Introduction
Long ago when I first became captivated by these creatures, I had no guide or standard of which to follow. Blue tongued skinks were certainly not well-known by any means, and there was little to nothing written about them. I plunged in headfirst...studying, observing, gaining experience, and learning from my own mistakes. After several years, blue tongued skinks started becoming more popular as a household pet, and I noticed that there was still nothing accurately written about them. There were, of course, a handful of websites with caresheets...none of which were thorough or 100% accurate however, or even contained consistent information. That's when I decided that these animals deserved a website completely dedicated to them. An interactive information source where somebody could learn everything they needed right from the getgo, and ask questions if something didn't make sense. After a few months, I began to realize that there was a sort of secret esoteric group of people who have loved and kept these animals for years. They are what make up our forum today and are an incredible source of knowledge, and a perfect blend of young enthusiasts, the newly interested, and veteran keepers. I'd like to thank Edward, Danny, Johan and Kylie for being some of the original visitors and helping me develop this site into what it is.
The following caresheet is written from my results of working with nothing but blue tongued skinks for many years. It is put together in a unique collaboration of people from all over the world who have sent in their photographs; almost all of which are not seen anywhere else. This site would be useless without the people who generously offer use of their photographs, and of course, the people who volunteer their advice every day on the forum. We hope you enjoy it!
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This sheet is 100% devoted to the beginner BTS owner, and its contents are intended for the care of captive bred BTS kept in indoor terraria
Note: BTS = Blue Tongued Skink
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Considering a Blue Tongue for a Pet
Let's start off by saying if you're considering a reptile as a pet, the blue tongue skink is a terrific choice. I've heard many people say, and I agree, that blue tongues are among the most intelligent species of lizard out there. For example, they can recognize sounds, recognize people, and we've actually almost completely house broken our male Irian Jaya. He never defecates in his terrarium ever. We take him outside for about 5 minutes before we take him in the car or let him on the carpet, and he goes every time. Part of this goes to getting him on a feeding schedule we've developed, and it's been highly effective. They're also large and smart enough to interact with, yet require very little maintenance. They live longer than most lizards, usually outliving even dogs and cats. Their average life span is about 20 years with reports of them living up to 30 years in captivity. They're fun to interact with, fun to hold, fun to take places, and if you take them in public, people act as though it's the most amazing thing they've ever seen. One likely reason you're searching for a lizard is for a pet for your children. You hit the jackpot in terms of reptiles. Blue tongues are great for kids and can be handled and played with...the kids of course should be supervised, and taught proper handling techniques, because these are still delicate creatures, and like any animal need to be handled with care. Another great reason is that they're slow. The kids can keep up with them. Bearded dragons are quick! You can let your blue tongue roam around, and he won't go anywhere fast (unless he's seriously spooked or just a baby). And lastly, blue tongues have no fur or feathers so if you're kid(s) have allergies, you won't have a thing to worry about. They are also diurnal so if you keep your animal in a bedroom, nobody will lose any sleep!
When considering a blue tongued skink as a pet, it's important to be aware of a few things. First of all, we DO NOT advise purchasing wild caught animals. Beside the fact that it's possibly illegal, they're often full of mites and internal parasites, and by NO MEANS ready to be a favorable pet. If you obtain a wild caught animal, it's important to get it "de-wormed" and checked out right away. Most (not all) Indonesian blue tongue skinks you see in a pet store are wild caught imports. They are often very unfriendly because they're WILD, and not used to human contact making them undesirable and unhappy. There are plenty of blue tongues for sale that are born captive, and ready to be great pets. If you see a Northern in a pet shop (which is unlikely), it is most assuredly a CaptiveBred as exporting from Australia is highly illegal. It is NOT illegal to export reptiles from Indonesia, and that's why almost all pet shop blue tongues are Indonesians.
What you want to get instead, is a CB (captive bred) animal. Captive Bred of course means born in captivity. Quality captive bred blue tongues can be found on internet classifieds, your local newspapers, or if you're lucky, in pet shops. I've been to a lot of pet stores, and rarely have I seen blue tongue skinks (I'm referring to the U.S only, and disincluding any store that would specialize in them of course). The reason for this rarity is simple: It's just not cost efficient enough to breed them. Reptile hobbyists simply cannot produce enough offspring each year to make it worth their while. Take bearded dragons for example. They're an immensly popular lizard pet, VERY easy to reproduce, and very easy to sell quickly. Bearded dragons have about 3 clutches of eggs PER YEAR with about 15 or more offspring PER CLUTCH. That's a lot of babies in a single year to sell! Sell each baby at $30 each to a pet store, and that's a pretty nice chunk of change. This is why you see copious amounts of beardies in pet stores. Now take blue tongued skinks. Being viviparous, they give birth to live young so there are no eggs. That particularly doesn't matter, but they only give birth ONCE per year. And that's only if you're lucky, because sometimes it can even be every other year. Babies can number anywhere from 5 to 15, and up to 25 on rare occasions and only with certain species. So, you see...breeding blue tongue skinks is very uncommon (compared to bearded dragons for example), and seeing them in stores is even more uncommon. This is also one of the reasons that makes them so special though, and also why you see so many wild caughts for sale. It's a lot easier for an importer/exporter to snatch an animal out of the wild and sell it for a quick buck, rather than finding pairs to breed and waiting years on end for their offspring.
Buying
Note that this information is typical, but of course not exclusive to all pet stores and/or shows.
As we now know, pet stores usually do not carry blue tongues on a regular basis; especially compared to other popular lizards. And unfortunately, the few times you do see one, it is a wild caught animal in poor health. Pet stores will usually tell you what you want to here, and telling you that the blue tongue is captive bred (when they really have no idea) is usually not above them. If an employee (usually an unexperienced teen) has a chance of selling you an animal, and getting their cut of the sale, they'll do it. Many employees won't even know what wild caught vs. captive bred is all about. So to put it plainly, DO NOT RELY ON PET STORE ADVICE. Recognizing wild caught animals can be difficult because very often stores get in young animals that never got the chance to be exposed to harsh natural conditions. Adult wild caught animals can look rough. Scars, missing/broken toes, corroding lips, parasites, you name it. If they look beat up, they're most assuredly a wild caught. It's not a 100% indication however, as you can never know for sure if the guy across the street didn't drop off a recently bred female that he didn't have luck with (breeding consists of biting, and the females can sometimes sustain permanent scarring), but it's very unlikely. Afterall, who would sell a female that was possibly gravid (pregnant). Animals can also be in poor shape if the pet store keeps them in poor conditions. Blue tongues kept together (which is a risky and ignorant thing to do, but done all too often at pet stores) will often fight resulting in massive scars, bitten off feet, and severed tails. Here is an example of what a wild caught or neglected animal might look like upon careful inspection. Click to enlarge.
So, just remember to carefully look over the animal's condition, and ask as many questions as possible. Be frank, and be persistent. Don't let the pet store get the best of you. They will likely do whatever it takes to sell the animal to you. Remember, pet store employees are not experts on BTS. They are hired hands to sell animals for the company and collect a paycheck. A truly knowledgeable staff is rare. And knowledge of BTS is even more rare because the animals are so rarely sold. Be sure to do your research. If you have to ask THEM questions, you're not ready to own your reptile. Thoroughly learn everything you can, and have all your supplies up and running before purchasing your animal. When you've learned everything you can by reading and talking to experienced keepers (not teenagers working at the pet store), and YOU begin noticing that they are giving you wrong advice, and you start getting that angry bad feeling in the pit of your stomach, you are ready! Here are some tips to avoid fraud and misunderstandings. Be sure to ask each and every one of these questions below. If a seller cannot or does not answer clearly and in a timely manner, I would not make the purchase. Again, these types of sellers will not be there to help you when you need it. These questions can be used for both pet store and online purchases.
Additionally, here is Kelly McKinney's 10 Red Flags to watch for when buying a bluey—
• They can't identify the species correctly
• They don't post pics in an ad
• An ad with little to no information (particularly about age, cb/wc/ltc, diet, species, etc)
• They don't answer all your questions when you email them the first time (and the more times you have to ask the same questions the more flags)
• They take a long time to reply to your emails (and to me if you're trying to sell an animal you'd be watching your email and responding fairly quickly)
• They don't specialize in blueys, but rather sell many different species
• They don't have or won't post pics
• They won't let you see individual pics of the blueys they have for sale, but rather only show one pic that is supposed to be representative of what they have
• They don't feed a proper diet or provide even the minimal care required (no temp gradient, housing with other animals, etc). It sickens me how many ads you see that say "eating well on crickets and dog food", "eating well on fruit cocktail and worms", etc. They may be eating - but not well!
• They won't give you their phone number for future help
HINT: When buying at a reptile show or pet store, take notice if the animal is being kept with a heat lamp. If the animal is cold to the touch, he is likely in an inactive state and therefore may seem tame when in actuality, the animal could be aggressive when active. BTS are most active when they are warm. They are inactive when they are cold and would therefore just sit there seemingly calm in your hand. This is a trick that some dirty dealers use at reptile shows. Keep it in mind if you are in the market for a bluey, particularly if the bluey is for a youngster..
Recap on pet store advice
Pet store advice is one of the leading causes in the United States for reptilian neglect and death. Not only do a large majority of stores not take care of animals IN the stores, but a baffling amount do NOT give advice that is accurate, and trusting people believe it and won't listen to anyone else because "the pet store must be right". A pet store (in most cases) is a business. They care about making a reasonable profit on the animals sold. They hire teenagers who love animals, but are NOT experts on individual species. DO NOT assume that just because "the pet store guy" told you anything that the care recommended to you is legitimate. Always seek a second opinion. Note: small family owned pet shops are typically much better since chains are in it for the money and family business usually are not. In other words, a family owned pet store isn't a fast way to get rich.
We had a woman on here long ago who was housing three BTS together. She insisted that they loved each other, and that it was ok because the guy at the pet store said it was just fine. Despite our advice (and almost pleading emails) she said: "I think they know what they're talking about". A month later this woman emails me terribly upset saying one of her blue tongues bit her other blue tongue in the face breaking its jaw. This is just one example. We have also had many users post pictures concerned with "lumps" on their animal's back. We ask them: "What's his diet like?" They usually tell us "crickets". When we tell them that crickets have very little nutritional value, they respond: "Well, that's what the guy at the pet store told us to use..." The stories go on. All in all, you really have to ask yourself this question:
Would you wager your pet store guy is an expert on blue tongued skinks? He's done hours and hours of research to learn what REALLY is right, and what isn't? Keep in mind that selling BTS in your shop for even years does not necessarily gain experience. Learn from this caresheet, then compare it with what your pet store tells you about diet, housing, etc. I bet you will be shocked! If not, be thankful that you have one of the few pet stores that really research their animal's proper husbandry. Remember, there are many bogus caresheets on the internet about blue tongued skinks (essentially all reptiles). A pet store—if they actually research—could stumble upon any one of them. The PETsMART blue tongue caresheet recommends heat rocks for goodness sake (we talk about heat rocks later). Dangerous advice is rampant. Remember that people don't intentionally try to spread bad advice, it's just that there are so few people out there with true BTS experience.
A note on rescues and adoptions
True animal shelters and rescue/adoption establishments are terrific. They take in neglected animals, fix them up, and adopt them out to qualified people. The small fee involved is normally only meant to cover any supplies/electricity/etc that was used for the duration of the animal's stay. Unfortunately, an ever-increasing number of people are *claiming* to be rescue establishments when they are in fact not. Perhaps they even started out as a rescue establishment, but many have turned this non-profit sytem into a sometimes lucrative business. Just keep an eye out on prices.
There is a website known as petfinder.org which is exclusive ONLY for animals in need. There are people taking advantage of this site, and we recently experienced just such an incident. There is a bluey on the website for "adoption" in Utah. Matt (from our forum) contacted the person and agreed to meet to adopt the animal. When he arrived, it was nothing but a pet shop and none of the employees knew anything about an adoption. They pointed Matt to the back where the reptile section was. The price? $154.99. That is retail. Not an adoption. Pet adoption fees are typically $10-50, and that's for cats and dogs. The price of keeping a small reptile is infinitely cheaper. Read his entire experience here. Here is a good quote from Oregon which is written in the linked thread:
Unfortunately, some people run "adoptions" and "rescues" and make a business out of it. It makes those of us who take in animals and provide vet care and rehab at our own cost and adopt back out for free, bristle.
I have been involved in animal adoptions and shelter work for many years. It is very easy to spot those who operate under the guise of adopting, but are running a business. As Edward says, it really boils down to $$$.
Many shelters hold onto pure breed animals and charge high fees for them, while euthanizing mixed breed puppies and kittens. There will always be those who are willing to pay higher fees to have a pure bred animal or "something different" for their money (in their mind). It is a sad fact of the animal trade.
Some shelters will charge higher fees for an animal that is highly desirable simply because the money can be used to offset the cost of housing so many that aren't placed quickly and for upkeep.
But it sounded to me as though the skink you wanted was not truly for adoption, but was "for sale" under the guise of an adoption. That is wrong.
Internet purchases
The internet is a great source to purchase (yes, when done correctly, shipping reptiles overnight is pefectly safe and is done every day). Beware of companies and web sites you are unfamiliar with or have never heard of. Read around, ask around, do a little reseach. Avoid large companies. There are many sellers who buy from international exporters (sellers/companies selling wild caught animals). Use your judgement. Look for the acronym 'CB' (captive bred), or "We only sell and breed quality captive bred reptiles", etc. Of course, people can lie...but ask for some references. Request to possibly email some of their customers. See if they have a reputable website. Avoid classifieds like: "Blue tongue skink for sale. Nice size, feeding well. $100." And that's it. Avoid that. You want friendly, well explained classifieds with an email address, phone number, and hopefully a website. If they have a nice website, it likely means they're in the BUSINESS of selling blue tongues and other reptiles. It's not just an inexperienced person that happened upon one. This can also mean however, that they sell wild caught animals. Many/most big time reptile dealers will most assuredly deal and sell wild caught animals. If a phone number is not already listed, request it! There is absolutely no reason you shouldn't be allowed to call. If they refuse to speak with you personally, are hard to get a hold of, or respond with one-liner emails, definitely move on to another ad. These types of people will not be available when you have a problem or question about your new pet. I would highly recommend calling and speaking with each and every person you consider buying from. Talk to them and get an idea of what kind of person or company they are. Don't forget pictures are a must, and your local newspaper is another good place to look. Then, you can actually go to someone's house and see them!
Scams and Dishonesty
I am a firm believer in the idea that an animal is worth only what it is worth to the individual, but I draw the line when a seller charges more while making an animal look more valuable than it actually is, or deliberately making the animal sound special or "one of a kind". One thing that drives me up the wall is something called "Morphs". They've gone completely out of control in the bearded dragon market, and in reality, they are nothing more than color variations given fancy nicknames to differentiate bloodlines and help the animal sell. Here is an example of a bearded dragon morph: "Red HypoRed/Orange German Giant X Chris Red". These morphs have also hit the leopard gecko market with names such as: "Super Hypo Carrot-Tail Leopard Gecko". These genetic differentiating 'nicknames' have not yet hit the world of blue tongued skinks, and I'm doing everything I can to keep it that way. While these morphs are generally accepted and commonly used in the bearded dragon community, many people are beginning to use similar tactics to sell their blue tongued skinks. For example, you could sell an average orange-colored Indonesian for $100 which would be a fair price. OR, you could slap on a name like "Orange Citrus Flaming Morph Indonesian - RARE - $400". Would this be honest? Certainly not. First of all, there is no such thing as an "orange citrus flaming" Indonesian blue tongued skink. It's simply a made up name to make the animal sound good. Secondly, the animal is not rare. The fake name however, could make it sound rare. The only "rare" blue tongued skinks in the United States are Westerns, Centralians, Blotched, and Shinglebacks. It is a rare occurrence that you will ever find an Indonesian worth over $200. The only attribute that would make an Indonesian—or any species—more valuable is an exceptionally unique coloration or pattern. Some blue tongue babies may look incredible, some might be very vibrant, or some may be very lightly colored such as a Silver Tanimbar. In any case, these specimens may sell for more.
Use your knowledge from the above topic on the best way to communicate with the seller. Don't be afraid to ask specific questions, and don't bother if you get ridiculous one-liner emails in return. Also, familiarize yourself with the different blue tongued skink species. Once in a while if you come across a unique animal, you very likely could have a hybrid on your hands as hybrids are definitely different looking, so to find out for sure, you'd want to ask an expert. People should NOT be breeding hybrids in order to sell them for cash. That is despicable, and deceitful. Also, keep an eye out for words like "leucistic", "hypomelanistic" or "anerythristic" being used as money-making words. There are no known leucistic blue tongues, and anerythristic specimens are usually not more valuable than any other blue tongue. One other word that you might hear is "Pastel". This word generally only means "lighter in color", and is completely subjective. "Pastel" could mean anything to anyone depending on who's looking. It does not necessarily make an animal valuable or not valuable. As mentioned before, people just throw around these words to make money, so the real meanings are rarely used, and the words in their entirety should probably not even be used at all just to avoid all the confusion! The whole thing is just a mess in my opinion because so many people get tricked and deceived—that's why I encourage REAL species and REAL names be used when selling an animal to somebody else. That way there is no doubt, no questions, and no concerns.
Keep a watchful eye on those internet classifieds, and do not buy into charlatanism. There are dishonest ingratiating individuals out there every day posting bogus ads advertising incredible claims with no proof. Their usual response will be: "Hey folks, buy it or not." They don't care. Take the time to really purchase from someone who loves the animals as much as you do, and is not just out for a quick buck.
Fabricated photographs
A big problem in today's reptile classifieds are dirty dealers creating slightly altered deceptive pictures to make an animal look brighter, more colorful, or anything that might make it look more appealing. Depending on cameras, lighting, angles, and a number of other factors, an animal's actual color could be much different than it actually appears on screen. A good question to ask a seller is: "On a scale of one to ten, how close does this picture match the actual animal's true color?" Ask for multiple pictures—at least 3-5 taken in different situations and in different lighting. Remember, if a seller doesn't want to bother taking pictures for you, it's not worth it. It's absurd in my opinion to sell an animal online and not offer pictures of the darn thing. How is one supposed to even guess as to what they'll be getting otherwise? A problem with many reptile dealers being dishonest today is simply this: they can get away with it. There is no rating system such as ebay for customers to praise or complain about transactions. Besides the BOI on faunaclassifieds.com (a board where users may post about positive or negative experiences on buying reptiles) and our Resolution Center here, there isn't anything out there to expose fraudulent sellers. Random buyers do not know about all the different websites, and they simply key in their desired reptile on google, click the first site, and buy. Even if a customer is displeased, over half will not seek resolution (beyond their own pleading emails). So what do we do about it? RESEARCH. Know your species, and be smart about your search for your pet. Study the pictures. Does it look natural? Is there a strange hue coving the whole image? Is it crisp and clear? Does it possibly look digitally screwed with? Is the animal possibly in shed? Many animals lose almost all of their color when they shed. This might be the perfect opportunity for a seller to snap a quick pic and advertise his animal as "SILVER" or "WHITE" when in all actuality, the BTS will only retain the lack of color for a couple of days. The seller's excuse might be: "Well, I bought the animal, took the picture, and put him up immediately; I don't know anything about them changing colors". Excuses like this are common. The following image is just such a picture. The bottom portion shows the animal's true color, and the top is the animal in shed with a little something extra added to make him look good. Notice the color of substrate on each of the pictures (the two pictures are combined to show the difference). The top picture appeared in an ad on Kingsnake.com about a year ago and was being sold as a "Rare Silver Indo".
