Blue Tongued Skink

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

22 Nov 2007 06:33 PM

There are several species of blue tongued skinks that are available in the pet trade. The most popular is the eastern blue tongued skink.

Blue tongued skinks are on the large side for a beginner's lizard. When fully mature, a blue tongued skink can reach twenty inches in length -- around eight inches of that is tail. These lizards have a flattened, elongated body and can look somewhat snakelike.

These lizards are ground dwellers, so you don't need to worry about branches for climbing. That doesn't mean you can skimp on tank size! Give your blue tongued skink a large enclosure of forty gallons (or more). The bigger, the better! Even though your skinks won't do much climbing, you will want a secure lid on your tank. Provide sturdy hiding spots like rocks, wood, and PVC pipes for your skinks. They also like to burrow, so add some cork bark or other wood substrate to your tank.

Daytime tank temperatures can range between seventy-five and eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit with a ninety-five degree basking spot. Overnight, the temperature can drop to around seventy degrees Fahrenheit. A combination of under-tank heating and a basking light on one side can provide a good gradient for your skinks. Make sure your tank has a full spectrum UVA/UVB light running for ten to twelve hours per day.

Adding a blue tongued skink to the family is a long-term commitment. These lizards can live between ten and twenty years. But this is a good lizard to be spending decades with. Blue tongued skinks are docile and gentle and very easy to tame and handle.

Blue tongued skinks are omnivores. Provide a varied diet made up of around sixty percent fruits and veggies and forty percent meat items. Try offering beans, squash, carrots, parsnips, leafy greens, strawberries, bananas, and melon. For meat, you can offer your skinks worms, pinkie mice, and low-fat canned dog food. The enclosure should have a large, sturdy, shallow water dish for drinking and bathing. Change the water frequently (and clean the dish) as these lizards often use their swimming pool as a bathroom.

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Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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