As a bare minimum, the enclosure should measure at least 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 10 inches tall. If you have the space in your home to go larger, aim for an enclosure that’s closer to 48 inches long, 24 inches wide, and 24 inches tall.Jun 10, 2020[1]
What Gallon Tank Does A Blue Tongue Skink Need?
The minimum would be 30 gallons, that is 24 inches (46cm) long, 18 inches (46cm) wide, and 15 inches (38cm) high. The bare minimum for an adult blue tongue skink is 40 gallons, that is at least 36 inches (91.5cm) long, 18 inches (46cm) wide and 15-18 inches (38-46cm) high.[2]
How Big Do Blue Tongue Skinks Get In Captivity?
Blue-Tongued Skink Size
They are slow moving lizards, due to their short and stubby legs, and they don’t like to climb very much. The size of your pet blue-tongued skink will largely depend on the species you purchase, but generally speaking, they will grow to attain a length of up to 20 inches and sometimes more.[3]
Why Are Blue Tongue Skinks Tongues Blue
But why are they blue? According to a new study published in the journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, the skink’s blue tongue serves as a deterrent to ward off would-be predators. The blue-tongue skink’s tongue is displayed to ward off predators, study says.Jun 8, 2018[4]
Why Is A Blue Tongue Lizard Blue?
The reason for their blue tongues is so they can flick them out when threatened and scare off predators; bright colours in nature can often mean danger or poison. Blue-tongues will make loud hissing sounds and can rear up in anger to chase off threats.[5]
Do All Skinks Have Blue Tongues?
The Blue Tongued Skink is one of only 5 animals that have blue tongues! Chow-Chow dogs, Impalas, Giraffes, and Okapis share this rare trait. When a Blue-Tongued Skink is scared, they will open their bright red mouth up wide and display the contrasting blue tongue against it while making a hissing noise.[6]
What Did Blue Tongue Skinks Evolve From?
The results show that our Australia’s bluetongue lizards split from Egernia as early as 25 million years ago. ‘The new fossil is unusually well-preserved, with much of the skull, and some limb bones, all from a single individual.[7]
Are Blue Tongues Friendly?
Blue-tongue lizards are not poisonous and do not pose any threat to people or their pets. In fact, they can be a very helpful friend to have around the garden as they eat snails and caterpillars and other insects and can help keep the population of these invertebrate garden pests down.[8]
What Can Mole Skinks Eat
Behavior. The diet of the Florida Keys mole skink primarily consists of small arthropods including roaches, spiders, and crickets (Mount 1963).[9]
What Are Skinks Favorite Food?
Skinks love to eat insects. It is the main source of their diet. They are able to eat a wide variety, including flies, crickets, roaches, beetles, grasshoppers, millipedes, centipedes, worms, slugs, mosquitos, snails, and much more.[10]
How Big Do Mole Skinks Get?
The bluetail mole skink is a small lizard that can reach five inches (12.7 centimeters) in length. This species has a brownish body with a blue tail, which may become pink or orange when an individual gets older or when the tail is regenerated.[11]
Are Mole Skinks Poisonous?
All species of skinks are non-venomous and not poisonous, which makes them not dangerous at all. Skinks still have teeth, though, so they can bite when provoked.[12]
Do Skinks Like Fruit?
Some species of skink like the blue tongue skink do enjoy eating fruits. But it is important not to offer citrus fruits. Citrus fruits can make your skink very ill. Ideally, you should offer sweet fruits like berries, strawberries, or bananas.[13]
How Long Do Crocodile Skinks Live
Red-eyed crocodile skinks are marvelous little animals that may live for at least 10 years in captivity, inspiring wonder in their keepers and in all those who are fortunate enough to observe them.Nov 3, 2017[14]
How Old Do Crocodile Skinks Get?
The longest reported lifespan of a crocodile skink in captivity is 12 years. The Cincinnati Zoo, which keeps two female specimens, estimates individuals of the species live five to six years on average.[15]
What Do Crocodile Skinks Need?
Crocodile skinks require high humidity and should be kept between 70-90%. A mixture of plants, moist substrate, and the maintenance of humid microclimate underneath hiding spots (such as cork bark) will work together to keep humidity at appropriate levels. Ambient humidity should be monitored with a digital hygrometer.[16]
How To Keep Skinks From Going In The House
Things like hot sauce, pepper, and cayenne emit a strong smell that deters lizards. For best results, mix a few tablespoons of your pepper of choice with a pint of warm water. Shake the mixture well and spray it in the corners of your home, and outside, along access points like doors and windows.Mar 7, 2022[17]
Why Do Skinks Keep Getting In My House?
Lizards and geckos are most likely appearing in the house because they can easily find food inside. In most cases, food will be small insects like ants, roaches, and beetles. If you get rid of the household pests then the population of lizards inside the house will gradually disappear.[18]
How Do You Get Skinks Out Of Your House?
Lure the skink out of its hiding place with bait and light.
Blue-tailed skinks, like most lizards, are attracted to light. Set up a light, such as a lamp or a flashlight, and some bait (either crickets or mealworms) near the area where you think the skink is located to help lure it out.[19]
What Kills Skinks Instantly?
Coffee Powder. This is a very effective method to kill lizards. Make your own lizard death-balls by combining coffee powder and tobacco powder and rolling them into small balls. Stick them on toothpicks or matchsticks and leave them around the house – especially behind shelves and cupboards where they hide.Oct 30, 2020[20]
What Type Of Uvb Bulb For Skinks
Blue tongued skinks also require UVB lighting to thrive and be healthy. Using a Zilla Heat & UVB Basking Fixture with a Zilla 50W Mini Halogen bulb and a Zilla Desert Series 50 UVB Bulb will provide the correct heat and UVB needed for your blue tongue skink to thrive.[21]
What Uvb Do Blue Tongue Skinks Need?