The following juxtaposed images display how an animal can look altered in different lighting, angles, shed, photoshop manipulation, a camera flash, etc. A seller could use any one of them. The left-hand side is the animal's true color.
Digital manipulation
Camera flash
In shed
Written by Zach at bluetongueskinks.net
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Social Interaction and Handling
As I mentioned above, blue tongued skinks make great reptile pets for kids because they are so easily handleable. They have smooth, shiny scales and hard bodies (unlike bearded dragons, iguanas, uyromastyx, etc), and that to me makes them a bit easier to hold. They're also fairly stiff in the sense that when you hold them, it doesn't feel like you're squishing them. Whenever I handle say a Uyromastyx, their body and skin is so delicate that I always feel like I'm crushing them. Blue tongues have hard, tough bodies and can handle the firm grip of a child.
Interaction
Blue tongues have tiny little legs and feet, so they don't go anywhere fast (although they are capable of surprising speeds when in pursuit of live prey), and they have very personable, almost human eyes. When you approach them, you can actually see them looking at you. You cannot make eye contact with any snake or gecko. You can make actual eye contact with a blue tongued skink, and that to me can develop a bond between a skink and its owner. I honestly believe that a blue tongued skink can develop a certain recognition for their owners. All in all, the best way to get to know your skink is to hold it often, let it wander around outside its cage, hand-feed it, lay it on your chest and let it watch T.V with you...anything you want! Have fun! The keyword is interaction. If you do this, you will soon have a very lazy, tame, and friendly skink. They generally are pretty lazy, so they really do just sort of hang out—more so as adults. If you're looking to race your skinks, then this is probably not the lizard for you. They are however, VERY curious. If they're in the right mood, they love to explore. Set up some newspapers, blankets, empty cereal boxes, etc. They will search in and out, and in every nook and cranny with their big blue tongue going ever faster. It's a blast too watch! After a while, you'll just find him asleep.
One question we get a lot is: "Do BTS like to be handled"? There is a large range of views on this subject. Some keepers believe that handling should be kept to a minimum as reptiles only "tolerate" handling rather than actually enjoying or benefitting from it—at the same time however, most still believe that the skink will enjoy an occasional romp outdoors in the sun. Remember that blue tongued skinks are not domesticated like a dog or cat. They are wild animals, BUT if a reptile does benefit from being out and about, I'm not sure that that differs from anything else whether it be walking in the grass, walking on your lap, walking on the floor, or doing anything else outside its regular cage. I know they don't, in a sense, "want" certain things, so when I place my hand in the baby's cage and they immediately run to it and crawl up, do they *want* to be held, or do they *want* to explore elsewhere besides in their cage? I think that they just live their life and take things as it comes, and a captive bred bluey's curiosity often gets the best of them (sudden captivity would essentially be a culture shock for a wild caught pet). When they don't feel threatened, and are used to a life in captivity, I think they are curious about everything; the sky, the grass, different foods, various sounds, and yes, you and me as well. That curiosity is satisfied which is evident in their often obvious change in behavior when interacted with, and whether that be enjoying the sun outdoors, or being petted on the head, it's stimulation and interaction that is beneficial in my book.
For most, handling is a big part of enjoying your BTS. I know that's a broad statement and not true for everyone, but for the most part, handling and interaction can be one of the best aspects of owning these creatures.
Can people really bond with BTS?
Absolutely! Something that many people don't realize (and likely never will) is that lizards are not the creepy crawly scary animals that society has made them out to be. If you are reading this, you likely know exactly what I'm talking about. The redundant yet obligatory reactions of disgust and even pure terror. This is commonplace, and a true shame. It's difficult to explain to someone who is hard in their ways, but each one of these animals has its own unique personality and own funny characteristics. They even show intelligence such as recognition of their owner, recognition for sound (shaking bags, their name being said, opening of the tank lid) memory of locations, recognition of gestures such as lowering a bowl into the cage, recognition of color (foods, etc) and objects, likes and dislikes of food, and an incredible inquisitive nature and curiosity of their surroundings. Many will never experience this or understand it because they simply won't give reptiles a chance. They see them as "icky slimy creatures" and very few people could even tell you exactly why they don't like them. Every person I know who was nervous around these animals at first immediately warmed up to them once seeing the personality in their eyes, their curious nature, and calm disposition. The usual reponse: "Wow, I had no idea". Once some of these people form bonds of their own with the BTS, it completely changes their entire perspective on reptiles. Of course, there are always those adverse individuals who will shriek and act as if they're about to die. I'm not sure there's much hope for them!
Personality
Every blue tongue literally has his own individual personality, and you will quickly learn his favorite food preferences, his likes and dislikes, etc. Blue tongues are also fast learners, and adapt quickly to their environment. There are lots of stories out there about blue tongues doing funny/amazing things, but many people attribute it to anthropomorphization (giving human characteristics to an animal), however I've seen some remarkable stories that are true. Many swear that their lizards will react differently to sounds, certain words, and so on. Personally, one of my skinks does react to different sounds. Check out the video section for videos demonstrating voice recognition, and the shaking of a bag. My big male Irian Jaya has a funny characteristic—we let him bask out in the grass during the hot summers. We put him pretty far out and leave our patio screen door open about two inches while we relax in lawn chairs. He lays there and basks usually motionless for about 20 minutes, then starts exploring. When he's done (and this is literally every day we take him outside) he climbs up the patio, heads for the door, and goes straight inside! If the door is closed, he paces back and forth until let in. If we leave the screen open half an inch—he will stick his nose in and wedge the sliding screen open. Now, telling anyone that my skink comes in the house everyday on his own might sound far fetched. But, what can I say—he does it every single day. None of my other skinks do it, they wander off, and we have to retrieve them. It's really taught me to be more open minded, and to not jump on people immediately saying: "No way". More experienced reptile owners attribute most of these personalities to coincidences and an active imagination. I'm sure not all stories are true, but I'm sure many are. You'll hear a lot of them if you join a reptile forum/community!
All in all, there's nothing wrong with a fancy imagination in my opinion—stories are fun to read and quite humorous—even if they are a little far fetched. I'd much rather owners take notice and be excited enough about their reptile to even share a story—no matter how ridiculous it may sound. It shows that the person really cares, and is excited about what they are doing which usually results in good care. "Lizard leashes" are looked down upon by some, but used as a tool by others. If you can actually get one to work (which is hard because they streamline their legs with their bodies, and it's like trying to put a snake on a leash) then it can be used to keep your skink from wandering off. Tie one end to the leg of your lawn chair, a tree or fence post and try your luck. Don't get too comfortable lying in the sun with him however because he'll likely wiggle his way out in no time.
Can BTS make noise?
Aside from quiet grunting and/or funny little squeeks, BTS are completely silent. If your BTS begins struggling while you have a firm grip, once in a while he'll let out little squeeks or grunts almost like a person would while trying to reach something far away. My male Merauke (Sunny) grunts pretty loudly while being held, but I haven't heard it from any of my others. A lot of times the grunts almost sound like a whimper.
Getting Peed On
If a bluey starts to go to the bathroom on you—which usually results from an excessively strong grip or a body that is not fully supported—DO NOT PANIC! Many people get very startled, and throw the animal off their lap in a panic. A blue tongue's urine is just water, and has no scent or color. Excrement however, is obviously more odorous, but it's nothing that will stain or hurt you. Remember, it is possible to get your bluey on a feeding schedule, which essentially gets them on a "waste cycle". They normally defecate once per day (unless they have loose stool), and it's probably not a good idea to let them wander around outside their cage until they've done their business. A word of advice: Blue tongues tend to defecate/urinate once they become active. They often hide or sleep in their cages, so once you take them out, excreting their bodily fluids is often the first thing that happens. Just be sure to take them out in the grass for a few minutes, and they usually go right away. If you see waste in their cage upon returning home, you're good to go! Keep in mind that if your BTS has the runs, he could go a number of times during the day, and at any time.
Proper Handling Techniques
There are many ways to hold a blue tongue skink, but the most important thing to remember is to keep the animal's ENTIRE body supported. Especially their hindquarters. Proper handling is also important to teach your children, otherwise when held, you will have a very finicky and panicked blue tongued skink. If their backside is not supported, they will fling their tails around wildly because they don't feel secure and feel as though they're going to fall. If you've ever heard of blue tongues peeing on you, this is the time they'll do it. However, when handled in a correct and responsible manner, you will have no problems. The following three pictures show the best methods for handling. The first is probably our favorite. Simply lay your blue tongue across your underarm, just so his nose touches your bicep, then support his backside with your palm. This creates complete security and support for his entire body. You can use your right or left arm, whichever you are most comfortable with. The second pic is basically the same idea except his head and tail are switched. The third picture shows a method that is easy for moving your blue tongue short distances. Simply lift him from behind, and prop him up on your free hand.
Always remember that these are not little geckos or anoles, so it's important that you do not drop your animal. You could likely get away with an accidental drop with a tiny lizard or even a long snake, but a BTS would fall like a brick. I would start children off by holding them in their laps, and petting them on the ground. Also, never attempt to hold your BTS upside down. He will struggle to his maximum strength and bones can pop out of place and even break.
Hand washing
As a good rule of thumb, it's smart to wash your hands before and after handling your skink or any reptile (hand sanitizer works well in a pinch) both to protect your animal from foreign bacteria, and also yourself. Zoonosis is extremely rare however, but hand washing is still recommended. We discuss salmonella later on.
Skinks versus other household pets
Is it ok to let my skink be around my dog or cat? Plainly put, it is a risk. I like to use an example asking: Would you put your newborn baby on the floor with a dog? Maybe you would, maybe you wouldn't, but either way it would probably make you a little uneasy, because you can never tell what the dog might actually be thinking. The way a dog or cat perceives you is completely different than how they may perceive a skink. They will likely see it as a fun toy, or even food. He may act totally scared, he may not do anything. Either way, no matter how predictable and lovable you think your animals are, they are still 'wild' and instinctual at heart. Also, never leave your skink alone in a room with another animal, and beware of loose cats that may tip your heat lamp.
Written by Zach at bluetongueskinks.net
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Adult Care
Written by Zach at bluetongueskinks.net
Housing
Size, cleanliness, creative hides and so on, are all very important factors to consider as this is the permanent home where your animal will live its life. Since you've probably paid a pretty good penny for your blue tongue, create something for him that you can be proud of. Always keep blue tongues separate, and always be sure to keep a clean terrarium. Keeping a clean terrarium is far easier than paying expensive vet bills that would result from uncleanliness. Don't get caught up in the blue tongue bug! Once you have acquired one bluey, it's very likely that you will end up with more down the road. Do not begin condensing cage sizes in order to squeeze more in, and do not house animals together even temporarily. Plan on providing single adult skinks with at least a 40-60 gallon terrarium. Basically, the more space, the better. Smaller tanks are ok for smaller animals such as babies and juveniles, but remember that they grow incredibly fast so you may as well just start with a permanent tank rather than upgrading a few months later. The absolute minimum sized tank would be a three foot long by eighteen inch wide terrarium. Remember, the bigger the better.
Lids and screen tops
A screen top is very important for proper air flow, maintaining the correct temperature, regulating humidity, and protecting your animal if the heat lamp were to fall,
or the bulb explode. It also provides a barrier so the animal cannot touch the bulb. They could easily put an eye out, and are capable of lifting themselves straight into the air. A screen top also keeps the animal from climbing out (we get into escapes later) and even will keep unwanted animals out including cats, mice, and even spiders and various other insects. Also, if a vase or anything else were to tip or something were to be thrown (kids playing and so on) the lid provides protection in these instances as well.
Basking spots and terraria decor
Your terrarium should include a flat basking rock at one end for basking, and a cool spot on the other end. We get into lighting and proper temperatures a little later on. Include plenty of hiding places and fake plants (on the cooler end and middle areas only—it's important to keep the basking end purely for basking. Large half-logs work well, or shoeboxes placed upside down with a hole cut out on either end, or both. Shoeboxes are fun, because your kids can decorate it. Bottom line, they love to dig, burrow and hide, so be creative!
Check out this page for pictures of terrarium setups as well as some neat outdoor setups. If you have any questions about these outdoor enclosures, feel free to ask on the forum. We usually recommend outdoor enclosures for experienced keepers only. Otherwise, you may end up with a lost or dead animal. We also do not recommend the 'netted' screen mesh Reptariums. They cannot hold the proper heat because they are completely open air, and are generally meant for chameleons. You would literally have to keep your room in the 80 degree range just to satisfy the proper cool end gradient, and your heat lamp would burn straight through the mesh (unless you had it on the inside, but then your animal has no protection against a shattering bulb). Hint: kitchen tile works great as a basking rock; particularly dark colored tile that would absorb heat. You can cut or break it into any shape, and they only cost a couple of bucks. You can even get really neat naturalistic rock tile. Avoid tile with a glossy finish. Slate is also excellent. Remember, your animal needs a FLAT and SMOOTH rock that is large enough for his entire body, and it should be placed directly below your heat lamp. Also don't forget that a lush, well-thought out terrarium design makes all the difference in both your enjoyment, and your animal's enjoyment.
Proper Cage Dimensions
Inch/centimeter conversion tables can be found in the Cobalt Vault
Here is the arithmetic for determining the gallon capacity of your tank: There are 231 cubic inches to a gallon, so multiply the length, width, and height of your terrarium in inches, then divide by 231 = number of gallons.
The crucial fact to remember when choosing a terrarium is that FLOOR space is the most important aspect, not height. Blue tongues are not climbers, but burrowers thusly they need plenty of ground room to maneuver. Also, if your cage is too high, there will be too much distance between your basking rock and heat lamp, which could result in insufficient temperatures. Here are two examples. The first picture is a standard 50 gallon aquarium that is TWO feet high. It looks great at a first glance, but the floor space is very minimal, and the majority of its size consists of height (wasted space the BTS will never use). The 2nd picture shows a tighter more compact tank, but it also is a bit tall. Same scenario as the first picture, only even less floor space. As a good rule of thumb, 'gallons' are not a good measurement to use when deciding on a tank. If someone is telling you about a fifty or sixty gallon tank they have for sale, it is most likely a tall fish aquarium. There are a lot more fish aquariums out there compared to reptile terrariums. Once again, floor space is the key, not height, and the more floor space the better. You could never have an enclosure that was too big. Also remember that we are not ruling out tall tanks—as long as you can keep your temperatures correct, there are no worries.
Here are a couple terrariums that would be ideal for your blue tongued skink. The first is a perfectly square terrarium providing ample floor space, and only one foot of height. Your animal will have a good three feet to move in all directions, instead of the usual confined, narrow terrarium. You can place a heat lamp in one corner, and since the tank is only a foot tall, your bulb will not require a high wattage, saving you electricity. These terrariums are highly recommended, and usually come with a convenient sliding screen top. I believe most are even equipped with a lock and key so you can keep certain obnoxious young one's from getting into trouble. Note: If you have a low tank, BE SURE you have a lid that can latch shut. An overly curious blue tongue could very well push the lid up and climb out.
36"L x 36"W x 12"H
This next one is probably my favorite, and probably the most practical. These pictures show a relatively good sized tank, but this brand (Critter Cage) comes in many different sizes. These terrariums are very low to the ground, but still very wide. This particular one is three feet long, almost two feet wide, and only one foot tall. You wouldn't want to get any smaller than this cage, but ask your local pet store about this brand, and see what you can get. The point is that these tanks can be bought with plenty of floor space and minimal height. The more space provided, the better. Now that you've seen this tank, scroll back up to that very first aquarium picture for a 2nd look. Doesn't look so good now, does it. Please keep in mind that I am not ruling out tall tanks in general; any 'big tank' will work as long as you can keep the correct temperatures consistent. By the way, these tanks are meant for 'critters', so they cannot hold water. Hint: Look for tanks at garage sales. Kids are always outgrowing their pets, people move, the animal dies, and people always just want the tank GONE. This is your chance to get an excellent tank for next to nothing! All of our tanks are from garage sales, are in perfect condition, and were bought for pennies on the dollar. Goodwill and other secondhand stores are also a good place to look. Maybe even try aquarium shops or exotic fish stores. They often have old tanks lying around that are slightly cracked or leak. Useless for them because they can't hold water, but perfect for you and your lizard. Look around! They'll likely just give them away!
36"L x 18"W x 12"H
Tupperware Enclosures
Tupperware bins are terrific for temporary use, but not as a permanent home. It's also been my experience that keeping your blue tongue in these bins will make them very irritable. They can't see out, and even if it's clear, you still can't see through the plastic. So, basically they just sit their all day with nothing to look at, and I honestly think it's a bit claustrophobic for them. Many breeders use them, so they wouldn't care what personality their skink had, but for pets, what's the point? They're cheap? C'mon. If you have a great pet like a blue tongued skink, give them a home you can be proud of and really enjoy! They're such an inquisitive and curious animal, and I just don't think tupperware bins are right for them. It also sort of makes them look like test subjects. They're great however for transporting, or even a place to sit your animals while you clean their cages. Rubbermaid and Sterilite are both good brands.
Cleaning Cages
Spot cleaning is fine. When you clean daily, be sure to pick up the entire area of substrate along with the actual fecal matter. We just use simple toilet paper to spot clean. Generally, your terrarium should be completely cleaned out every month or so depending on how dirty it is, what type of substrate you have, etc. One good clean-up a month is a good guideline to follow. Using a shop-vac to clean out old substrate makes the job a cinch! After the old substrate is out, simply wipe everything down with an anti-bacterial soap and HOT water, rinse, then disinfect with a bleach/water solution. Just be sure the tank is completely free of fumes and strong bleach scent before placing the animal back. Soak the basking rock in boiling water as well, and scrub it with a brush (your animal has likely defecated on it once or twice, and the heat lamp often hardens it onto the rock). You can even run your basking rock through the dishwasher if it's slate or tile (do not put mudstone into a dishwasher as it will disintegrate). One other funny note, sometimes when a blue tongue is placed into a freshly cleaned or rearranged cage, he will flatten himself out, and wave his tail around frantically. It might surprise you, but there's nothing to worry about. Some believe it's a sign of dominance—showing he owns the place and/or marking his territory—or simply reacting to his fresh surroundings. They sometimes do this when placed outside as well.
Here is some additional information written by Kelly Mckinney:
Disinfecting should be part of your maintenance routine. Of course we all do daily spot cleaning, but when you do a major cleaning you first clean (hot soapy water) and then you should disinfect. I love the Nolvasan/Virosan because there are no worries as with bleach/water. It is safe on reptiles, but not amphibians, etc. Read up on this link and it will explain it all for you. http://www.anapsid.org/cleaning.html
I keep a mixed bottle of the Nolvasan/Virosan on hand to aid in daily spot cleaning and daily cleaning of water and food dishes. Once a week I do a full cleaning and disinfecting (soaking in the solution as opposed to the daily use of the solution in the spray bottle) of the dishes and any deco that came into contact with feces/urates. Then like about every 3 months I do a complete cage breakdown in which I clean and disinfect everything. For my snakes at this 3 month mark I also do a complete substrate change if they are on a loose substrate. For blueys I change substrate completely after each shed (about every 4-6 weeks) and of course spot clean daily.
