Eastern Blue-Tongued Skink

Introduction

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This species is also commonly called the blue tongue lizard.

Physical and behavioural characteristics

• grow to a total length of around 45 – 60 cm

• long-lived (20 – 30 years)

• have smooth overlapping scales that give the lizard a blue-grey colouring

• have a distinctive blue tongue

• voracious feeders.

Environmental requirements for keeping in captivity

• require a reasonably large enclosure of around one square metre

• require heating and suitable basking sites

• enclosure must have a range of temperatures from around 24⁰C to 35⁰C during the day and the heating should not exceed 20⁰C at night

• bark, leaf litter, shredded paper or purpose-made substrates must cover the floor of the enclosure

• some logs and rocks must be provided for them to bask on and to hide under.

Natural distribution

Feeding and nutrition

Base diet

• a range of vegetables should be offered at each feed. These should be cut into small pieces and offered three times each week

• a powdered calcium supplement should be added to each meal and a multi-vitamin supplement(such as Herptevite) added once each week

• food should be placed into the enclosure around mid morning and any leftovers removed after 3 – 4 hours

• fresh water must be available at all times.

Enhancements

• good quality meaty cat food can be added to the vegetable mix once each week

• live insects such as crickets, mealworms and cockroaches, or snails that have been frozen then defrosted, can also be offered weekly.

Considerations when keeping blue-tongue lizards in schools

• readily available and relatively inexpensive to purchase ($30 – $50)

• very amenable to handling once conditioned

• most active during the day.

References

Care sheets¹

Australian Museum information²

Turner, G. (2001) Keeping blue-tongue lizards. Australian Reptile Keeper Publications³