Blue-tongued Skinks

Blue-tongued skink

A beautiful, smooth-scaled lizard that is wonderful to handle. Unfortunately these animals are not bred as widely in captivity and are more expensive to purchase.

Blue-tongued skinks are very docile, medium-sized lizards with striking blue tongues, which they use to investigate their environment. Since these are larger lizards, they do require a medium to large enclosure. They are a terrestrial species, and love to burrow into the provided substrate. They require a mixed diet, consisting of both meat and plant material. A very rewarding species to keep.

Caging: These fair-sized lizards can be housed in an enclosure 1 m to 1.5 m long, depending upon the depth.

Heating and lighting: Full-spectrum lighting should be supplied for these lizards. A temperature gradient should exist between a hot side (around 35°C) and a cooler side (around 25°C).

Feeding: Young skinks should be fed four times per week; adults need to be fed only once or twice. Their diet should be as varied as possible, consisting of fruit, vegetables and insects.

Miscellaneous: These lizards are terrestrial and should be provided with a substrate suitable for burrowing into.