Purchase Nolvasan/Virosan: http://www.mgreptiles.com/WOW.html
Cohabitation
I strongly believe it is very important to keep your skinks in separate terrariums. Some people do keep pairs together year around, but only those who are very experienced should do so. If you are new to blue tongues, this is NOT something you should do. I've had many people come to me insisting: "But my blue tongue skinks love each other!" They may look very friendly together, and you could possibly house them together successfully for months, but all it takes is one brief moment of irritability, and one could lash out at the other completely biting off the tail, severing an entire foot or even killing the animal. Remember that BTS live their lives in solitude in the wild. I feel I should stress this—it is NOT a rare thing for blue tongues to act violently toward one another. And that's just taking into account the possibility of injury—not to mention stress, disease transmission, difficulty of monitoring feces, competition for hides/heat, etc. (K. McKinney, 2005). If you have breeding pairs in a huge outdoor enclosure, that's one thing, but keeping them together in an indoor terrarium is extremely dangerous. Don't be fooled by pet stores housing blue tongues together advertising them as "breeding pairs". This only shows their ignorance. Also, do not compare BTS to other reptiles—their temperaments and personalities are different and you shouldn't assume they will be compatible just because another species of reptile can be housed together. There are three main reasons why one would consider housing BTS together indoors.
¹) The individual is not educated on the subject—no matter how long he or she has actually owned them. Length of time owning an animal does not necessarily show how experienced someone is. If an individual just buys a lizard, feeds it every day, and basically just keeps it in a terrarium while he plays with his kids and goes on vacation—he's not necessarily gaining any experience. So, for example someone saying: "I've got experience. I've housed my blueys together for a year with no problems". OR "I have two years experience with BTS and have never used heat lamps. They seem fine, and I think I know what I'm doing". It doesn't work like that. We occasionally get these types of emails or posts, and it goes to show that just because someone has owned blue tongues for even YEARS, it does not mean that they know what they're doing. Sometimes if you get bad advice from day one—from pet stores in most cases—then that's the advice the person sticks with, and he doesn't seek advice elsewhere. Genuine interest, eager attention, intense observation, regular interaction, and a true passion is what will gain you experience. Simply owning a pet that is probably for your children will not.
²) Irresponsible breeders. More space = more animals = more money. Simple as that.
³) Additional housing costs mucho dinero. It's understandable that reptile housing is pricey. Cramming blue tongues into small cages for the simple excuse: "I can't afford more housing" is ridiculous. Not to mention that the individual is endangering his or her own investment if all they care about is the money.
We have many members on our forum who have housed BTS together in the past—they no longer do because many learned the hard way, and they will be more than willing to share their experiences in order to save you the same experience. The following pictures display two BTS that lived together peacefully for three months. The owner came home and found that the animals had been fighting, seriously and permanently damaging a full one-third of all the toes on one of the animals. These pictures are also good examples of what can happen if leftover toe shed is not attended to. Click to enlarge.
Lighting/Heating/Temperature
Blue tongued skinks require a wide ranged temperature gradient consisting of a hot side, a cool side, and a middle range in between.
Regular daytime temperatures on the cool end can be anywhere from the low 70's to the low 80 degree range, and the basking end consistent at 95º to 100º. Some would say as high as 110º on the basking end, but I think that's too high. You want to maintain a little bit of 'wiggle room'. If the sun shines through a window, or your in-laws turn the heat up, it could definitely fluctuate the temperature in a room. 100º is ideal. If your temps are 110º+, the slightest rise in heat could raise the temperature dangerously high. Proper temperatures can be achieved and regulated with the use of a heat lamp. They usually cost $10-15 at your local pet shops (or cheaper at Home Depot), and I would highly suggest purchasing a size no smaller than a 10 inch diameter. This widens your heat range, and prevents the lamp from tipping. Any smaller than 10 inches, and the lamps can tip very easily (if you're heat lamp is clamped, you don't need to worry about this). You will also need a bright incandescent bulb for the lamp. They will probably be for sale right next to the heat lamps, and a 100 watt will probably be fine. If you have a taller enclosure, a 150 -200 watt bulb may be necessary to maintain your basking temperature. You may use virtually any sort of bulb as long as your temperatures are correct. Simply place your lamp on the top of your screen lid, turn it on, and you're ready! Leave it on for a few hours, and do a few test runs before putting in the animal. You want to be sure that it's not too hot, or too cold. If your animal is always on the cool end, or laying in its water dish, it's likely too hot. Watch those temps, and be prepared! Do not buy on an impulse. You want everything tested and ready BEFORE buying your animal. You don't want to bring your animal home, and then learn of mistakes or problems. Do what it takes to achieve the correct temperatures. Usually, a heat lamp is all you need to achieve your 100º basking area, but if not, you may need to supplement with a heat mat or a more powerful bulb. Hint: Buy your heat lamps (and bulbs such as spot/halogen/flood) at Home Depot, and save a ton of money! They're the exact same units in the pet store, except for the tripled price tag. Scroll down to the UV section for info on specific bulbs.
Important advice
- Please exercise extreme caution if you have cats loose in your home. There are many cases of cats knocking over reptile heat lamps and causing fires.
- Be very mindful of where your heat lamp is at all times. For example, when removing your BTS, be careful not to set your heat lamp down on the bed or carpet.
- It is a very good idea to keep an extra bulb handy in case your main one burns out. You may be surprised how long it takes you to get another.
Night time temperatures should drop no lower than 60º (temperatures dropping below 60 will not hurt your BTS, but may induce a brumation [essentially a hibernation] state that typically results in long sleeps and a complete loss of appetite). Just turn your heat lamp off at night, and back on in the morning. We suggest a 12 hour cycle such as 9am-9pm, or 10-10, 11-11, etc. This is called the photoperiod. If you work late, it might be a good idea to set your timers from 12-12. This way, the lights come on at noon, and you will have until midnight to play with and handle your pet. Remember, if you have some insanely cold house...for example air conditioning in the summer, you might want to consider a small under-the-tank heater. You can also use a ceramic heat emitter. They put off plenty of heat, but no actual light. See picture below. Ceramic heat emitters are pretty expensive costing anywhere from 30 to 50 U.S dollars, but are very effective. Keep in mind however that you don't want 90 degree night time temperatures; keep the entire tank in the 60-70's at night. I believe that BTS benefit from a nighttime "cool down" period—the heat keeps their bodies active and their blood and organs pumping. A natural nightly cool down period rests their bodies and helps put them into a cool sleep. One thing that a lot of people don't realize is that BTS can take the cold—60's-70's during the night will not hurt them at all.
DO NOT use heat rocks. They can actually burn the belly of your skink. The reason we say no to heat rocks is that they're prone to malfunction, and it also puts an electrical hazard in your tank 24/7. Your animal will often be wet from soaking in his water...then imagine him running on top of the heat rock, or rubbing on the side of the hot and electrically powered rock device. Electricity and water are obviously not a good combination—I don't even understand how or why heat rocks were invented. You shouldn't have anything electrical in your terrarium; period. Some people still of course say they've used heat rocks successfully for years...blah, blah blah...but I will tell you this: It's an extreme danger, so why on earth risk it, when you don't even need it. And most people would have a change of heart of course once their animal was actually electrocuted and killed. Below is an under-the-tank heater or "heat mat", and a ceramic heat emitter.
Note: Heat mats are generally NOT needed and should only be used on hard surfaces and UNDER your tank (not inside). They can get insanely hot, and will very easily burn carpet. Also keep in mind that it IS possible that a heat mat could heat up the bottom of the glass to unsafe temperatures. Try it on low at first, and monitor it before leaving your BTS inside. Thermostats are recommended. DIGITAL TEMP GUNS are essential in these cases and we talk about them in the next section. Remember, never use any type of heat pad or heat rock inside your terraria. Human heating pads are acceptable when holding the bluey on your lap, the couch, etc.
Many people have asked me: "I have an under-tank-heater and a hot bedroom, so do I really need a heat lamp? Absolutely. The sole purpose of the heat lamp is to simulate the sun's direct rays shining down on your lizard's back. If your bluey is just sitting in a heated enclosure...well, just imagine the difference between sitting in a sauna and sitting outside in the sun. It's obviously a huge difference in the sense of basking. Plus, without the heat lamp it is near impossible to regulate the differing temperatures required for each end of the terrarium. Again, it is my opinion that without a basking light, they cannot bask. Imagine going into a sauna for a sun tan. It just doesn't work. I have also been asked: "Can I keep my tank next to the window during summer to save electricity?" NO!! Keeping a BTS in a hot room, or by a hot window is not efficient at all, and is extraordinarily dangerous. If your goal is to give them UV, they would need to have a UV light directly overhead or be taken outside for two reasons: (1) Most windows filter 95% of all UV and (2) Your actual cage glass will also filter any UV. If your goal is heat, keeping them by a window is especially dangerous because temperatures can fluctuate like crazy raising your temps to dangerous levels. Not to mention that the entire cage would heat up. They would have no variance in temperature, extreme heat everywhere, and no place to escape. Also, do not attempt to put your terraria "halfway" in the shade of your room. It doesn't work.
Remember, your basking rock should be located directly UNDER the heat lamp, and the area should be kept at 95º-100º. The goal is to keep that smooth flat rock HOT so they can warm their bellies. Place your hand flat on the rock...if it burns your hand, and you have to pull away, it's too hot. But if you can withstand it and keep your hand there, it's just right. Also, it's important to get a temperature gauge so you can see how hot it is during the day, and at night. You can find both quality items, and cheap items, at any pet or hardware store, and many come with humidity gauges. Also, eBay is a good place to buy some of these products—you can find a lot of unique things at great prices and have them shipped right to your doorstep!
Important: Visit www.tempgun.com or even a store like RadioShack, and purchase a tempgun. Simply point, click, and you've got the temperature of your terrarium. These are ideal because you can check your hot end, cool end, and middle range all in a matter of seconds. They are also far superior to any needle style gauge or sticky strip. Digital thermometers with probes also work well. In my opinion, a digital tempgun is the only tool that will 100% accurately measure your temperatures. The cheapest one is $25, and will work great. One neat feature is that you can "sweep" your terraria. Simply push the button, hold, and slowly move your hand from the hot end to the cold end and back again. Gauges simply stick to the side, and measure nothing but the ambient air in that exact location. Pretty useless.
Poor Average Best
Humidity
Some say to keep the substrate moist to maintain an even humidity level, and that is an absolute falsity. Be very cautious as if your terrarium is damp in any way, bacteria can grow FAST, and your skink could develop skin problems such as scale rot. Don't ever dump water into the tank, or just drench the substrate. Generally, a large water bowl will provide all the humidity they need, so don't even worry about using a mister. Humidity can range from 25-50%, but I feel 50 is a bit too high as just with the heat, I like to leave open a little wiggle room. If humidity were to fluctuate to a higher humidity, the terrarium may become too humid. We recommend anywhere between 25 & 40%. If it's too dry in your terrarium, your skink's scales will begin to look and feel very dry. This is your chance to raise the humidity before shedding becomes arduous. I would consider buying a large cigar humidifier. You can tape it directly on the inside of your terrarium, and they come in all different varieties and sizes. A cigar humidifier is basically a special sponge enclosed in a plastic housing. It is equipped with little holes (like a salt shaker) to let the moisture out into the air. Just pour water into the little holes, and the internal sponge soaks it up...then just stick it to the inside of your tank near the bottom on the COOL end. Any humidity being released on the hot end would evaporate much quicker. These humidifiers are of course meant to keep cigars from drying out, but really big one's (for large humidors) can be used for virtually anything. You can purchase one at a tobacco shop (smoke shop), and probably some greenhouses will sell similar items. Another idea would be to increase the size of your water bowl. Both of these methods are not too terribly expensive...otherwise you could just try purchasing an electric humidifier to be placed in the room, NOT inside the cage. (Note: Carefresh substrate is very absorbent, and therefore will absorb a lot of moisture in the air.)
One other note, digital hygrometers (same as digital thermometers) are much more accurate than anything else. I had an erroneous 'needle' style hygrometer that was about 20% off of my actual humidity. It caused a lot of confusion. You can purchase a handy hygrometer/thermometer combination unit for around $10-15 dollars at places like RadioShack & Home Depot. Again, don't fret about humidity. Just keep an eye on your gauge, and your big water bowl and hot heat lamp will keep everything in check. Hint: Are your lizard's belly scales crackly and rough? This is a good sign you need to bump up the humidity a bit.
UV Lighting (ultra violet)
This little rumor doesn't ever seem to go away, but it's been said that blue tongued skinks are one of the few reptiles that do not require UV lighting. It doesn't hurt however, and is still generally recommended. Like anything though, there are varying opinions about this. I'm not sure how the rumor actually got started that blue tongues don't need UV lighting, but I find it hard to believe that they are some magical reptile that is excluded from the benefits of UV. One reason I believe keeps this rumor alive is the fact that a lot of reptile breeders have not used UV for years and their BTS are still alive and healthy. I think this just goes back to the fact that BTS are incredibly hardy creatures.
If you are unable to obtain UV lighting (all pet stores should carry the proper equipment), an ideal solution would be to obtain a UV Mercury Vapor bulb which emits great light intensity and supposed superior UVB/UVA output. One problem with the MV bulbs is that the actual globe is very large and will not fit in most standard lamps. They're also quite expensive, but do usually come with a year warranty. Taking your animals outside is also an excellent way for them to catch some UV rays. We highly recommend it.
UVA & UVB
- UVA (ultraviolet-A): Long wavelengths of 320-400nm (nanometers = billionths of a meter). UVA is visible to the human eye, and supposedly induces instinctive behavior such as mating, eating, etc. Also said to be beneficial for psychological reasons, and the general or mental well-being of the animal.
- UVB (ultraviolet-B): Short wavelengths of 290-320nm. Much more powerful, and invisible to the human eye. Allows for the formation of vitamin D3, which is important for calcium metabolism. Glass will also block virtually all UV rays, so keeping your terrarium by a window is useless. Even if the window is open, your terrarium is probably made of glass as well. One more thing to mention is 'full spectrum'. It's supposed to mean 'having BOTH UVA & UVB output', but products these days advertise basically whatever they want, and get away with it. NO incandescent bulbs can emit any UVB even if it says it does. Taking your animals outside is the best source for UV. There are varying opinions, but it's said that one hour of real sunlight is equal to about one week of UV bulb exposure.
Remember that reptile UV is an insane topic that every single expert seems to have their own opinion on. Some say that your bulb must be within 12 inches to be effective at all; others say six inches (beware as if it's too close and powerful, it can burn your skink's eyes!). Depending on the power of your bulb, that all can vary of course. It's another good reason to have a low cage because BTS are generally not climbers, and will not climb up a log to be near a UV light (they would climb to be near a hot lamp however). A beardie probably would as they die quickly without proper UV lighting. Just use a mercury vapor bulb, or a large tube (remember that tubes typically need to be replaced about every 6 months and need to be close to your animal) that isn't too far away, and you'll be fine. If you're really freaking out about it, you might want to purchase a solar meter; it will actually tell you exactly how much UV your BTS is getting! Purchase one from the second link below (site also contains a myriad of additional UV info). Also check out the first link; it shows you exactly how much UV different brands put out, then compares it to real sunlight at the end. All in all, sunlight is the most natural and efficient source, so take advantage of it when you can. Bulbs and tubes are only simulations. There are about a milion and one opinions and websites out there on this subject (way too much stuff to post here), so don't hesitate to do a little of your own research!
• http://russiantortoise.org/uvb.htm
• http://www.reptileuv.com/
Basic bulb differences and meanings
• Regular reptile basking lights: These are often a bit expensive and sometimes advertised as "neodymium", or "neodymium coated". This basically just means that the bulb is colored to make your reptile look cool and different compared to a regular daytime bulb. No UV output.
• Common Incandescent: Probably the most common bulb. There is nothing special about it, and you could use it for practically anything around the house. No UV output. Incandescents are made with tungsten filament technology and do not (and cannot) produce UV. You can purchase them at a grocery/hardware store, or your pet store, and the only difference is a tripled price tag and possibly a colored bulb that has been designed to remove the yellow wavelengths (seen in typical household bulbs) which again, goes back to the neodymium coating.
• Infrared/Red bulbs: These bulbs are typically very hot but give off less light than typical spot lamps. They can be used as basking lights but because of the lack of actual light, it is recommended that you use an additional light source such as an overhead UV tube. Otherwise, your terraria will be awfully dim.
• Mercury Vapor (MV): A usually large bulb that emits both heat and UVB. Also fairly expensive although they typically do come with year warranties. These bulbs do not need to be as close to the animal as a tube/fluorescent bulb would. The mega-ray MV bulbs are said to be the best although I've never personally tried them. Some say these bulbs are actually unsafe in that they supposedly emit UVC rays which can be harmful; they are also said by some to be prone to shattering. I'm not sure how true that is as companies would not offer year warranties on fifty dollar bulbs if they were that prone to shatter. Who knows; add it to the list of a million opinions and arguments. Here is a person that has tested all kinds of aspects of the MV. He concludes that they do not emit UVC rays and goes on to explain it (and a lot of other things) in detail. Click.
• Nite-glo: Obviously, these are bulbs created for nighttime viewing. Remember it's best to have a terrarium that is NOT heated up at night. You want your animal to go into a deep cool sleep each night and not remain active. A BTS will normally goto sleep when cold. If he stays hot, it can disrupt his cycle. Night bulbs are fun, and fine to use, but if it heats up your tank, maybe try turning it off when you go to bed.
• Floodlights: Again, these will work if you can maintain correct temps. Flood and other similar lights will spread the light instead of a narrow focused beam seen with typical reptile bulbs. Just remember that correct temperatures are your number one concern; not the type of bulb.
• Fluorescent tubes: Long tubes that hang above your terrarium. These tubes typically stop emitting the proper UV waves at about six months even though the light is still shining bright. One neat new item is the ReptiSun 10.0. It's what is known as a "Compact Fluorescent Lamp" and it looks just like those new energy saver bulbs. It's essentially the same thing as a long narrow fluorescent tube except it's molded into arches and screws into a standard light fixture! This is very convenient as you don't need the external ballast box to hang a long fluorescent tube. One tube brand that is recommended is the ReptoGlo 8.0. One negative however is that the UV would be focused to one spot instead of the long tube which would spread the UV across the entire tank. If the animal were buried on the opposite end all the time, the UV would be pretty useless.
