Reptile Care Sheet: Blue-tongued Skink

SPECIES: Blue-tongued Skink (Tiliqua spp. Gray, 1825)

These make an ideal choice for the beginner.

Distribution & General Ecology

The Tiliqua genus contains about 15 species. This Care Sheet applies to all Tiliqua except the Pink-tongued skink, T. gerrardii, which has different feeding and breeding habits and unlike other Tiliqua is semi-arboreal.

With the exception of one species, all of the Tiliqua genus come from the Australian continent; the exception being T. gigas which is found in New Guinea. The Australian species include T. scincoides scincoides, the Common Blue-tongue, T s. intermedia, the Northern Blue-tongue and T. nigrolutea, the Blotched or Alpine Blue-tongue. Less commonly seen species are T. occipitalis occipitalis, the Western Blue-tongue and T. o. multifasciata, the Centralian Blue-tongue. Several other species and sub-species exist.

The Shingleback or Stump-tailed skink, T. rugosus is also associated with the Blue-tongues and while being physically different, it may considered within these notes.

Blue-tongued skinks are quite heavy-bodied animals with short legs, they are ground dwelling lizards. They tend to be solitary animals and are diurnal, spending the dark hours hidden away. Favourite hidding places are rocks, hollow tree trunks or in leaf litter. Their name is taken from their defensive display, when startled they throw back their heads with their mouths open and extend the tongue, which appears bright-blue.

Sexing Tiliqua is not easy but with experience can be done with reasonable confidence. In males, the body is more slender, the head being broader than the width of the body (looking from above). In females, the body is more rounded, wider than the width of the head. These features may be more noticeable in young animals. In T. gigas, mature females sport large jowls at the base of the neck. In T. rugosus, the head of the male is significantly larger than that of females of a similar size.

Housing in Captivity

A melamine-faced chipboard vivarium with sliding glass doors at the front is suitable. It should have ventilation holes in the sides or back. Blue-tongues can be aggressive and so are best housed individually. A vivarium of 600 x 600 x 300mm would be the minimum required for a single adult.

If housing a small group, a cage size of some 1500 x 600 x 450mm would be required for up to three fully grown animals of similar size. In this situation, one male and two females together should be O.K.

Heating & Lighting

Background heat should be maintained at 26-28°ree;C, (T. nigrolutea 20-23°C, T. gigas 30-32°C) The best source being a heat mat on the bottom of the vivarium, with spot bulbs or heat emmitters above. A drop of 5°C at night is beneficial. A"reflector" type bulb would be adequate with a suitable wattage to give a basking area with a temperature of 35-37°F below the bulb. The spot heat/light source should be located at one end of the vivarium and guarded to protect the lizard.

Full spectrum U.V. lighting should also be provided, several types are commercially available.
The lighting should be switched on for about 14-16 hours in the summer.

Humidity is also important to avoid skin retention during ecdysis (slouging). A water bowl of 250-300mm surface diameter for a 1500mm long vivarium should provide the correct humidity level by evaporation occasional spray/misting may also help.

These lizards like to forage around in search of food. So the vivarium should be well furnished with rocks, logs and branches, and perhaps some hide boxes. If the furniture is positioned in a jumbled fashion the skinks may climb in and out without disturbing each other.

A suitable substrate would be bark chippings. This should be spot cleaned at least daily, with a complete change of the media on regularly as required.

Food & Feeding

A wide range of food items may be taken. Being omnivorous these animals will eat a varied diet. Small defrosted mice or pinkies/fuzzies + rat pups will be taken, also chopped day-old chicks. They also enjoy snails that may be collected, but beware of feeding any that may have come into contact with chemicals. Soft fruits, especially berries, peaches, kiwi fruit, apples and pears are also enjoyed. Keeping the diet varied should ensure a healthy animal.

It is also recomended to dust the food item with a suitable vitamin supplement, these are available from most pet shops.

Seasonal Cues

Blue-tongues experience a change in climate in the wild and this needs to be simulated if breeding is to be attempted. During the Autumn the background heat should be gradually decreased to 20-22°C (T. nigrolutea 10-13°C, T. gigas 23-25°C). This temperature should be maintained for three months during Winter.

The daylight should be reduced from 14-16 hours to 8-10 hours for the winter. this should be done gradually through Autumn.The spot heat/lighting should be reduced and eventually turned off completely for the Winter months. The animals will remain active throughout their cooler period, so feeding should continue.

At the end of the Winter period, the heat and light can be gradually increased during Spring until the Summer settings are reached.

Breeding

Having followed the previous guide to over wintering, the males may start to show an interest in the females. If the lizards are being kept individually, now is the time that the females should be introduced to the males. Never put a male into a females tank as often their territorial instinct may result in a fight.

The male will probably follow the female around for some time, possibly over a period of days, he will rub his chin over her back prior to mating. If the female is not receptive she will chase the male away. If male is persistent enough, the female will eventually submit and copulation will take place. Several matings may occur between the pair at this time.

All Tiliqua species are ovoviviparous (young born live in a membrane). The gestation period is considerably longer than that of egg-laying reptiles in general. Gestation is between 100-120 days depending on species, temperatures and individuals. If possible, pregnant females should be housed separately until the young are born.

Litters are usually of 6-12, this is however dependent on the size of the female. The exception is T. rugosus which gives birth to a single, large young or occasionally twins. It may be possible to identify when birth is about to occur as the female will become very irritable just before the first offspring is produced. Birth of the litter can take place over several days.

Blue-tongues may eat their young, so these must be removed from the adult(s) as soon as possible. Some pregnant females will not appear particularly gravid even in the latter stages of pregnancy, so once the mating period is over it is better to assume pregnancy than to risk losing offspring through predation by other occupants later on.

Young

Young Blue-tongued skinks are generally around 140-160mm long and weigh approx. 18-20 gms. Care should be the same as for adults, but chop food finer and provide daily for first 3 months. Problems feeders should be offered small snails.

The following are just a few of the Reptile Care Sheets we have available. For the full list please contact us.

Burmese Python
Chameleon (Chamaeleo Calyptratus)
Corn Snakes
Argentinian Horned Frog
Tree Frogs
Leopard Gecko
Mediterranean Tortoises
Red-eared Terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans)
Royal Python (Python regius)
Chinese Water Dragon (Physignathus cocincinus)
Bearded Dragon
Uromastyx

Reptile Care Advice Sheet (General Advice)

Cat Care Advice Sheet
Dog Care Advice Sheet
View All Our Pet Care Advice Sheets