Blue- tongue skinks require a gradient of UVB within their enclosure ranging from UVI 3.0-5.0 in the basking zone to zero in the shade. The lamp must also be replaced according to the manufacturer’s instructions. UV lamps must always be guarded to prevent burns, or injuries should the bulb shatter.[22]
How Much Uvb Does A Skink Need?
Your blue tongue skink will need a high output 10-12% UVB tube light. Tube light is superior to a light bulb, so please choose a long tube that will run 50-70% of the tank’s length. One of the best UVB tubes that you can get for your blue tongue skink’s cage are: This high output HO 10.0 T5 ReptiSun UVB tube.[23]
Do Sun Skinks Need Uvb?
Yes! Sun skinks require UVB lighting to stay healthy in captivity. They are a diurnal species often observed basking in the morning.[24]
Is A Basking Bulb The Same As A Uvb Bulb?
These are simply incandescent light bulbs that have been treated to block part of the visible spectrum. They produce heat, and may affect somewhat the colors you see when looking at your reptiles. As stated above, they do not produce UVB.[25]
How Big Are Irian Jaya Blue Tongue Skinks
As is characteristic of the other species in the genus, the Irian Jaya has a large blue tongue that it displays defensively in times of distress or danger. The approximate full length of an adult is 15-30 inches.[26]
Which Blue Tongue Skink Is The Biggest?
Northern blue-tongued skinks are the largest and heaviest species, growing to an average size of 24 inches (61 cm) in length. Eastern blue-tongued skinks are also called common blue-tongued skinks and grow to an average length of 19 inches (48 cm).[27]
How Long Do Irian Jaya Blue Tongue Skinks Live?
Blue tongue skinks are a group of diurnal, terrestrial lizards found throughout Australia and parts of Indonesia. They can grow up to 24” long, and have an average lifespan of 15-20 years, although with good care, they can live past the age of 30.[28]
Where Are Irian Jaya Blue Tongue Skinks From?
As their common name suggests, Irian Jaya blue tongue skinks are found in Indonesia. Unlike their Australian cousins, these lizards inhabit a humid tropical climate. However, like their Australian cousins, Irian Jaya blue tongue skinks are very terrestrial and generally poor climbers or swimmers.[29]
How Big Is A Full Grown Blue Tongue Skink?
This skink is very well known for its long, bright blue tongue. Total length of approximately 60 cm (24 in.) 283-510 g (10-18 oz.) Blue-tongued skinks are omnivores, meaning they feed on a variety of plants and animals.[30]
Resources
[1]https://www.reptiledirect.com/blue-tongue-skink/
[2]https://www.lizards101.com/how-to-setup-a-blue-tongue-skink-enclosure-full-guide/
[3]https://www.petmd.com/reptile/species/blue-tongued-skink
[4]https://reptilesmagazine.com/the-blue-tongue-skinks-tongue-is-blue-to-ward-off-predators-study-says/
[5]https://backyardbuddies.org.au/backyard-buddies/blue-tongued-lizard/
[6]https://www.tinytailstoyou.com/animals/blue-tongued-skinks
[7]https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190501114616.htm
[8]https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/theres-a-blue-tongue-lizard-in-my-backyard-what-should-i-do/
[9]https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/reptiles/florida-keys-mole-skink/
[10]https://petkeen.com/what-do-skinks-eat/
[11]https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/reptiles/bluetail-mole-skink/
[12]https://a-z-animals.com/blog/are-skinks-poisonous-or-dangerous/
[13]https://feedingnature.com/what-do-skinks-eat/
[14]https://reptilesmagazine.com/red-eyed-crocodile-skink-care-and-information/
[15]https://animals.mom.com/life-span-redeyed-crocodile-skink-6079.html
[16]https://www.joshsfrogs.com/catalog/blog/2021/01/red-eyed-crocodile-skink-tribolonotus-gracilis-care-sheet/
[17]https://smithspestmanagement.com/blog/post/how-to-get-rid-of-lizards/
[18]https://www.organiclesson.com/get-rid-of-house-lizards/
[19]https://www.wikihow.com/Catch-a-Blue-Tailed-Skink
[20]https://1stpip.com/10-easy-ways-to-get-rid-of-those-pesky-lizards/
[21]https://www.zillarules.com/information/care-sheets/blue-tongue-skink
[22]https://www.rspca.org.uk/documents/1494939/0/Bluetongue%2BSkink%2BCare%2BSheet%2B%2528PDF%2B461KB%2529.pdf/667d32fc-07eb-c37b-b9c6-63f0a317ebb6%3Fversion%3D1.0%26t%3D1556114287425%26download%3Dtrue
[23]https://www.lizards101.com/full-guide-to-blue-tongue-skink-lighting-and-heating-setup/
[24]https://reptilesupply.com/blogs/care-sheets/how-to-care-for-your-sun-skink
[25]https://www.anapsid.org/liteheat.html
[26]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irian_Jaya_blue_tongue_skink
[27]https://www.petmd.com/reptile/species/blue-tongued-skink
[28]https://www.thebiodude.com/blogs/reptile-and-amphibian-caresheets-with-cited-veterinary-and-herpetology-sources/blue-tongue-skink-care-guide
[29]https://reptifiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Irian-Jaya-Blue-Tongue-Skink-Care-Sheet-PDF.pdf
[30]https://seaworld.org/animals/facts/reptiles/eastern-blue-tongued-skink/