Substrate/Bedding
Another constant topic of argument is what bedding to use. Some common choices are carpet (not recommended), aspen shavings, carefresh, Lizard Litter, Bed-A-Beast, coconut fiber, Repti-Bark or any type of reptile substrate. We personally use aspen shavings, and we love it. It's light, it's cheap, and the animals can do some serious burrowing in it. Fecal clean-up is easy, and it's pretty absorbent too. The only negative aspect would have to be the dust, but if you get the filtered kind it's not so bad and settles quickly. Avoid the rabbit bedding type of aspen shavings. They're much thinner, and are basically just aspen 'splinters'. The thin pieces could easily lodge themselves up inside a blue tongue's nose when burrowing. Another idea (but less recommended) would be cypress mulch. I've always strayed away from it because it looks so damp and it is very thick and clumpy. Repti-Bark and Bed-A-Beast, or even artificial turf are a couple other options. Your two best bets would probably be either aspen shavings, or carefresh pet bedding. Aspen looks better visually, but carefresh is probably slightly more absorbent—which could be good or bad depending on how you look at it. It absorbs fecal matter and urine quite well, but also absorbs moisture in the air which can make your tank very dry. If you're wondering what exactly carefresh is, they advertise it's "reclaimed wood pulp waste". Whatever that means, it basically looks like wet clumps of paper that have been dried. Sort of like what you get in your drier if you had paper in your pockets. It's soft, it's light, it's absorbent, and best of all, very cheap and easy to replace. Aspen looks better, and is also equally good. Cheap, light, visually appealing, absorbent, and they can really dig. The choice is your's! Both have a fair bit of dust, but as mentioned before, the dust does settle. Here are a couple brands you're likely to come across...
Here are the two varieties of aspen, shaved and shredded. If you choose aspen as a substrate, be sure it's the shaved variety (left picture).
Substrates not to use
We advise against sand and/or crushed walnut shells as excessive ingestion can be fatal. This is called impaction, and I've seen it on a number of occasions. When a blue tongue is chasing prey, or shooting his tongue around, he can't help but consume mouthfuls of these tiny pieces as they stick to anything even remotely wet. The tiny pieces build up and get backed up in the digestive tract, creating a complete blockage. If the animal is not able to pass the "clump", he will die. If you ever see a massive passing of feces packed full of substrate, this is your sign to switch substrates immediately. Eco Earth is another popular substrate that looks great, but our members have found bugs in the material on more than one occasion and in different states across America. Use at own risk. Do not use gravel. BTS will eat pebbles (which is normal and not harmful) but will often even attempt to eat large rocks which of course poses a serious choking hazard. See picture below. Do not use any type of pine or cedar products, and be sure that whatever substrate you do use is NON-aromatic. Cedar and pine shavings contain aromatic hydrocarbons called phenols (which gives it its scent). It can be quite toxic to your blue tongue, and can cause problems in the respiratory system. Actually, long term cedar and pine exposure are thought to be dangerous to all living things, and many studies have been done proving the theory. There are plenty of other great choices, so as long as you stay away from cedar, pine and other aromatic substrates, you should have nothing to worry about. Also, never use any type of wild bark or dirt you find outside. Bugs, ticks, mites, bacteria, dog crap, who knows what it could be infested with...and it's not even worth attempting to clean. DO NOT USE NEWSPAPER. The ink never dries, and it will leave your bluey's feet black and dry if used over time. The ink is also thought to be toxic under continual exposure, although not proven. Temporary use is fine. Here are two pictures of a BTS that was kept on newspaper as a substrate as well as the one gravel image mentioned above. Click to enlarge.
Diet
Blue tongued skinks are omnivorous meaning they eat both plant matter and meat, and require a multifarious diet. We use our 50/40/10 system: 50% vegetables and greens, 40% meat, mice, and insects, and 10% fruits. A large portion of their diet should include fresh vegetables and greens such as kale, collard greens, mustard greens, beet greens, bokchoy, etc. You may use virtually any fruit such as figs, papaya, mango, grapes, banana, diced apple, strawberry, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries (it's fun because they have blue tongues), melons and kiwi. Meats can include cooked shredded/ground (lean) chicken, beef or turkey, different types of worms and insects, an occasional mouse, and a small amount of cat food. Do not feed raw meats. While it's true that blue tongues eat some carrion in the wild, our processed meat is a little different than the natural way of things—hormone injections, unsanitary slaughterhouses, you name it. It's definitely important to cook out any weird bacteria or contamination. Especially since cooking it is so easy. Download the below food charts to make your food selection 100% easier. Scrambled egg (when cooked on low) is a treat they will also relish, but should only be given if your blue tongue is not eating well. Cooking anything on high oxidizes the cholesterol, so keep that in mind. Baby tomatoes and berries by the way are a great food to give them by hand...and high quality low fat soft cat or dog food works well in small amounts for substance. I would personally recommend cat food over dog food. Cat food just seems more juicier, thick, and smells a bit better. The only brands I would recommend are all natural 100% meat brands. These can often be found at health food stores. Mix up some finely cut collard greens (food processor makes the job a snap) with a small amount of cat food, add a few raspberries on the top, and you have a perfect healthy meal! Be sure to wash/rinse all fruits and vegetables. Natural baby food can be used sparingly as a last result, or you can even make your own baby food! Just purée greens and fruits in a food chopper.
For food dishes, jar lids work well as do paper plates cut into fourths. Do not use a knife to chop up greens ON the container you are serving with—this can create sharp edges on the feeding dish. A food chopper is prime for cutting your greens. When you're finally ready to offer food, you may notice that not all blueys will eat right away. Some will devour the portion in seconds, others will take their time nibbling little bits here and there. Some will actually anticipate your lowering the dish into the cage, and will come running to eat. Others will not even seem to notice, and you may want to touch his nose into the food to give him a taste. It's perfectly alright to leave the food in the terrarium for a few hours. You might want to leave the food on the cool end however, otherwise the heat from the lamp will fry it in 20 minutes. Do not leave uneaten food in the terrarium for days on end. If your animal leaves any food after a few hours, throw it away. Do not leave it in the tank overnight, and do not try to feed it to them again later. If one or two insects are left overnight or even a tiny mouse, that's fine. He can find and eat them later. I should warn you though, crickets can get down right irritating when you're trying to sleep. You may have heard that crickets have been known to "nibble" at reptiles while they sleep—this shouldn't pose any threat however unless you have a fresh baby with an army of hungry crickets living in the cage with him.
One more thing—something that bothers me to no end are people who stubbornly insist that their inadequate diet works great just because "the animal seems to be fine". In email, there's not much I can tell these people except: "Sure he seem fine, UNTIL HE DIES." That may seem harsh, but some people are so unbelievably naive, and just plain stubborn about what they think is right that often times they just won't listen. I mean, of course the animal will seem fine until he actually starts to get sick. A lot of individuals believe that if their bluey seems healthy on a diet of only crickets, then well, the diet must be ideal, and no one can tell them otherwise! In these cases, the poor animal will eventually get sick, and these people will learn the hard way. One thing that makes convincing hard is that BTS are very resilient animals. They are literally tough as nails and in the wild go without eating for months on end, and survive very harsh winters. So back to the point, yes, BTS can live quite a while on a diet of nothing but crickets which tells the owner: "I've been doing this for a long time and haven't had any problems". But in the long run folks, this diet would lead to MBD and other problems because of the lack of calcium and other nutrients in the diet.
The same logic is used for lighting as well. Some people do not even bother with heat lamps because, once again, "the animal seems just fine without it". Imagine keeping a BTS in a dark box with no light at all, but DID give him plenty of food and water. Would the animal die? No. Would he likely live in that black box for years? Probably. Is it right? Of course not! The animal may be ALIVE, but it's cruel to not give it what it needs. As mentioned before, if an individual is neglectful enough to not provide proper care because his animal "seems fine", then it is doubtful he will even recognize beginnings of potential problems. Just remember that each and every little aspect of owning and keeping these great animals is combined together to work as a whole process -- that is, each part: the lights, the water, the food, everything works together to contribute to the well-being of the animal.
To get back on subject, you could literally feed your blue tongued skink nothing, and he would live for many months. You could also provide no heat, and he would also live for months, probably even years; but it would be a terrible quality of life. To keep your animal healthy in the long run, it is vitally important to maintain a healthy diet and appropriate temperatures. These creatures live upwards of 20-30 years, but they will not live that long if given a poor diet, and poor husbandry. It's as simple as that.
Here are the most nutritionally balanced foods to offer in each food category. These are foods that have the best balance all in itself (calcium & phosphorus for example). Mix in a little cat food, add a silkworm or two, and you have the best meal money can buy.
Best Greens: Best Veggies: Best Fruit:
Collard Greens Spaghetti Squash Papaya
Turnip Greens Butternut Squash Fig
Mustard Greens Acorn Squash Raspberries
Dandelion Greens Hubbard Squash Mango
Endive Summer Squash
Escarole Scallop Squash
Cactus Pad/Leaf
How to prepare cactus
Written by Jenn @ bluetongueskinks.net
Regarding the thorns: "I normally pick one that doesn't have that many—or one that only has them at one end—I'll cut that end off. Otherwise, I just pull them out. When I cut the cactus leaf, I cut it in long strips (very easy to see if I missed any spikes). I then cut it in half—so there is a skin side and a wet cactus side—and cut that into small pieces. I don't put the cactus in the chopper. I figure by cutting it, I can make sure that I don't miss any spikes."
To get the thorns off, you can also shave it with a knife and then rinse it off. It can then be placed in a chopper like any other fruit or green.
How to prepare meats
Chicken breasts, turkey breasts, lean ground turkey, lean ground beef, cooked shredded beef, etc, may all be cooked in a simple crock pot. If you don't have a crock pot, boiling in a simple pot of water works just as well. Cook it well so there is no pink remaining, and then cut into manageable pieces! We get a lot of questions about preparing meat, but there's really nothing special involved. You may also freeze large portions of meat. Quote from USDA website: "In meat and poultry products, there is little change in nutrient value during freezer storage." Frozen meats should be kept for no longer than usually 3 months. The best method for dethawing is to leave the frozen meat on the countertop, or put it in the fridge overnight. Dethawing in warm water works as well. Avoid dethawing in the microwave as it can be tricky. Avoid canned meats, lunchmeats and even deli meats! They are processed to no end, and usually very salty.
Foods to avoid
Avoid seafood. In my opinion, it is an unnecessary item. Some say it adds important 'micro-nutrients' like shrimp and different fish foods, but I don't do it which means you shouldn't do it either! Just kidding. Some BTS do actually eat small portions of water animals in the wild. If you do choose to give them some fish meat, it will not necessarily harm them. Here is a good quote from a user on the KS forum: " Because fish and reptiles are ectothermic vertebrates they tend to play host to many of the same endoparasites. This is not the case with mammals, birds and insects which have relatively few endoparasites in common with reptiles (and amphibians). So basically the reason you don't feed fish to reptiles is to reduce the chance of giving them parasites. " Now onto mushrooms. Some people feed with mushrooms, some don't. To me, there are too many questions involved like which mushrooms are the best, or which types are safe, and so on. There are hundreds of types of mushrooms, and hundreds of other great food choices, so don't bother. Avoid avocado, eggplant, and rhubarb. All are known to be toxic with some reptiles. Also, click here for a list of plants that are known to be dangerous to reptiles. Lastly, avoid spinach greens and lettuces—especially iceberg lettuce. Romaine has very little nutritional value, and iceberg is basically nothing but water. Remember, avoid canned meats, lunchmeats, and even deli meats. Also avoid citrus fruits. They're extremely sweet and very acidic. If you're going to feed them oranges, you may as well give them a bowl of orange juice! A little here and there is no problem though.
When to feed
With adults, every other day feedings are recommended. Some people feed their animals every single day, but feeding them every other day gives them that 'hunger' to eat, and may help keep them eating regularly. If you feed every day, their appetite will likely not vary in the sense that he will neither be hungry or full, thusly he may not feel the need to eat every time you provide food. This can result in sporadic eating habits in the long run in my opinion, so don't feel bad if you skip every other day. Babies and juveniles should be offered food every day (or every other day) until about one year of age. If your skink rapidly gains weight however (which is very possible and common), reduce feedings to two or three times per week. Remember, a simple jar lid sized portion is sufficient (mayo lid for example). Be sure to feed early enough that your animals have enough time to digest! You don't want to feed your animals at ten o'clock at night, then turn their heat lamps off an hour later. Feed them early enough so that they have plenty of time to bask and digest their food.
Obesity?
BTS can definitely (and easily) become overweight, and even obese. I'm not sure where, but somewhere before this site came along, there was a rumor floating around that BTS could not become obese. I heard it all over the place. That's not the case though as they can most assuredly become dangerously overweight just like any other animal. As far as health, I think observation is simple and accurate. If your skink is freaky thin, then obviously he needs to be fattened up a bit. Try snails, soft cat food, and pinky mice. Do not gorge him all at once, but rather gradually increase his portions. If he's so big that it makes your eyes pop out every time you look at him, then he could probably stand to lose a little weight. If he feels like a big round sausage in your hands, he might also be a bit big. Reduce feedings to only two or three times per week in these cases and decrease portion size. One hint for determining a healthy size is to use the head size in comparison to body size. If the BTS has a huge head and small body, he's likely too thin. If he has what looks like a tiny head and huge body, he's likely overweight. Remember, don't overfeed. If a BTS has to "diet", the lack of food could also mean a lack of regular needed nutrients as well—especially if someone were to get carried away with the "diet". Here are two Northerns—the first being a very thin animal, and the second an overweight animal. It's not too difficult to tell the difference.
Here is a second animal that is grossly overweight. Apparently, this animal has been in this condition for over a year. It's unusual, as an overweight animal would typically have a fat tail and this one does not. It is quite possible it has some other condition, but either way, it's a good example of showing how the legs look out of proportion with the body.
Skinny skinks
After seeing many pictures of blue tongued skinks, I think it becomes apparent which skinks are too fat and which skinks are too thin. Here is a picture of a BTS that is dangerously thin, which is obvious as the hip bones are showing. Any skink in this condition should be assessed for any illnesses, and fed in small amounts to begin with, gradually increasing week by week.
Force feeding
This is something that seems to jump to everyone's mind when a skink will not eat. The easiest answer is...don't do it. Unless you really know what you're doing, it can be quite dangerous—if a skink is not prepared to accept food into the throat, he could very well choke. This actually happened recently to a member of our's—his skink was having trouble lapping up some egg yolk, so he lifted up the plate to let the yoke slide into his mouth. The yoke slid straight down the skink's throat causing the skink to hack and convulse violently. He soon contracted a respiratory infection from the ordeal. Simply stated, skinks sometimes have a sporadic diet, and they can live a long time on little to no food. Always provide food however—if the animal is hungry, he will eat it. If he doesn't, it's usually nothing to worry about. Remember, during the winter months many skinks cease to eat entirely as they enter into a natural brumation. Always keep an open mind though, and watch for signs of infections and other illnesses. We get into some of these later.
Should I feed with cat food?
This is an unending argument on whether cat food is good or bad for reptiles. It's commonly used but many people think it has bad effects, while others believe it's perfect for the meat portion of the diet. My personal opinion—which is solely based on the health of my animals—is that a little cat food used for substance in your skink dishes is not harmful. I probably would never consider using it by itself, but rather just mixing it into my other staple food items to give it a little texture and balance. Some people retain the idea that "cat food is unnatural, they don't eat it in the wild, so why should we use it?" Well friends, the truth of the matter is that our animals are not in the wild and essentially everything regarding keeping BTS is unnatural. Everything from their simulated environment, to non-native foods, to even the human handling and interaction. They are held captive by us (how unnatural is that?), and we do not subject them to everything they would encounter in nature for a reason. We do not keep them in sub-degree temperatures like they would encounter in Australian winters, we do not feed them rotting flesh (carrion), and so on. Anyway, back to the cat food—if you do decide to use a little bit, the important thing to remember is that "all natural" type brands are best. Check your health food stores, and don't buy the cheap stuff at Wal-mart. Look for high protein, low fat, and low ash content (2.00% or less). Everything will be clearly listed on the can under "Guaranteed Analysis". If you can't find anything special, the best "common" cat food is IAMS. I would suggest the adult chicken formula as it has a low ash content, and animal by-products are not the number one ingredient. All in all, it's best to use cat food sparingly. Pretty much all commercial cat foods contain preservatives, chemicals, fish by-products, carcinogens, other animal by-products (beaks, toes, eyes—everything leftover that is not consumed by humans) and so on—so if you do use a bit of cat food, remember to buy a high quality grade at a health food store, or other specialty store. The IAMS brand works ok in a pinch. Here are two examples of great ingredients in a cat food. The two brands are Wellness and Precise. Spot's Stew, Merrick, and Pet Promise are three other great brands and can usually be found at upscale grocery stores. You may need to order online, however.
Ingredients in Halo Spot's Stew: Whole chicken, carrots, yellow squash, zucchini, celery, green peas, string beans, turkey, chicken liver, garlic, kelp, vitamins & minerals. No grains at all. Absolutely no by-products, fillers, chemicals, or preservatives. All USDA-Approved ingredients. Now available at PetCo!
http://www.halopets.com
http://www.merrickpetcare.com
http://www.petpromiseinc.com
http://www.onlynaturalpet.com
Mice
A small live mouse or fuzzy/pinky may be given once in a while as a treat, but they are not particularly the healthiest food and consist mostly of fat. To break down the common sizes of mice, a pinky is a baby mouse with no fur, a fuzzy is an older mouse with fur, and a hopper is the next size up and your blueys will get to chase it. Be sure your animal is an adult before offering mice (usually one year and up). Age isn't particularly important, but I've seen people throw in an adult mouse expecting a baby to chow down. An adult mouse can act quite ferociously defending itself and could very well injure a baby blue tongue; especially a scared one. So generally speaking, that's why we recommend to beginners that the BTS be at least one year old.
Frozen mice are also ok. Use your judgement according to your skink's size, appetite, etc. Some say live mice are not a necessary part of the diet, but it's a blast to watch, and it keeps your skink's hunting skills and instincts sharp. I believe keeping an animal as a pet that would indeed hunt rodents in the wild, but then decide to deprive them of that instinctual nature because of personal beliefs is not the correct way to approach owning an animal that does indeed "hunt" live prey. Of course, there are many people who will disagree with me because there are countless "equally nutritional methods" but I like the animals to be able to "live out" the instincts they are born with whether captive bred or wild caught. There are those who will argue that crickets can take the place of "the hunt" but it's definitely a different process. The way they hunt, chase, kill, and swallow a small rodent is completely different than slurping up crickets and worms. Keep in mind that your BTS will not be any less healthy if you don't offer a mouse here and there, but consider it food for thought. I've formed these opinions trying and re-trying all different types of foods and studying how they react to each. I truly believe they benefit. Again, this is a wide subject with many varying opinions—countless animal lovers simply can't watch a cute mouse being eaten. Please remember that every aspect of a BTS' life in the wild is important and we should reflect that as much as we can while keeping them captive in our homes. We must try our best not to deprive them of what they are born to do simply because we might not like the "sight of blood". Everything from a hiding place, to sunrise, sunset, temperature, and yes, daily eating habits must be taken into account.
Remember, a mouse should not be offered as a staple food source, but rather as a treat only—and like everybody says, your wiggling finger can resemble a wiggling mouse, especially if your skink is hungry, so keep alert during feeding time! Be careful of pet stores you are not familiar with, and always inspect the conditions the mice (or any feeder animal/insect) are being held in. Dirty, dark, smelly cages I would obviously avoid. Here's a good quote from Kelly McKinney: " If you can get a look at the housing and husbandry the store has for their live mice, that would be an excellent idea. That's why a lot of people who keep reptiles breed their own mice because they then have a better idea and control as to the conditions and health of the mice they feed their animals. Freezing kills parasites - one benefit of feeding frozen/thawed."
