Blue Tongue Skink
Tiliqua spp.
Species Profile & Temperament
| Trait | Overview |
|---|---|
| Origin | Australia (Northerns) and Indonesia |
| Diet Type | Omnivore (Insects, vegetables, wet dog food) |
| Activity | Diurnal (Active during the day) |
| Temperament | Often called the "golden retrievers" of the reptile world. Very smart, slow-moving, and docile. |
| Handleability | Excellent. They are heavy and move slowly, Hold them low over a table or counter. Because they have very short legs, they must be fully supported from underneath. |
| Difficulty | 2/5 — Easy |
| Hardiness | 4/5 — Hardy |
Northern vs. Indonesian (Humidity Warning)
KNOW YOUR SUBSPECIES: There are two main groups of Blue Tongue Skinks in the pet trade, and they require completely different humidity levels:
- Australian (Northerns): Live in drier country and need a drier setup.
- Indonesian (Halmahera, Merauke): Live in wetter habitats and need more humidity. Kept too dry, an Indonesian is prone to stuck shed and breathing trouble.
Housing & Enclosure
Enclosure Type & Size
- Size: Floor space matters more than height. They are terrestrial lizards that need room to roam. Ask our reptile staff to help you pick a size.
- Type: PVC enclosures are highly recommended over glass tanks because they hold heat and humidity much better (especially for Indonesian species).
Substrate
- Depth: Provide deep, diggable substrate. They love to burrow and will often sleep completely submerged in the dirt.
- Recommended (Northerns): Aspen shavings, ReptiBark, or a dry organic topsoil mix.
- Recommended (Indonesians): Cypress mulch, coconut coir (EcoEarth), or a tropical bioactive mix that holds moisture.
Décor & Enrichment
- Hides: Provide large, sturdy hides on both the warm and cool ends. Cork bark flats are excellent, as they can squeeze underneath them to feel secure.
- Climbing: They have very short legs and are clumsy climbers. Keep climbing structures low to the ground to prevent fatal falls.
Heating & Lighting
Temperature Requirements
Give your skink a warm side and a cool side so it can move between them. Follow the label on your heat lamp and thermostat for settings, and measure with a thermometer and a temp gun.
- Heating: A high-wattage halogen basking bulb is best to provide deep, penetrating heat. Use a temperature gun to measure the surface of the basking rock, not just the air temperature.
Lighting & UVB
- UVB (Mandatory): Like most diurnal lizards, they require UVB to synthesize Vitamin D3 and process calcium. Arcadia lists blue-tongues under both its Desert 12% and Forest 6% lamps. Which lamp fits depends on the enclosure. Follow the bulb maker's chart for the lamp, the mounting and the distance.
- Light Cycle: Lights on by day, off at night. Follow the light or timer maker's instructions.
Diet & Nutrition
Blue Tongue Skinks are true omnivores. Feed a mix of protein and produce: mostly dark leafy greens and vegetables, a little fruit, and varied protein. Never build the diet on a single food.
The "Dog Food" Diet
Many keepers use a quality wet dog food as one protein in the mix, along with insects and snails. It should never be the only food.
- How often and how much depends on age. Ask our reptile staff for a schedule that fits your skink.
Vegetables & Greens
- Staples: Mustard greens, collard greens, dandelion greens, butternut squash.
- Avoid: Spinach (binds calcium), iceberg lettuce (no nutrition).
Live Insects & Snails (For enrichment)
- They love hunting! Offer Dubia roaches, hornworms, and superworms.
- Snails: Canned or live (pesticide-free) snails are a natural favorite. Their strong jaws are perfectly evolved to crush snail shells.
Supplements
- Gut-load feeder insects 24 to 48 hours before feeding, following the label.
- Dust insects with calcium every time. Use calcium with D3 at most feedings and a multivitamin about once a week. Follow the powder label. Zoo Med lists blue-tongue skinks among the animals that need supplemented D3.
What We Stock & Use in Our Stores
These are products we carry and recommend for this species. Ask any associate for help finding them in-store.
| Category | Product | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lighting | Arcadia T5 HO UVB Kit (6% or 12%) | Essential for preventing Metabolic Bone Disease |
| Heating | Zoo Med Basking Spot Lamp | Heat only, not UVB. Use on a thermostat |
| Substrate | Zoo Med Forest Floor (Cypress Mulch) | Excellent for Indonesian humidity needs |
| Diet | Zoo Med Can O' Snails | The ultimate high-value treat for a BTS |
Last updated: 2026-08-04
How We Keep Them at Critter Cabana & Gresham Pet Supply
- Beating Dry Oregon Furnace Air (and Summer Heat Spikes): Across the Willamette Valley and Portland Metro, running the house furnace all winter drops indoor humidity to 25–35%, which quickly causes stuck sheds and dehydration in screen-top tanks. For an Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink, which needs more humidity, our crew uses a deep 3–5" substrate bed (or our store-shelf 10-Part Bioactive Mix of ReptiSoil, Coco Fiber, Orchiata Bark, Sphagnum Moss, and Leaf Litter), a dedicated humid hide packed with damp sphagnum moss, and partial screen cover when needed. Northerns get a drier setup.
- Thermostat & Linear UVB Standard: Every heating element in our Newberg and Gresham reptile rooms runs on a thermostat, with a warm side and a cooler retreat, and the heat and UVB lights run on a day/night timer. In summer, if an upstairs room climbs above 82°F, a dimming thermostat automatically backs down the basking lamp so the cool side never overheats.
- Shopping at Newberg & Gresham: For enclosures, thermostats, UVB lighting, bioactive supplies, springtails, isopods and feeders at Critter Cabana (Newberg) and Gresham Pet Supply, ask us what we have in store today.
Common Questions (FAQ)
What size tank does an adult Blue Tongue Skink actually need?
Blue Tongue Skinks need floor space more than height, with room for a warm side and a cool side and hides on both ends. Our reptile staff can help you choose a size.
How do I keep an Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink humid enough during dry Oregon winters?
Oregon winter furnace heat dries out thin bedding fast. Use a 3–5 inch moisture-retaining substrate mix (such as Zoo Med ReptiSoil blended with coco fiber, Orchiata bark, and sphagnum moss), provide an enclosed humid hide, and cover 50–70% of an open screen top with HVAC foil tape or a PVC panel if ambient humidity drops too low.
What is the best bioactive clean-up crew for a Blue Tongue Skink?
Match it to your skink. A Northern needs a drier bed, so use an isopod kind that handles a drier tank. An Indonesian in a humid soil bed can take one that likes a humid tank. Pair either with springtails. We'll help you pick an isopod kind that suits your tank's climate. Our 1-Page or Tri-Fold Bioactive Substrate Recipe Guide covers the rest.
Where can I get Blue Tongue Skink setup supplies, live feeders, and thermostats in Oregon?
Ask us what we have in store today at Critter Cabana in Newberg (514 E First St, 503-537-2887) and Gresham Pet Supply (2185 NW Burnside Rd, 503-665-7606).
Shop supplies for this animal
Everything for your Blue Tongue Skink setup, ready for pickup in store or shipped to you.
