Blue-Tongue Skink Care Sheet
Lizard
20 - 24 inches long
15 - 20 years
Omnivore
Diet & Nutrition
Blue-Tongue Skinks are omnivores. Offer a variety of live insects including crickets, mealworms, waxworms, superworms, and cockroaches. Vegetation includes turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens, and some fruits in small amounts.
Feeding Schedule
Feed babies daily. Adults should also eat daily, although they will likely eat less than a baby. Feed a 50/50 mix of insects and vegetation. Dust food with calcium powder daily & a multivitamin once a week. Feed them the amount they will eat in 10 minutes.
Housing & Habitat
Blue-Tongue Skinks are from Australia and Indonesia. They are ground dwellers and love to hide. Provide plenty of hiding places along with flat basking surfaces. Some keepers provide a humidity box to aid in shedding. Blue-Tongue
Skinks may be kept alone or in pairs. If housed together Blue-Tongue Skinks should be of similar size to avoid injury. Never house two males together in the same tank. Two females generally get along well. A male and female will likely breed if housed together.
Enclosure Size
An adult must have a minimum cage size of 36" Long x 18" Deep x 16" High.
Substrate
Due to humidity requirements an absorbent substrate is desired.
Peat moss or coconut fiber are preferred. Peat Moss and coconut fiber are fluffy substrates easy for burrowing and holds some humidity if desired. Provide 3-6 inches of substrate.
Temperature & Lighting
Temperature
A Blue-Tongue Skink's basking spot should be 95°F. The cool end of the tank can be as cool as 70°F.
Lighting
Since this is a diurnal species, it requires two light bulbs. One is the heat lamp which also emits UVA. The second is a UVB lamp. The UVB lamp will specifically say UVB on the box. If the box doesn't say UVB, its not UVB.
Plant and Fish bulbs are not UVB bulbs.
Humidity & Watering
Humidity
Misting the enclosure is beneficial although not required. Humidity levels should be between 25% - 45% depending on locality.
Watering
Provide a bowl of fresh drinking water at all times.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What do Blue-Tongue Skinks eat?
Blue-Tongue Skinks are omnivores. Offer a variety of live insects including crickets, mealworms, waxworms, superworms, and cockroaches. Vegetation includes turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens, and some fruits in small amounts. Never Feed Lettuce! It contains no nutrition, only water and cellulose.
What size enclosure does a Blue-Tongue Skink need?
Blue-Tongue Skinks are from Australia and Indonesia. They are ground dwellers and love to hide. Provide plenty of hiding places along with flat basking surfaces. Some keepers provide a humidity box to aid in shedding. Blue-Tongue Skinks may be kept alone or in pairs. If housed together Blue-Tongue Skinks should be of similar size to avoid injury. Never house two males together in the same tank. Two females generally get along well. A male and female will likely breed if housed together. An ad...
What temperature and lighting does a Blue-Tongue Skink need?
A Blue-Tongue Skink's basking spot should be 95°F. The cool end of the tank can be as cool as 70°F. Since this is a diurnal species, it requires two light bulbs. One is the heat lamp which also emits UVA. The second is a UVB lamp. The UVB lamp will specifically say UVB on the box. If the box doesn't say UVB, its not UVB. Plant and Fish bulbs are not UVB bulbs. Humidity: Misting the enclosure is beneficial although not required. Humidity levels should be between 25% - 45% depending on locality.