Insects
Live insects and worms are another live food choice, and when provided properly can offer exceptional nutrition in the meat category. Some common varieties are mealworms, superworms, waxworms, butterworms, and silkworms. That's listed from easiest to find to hardest to find, and coincidentally also from unhealthiest to healthiest. How convenient, huh? Here are some pictures...from top left to right: Superworm, Silkworm, Butterworm, Waxworm. Some other insect choices are earthworms, slugs, and snails (snails are highly recommended as their shells are a great source of calcium). Remember to "detox", that is, if you collect snails from the wild, keep them in a clean bucket for a couple days with some leaves and a little water. If they are alive after the couple days, you are usually good to go; the idea being that if the snails were poisoned, they would die during this period or rid their bodies of any contaminates. It's probably best however, to avoid wild food in heavily populated urban areas. Cockroaches are also fun for a treat. Abstain from feeding them crickets and avoid mealworms. Both have essentially no nutritional value. They can be fun however, and are readily available, so if you do throw some in once in a while, dusting them with calcium powder isn't a bad idea.
Can worms eat their way out of my skink?
NO!! No matter what you've heard, this is not true. I'm not sure where this rumor or urban legend originates, but it's an incredibly popular one. You do NOT need to cut off a superworm's head before feeding it to your BTS, and a superworm is also NOT a mealworm on steroids or any other drug/enhancer. They are a completely different species and pupate into a completely different beetle (yes, the beetles are ok to feed to BTS). So, the next time a pet store employee tells you to cut the head off of a mealie or super prior to feeding, just roll your eyes, and politely explain the truth. Don't ignore them! Be sure to set them straight if you know better. If you ignore it, the person will just spread the bad advice to someone else continuing this widespread absurdity.
Gut loading
Gut loading is raising and feeding insects and mice with a healthy or special diet in order to make them more nutritious for your skink. Many pet stores claim to sell "pre-gut loaded" crickets. This would be an advantage if it were true, but it's not always the case. Ask the employee if the insects are gut loaded. If they tell you that they don't know, that is an honest answer, and you can then ask for a manager or supervisor. If they respond "Yes, they are", then ask what they are gut loaded with. This will usually determine if the person truly knows what he or she is talking about.
One last thing to mention is that you will likely never find silkworms or butterworms in pet stores, so if you're interested in purchasing some, check out the Skink Links for websites. For fun, here is a comparative table of feeder insects—now you can really see how crickets are virtually "nutritionless" compared to high quality feeders such as the butterworms and silkworms.
Live Insect Comparisons
Feeder |
Moisture % |
Ash % |
Fat % |
Protein % |
Ca:P |
Crickets |
69.07 |
9.9 |
22.7 |
11.4 |
1:9.75 |
Mealworms |
61 |
1 |
14 |
20 |
1:25 |
Superworms |
59.37 |
1.2 |
17.89 |
17.41 |
1:18 |
Waxworms |
61.73 |
1.02 |
22.19 |
15.50 |
1:7 |
Butterworms |
58.54 |
1.04 |
5.21 |
16.20 |
? |
Silkworms |
? |
7.4 |
10.6 |
63.8 |
1:2.35 |
Nightcrawlers |
85 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
? |
If you are having trouble deciding a good diet for your animal, download the following food chart it tell you which foods you should provide on a regular basis, and which foods you shouldn't. Tip: Print these out, and keep them in your glove compartment!
Food Chart
Vitamin Supplements
If your meals are well rounded and healthy, you don't necessarily need any supplements. It is understandable though, that it may be difficult to have the PERFECT diet 365 days a year. You may run out of a certain food or certain fruits or vegetables may go bad...(or some fruits may even go out of season) that's why it doesn't hurt to have some supplements handy. Usually mix in a dash or two of Vitamin/Anti-oxidant powder, and a D3/Calcium powder a once a week. Both can be purchased at your pet shop, and will cost around five to ten bucks each. Again though, if you have a healthy balanced diet it's not really necessary. Blueberries for example are a natural anti-oxidant, and egg/snail shells, figs, and collard greens are calcium enriched. Do not overdose on the fruit. It's an easy thing to do. Fruit contains more phosphorus than other foods, and if your skink began suffering from a phosphorus/calcium imbalance, it can lead to metabolic bone disease. Here is an excellent quote written by Edward Martinez that sums up my entire position on supplements: "Excessive amounts of any vitamin or mineral can lead to health problems, so I'd rather not chance it by adding artificial supplements that may be totally unnecessary. Focusing on a good diet is a much more effective way to insure proper nutrition for your BTS." The most common "oversupplementation" is indeed calcium powder. I have read that excessive calcium and vitamin D can actually de-calcify the bone, sending enough calcium into the bloodstream to calcify the soft tissue. Just think about this: Wouldn't one only supplement if their diet was inadequate? Afterall, the word "supplement" means to replace something that is otherwise missing. Feed a balanced diet, and you won't have anything missing. Again, it's much healthier than using artificial additives.
Picky Eaters
It's very true that BT's prefer some foods and dislike others! Most all blue tongued skinks will seem a bit 'oligophagous' at times, which basically means they only seem interested in certain foods. It may get down right frustrating, but don't be fooled and don't give up. Be patient, and keep trying different things. If you purée vegetables into your cat food, this is a sneaky way to get them to eat their veggies. Try chopping up some collard greens in tiny pieces, chop some tomato bits, and mix it all in to the cat food. Most blue tongues also go crazy for scrambled eggs or banana, so be sure to give those a try. Some seem to eat everything in site, others are very picky. They do have certain tastes, and there are LOTS of different foods to try, so be creative, observant, and most important of all, varietal.
Preparing Food
Babies need finely chopped food. They have small throats, and can have a harder time eating the larger fruits/veggies that the adults are able to gulp down. Also, as I wrote above, many blueys refuse their greens, so chopping it up and mixing it into the cat food is a sneaky way to get them to eat it. Chopping your greens, tomatoes, and fruits into tiny pieces though can take forever. If you pick up a food chopper, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it! This is especially nice if you have more than one bluey. We have the "Black & Decker Handy Chopper Plus". It only costs around $10, and is very small and easy to use. It's awesome! You can dice up all your big leaved greens—which needs to be done whether you have adults or babies—tomatoes, fruits, purée cat food—just throw it all in together, hit the button, and VOILA! You've got a meal ready to eat in 2 seconds. Not too shabby. You don't need to peel any food unless it's food that you would peel yourself. Oranges or bananas for example should be peeled, but squash, figs, mango and so on should be chopped and served with skin and all.
Couple other things to mention while preparing food...be mindful of spraying your counters with kitchen cleaners, then preparing your animal's food. Perhaps your wife or husband cleaned the kitchen counters with a cleaner, then you spill a little bluey food on it a little while later. Spilling a little food is all too common, and putting it right back onto the dish is even more common. Be careful! The last thing you want is a dead animal with no apparent cause of death.
Frozen Foods
Feeding reptiles frozen vegetables from a bag is very common because of the extreme convenience. Simply pour from the bag, dethaw, and voila. The only problem with frozen vegetables is that the actual freezing and dethawing destroys the thiamine (vitamin B1). When a blue tongued skink lacks this vitamin, it impedes the other B vitamins from properly carrying out their functions which can lead to a variety of health problems similar to the symptoms of MBD. Thiamine is crucial to the proper function of the central nervous system and also assists in carbohydrate metabolism and converting different nutrients and acids to fats and proteins. Thiamine deficiency is also often mistaken for a calcium deficiency, so it's important to be aware of the effects of feeding large portions of frozen foods and understand that it requires a completely different treatment. These are two very different conditions, and each must be treated in completely different ways. The best way to avoid this? Feed fresh foods! It's really not hard. Keep fresh greens on hand in your refrigerator, and add them with every feeding. It's really no different than keeping frozen vegetables in the freezer unless you virtually never go grocery shopping. Fresh is best. I personally never freeze anything, and always and only provide freshly sliced and mixed meals. Thiamine is sometimes referred to as Aneurin—especially in Europe.
Water
A large, heavy, and shallow water bowl should be provided at all times, changed daily, and CLEANED daily! They tend to defecate in it, so watch it closely. The main reason for changing your water every day is because if they defecate in the cage, walk through it, then walk or soak in their water bowl...you get the idea. Bathing or soaking can also assist with shedding, so it's important to provide a large water bowl. It's also important just to have a good sized water source because these are reasonably large animals. It also helps with humidity so you're terrarium doesn't become too dry. Distilled water or tap water are both fine (unless you live out in the boondocks where water might not be as clean). You can buy purified/distilled water by the gallon at places like Costco, WinCo or even Wal-Mart for super cheap. If you have a water filter in your home like Brita or Pµr, that will work, but the chances of actually remembering to hit the filter switch every time is not good, plus statistically people do not change out their filters on a regular basis. You can also boil your own water which works great. Some good ideas for water bowls are pie plates, shallow cooking pans, or even an upside down frisbee (pretty flimsy though). Basically anything low and heavy that won't tip/spill works best. Remember, flimsy dishes can tip and spill easily which results in drenched substrate which can lead to bacteria buildup underneath. Clean your water dish every day, and even run it through the dishwasher maybe once a week for a thorough cleaning. We often get the question: "I never see my skink drinking its water, do they drink?" The answer is of course, yes. They usually drink first thing in the morning, and it's often just a few quick slurps with the tongue. Note: Filtered water is not crucial, but is recommended. Also remember to keep the water dish at the opposite end of the heat lamp. Here's a funny video of our Irian Jaya drinking from a glass like a human as well as some water bowl examples:
Warning! Many of us lift our skinks from behind so as their bodies are hanging head down. If they've recently taken a drink, the water could very well come back up.
Soaking
This is something that individuals often seem to get carried away with. While "soaking" your BTS is not harmful, it is not always necessary. When a person feels his lizard's scratchy scales, often times the first thing that jumps to mind is: "Yikes, I better soak him!" Provide an adequately sized water source, and let him soak when he naturally feels the need to do it. He can keep his own system in check. It's just up to you to give him the tools he needs to do it. Remember, the terrarium is a SIMULATED environment meant to replicate the animal's true habitat. A tiny little water dish is just not sufficient.
Substrate always in the water bowl?
This seems to be a common problem with a lot of blue tongue owners. You fill up the bowl with fresh water, and in no time at all, the bluey has succeeded in filling it up with aspen or carefresh. Kelly McKinney (Tigergenesis) came up with a neat idea that completely resolves this issue. She created a miniature makeshift table that creates a hide space underneath, and the water bowl up on top. She uses a piece of kitchen tile with 4 thumb-sized PVC pipe legs and disguises them with fake plants. Here is a picture. This is a neat and creative way to make cool hides and keep clean water at the same time. Alternatively, you could simply keep the water bowl on top of a piece of tile. Here is a picture of Kelly's hide/water bowl:
Waste
(Written by Stacey Rader)
The "white stuff" is actually uric acid. It is not water soluble so it precipitates in water to form a soft solid. If the urates are hard as rocks, it is an indication of dehydration, or at least inadequate hydration. Normal reptile "pee" should have an amount of liquid (the excess water that is excreted by the kidneys), and the nitrogenous waste uric acid, commonly called urates (which is created by the breakdown of proteins both animal and vegetable). There should not be any calcium or other necessary mineral in the urates. Any excess calcium would be excreted with the liquid portion of the excrement, as calcium is water soluble. Urates will often appear hard and dry if the fecal material is allowed to dry out before it is removed from the cage. The gastrointestinal waste and urogenital waste are removed at the same time through the cloaca. Here is a photograph of healthy (dry) adult and baby excrement. Hope it's not too gross! The second picture shows a urate. Click to enlarge.
Tip: Remember that once a BTS goes #2, you can pretty much have him out the rest of the day without any worries—BUT, if your skink has the runs, he may go a number of times during the day, and at any time. We all know that BTS feces (heck, any feces) is pretty unpleasant, but remember that BTS "pee" is completely odorless (unlike mammal urine) and is absolutely nothing but water. Note: Blue tongues are not coprophagous.
Going on vacation
Of course, we all like to get away for a week or two. The question is, what do we do with our precious pets? There are several common options. One would be to have a reliable friend stop by every other day to feed your animal. Your lights can be set on automatic timers. Remember to be sure your animal remains on its 12 hour photoperiod (light on at 9am, off at 9pm). Another option would be to board them out. Many pet stores offer this service on a day-to-day basis. If you're only going to be gone a few days, feeding your blue tongue a regular portion of food before you leave is fine. DO NOT leave water. Blue tongues are very hardy animals, and will be fine for just a few days. If you leave water, the chances of them defecating in it are high. Then when they drink it...bad news. Do not get a few days mixed up with a few weeks! They cannot go without water for weeks at a time. Remember to be sure you have automatic timers for your lights, and that they are working properly...proper light and day is more important than most people think. Be VERY cautious with timers however, whether you're on vacation or not. While handling your blue tongue, you will obviously remove the heat lamp from the top of the tank (if it is permanently hung, you have nothing to worry about), and place it temporarily on the floor, bed, chair or wherever. Be sure to place it back to its proper place! If the timer kicks in, and that lamp is on the carpet or somewhere else, you will have a real problem. Many people just slide the lid to the left or right to access the animal, and that is fine. Use caution doing this as well, and be sure to replace the lid immediately. If your heat lamp is turned on and gets positioned funny, it could very well melt the plastic edges of your tank creating an ugly and smelly mess.
Ambience
Although not proven, I have come to believe that blue tongues find some type of ambient sounds comforting. Much like a dog, which in many books is described that a ticking clock, or radio should be left on for psychological reasons when they are alone. When we let our blue tongues roam, we always find them snuggled up asleep next to something that is emitting some type of noise or vibrations. We always run a sub-woofer very low when the television is on, and we often find him sleeping behind that (probably because of the soft vibrations). We have also found them sleeping behind the computer (soft hum from the cooling fan). Imagine them sitting in a room all day in absolute silence. I really think that this can sour their temperament because of the complete lack of stimulation. Not a sound all day, then when everyone comes home we've got chatter, television, doors opening and closing, pots and pans banging, and that can be quite a sudden shock when they've been sitting in silence for hours. The sudden change of constant movement from everybody can also make then uncomfortable. This is just something that we do personally, but we always leave a small waterfall going, a nature CD, or at least the radio. When you think about all the natural sounds they hear in the wild, we hate to leave them in utter silence when we're not at home. When you lay them on your chest, they also seem to enjoy the steady breathing. Again, this is just a theory that we have come to believe from experience. We've never read about it anywhere, or assume to push this theory on you.
Another perspective that supports this theory is their excitable reaction when you take them out of their cage. They often act incredibly stimulated, as if they have a new zest for life or haven't been out in years. This just goes to show how curious, attentive, and alert these creatures are to their surroundings, so any extra stimulation you give them while not at home (sounds for example) is an absolute plus in our opinion.
Taming/Calming
Taming or calming a feisty blue tongue can usually always be accomplished. There are always some animals however that just seem to have feisty personalities—usually only wild caught animals or Tanimbar/Kei subspecies. I would say the vast majority of captive bred babies that are handled regularly turn out to be very tame. I can't stress that fact enough: The more handling, interaction and time you spend with your animal, the better his temperament usually will be. And the earlier, the better. It's always best to try to get a baby, so you can bond and spend time with it from its very first months. There's nothing like raising a baby compared to getting an adult—there's absolutely nothing wrong with getting an adult though, of course, and there are people who prefer it.
Blue tongues usually hiss or even strike when scared or threatened. Your goal is to make them NOT scared. I know that sounds obvious, but think about it. Why are they hissing? Why are they biting? They are afraid of you, and not used to human contact (reason why most wild caughts are defensive). If YOU feel scared of your bluey because he is so defensive, consider beginning the handling wearing a pair of rawhide gloves. These gloves will not only protect you from bites, but also help protect your animal as well. If he is scared, he might nip at anything that's in front of him, and if he latched on to your hard knuckle, he could injure his mouth, or especially his tongue. This is especially risky for babies. Gloves also help with traction. It makes your hands much bigger, and their little claws can really grip the leather. Most blue tongues no matter how cranky, usually calm right down when handled though. Even if he's just a little hissy at first, once he's out, he'll likely act like a completely different animal.
I would begin by handling your animal right out in the open with people, television, and anything else he can come to expect. I know you're thinking that might give him a heart attack, but you don't want to start the calming process in a quiet enclosed bedroom because after he's doing great in there, and you want to take him out anywhere else, it's like training him all over again. So, get him used to every day activities with people around right away, otherwise you're just working backwards. I obviously wouldn't begin though with 30 daycare kids running wild in your living room, although if you have an adult from a pet store, he'd probably be used to that. Maybe just you, your wife or husband, a kid or two, and the sound from the television. Get him used to everything that he will see and hear on a regular basis. If you set him in a blanket with his head poking out, he will just watch everything going on, and take it all in. Also, try setting him on your lap, and stroke his head and back. If he tries to scurry away, do not rush your hands over to pick him up. Slowly place your hand in front of him, and let him walk onto your hand. When he does, lift up, and place him back onto your lap. When you go to do any kind of 'petting', be sure all your movements are very slow. Slowly, place your hand about four inches in front of him, and slowly outstretch a finger. Take that finger, and slowly move it directly toward his head. From here, you can rub the top of his head, or his chin. Do not sneak up behind him, and rub the back of his head and neck, it's actually better to keep your hands visible. No surprises. I know this will sound stupid, but talk cute to him! A familiar and friendly voice definitely makes a difference in my opinion. When I was first taming my feisty baby Tanimbars, I didn't say anything for about 10 minutes. Then I said something like, "hi boy", and he hunkered down, arched his back and hissed because it was a surprise to him. Don't let him burrow under a pillow as this doesn't help him get accustomed to anything. Be sure he's out and about seeing what's going on. If you leave him to go hide, he'll do just that; hide.
Bringing your animal outside
Be extremely cautious taking your hissy animals outside (especially if you're new to it). While it's true that many animals act more defensive when taken outdoors, a scared animal may hightail it on out of there before you even know what's going on. Make sure you're comfortable picking up a feisty animal, because it won't be the same as chasing him around in his tank (where you can rest, and contemplate your next move), and he won't be easy to catch. Especially with his mouth gaping at you. Although they are generally regarded as slow and pokey, a spooked irate blue tongue can turn and move with astonishing reflexes and speed. So, just use caution when you place them outdoors, and avoid bushy and wooded areas, as you could possibly lose your pet forever. They are masters of hiding, and excellent diggers. They can even climb trees if the occasion called for it. Here's a quick shot of one of our adult BTS—he buried himself UNDER the grass. It took him about 15 seconds. This is just how quickly your animal can be out of sight. Watch them closely and never under any circumstances let them out of your sight.
Once your bluey is used to plenty of handling and interaction, it will become just a daily routine to him. Defecating, hissing and biting are all signs of being scared or nervous. Get them used to you, and they won't be nervous. If you avoid wild caught animals, mistreated/neglected animals etc, you will have nothing to worry about. And don't 'rescue' pet store reptiles! Rescuing a skink from a house with neglectful owners? Excellent. Rescuing a skink from a lowsy pet store? Bad choice. When you buy from a lowsy pet store, you are keeping them in business. They take your money, pay their bills with it, and also replace that sick skink you bought with ANOTHER sick skink. The cycle continues until the people decide enough is enough.
