Northern Blue Tongue Skink Care Sheet
Enclosure
-A 4x2x2 enclosure is the minimum acceptable enclosure for an adult blue tongue.
Substrate: We use cypress mulch (ex. Forest Floor). For Indonesian species cypress mulch mixed with eco earth should be used to meet their higher humidity requirements.
Basking: You can use whatever bulb gets your basking SURFACE temp to 105 degrees. Heat lamps can often be found fairly cheap at your local hardware store (ex: clamp light). You may need a higher or lower wattage bulb depending on the temps in your home. A basking spot can be as simple as a piece of slate from the hardware store.
Hide: Cork bark or any approved reptile hide.
Thermometer/Hygrometer: Temps should be measured with an infrared temp gun. The cool side is suggested to be between 70-80 degrees. As mentioned above, the basking surface temp should be around 105 degrees. For a Northern blue tongue skink, it is suggested the humidity level remain between 50-60 percent . For irian jaya, humidity should be at least 60 percent.
Feeding: We suggest a high-quality, wet dog food (ex. Nature’s Logic, Instinct, Whole Earth or Wellness core). Food can be mixed with 50% fresh veggies for skinks >400g.
Feed a portion the size of your skinks head. Feed daily until they wean themselves down to every 2 or 3 days at around 3 to 4 months. As adults they should only be fed weekly.
Supplements: Calcium and D3 should be added to every feed. We use Miner All indoor formula by Sticky Tongue Farms. We also use a multivitamin such as herptivite once a week. UVB is not necessary when supplementing properly, but may certainly be offered.
Baby Blue Tongue Care Sheet
This care sheet focuses specifically on baby to juvenile blue tongue skinks. There are a few key elements necessary to ensure a happy, healthy baby!
1.) Heat - Proper heating is absolutely crucial to a baby's well being. Without the proper temperatures, babies will not be active, grow well or eat. The biggest complaint of new owners about their baby is that they refuse to eat. This can occur if temps are either too low or too high.
-The basking surface temperature (use a piece of slate) should be 102. The warm side of the (1/3 of the enclosure) should be over 90.
-The cooler side (1/3 of the enclosure) should be in the 70s.
-Hides should be provided in both the warm and cool sides.
-Temperatures should only be measured with a temp gun, NOT a sticker, or probe.
2.) Safety/Security - Your baby has been raised in a small, secure space. Going from this to a giant tank is terrifying for it. If you have purchased an adult sized enclosure, consider dividing it into a smaller space with a piece of cardboard. Aim for the size of a 20 long tank to start. Keep in mind the temperature guidelines.
-It is a good idea to cover the sides of the enclosure for the first week. A tank with all glass sides leaves the skink feeling incredibly exposed.
-Offer lots of small hides, both on the warm 1/3 and cool 1/3 of the enclosure.
-Provide 1 inch of substrate (cypress mulch). Deep substrate encourages burrowing and if it goes too deep, this cools the baby down. It will tend to stay burrowed and not eat.
-Offer food near the hide your baby chooses. Until that baby feels safe, it will not leave the hide. Let it eat where it feels safest.
-Your baby is currently eating poultry flavored wellness core, nature's logic, zignature and whole earth wet dog food supplemented with calcium and D3 every feed. We recommend continuing this diet for continuity.
- Give it privacy and limit handling for the first week. Monitor the baby while disturbing as little as possible.
3.) Food- Wet cat or dog food is best for your baby. Fruits, vegetables and insects are not necessary. Growing babies need protein, and it will get exactly what it needs from wet cat or dog food. Once they are greater than 400 gm, you can change to 50% dog food, 50% veggies .
-See other care sheet for food and supplementation recommendations.
- Feed your baby daily.
What to Feed Blue Tongues
These are the specific brands and flavors we recommend. Your baby is used to these properly balanced foods. They are all it needs to thrive. We recommend continuing these for continuity.