with their enclosure.
Contact a veterinarian if you notice any signs of illness or distress such as more time spent hiding in the cage, eating less, weight loss, swollen joints, discharge from the eyes or nose, or abnormal feces.
Shopping List 
Diet- Crafter cuisine- garden diet
Freeze-dried bugs
Live bugs
UVB lighting
Heat lamps
Thermometer/hygrometer
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