Escapes (losing your animal)
We have recently had several people come onto the forum worried sick about their lost skink. First off, if you know the general area of where they might be, try laying out several blankets in the middle of the floor. Blue tongues love to burrow and hide, and there's few things easier to burrow and hide in than a blanket. If you fear your skink is lost somewhere in your house, try laying down thin strips of foil, then pour flour VERY thinly across the foil. Place these strips strategically around your house, and wherever you see that the flour has been disturbed, your animal has been that way. You can even tell which direction he went (if he doesn't cross back over again) because blue tongues drag their entire bodies as they walk. Now, the smartest thing to do is confine the areas. Place the strips in bedrooms, and be 100% sure that the door is closed at all times. Then, if you see that your animal has crossed through the strip, you know that he's in that room somewhere. You also don't necessarily have to use flour...you could use virtually anything. One of the more traditional methods would be leaving food out, but it's also the most useless method since the skink would just eat, then get lost again (unless used in a confined bedroom, then if the food had been nibbled on, you would know that he was in that particular bedroom). Lastly, try creating a heat source of some kind with a heat pad.
Some common places to look for your animal if he's lost is under the stove or refrigerator, or even under and inside your furniture. Blueys can sometimes crawl underneath and up inside your couches in which case you will probably need to cut open the bottom of your couch (believe it or not, we once had to do just that).
If you live in an old house that is full of open air ducts or holes, I'd have to say you're in trouble. If ever a skink has a chance to get outside, there's little to no chance of ever finding him again. If you realize soon enough though, you can quarantine off the area, call neighbors, and just basically search until you find him. HOLES are what you have to look out for. If a skink gets outside without your knowledge, or you lose him outside, the first thing he'll head for is cover. He obviously won't stay wide out in the open. Skink proof your house! We actually let our animals roam. The number one thing to be aware of is any nook or cranny that he might be able to squeeze into. We also have reclining couches, so essentially, there is no "inside" to our furniture. It's important to be careful when reclining however because of the moving parts (keep that in mind if you have recliners, as you obviously wouldn't want your skink under your chair while reclining).
Tips for preventing escape
If you have a low tank, or there is any possibility that the animal could crawl out, be sure you have a lid that firmly attaches, and locks shut. I've seen blue tongues accomplish some ridiculous stunts, and climbing directly up the corner of their tank using their tail to its very tip is not outside their abilities (their tail is like a big muscle and they use it a lot more than one might think). Basically, if you have a 20 inch long blue tongue, he could very well climb out of a 20 inch tall enclosure (if it didn't have a lid). They use their nose, chins, tails, and even their wiry little arms to frantically and intensely accomplish what ever it is they have in mind. They're very persistent, and once they learn how to escape, they do not forget. They also have the ability to rear themselves directly up (front legs into the air) bending their back as if climbing up an invisible wall. I wouldn't have believed it had I not seen it. Just as it's important for a snake to have an attached lid, it's equally important for a blue tongued skink to have an attached lid. Keep it firmly locked at all times, and you won't have any escapes (many tanks these days come with optional padlock features). This will also keep any unruly kids from sneaking in and doing who knows what when you're not around. Remember, lids are important. BTS can climb nearly any type of surface (except glass) including screen (as in a screendoor), any type of chicken wire, wood (this includes trees and bark), etc. If you have an outdoor pen, BE SURE it's bluey proof! Here are two images; one showing a bigger screen (left), and the other a small screen (same as a screen door).
Letting your bluey roam
Letting your animal roam around the house is a good way to give them some exercise and stimulate their senses. They often act as though they haven't been out in years, and act very excited and alert. Keep in mind however, that unless you really know what you're doing, this can be quite dangerous. Take note of these precautions. Be positive that no front or back doors, sliding patio doors, screen doors, windows, etc, are left open. Your skink will stroll right out and be gone forever. This is an easy thing that can happen, so really take notice. Keep your bluey's toenails short! Long toenails can become snagged and entangled in carpet fibers. Watch where you step. You wouldn't believe how many pet lizards have been killed this way considering how unavoidable it is. Remember, we don't advise anyone letting their animals roam unless they truly possess knowledge and experience. Lastly, don't leave little "things" around the floor that could be consumed. Check under couches, stoves, refrigerators, under cupboards in apartments, dining room tables, coffee tables, behind entertainment centers, subwoofer holes; anywhere your skink might go. You don't want him finding marbles, coins, toys, small game pieces, or even old food and eating it. We recently had a firsthand experience when a lady from our forum wrote in about a shocking story that recently occurred. This woman's skink found and ate an EIGHT INCH long camera wrist cord. The skink grew incredibly sick, and the symptoms were a total mystery as the cord did not show up in x-rays. Incredibly, the skink (named Popsicle) passed the cord out, and is alive and well today. Here is the original story:
Last night, Popsicle had his first real movement since this entire illness thing began. At first glance, the feces were in a long, thin, spiral formation. I immediately thought that there was a giant worm in his feces. I put on a pair of rubber gloves and removed the poop from his tank. I immediately noticed that the poop was very hard and could not be broken. When I looked closer, it looked like a piece of cord was underneath all the feces. I started to pick away all the feces, and I was very shocked to find the cord that attaches to my camera (that we have never used). At some point, probably when he was under the couch, Popsicle had swallowed the entire 8 inch circular loop that attaches to my camera. I have no idea why or even how he managed to eat the cord. Maybe it looked like a gigantic silkworm. I still can't believe that he ate it, and I didn't notice! I also can't believe that he managed to pass the entire cord. That should've killed him. The finding really upset me and had me shaken up greatly. I ended up sick to my stomach. My husband managed to snap a picture of the cord, and I'll post it later. It's really unbelievable that Popsicle is still alive. He's doing exceptionally well. He has enormous amounts of energy, and he's eating like a pig. I am very lucky, and I will never let Popsicle out of my sight again. No more going under the couch!!
Releasing animals into the wild
While on the subject of losing your animal outdoors, I'd like to mention releasing your animal outdoors. And yes, I'm talking about deliberately. Believe it or not, there is an amazing number of nonsensical and naive people out there. When their child becomes bored with his or her pet, some parents seem to think that it's logical to "return the animal to its natural habitat"—or even worse—"the animal will be happier or better off". Friends, beside the fact of this being completely insane and incredibly reckless and irresponsible, you've basically sentenced the animal to death. In rare cases, the animal can even multiply; killing off and endangering the native fauna and generally throwing the entire natural ecosystem out of wack. There are several documented cases of this occurring with turtles, and there are hundreds of thousands of WILD Iguanas destroying the vegetation in Florida. Think Iguanas are native to Florida? Think again. Please...if you're tired of taking care of your kid's pet, or the animal grew larger than you expected (which shouldn't be the case if you did the necessary research and made a responsible decision in acquiring the animal in the first place), then please find it a loving home where someone else can enjoy it. You may even make a few bucks. It's better than leaving the animal to die which is the epitome of culpable negligence.
Adding to your collection...
Once you have your first blue tongued skink, it's very likely you will buy more! It's a good idea to quarantine your new animal anywhere from 1-3 months. This number can be adjusted according to how healthy your animals are, and how trustworthy your seller is. When buying from strangers, you never know exactly what sort of conditions your new animal may have been subjected to, and you don't want to contaminate your other animals. What is clean and acceptable to somebody else, may not be clean and acceptable to you. So, just keep him in a separate room, and don't let him have contact with your other animals until you're sure he's a-ok! This is a good guideline for any new reptile.
Hissing/Displaying
Something every blue tongue owner has probably encountered at one time or another is "hissing". The majority of "hissing" is actually not hissing at all. It's just hard and fast exhaling through the nostrils. Most blue tongues will not hiss much at all, and if they do, it's only when you reach in to pick them up. Click here to listen. "Displaying" is when your animal opens up his mouth and displays his tongue in an intimidating manner. This is done when the animal feels threatened or scared.
Bites
Blue tongues like any reptile, are capable of a pretty painful bite. Unless your's is unusually aggressive though, they seldom do. Sometimes they can get irritable, so if they warn you by opening their mouth (which is also uncommon unless they're cranky), or flashing their tongue in an intimidating manner, it's best to leave them be. Some wild caught animals may always be like this, in which case you should handle them regardless. A hard bite from an adult can definitely break the skin although that is rare unless you have one seriously angry or scared animal. To treat a wound, simply cleanse with antiseptic, apply triple antibiotic (Neosporin), and bandage. Salmonella is a very rare thing with blue tongues. If I were bit, I wouldn't worry about it in the slightest, but would definitely be more circumspect about my handling techniques!
Teeth?
If you look carefully, or lift the lip of your skink, you will see little "bumps" or ridges. These hard little 'knobs' are what a skink uses to grind its food and also inflict the painful bite you may have experienced. Depending on the animal, you will probably see small to medium sized rows of little bumps lining each side of the inside of the mouth. If you are bitten, this is why you see the rainbow or circle shaped series of dots on your skin.
Salmonella
(Written by Kelly McKinney)
All reptiles (heck, all animals) have the potential to carry salmonella. It is not harmful to them, but can be to us. But it takes an awful lot of the bacteria to affect us slightly (diarrhea, etc) and a ton to affect us seriously. It is transmitted via direct contact with feces, or through contact with something that has been contaminated with the feces of an infected animal. While it can be transmitted via open cuts, etc, the amount needed to cause any problems is extreme - you're more likely to get it from ingesting contaminated feces or something that came in contact with contaminated feces. So, basically (1) your reptile would have to have salmonella (they cannot have it one week and then have it the next) and (2) you'd have to eat their feces or touch something that came in contact with the contaminated feces and then eat that object - again you'd have to eat enough of it.
It's relatively easy to avoid getting salmonella from your reptiles. Wash your hands after handling, never take your animal or any of its cage/tank contents into your kitchen, have a designated set of cleaning supplies just for your animal, dispose of waste safely, proper/regular cleaning and disinfecting items, etc.
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Newborn and Juvenile Care
One of our most popular questions is: "When are the babies usually born, so I can stay home and watch." Unfortunately, it's hard to say. I've seen them born at all different times, according to many different places in the world. A friend of our's in Florida, Ray, says his babies are consistently born around 3:30-4:00 PM every year. One hint that a female is about to give birth is a total desist in eating about a week prior to the event. She will also become much more active instead of her usual burrowing and hiding (pregnant females tend to burrow, hide, and generally do nothing while gravid). This isn't always the case though, as some females will eat right up until the actual day of the birth. When the big day comes, congratulations! And don't be devastated if there is a stillbirth. It is also possible you may see a few unfertilized embryonic sacks. These are commonly referred to as an ovum, or 'ova' in the plural form. It is commonly thought that this is not a correct term, as the term 'ovum' is Latin for egg, and blue tongues are neither oviparous or ovoviviparous. But, it's really no different than a human female's eggs. These little unfertilized 'ova' are a small dime to quarter sized ball (or other shape) that sometimes occur with the birth. They are normally an amber/orange color, and don't be startled or prevent your female from eating them; they are harmless and full of nutrients. Keep in mind that these 'ova' are not necessarily supposed to occur. It only likely means that you didn't quite introduce your pair at the precise or optimal time, or other times it's a total mystery...
Click picture for video of a female passing an ovum
Thanks to Mike Burns (AVI—7.43MB)
Click to enlarge
Fecundity depends on your female's species and size; you may have anywhere from 5-15 babies. Any more than that, while not unheard of, is a little more unusual. Offspring are born in a clear mucus membrane which is connected by the umbilical cord to little sacks called the placenta. When the female gives birth, she may turn and nudge the baby, or see if it is something she should eat (like an unfertilized ovum).
When the babies emerge, they quickly break off the umbilical cord and consume the placenta (or afterbirth). This is their first meal, and is an EXTREMELY important meal. The consumed placenta is enriched with vitamins, antibodies and everything the newborn needs to get started in life. If another baby were to come along and eat his brother's placenta, that baby would probably die. While it's understandable that you will probably miss the actual birth, I wouldn't worry about this too much...it's normally an unlikely occurrence. This first picture shows a 20 second old baby. He will quickly awake, and devour the afterbirth. The 2nd picture shows a clear shot of the actual placenta that will be consumed momentarily, and the third shows the placenta entirely eaten. All that still remains is the umbilical cord. The next two images show a baby that still has his dried umbilical attached after two or three days. This poses no immediate threat, and will soon snap off on its own. NEVER yank or pull an umbilical cord if it doesn't want to come off right away. This can cause profuse bleeding, or even permanent damage. The last picture shows three fresh babies gobbling up their first meal. You may click to enlarge each individual image.
Click to enlarge
The newborns are usually active immediately. The mother just drops them off, and they're left to fend for themselves. This also means they're independent from their first breath, and don't require their mother's care at any time. As a good rule, babies can be housed together (with towels for substrate) with no problems till about their first shed. After this, they can become territorial and even violent toward one another. It's important to get them separated at this point, or toes and tails may be bitten off. It's been my experience that the more you handle your babies, the longer they can be housed together. If they're irritable toward you, they will likely be irritable toward each other, so interaction at an early age is beneficial for the babies, and it also makes for a great pet later down the road (getting them used to human contact as a baby definitely improves their temperament later on). Keeping them well fed also helps them to tolerate each other longer. Babies can be housed individually in 10 gallon terrariums. They grow VERY fast, so it's important to be prepared with larger tanks at about 3 months of age. Do not use aspen, or any type of regular adult substrate. They're quite sensitive at this young age, and you don't want to risk any splinters in the nose, eyes, or even indigestion of small substrate pieces. Use clean towels, or artificial turf. You can even use soft sweaters or shirts, the babies can really have a blast tunneling through the long sleeves. This also gives them a bit of privacy and separation from each other compared to the turf. Remember, at the first sign of aggression, it's important to separate all of them.
DO NOT feed babies live food while being housed together. Once they get a taste of a wiggling worm or anything similar, tails, legs and toes begin to look awfully familiar to their previous meal. Also when housing babies together, it's actually been tested and somewhat proven that a smaller enclosure works best. It seems that when multiple babies are housed in extremely large living quarters, they are much quicker to become aggressive toward one another. We believe this may be because they become accustom to being alone because of the large space and then when one comes across another one, it's a bit of a surprise and they can become territorial. However, when they are "crammed" in together, fights are slim to none especially when they are interacted with and held regularly. This has been tested with several veteran keepers and is quite effective. Keep in mind we don't mean keeping 10 babies in a ten gallon. A 20 gallon however, would be sufficient, but not for very long. Lastly, keep them well-fed. A baby who is full is much less likely to hunt for something to eat. Full stomachs help exponentially on reducing the number of fights and bites.
A newborn's diet is really no different than the adults. For the first couple weeks, feed them daily with soft cat food only, and subsequently use the standard chunkier diet with vegetables and whatever else you feed your adults. Some examples are finely chopped collard greens mixed into some soft cat food (IAMS chicken adult formula is good). BEWARE the stems of the leaves! Be sure the large bases of the stem are removed, and that no long stringy pieces are left. They can choke. Also, refrain from mice until they're about 8-12 months of age. Provide plenty of hide boxes (paper towel tubes work great), and a heat lamp with a 50-100 watt bulb (depending on your tank size). It is always said that babies need it hotter than the adults. I believe that the regular 100 degree basking spot is fine. NO LOWER than 100 though, and the cool gradient can be in the 80 degree range (opposite end of hot side). Don't forget, it's always fun to take them outside and let them get a little sunshine! Nothing beats a hot summer sun. Beware of chemically treated or fertilized lawns however. One other weird note, babies defecate a lot more than the adults so "waste cycles" will probably not be effective with babies. They're pretty unpredictable.
Provide a small shallow water dish such as an ash tray. You can use bottled water, but tap is fine too if you have reasonably clean water. A paper plate or Tupperware lid work well for group feedings as they are very low to the ground making it easily accessible. Standard jar lids make good individual feeding dishes. You may need to shove their noses in the food the first few times so they get the idea.
The babies can sometimes appear nearly full size in one year! The heads are usually the last to grow. It's not uncommon to see a big fat body accompanied with a tiny little head—especially if the skink is really well-fed. This is usually a good sign that they might be getting a little too much to eat. Try to pay attention to body proportion. Do you have a monster burrito of a skink with tiny legs? Cease the feeding a bit until those legs look more proportionate. Of course all BTS legs are small, but you'll be able to tell the difference. View the obesity section for a good example.
One other weird note—Ray had a baby born that was completely patternless. Almost like an albino. As it crawled out of its placenta, the mother turned, looked at it, then lunged toward it biting it and killing it. We thought that this might be nature's way...as the mother would naturally kill any different looking or sick animal to prevent an eventual contamination of a species. It's never happened with any other baby, and Ray has bred hundreds of blue tongued skinks. I should also mention that Ray was devastated when this happened. Who knows what type of BTS it would have grown up to be.
One more tip: do you have a baby who just doesn't seem to calm down? People often give a baby many hiding places and deep substrate to burrow in. This can be good and bad when trying to interact with a baby skink. The problem is if he's a little hissy, he might learn that he can just hide in there all day and never come out
If he's "forced" to be out a little bit, I think this helps acclimate them better and faster, because in the long run, if they're scared all the time, that causes more stress than the initial stress of not having immediate substrate to burrow in.
The following pictures show an Eastern blue tongue skink birth in elapsed time. The correct order is from left to right. They are still shots from a video recorder filmed by Ray Gurgui. Notice the minutes and seconds, and you'll see the birth lasts less than a minute! Click each picture to enlarge.
(Shingleback birth)
Check out our live birth video section!
Written by Zach at bluetongueskinks.net
Also thanks to Ray Gurgui for contributing to this sheet!
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Breeding
All days, months, and hours are Western Pacific Time, USA. Different climates, time zones, and atmosphere should certainly be taken into account when deciding on your own breeding methods. Please remember that there is no "right or wrong way" to breed your animals. As long as you get the results you want, that's all that matters. The methods written below are the basic methods I use, but every experienced breeder will have his own. Don't be afraid to vacillate between different breeding methods, ideas, or suggestions.
Breeding blue tongue skinks can be very rewarding, but takes a bit of patience and commitment. The process starts with a 'cooling period' called brumation that lasts from about mid-November to Feb-March. This is to simulate the winter months they endure in their natural environment, and is somewhat similar to hibernation. Begin lowering your temperatures around mid-November, and offer NO food whatsoever during the winter period. Don't worry, it won't kill them. Water should always be available. Only decent sized, healthy and hearty animals should be considered for breeding; never cool any sick or abnormally thin animals. Begin by gradually reducing their daylight hours from 12 to 10 hours, then bring it down to 8 on the new year. Also, during the cool down period I usually turn on their heat lamps for 1-2 hours each day so they can warm up a little if they want. Not everyone does this, but in the wild they often come out and forage around. They don't hibernate in that they would enter a deep slumber and not wake up for months at a time. Also, two weeks PRIOR to cooling, cease ALL feeding. You don't want undigested food left to rot in the stomach as they enter brumation (no heat to assist with digestion).
Do not handle your animals during brumation! They do not eat during brumation because they are very cold and therefore cannot properly digest food. If you handle them, they will warm up, become active, and the organs will start working full fledge (the body slows way down during bruamtion). You want them pretty much dormant the entire winter. Some breeders even put their animals in shoe box sized enclosures for the entire winter with no light. Some BTS in Australia would definitely experience this as they would go underground while the entire land is covered in deep snow. One method I use sometimes is to place my entire collection in the garage. The garage is naturally much cooler than the house during winter, and it works perfect. If you use this method, there are no questions or worries on how to cool; simply place them in the garage and you're set. The brumating temperature that works perfect for me is 50 degrees. My max brumating temperature would be probably 55-60, and my minimum would be no lower than 40. While BTS definitely experience temps in the wild colder than 40 degrees, I believe that their shelter typically would provide some warmth, and it also must be understood that not all BTS would survive a cold harsh winter. I'm not into replicating extreme conditions even if it would be accurate. One needs to understand that nature is indeed harsh and that animals do die in nature due to weather. I write this because I've spoken with some hardcore breeders who copy wild conditions to a T. It's just not necessary in my opinion. The colder the temperatures, the longer and harder your BTS will sleep. If you have a particularly warm day, this will increase the temps in the garage and you may see your BTS scurry about for a short while probably to take a quick drink. Even if your heat lamps are left on for 8 hours a day, if it's 40-50 degrees, they will probably not use them. If it warms up outside, the BTS will definitely recognize it, and will likely warm up for a bit under the heat lamp. A brief sun tan is not the same as handling. The sudden stress factor will play a role in the general disruption of your animal's winter sleep. Do your best to disrupt them as little as possible while walking in and out of your garage. Note: This is talked about later, but I strongly believe a nature CD (water, crickets, birds, etc) plays a role—it definitely makes a difference when you compare it to absolute dead silence. BTS are so aware and curious of their surroundings. I believe this includes any sound that they might hear. For fun, here is a chart showing average annual low temperatures in Australia. Click to enlarge.
As mid February rolls around, slowly begin warming them up again! By this time, your skinks may have already become active. Gradually begin turning their normal lighting and heat sources back to normal, and start offering a little food. DO NOT be alarmed if they won't eat. They often reject food for a short time following the winter months. After going without food for so long, plain food can look unappealing. Often, a live fuzzy mouse will 'boost' them back into the eating mode, as it's visually stimulating and something they can chase. Note: Some people do not offer food until after the breeding event. The choice is your's, but usually they won't eat anyway. If they do eat though, do not offer much food. After going without eating for so long, a ton of food at once could very well be regurgitated. Offer very little, as in a spoonful.
You may begin introducing your pair any time at this point.
The time is here! First off, it's important to provide an environment that is conducive to the breeding event. For example, introduce the female into the MALE's cage. The male is doing all the work here, so he should be in the place he's accustomed too (this isn't particularly important, so if you were unable to use the male's enclosure for whatever reason it's ok). Also, remove all substrate before introducing the pair, or cover it completely with a towel. When they mate, the male's hemipenes are fully exposed for a long period of time (right before actual copulation that is, and for a bit after). A single touch to almost any type of substrate will stick to him like crazy, and then when he mates with the female, the substrate could get trapped inside her (and him). Once you have introduced them, just sit and observe. The male could start nipping at the female's hind quarters, he may bite at her side, they could circle each other, they could lash out at each other, or they could do nothing. Be prepared. The female's tail will probably flail around erratically, which is a good sign. If all goes well, the male will eventually secure a firm neck hold on your female, and they will attempt to mate. The female cooperates by lifting her tail, the male tucks his tail underneath, and copulation takes place. This can last anywhere from 30 seconds to even a few minutes (in the wild they have been seen copulating for much, much longer). You should watch the entire event to make sure feet and tails aren't getting torn off. NEVER leave them on their own unattended for ANY amount of time. This is extraordinarily dangerous. During the breeding season (or any time during the year really), if animals are left together, they can and will breed each other senseless causing terrible damage. Remember when breeding, it's important to only put them together for the approximate 5-10 minute session, then separate them immediately. Remember that they are not in the wild where they will be able to run away; they are trapped in a small indoor terrarium with no escape. There is really no arguing this. I receive nonstop email messages from people who *received* animals that were previously living together peacefully, and therefore they think since they did it, I can do it. It's one of the most frustrating things when people say: "well, they haven't fought yet, so I'm going to stick with it". Blue tongued skinks should never, ever, be housed together unless you have a large outdoor environment, and just because they haven't lashed out yet does NOT mean that it won't happen at some point. Of course, ultimately, it's each person's individual choice, but knowing the extreme risk, I can't understand how anyone would go ahead and do it. It only takes one time, and then one will ask himself "why didn't I listen." I've seen it countless times and it just tears me up because it's so avoidable. Keep in mind that I'm talking about keeping pairs together in an attempt to breed, but this same advice should definitey be taken any time during the year, breeding season or not.
If you're a beginner, let it be known that their behavior may scare you! Breeding looks vicious, but it's completely normal and part of nature. DO NOT split the pair up if the male is biting the female. Remember that granted this is likely a poignant experience for the female, this is nature's way, and is supposed to happen. It's important however to intervene immediately if the tail, foot, or head is being held on to. The neck hold is what you want, and enables the male to hold the female in one spot so copulation can take place. Congratulations if you are successful. They will simply split up when finished. The male may look dazed for about 30 seconds, so give him a second to collect himself before taking him out (but watch out for a suddenly aggressive female). His hemipenes (usually only one) may remain everted for a couple minutes. In this case, placing him on a hard flat surface will let the animal know that he needs to "repackage". Do not put them on their substrate with the hemipenes still everted because again, when he brings them back in, the substrate can stick and get sucked right in with the sex organs. Remember, males are normally aggressive and it takes lots of situating and resituating to breed, so be prepared for bite marks on your female. Some bites marks are worse than others, so don't be afraid to treat the wound with a little hydrogen peroxide. You can apply it with a Q-tip, and roll it on, do not rub. The roughed up scales will pull the cotton right off if you rub. Scars are not normally permanent, and should heal nicely within several months. If your pair ignored each other, or lashed out at one another, don't fret. Simply try again in a day or two (or be sure that you do indeed have a pair)! Keep in mind, there are always the peculiarly misogynist males, and some pairs are just simply not compatible. One more note, it's better to have a female that is larger than the male. This just makes the event easier on the female and guarantees that you have a strong, healthy girl who can withstand the thrashing and multiple bites. If you have an abnormally aggressive female however, then a larger male may be needed. Once you suspect your female is gravid, remove substrate and use simple towels. When the babies are born, they quickly consume the afterbirth. You don't want bits of aspen or carefresh being digested; especially at their most vulnerable time. This is simply a precaution.
Overly aggressive female?
Sometimes females are downright aggressive, and do not want to be messed with. There are a number of reasons why this might be. To begin with, the animal might not be ready to breed and will naturally ward off any suitors until she IS ready (possibly not ovulating yet). Another reason might be that the female may assume that she is being attacked, and naturally defend herself. This is especially common for first time breeders. Here are a couple of hints. Place a pen or something similar between her mouth and the male's body during the "hold" to keep her from biting his leg or tail. After her initial defensive maneuvers, she will likely calm down. Try "roughing the female up" yourself. If I have an overly aggressive female, I will take my fingers, grab the nape, and simulate the breeding movement by turning her in different directions. She'll actually act as if she's being bred, and after a short bit, she calms down realizing that she's not being attacked. Give it a try! Once she calms down, slip the male in there and hope for some luck. It's easy to become discouraged if a female seems unwilling, but don't give up, and try to think creatively. Socks can even be a useful tool. Place a small booty over the female's head, and sometimes, it will calm her down enough to allow the male to copulate. However, other times, she may act even more aggressive. Worst case scenario; you have a female who is naturally aggressive to people and other animals alike. In these cases, more unorthodox methods may need to be introduced, one such being placing small strips of tape around the female's mouth. This is talked about a little later, but it is not harmless in the least. It sounds awful, but it is simple, and keeps the female's mouth closed just enough so she can't open up far enough to clamp down on the male's legs or tail. It can work wonders if you're willing to give it a try and can get past the thought of it seeming cruel. It is truly and completely harmless, and sometimes necessary. Especially if you are trying to breed a valuable animal, and in most cases of which, murphy's law indicates the valuable one's will always be a challenge.
Here's another suggestion. Try taking both animals out, and putting them on your bed or somewhere similar. This will give them more room to manuever and display more natural breeding behavior (compared to being confined in a tank). I do this, and place the female in strategic positions in where she'll walk by him stimulating his senses. Sometimes when the female is running away it will strike an urge in the male to chase her. It works! Of course, it's out of the male's "territory" and his scent is not there as it would be in the cage, but that is not always crucial. It's what works. And I've had good luck using this method. Note: Cover your bed with a sheet as fluids are bound to get on it. Also, a bed is useful because it's raised off the ground, and you can sit on your knees and closely observe. It's also in perfect reaching distance if you need to intervene.
The following series of images display the rare cases when females are seriously aggressive. In this case, the female actually kicked the male's hemipene with her back legs as he attempted to copulate. The female's quick jerks and sharp nails punctured the blood-filled hemipene essentially "deflating" it, leaving it permanently damaged and unusable.
The following day, Alex had the hemipene surgically removed, and singed. Here is his encounter:
"The 'operation' went very well—she looks to be healing up great! Last night I cut away about an inch of dead tissue under the second tie-off, and this morning I cut away another centimeter or two of dead tissue under the first tie-off—now he just has a little nub sticking out under the first tie-off...I am planning on just continuing to clean and disinfect the area about twice a day, and I think that the last little bit of dead tissue under the first tie-off will fall off on its own."
The female that did this is actually the big white Northern, Lissa, from the Northern page. She is unusually very aggressive toward other blue tongues, but not with people. While breeding her to the animal shown here, Alex had to carefully tape her mouth shut so she could not fully open it. As previously mentioned, this may seem cruel, but does not hurt the animal whatsoever, nor is the mouth fully closed—but closed only enough to keep her from being able to bite the male. As you can see, Lissa still succeeded in injuring the male.
Ages
Usually, we recommend that the female should be at least two years old before breeding, and the male about one year old. Essentially, a male could breed at any age if he'll actually do it, but you have to be careful because the females can fight back, and if the male is too young (and small), he could die from a bite. In the wild, females do not usually breed until they are two, sometimes three years of age.
Unsure of sex?
If you're unsure of your animal's genders, carefully place them together and observe. Your female will likely start wagging her tail like a whip in a frantic motion, or even ever so slightly. Your male will likely freeze, and stare. He will then take two or three short steps, then bolt towards her biting onto the neck. Even if you do have a male and female, there is always the possibility that they might not do anything, so be patient and be sure to keep trying. Be sure your animals are at least over a year old; the female preferably should be two years or older. If you combine two males, they will likely act very aggressive toward each other; more so if they have an aggressive personality. Two combined females would likely result in absolutely nothing unless you had fairly aggressive natured females. We go into great detail about this in the below sections on determining sex.
How do I tell if my female is gravid (pregnant)?
The number one way to tell is to weigh her before breeding, then weigh her at different intervals subsequent to breeding. When you notice exponential weight gain, that's your sign! You will also begin to notice weight fluctuations and temperament changes in your female, and at this point, she will require more food. Feedings should now be offered every day, and a small calcium supplement added with each of those meals (figs are an excellent natural calcium source and so are eggshells). Gravid females will probably get particularly grumpy upon reaching full term, but rejoice! Babies are on the way. Gestation can last anywhere from three to sometimes even six months depending on the species. You may start seeing changes as early as one month.
You will probably know when you're female is gravid simply by looking. She will likely start ballooning up, and look enormous. There are times though when you will have no idea, and babies may come popping out completely unexpected. It's actually not that uncommon. Sometimes babies are even born over a series of days. You might get five babies on Monday, then two more on Wednesday. That's not too terribly common, but does happen occasionally. Once in a while (very rarely), the female will even store sperm which can propagate at any time resulting in offspring sometimes even a year after mating. Sometimes a female will give birth normally, then somehow retain sperm from that breeding season and give birth the next year when no new mating has taken place! This is not scientifically proven, but several keepers have reported it. Read about it here. Lastly, heavy labored breathing is an excellent sign. When the babies become larger inside the mother it presses up against her lungs; so when you begin noticing extremely heavy breaths every 5-10 seconds, it's likely she will give birth any day. Look for breaths so big and labored that it literally lifts the animal up when she breathes.
Note: Do not treat gravid females with medicine.
The following pictures show the initial breeding steps. Each picture is accompanied with a live action video.
•The female entices by twitching her tail.
•The male shows interest and reacts with a secure neck hold to keep her in position.
•The female cooperates by lifting her tail, the male tucks his tail underneath, and copulation takes place. This can last anywhere from 30 seconds to over a minute.
Tail twitching - Video
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Secure neck hold - Video
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Copulation - Video
Click here for full breeding session
Thanks to Mike Burns (AVI—4.64MB)
Gravid Female
Written by Zach @ bluetongueskinks.net
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Hybridization
(A hybrid is an offspring of two animals of different species. I.e. the offspring of a Blotched and an Eastern)
Plainly put, we are against the cross breeding of any blue tongue skink. Crossing the species does nothing except put hybrids out onto the market, and there is absolutely NO POINT. People who breed hybrids and sell them, or even give them away have absolutely no control over where they end up in the long run. The easily forgotten fact that they are hybrids will probably also not be retained, and they will be sold as a Blotched, or an Eastern, or whatever... when they are in fact mixed. But who knows for sure once the blue tongue is shipped around? It looks like an Eastern doesn't it? Or a Blotched? There will be no way to tell for sure. Once the animals get changed hands one too many times, the fact that they are hybrids fizzles away. Plus, when you make hybrids, what do you have? It's not an Eastern, it's not a Northern; it's a mutt. And when you sell it or give it away, and that person breeds it (even if they say they aren't going to), it just starts a whole chain reaction of mixed animals. Many individuals maintain the excuse: "The babies are pretty", but there is no valid reason to mix up the species.
While some hybridization does occur naturally in the wild, it is not near enough to endanger or contaminate a species. In their natural environment, the ratio of hybridization is something like 1% of total wild populations.
Another problem with deliberate hybridization is the very frustrating obstacle of recognizing, determining, and IDing mongrel animals. A lot of people come to this site wondering what species of skink they have. Do you think they want to hear (after probably being told something else) "You have a hybrid". A mutt, a mongrel, a mix, call it what you want, but it's not even a real blue tongue species. And this is only if we can ID it. Half the time we have no idea for sure (100% sure).
It's also a big problem because many (if not most) people don't even know there are different BTS species. A blue tongued skink is a blue tongued skink to them. They then breed whatever they have, and sell them to people calling them "easterns", "Irian Jaya" or usually just "blue tongue skink"—they then come here wanting us to ID them, and often times it's just impossible to say because who knows what it's mixed with or even if ITS original parents may have been hybrids. In the BTS pet trade, if people hybridize, we will eventually not have any pure species, but just a bunch of halfbreeds that are unidentifiable. This is mainly because we CANNOT get any new species from Australia. As always with mixed species, without the history of the animal, it's impossible to determine the mix beyond a shadow of a doubt. We can make pretty accurate guesses, but you can never be 100% without knowing its history. Now imagine that animal breeding with another. Mixed animals can spread exponentially and the threat is particularly dangerous because of the rarity of the BTS in the United States. People just aren't educated enough about them, and they're anxious to earn some cash with what they have. We recently met a seller who bred an Irian Jaya with an Eastern. He was a nice enough guy, but he just didn't know about the different species—and neither did the pet store who sold them as a "breeding pair"). The babies looked almost 100% Irian Jaya. If this keeps up, there will soon be no Easterns in the United States. Exportation from Australia is, of course, illegal, and some believe that the lacking eye stripe (of the Eastern) in American specimens is a direct result of hybridization. I'd like to nip this problem in the bud, and STRONGLY advise anyone and everyone against it.
To further my point with one last example, let's consider someone breeding together two incredibly valuable animals such as the Western and Centralian. What would you think about this? To show what I mean, the Western is worth about two thousand dollars, and the Centralian is worth probably even more. Now imagine instead of finding the proper mates, someone bred the two together, creating a hybrid that was worth nothing. If you know anything about the species, this would be plain insanity for both the breeder (investment wise), and for customers. In reality, a person who knew what he had, would not do this simply for investment reasons. Well, I believe this same respect should be given to lesser valuable animals as well. If this doesn't quite make sense, consider two random very valuable (and possibly rare) animals. Somebody takes one of the rare animals and instead of finding it a proper mate, he breeds it to the other rare animal of a completely different species. Would you consider this a responsible thing to do? Of course not. And a rare or valuable animal should not be what opens our eyes to the problem of intentional hybridizing. An animal is an animal created by nature no matter how big, small, rare, or common, and they should be appreciated exactly how they were created by nature. I've had several people ask me about dogs. Since all dogs are essentially man-made and traits are bred over hundreds and thousands of years (and mixes are generally thought to be stronger/smarter) then this could be seen as a valid argument to cross breed your blue tongue. However, pure bred dogs are not pure in the same way that your blue tongue is a pure wild species.
My views may seem extreme to some, but when it all comes down to it, there is just not one good reason to mix up the species—especially when hybrid animals can propagate. Many hybrid animals such as mules are unable to produce offspring, so contamination of the species is not a threat. This is not the case with blue tongued skinks. Blue tongue hybrids CAN reproduce. Here is a hybrid animal. This is likely a Shingleback x Eastern.
Some people may be thinking my articles are one-sided and unfair. If you have some reasonable claims on why hybridizing would be beneficial or important, I will gladly post it. I strongly believe in presenting both sides of an issue, and letting new readers decide for themselves. In regards to blue tongued skinks only (no other reptiles or animals), I haven't heard a supportive reason yet.
Intergrades
An intergrade is a cross between two animals of the same species, but different subspecies. For example, a Northern is scientifically described as Tiliqua scincoides intermedia. A Tanimbar is described as Tiliqua scincoides chimaerea. You notice that they are the same species (scincoides), but different subspecies (intermedia and chimaerea). A cross between two such animals is called an intergrade. A hybrid is a cross between two completely different species such as a Blotched (Tiliqua nigrolutea), and a Western (Tiliqua occipitalis). Here is a good quote from Edward Martinez: "
This is another reason to discourage intersubspecies breeding—that eventually you'd end up with a single, mongrel group of animals. You would not have the distinctive dark eye stripe of Easterns nor the bright orange bands of Northerns nor the black forelegs of Indonesians. Instead, you'd just have an animal that looks a little like all of its ancestors but lacks any uniqueness."
Inbreeding
(To breed by the continued mating of closely related individuals, especially to preserve desirable traits in a stock)
Believe it or not, inbreeding is not necessarily harmful or damaging. Besides the idea of it seeming morally wrong, breeding offspring back to the parents is not detrimental to their health unless it's done over many multiple generations. Inbreeding is usually experimented with when a single reptile has a very attractive or rare feature. Let's make up a scenario and say a baby is born with a white head. That baby would then be bred back to one of the parents in hope of creating more babies with the same white head. This all depends on genes. Now, if you just happen to acquire a white headed male and wanted to produce look-alike babies, you would breed the male to a regular female, and that would produce regular looking babies called hets (heterozygous) which basically means they carry the 'white-headed gene'. You would then breed one of the babies back to the white headed male, and voila! Keep in mind that it may not even work, and depends on whether the gene is recessive or co-dominant. Sometimes certain traits aren't even related to genes (as far as mutations go) at all and it could be just a color phase. Genes can be terribly confusing!
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Shipping
Sending
Shipping any live animal should always be done overnight to reduce stress. UPS, USPS/Express Mail, or FedEx, may all be used, but prior arrangements may have to be made with UPS & FedEx. As far as I know, UPS does not allow snakes, but does allow lizards. FedEx allows snakes, but special permits must be acquired. These rules are always changing, and the funny thing is, none of the employees seem to know exactly what is allowed and what isn't. You could call customer service 5 times in a row, and each person would tell you something different. If nobody knows the rules, I'm personally not going to advertise to all of them that I'm shipping live reptiles; especially when the majority of people are afraid of them. This however, is just my personal decision I've made based on their disorganized guidelines. Once everything is concrete and set in stone, I will be happy to follow the rules -- but certainly not when I have one person telling me "we don't ship live reptiles", another telling me "you have to obtain special permits", or yet another telling me "don't worry about it, just write it on the box" -- What if a person is handling my labeled box and thinks that their company's rules state "No shipping of live reptiles"? I don't even want to think what he might do with the package. With shipping any live reptile, if you go by the book, the Latin name is supposed to be clearly displayed on the outside of the box. This doesn't seem to be enforced however (as many people are not even aware of it and they just want to get through their day), and many people will simply write: "Live harmless reptile". Experienced herpers have experienced problems with letting the world know what is being sent however. When a shipping company sees "live critter" on the package, they end up routing it differently and it very often gets there a day later than expected. Instead of writing live critter in big letters, I would just write the Latin name of the animal in small letters on the bottom of the box. Technically, if you don't, you are in violation of the Lacey Act. UPS and FedEx are recommended over USPS. The postal service has not been reliable in my experience with overnighting, and also does not offer AM deliveries on overnight shipping. Packages (if they arrive the next day as they're supposed to) often will not arrive until six in the afternoon. UPS usually offers guaranteed 10-11:00 AM deliveries (unless an individual is way out in the boondocks).
A good box size to start out with for a baby blue tongue skink, is 12 x 9 x 6. Write Perishable. Handle With Care, -AND- arrows pointing up on the outside of the box. Remember, we do NOT advise advertising to the world that your package contains a living breathing reptile. It can cause way more trouble than it's worth. Next, place the animal in a cloth bag, and fill the bag with shredded newspaper. Tie the end of the bag TIGHTLY, place it into the box, and fill the excess area with stryrofoam peanuts (also, entire inside perimeter of box should be lined with styrofoam inserts). Be sure everything is packed TIGHTLY! You don't want your animal bouncing around during its trip. Next thing to do is research the weather and temperatures of where you are shipping to. Look on weather.com, and talk with your customer. If the temperature is under 60 degrees, it's a good idea to include a heat pack. If the temperature is over 90 degrees, include several ice packs, or ship when temperatures are cooler. A BTS can withstand the cold—it cannot withstand excessive heat in a sealed box in which it cannot escape. Use your judgement. If you're shipping to Arizona in the summertime, then obviously don't use a heat pack, and remember that your animal should arrive in the morning, thusly it would not be exposed to the hotter daytime temperatures. Also, be prepared for excrement in the container—doesn't always happen, but it can be gross! To avoid, refrain from feeding the animal one or two days prior to shipping. Remember, the inside of your shipping boxes should be lined with half inch styrofoam inserts (for shock absorption) as seen here:
Receiving
Upon receiving your package, sit in an open space away from any place a skink could run and hide. Once in a while, the skink will have wiggled his way out of the cloth bag, so when you open the box he could come running out. This is why it's important to efficiently tie off the bag. When you open your box, be gentle. Do not excitedly start fishing through the styrofoam peanuts frantically searching for the animal. It's been a rough dark ride. It's also a good idea to open the box in a dim room. Sudden bright lights can be very frightening and cause the animal to jerk violently and try to run away. Once you have the cloth bag open, peer inside and try to see how the animal is situated. He is likely very irritable and may strike. If you can rub his head outside the bag, this may help distract him while you stick your hand in to grab him from behind. If you'd like, feel free to hold him in your lap for a minute or two, but promptly place him into his new home with a pre-heated heat lamp. You want everything nice and warm before placing him inside. Leave him be, and feel free to offer food the same day/evening. It's possible he will not eat for a couple weeks so don't get paranoid; just let him get acclimated, and avoid any big surprises like dogs, sudden loud noises, etc. Try to refrain from handling for a couple days, then begin handling him every day. If he is a bit huffy, or even downright aggressive, don't fret. Regular handling will definitely tame him down. Do not however, avoid handling him because you are afraid or don't feel a bond. If you leave him alone, he will never tame down. Once again, interaction is the key!
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MALE or FEMALE?
I'm sure you've heard a hundred times by now that it's next to impossible to tell male from female, but it's really not that difficult when you know what to look for. Like I'm sure you've heard before, the male will often have a larger, bulkier and more triangular head, thicker tail base, slimmer sides, and huskier throat. You've probably also read that males tend to have brighter, more orange colored eyes, while the female's are more brown (which is actually not true). In fact, none of these methods are accurate at all. The reason I say this is because if you look at your skink and see that it has a large head with orange eyes, you will probably assume it is a male. This is not true! While many males due tend to have bulky heads, just because your animal's head seems bulky does not make it a male by a long shot. These methods can only be used as clues, and I wouldn't even use them for that. Here is some reasoning of why these methods are not accurate:
- Large bulky head—There are no set sizes for blue tongued skinks. When it comes to sheer body size, males are not bigger than females, and females are not bigger than males (generally speaking). Naturally, if you have a very large female, she will likely have a very large head. If you have a very small male, he might have a very small head. To top it off, sometimes heads are even disproportionate. If an animal was malnourished during his crucial first year, his growth may have been stunted. This can affect all sizes of the animal. Tail length, body length, head shape/size, etc. The point is, looking at your animal and observing (what you think) is a large head is not accurate because any number of the above mentioned variables could be in affect. All in all, blue tongued skinks come in many shapes and sizes, male or female. Generally however, males do tend to have bulkier heads than females in comparably sized and analogous species, but remember to consider all the variables and remember that nothing is concrete. For example, if you browse some of the pictures on this site I'll bet you can't recognize which are male and which are female based on head shape—Try it!
- Slimmer sides—I've heard and read about this method all over the place, and it's supposed to indicate male. It is a grossly inaccurate method however because the majority of captive bred skinks out there are pretty fat! Diet plays a large role in the shape and size of your skink, and again, skinks (male or female) come in many shapes and sizes. And what are "slim sides" exactly? It's a subjective term as slim sides could mean a slim skink, or maybe just a narrow shape? Or maybe it is just the outer shape of the sides of the stomach that need to be curved a certain way, or NOT curved! Determining exactly what "slim sides" means entirely depends upon who's reading it, and how they personally comprehend it. I have always taken it to mean just a "thin skink". Slim sides says to me, a thin cylindrical aerodynamic body, and I think that all blue tongued skinks have this characteristic for the most part.
- Husky throat—Another supposed male trait that essentially, does not mean anything. Some people think that males seem to have somewhat of a "craw" looking throat sort of like a male pigeon. I do see this, but I've seen the same characteristics in females. Plus, not all males have this feature anyway.
- Eye shape and color—One of the most widely written about and popular methods—it is often said that males have bright orange eyes while females have brown eyes. Nothing could be farther from the truth as I've seen brown, orange, and everything in between present on both males and females. I don't know how this got started; perhaps the idea was borrowed from another reptile species. It's surprising that it is so widely written about, but is not even close to being even somewhat accurate. I wonder if this method stems from the simple fact that a person can look at eye color, assume they know, and be happy. The majority of people are interested in knowing gender so that they can appropriately name their animal, and be confident calling it a him or her. In these cases, 100% I.D is not crucial because no breeding is being done (you obviously have to be 100% positive of gender in order to breed), thusly gender determination by eye color is just fine with the average person. Another aspect is eye shape, and my friend, Mike Smoker, believes he is noticing a differentiating trend in the shape of the eye. We'll see how that develops.
- Thick tail base—Yet another method for determining the sex of the male. The male hemipenes are generally, a pretty big organ. If you've ever seen them during defecation or mating, you know that they can pop out pretty far, and are a pretty good size. When they are tucked away in the general area of the base of the tail, sometimes the sheer mass of the organ can push on the inside walls of the tail creating a bit of a bulge. Sometimes lifting the tail in a "c" shape toward the head can create a better viewing angle. This method can give you a pretty good idea, but the only problem is that lots of fat is stored in the tail; especially on well fed animals. What you see as a possible male with a thick tail base could very well be a healthy tail with plenty of fat storage. It can be difficult to differentiate, especially to the untrained eye. That's why this method is not 100%. We talk about this a little bit more below.
- Squeezing the tail base—Similar to the above method, this method is used for "feeling" the hemipenes packed away inside the tail. The organ is soft, so when you squeeze the tail base (from the left and right) and it feels a bit squishy, this is supposed to indicate male. The female would have more of a hard solid tail base because of the lack of the soft organs. Again however, fat storage comes into play. Fat is not a hard substance, so if you have a healthy female with lots of fat storage (remember fat is stored in the tail), then one could very well mistake the squishy fat for squishy hemipenes.
- Breeding marks on back—Seeing scars and/or a "roughed up" area near the neck and upper back are good indications that the animal is female. What you're seeing is likely breeding marks inflicted when the male bred the female. This is a good indication, but not 100% as a male could have attacked another male in an "attempt" to breed. It could also just be a wound or scar from a fight.
- Popping/Probing—Popping is when an individual "pops" out the male's hemipenes by force. It is much easier to accomplish with babies and juveniles, but usually much more difficult with adults. It's also not 100%—if a person is unable to pop out the hemipenes, he might automatically assume that he has a female. This is not the case—the hemipenes just might be so tightly packed away that they cannot be popped out. When this occurs, many will just assume that the gender is female. Especially if he doesn't know what he's doing. I actually know of several very experienced people that have been wrong many a time using this method. It can also be dangerous—forcing the male to evert his sex organs could very well damage/sterilize them. This is basically what is done: Usually two people turn the animal in an awry or upside down position, take a steel bar a little bit thinner than a pencil, force back the flap, stick in their thumb, and force the hemipenes out. In my opinion, this shouldn't be done. Usually, the person hardly knows what he's doing, although there are actually a handful of individuals that can use this method fairly efficiently. The chances of you coming across a "real" expert however, are slim to none. One problem is that anyone who offers to pop your skink will most likely claim to know exactly what he's doing. Anybody can exaggerate or even lie, and it's a bit scary. That's another reason I would never allow any of my animals to be popped by anybody simply because you cannot tell if that person has popped a hundred animals, or maybe only five animals. You just can't be sure unless the person is a close friend. If a person IS able to evert the hemipenes however, then obviously you do have a male, but I wouldn't even take the risk to begin with. I would only reserve this method for tight knit reptile groups, and herpers who personally know each other and are comfortable popping their animals. Popping and probing is also known to sterilize the animal. This of course means, depriving the animal of the ability to produce sperm/offspring. Lastly, you risk dislocating or even breaking bones. This can happen much easier than one might think. If you attempt to hold your BTS upside down, he will wiggle and fight as if he were about to be eaten for lunch. When you force a BTS in an upside down position, he will tighten up and wiggle to his maximum strength. I've heard time and time again of animal's backs breaking, displaced hip bones, and even permanent paralysis. It's NOT worth it.
- Ultrasounds/X-rays—Ultrasounds can be used by detecting mature follicles in a female, but not immature females. Females normally sexually mature at around 2-3 years of age. This means of course, that this method would not work on two young animals. The only downside to this is that you'd need someone with a trained eye. Vets can make mistakes and some probably will not even know what they're looking at, so thusly, the method is not fully 100%, but still fairly effective. As I understand it, X-rays are dangerous to the animal, and should never be performed.
Bottom line: All blue tongued skinks are different based on their age, their weight, and their species!
Many people overfeed their skinks, and they might look like big fat females because their head looks small compared to their fat body. Some skinks are just fat period. Some have big heads, some have small heads. A lot of Irian Jayas, male or female, have HUGE heads; even when they're born. Shingleback's always have huge heads. My male Irian Jaya has brown eyes and he's fat! My male and female both have brown eyes for that matter. So you see, it completely depends on a number of factors. Here is a head comparison of my IJ pair, and an eye comparison sheet for fun. Remember, neither is a solid method for determining gender. It may only provide you with a clue at best.
Eye Comparison Page
Irian Jaya Head Comparison: Female (left), Male (right)
Here's a few of the more reliable methods. As mentioned above, males have two sex organs called the hemipenes. You can often see these hemi-penile bulges protruding out at the tail base. Check your skink's underside, look right at the flap, and see if it bulges out to the left and right. If it does, you possibly have a male. The following picture is just to give you the general idea. Real hemi-penile bulges would be placed a bit higher, and probably not quite as evident. All animals are different though. Depending on size, weight, and age, it can often be difficult to determine. If your animal's tail is thin, it does NOT mean it's a female. Again, these are just clues. This animal's thick tail is likely just fat storage.
Matt Meier's Irian Jaya
Here's a 100% accurate method. I'm sure you've read that occasionally the males drop a "sperm plug."
See picture. If you see this in your skink's excrement, you have a definite male. It only happens at random, and usually during the winter months only. Sometimes only a vestige of the sperm plugs are seen as it's understandable that you won't be there every time your skink defecates. Certain substrates will also disguise the plugs as it can blend in and absorb almost immediately—especially with a hot heat lamp. Artificial turf is a good substrate to use when you're in search for these plugs. Pay attention to every bathroom break if you want to find out. Here's what we do: We feed our blue tongued skinks at about 5 or 6 o'clock in the afternoon, then take them outside like dogs at about noon the next morning. They always do their thing right away! Do this for a week straight if you can, or come up with your own schedule. Or, just try to be there when your skink defecates. Look for these clear semen 'strands'. Another good reason to get them on a 'feeding schedule' is because it's nice to hold our skinks, and let them roam around without the terrible fear of getting you know what on our best sofas. It works! It also keeps their cages a lot cleaner.
Here's a little trick that surprisingly, I haven't seen on any websites. Very often, when your skink defecates/urinates, the hemipenes will 'pop out' for about a second. See picture of Hemipenes. How old does your skink have to be to see these hemipenes? As early as 3 months. Sperm plugs can sometimes be seen by 6 months, but are usually seen more towards one year of age. The following images display seminal plugs and everted hemipenes. Notice the far right picture taken by Mike Burns; you can actually see the seminal plugs being released by the hemipenes.
The last reliable method is something I call Gender by Behavior, which of course means, determining gender by behavior. Putting animals together and seeing how they react to each other is very effective. The only downsides are (1) you have to have multiple animals, and (2) you need to have a fair bit of knowledge in order to recognize traits, and be comfortable with fierce breeding behavior. Breeding season is the best time to experiment as both sexes are usually ready to breed, and much more likely to display traits. Cooling should be done (read section on breeding) to entice and prepare for the experiment, and ages should be a minimum of at least 6 months to a year. Remember, we are NOT breeding the animals, but simply observing specific behavior to determine the sex. Only experiment with two animals at a time. To begin, carefully put the two animals together and carefully monitor their behavior. Watch for a quivering tail in either animal, and also watch for a complete halt in movement. Males often will stop in their tracks and stare. They will then take two or three short steps, then bolt at blinding speed toward the female (often knocking her back pretty far) and latch on to the nape of the neck, or sometimes the side of the stomach. If and when this occurs, continue to watch and do not split them up. The animal doing the biting is very likely a male, especially if he begins moving her around with his mouth up, down, left, and right, sometimes with surprising strength. Do not be alarmed if you hear a few cracking scales, as that happens. By this time, if the animal being bitten does not fight back, this is one step closer that that animal is a female. If her tail is moving around in a "snake-like" manner this is another step closer. Keep watching, but do NOT let them breed. Be right there to intervene. Keep an eye on the "female's" tail, and see if she starts to lift up a little bit. If the other animal begins rearing his tail underneath, this pretty much seals the deal for having a male. For the maximum 100% proof, continue to watch, but keep the male's vent from actually touching the female. When he begins rearing his tail underneath, the male sex organs (hemipenes) will now evert at any moment, and all you need is a glimpse. That will be your 100% proof you are looking for.
Now, you can essentially use any species for this method. Remember, we are not breeding, but simply determining "gender by behavior", so if you have an energetic male Eastern that seems to want to mate with anything, try placing him with a Northern of unknown sex. Some males seem to be ready for mating any time of the year, and usually are easier to identify than the females using the behavioral method. At times, males will "recognize" females by sniffing and nipping at their hindquarters. This is an excellent sign for determining both the male, and female. Some males however, are simply out of control and will charge anything that moves; male or female. In these cases, watch the other animal's reaction. See if it lifts its tail. See if its tail whips around erratically. If it's not a female, the male obviously will not be able to breed, and the receiving animal will not lift the tail or accept the male's advances. It might fight back. One other thing I noticed in females—but is probably not consistent—is a unique and attentive "watchful" head motion. Some of my females seem to jerk their heads toward the male in an excited attentive sort of way. This only occurs in the first minute or so, and subsequently, the female just looks straight ahead and is motionless.
Traits to watch for in the male:
- Complete halt in movement—The male will likely freeze for up to 30 seconds or more, then bolt toward the female. We call this event the look of interest or the look of intent.
- Latching on—The male will bite onto the other animal and hold on.
- Movement—If the previous action was not an offensive attack, the male will begin moving the female around with his mouth. Up, down, left, and right, he will situate her, and re-situate her until he is ready to evert the hemipenes. We call this the "mating movement".
- Rearing tail underneath—If and when the male begins to rear his tail underneath the other animal, this is a sure sign of being a male. This action pretty much seals the deal unless you have some insane confused skink.
- And finally, hemipenis eversion—You will see the male sex organs evert (sometimes surprisingly far) as he attempts to copulate. Your animal is now 100% a male.
Traits to watch for in the female:
- Oscillating tail—watch for an erratic, wagging, "snake-like" tail movement.
- Eventual elevation of the tail— This is the female preparing to "accept" the male's sexual advances to complete copulation.
- Not fighting back—If you are experimenting during breeding season (do so for best results), the female normally should not act immoderately defensive toward a male's sexual advances. A few nips in return is not uncommon during courtship.
- Teasing—Although this doesn't always happen, a sexually excited female will sometimes walk by the male actually enticing him. This happens especially when the male is not showing much interest. She will walk by with somewhat of a jerky motion, tail flailing, and intently watch him the whole time. Not all females do this. Some run away, some fight back, it entirely depends on the male's actions, environment, temperature, etc.
These are the 3 sure fire methods. We've devised our own composition we call the "Three E's"
¹) Ejection or dispersion of seminal plugs = MALE
²) Eversion of hemipenes during excretion = MALE
³) Expression or behavior. How does your animal react when placed with another blue tongue?
Do not put young blue tongues together (under six months). They probably will not display breeding behavior, and will either ignore each other, or fight.
Interesting note: One theory as to why snakes and lizards have TWO hemipenes is because they never know which side they'll be able to line up with the female.
Written by Zach @ bluetongueskinks.net
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