We call them blue-tongue skinks (Tiliqua sp. One of the reasons I dont have a dimmer is because there is no protection against influxes in temp. If you are wondering if your BTS is acting normally or might be sick, this is where you can get help with that. You may even find a skink with setup that needs a new home. 3 months ago. The blue-tongued skink is a large, diurnal lizard, whose appetite for slugs and snails makes it a favorite pet among gardeners in Australia. Although they tend to be very laid-back, skinks also tend to form strong bonds with their owners, and that might be why they are so popular. Br@ndy. Blue Tongue Skinks Discussion FORUMS General Discussion and FAQ; It is currently Fri Nov 27, 2020 1:08 am; All times are UTC; Expensive!!! Brown is the most common, but you'll also see it with black, gold, cream, peach and even red scales. You get one skink, and sooner or later you’re itching for another. - : Blue tongue skinks are relatively large lizards and are light-bodied, short-legged, with distinctive heads and pale teeth, except for the pygmy blue-tongue. So you only see them rarely/if someones gone out to get/find them hence them being more expensive. The blue tongue is a pretty safe yet expensive investment (the starting price for a common blue tongue is about $200) and can tolerate handling. 8. But which kind of substrate you need depends on your type of skink. Captive-bred blue-tongue skinks can be much easier to raise than bearded dragons. If your house is pretty much the same temperature constantly, no problem. Please allow time for your blue tongue skink to get used to its new home. Fortnite's Item Shop is too expensive, and it's impossible to even remotely keep up with all the new skins and cosmetics Epic Games releases. Prices … Blue tongue skinks are ectothermic, so they rely on the conditions of their environment to survive. There are lots of reasons why I recommend blue-tongued skinks over other types of skinks or even over many other reptiles as pets. They are very docile and easy to handle, they are hardy and easy to feed, they are average in size, and they have a beautiful appearance with a brilliant blue tongue which they are always sliding in and out of their mouths. Lungs starved of oxygen turn our tongues blue. Adults reach lengths between 18 and 24 inches. They are often only seven inches in size with females being so slightly larger than the male. In this forum all are welcome to ask blue tongue skink-related questions, share information, ideas, tips, experiences, and pictures with fellow BTS enthusiasts. This is also where you can have some FUN while sharing the enjoyment you get from your blueys! 1 decade ago. All blue tongue skinks are members of the genus Tiliqua, and are named for their characteristic blue tongues.There are eight different species in the genus, with various colors and patterns. Blue tongue skinks are burrowing animals and should have at least 3 inches of substrate. Just got a BTS and want to introduce yourself? For a quick and easy way to set up a bioactive substrate for your blue tongue skink, check out The Bio Dude: For a dry setup: Terra Firma kit (x3) If you haven’t been giving your skink enrichment toys or at least planning to, then you’re missing out on an excellent way to care for your skink. This is the place! Blue-tongue skinks are strong and clever, so make sure your front or top-opening tanks are securely locked. Personally, I don’t find this theory all that convincing. They look like a strange cross between a lizard and a snake, but they can be just as endearing as either of these animals. This is mainly because of their laid-back and friendly behaviour. While there are 600-800 breeds of skinks, the most common pet skink is the blue tongued breed. So if you restrict it down and gets too cold for the reptile it will not automatically adjust. The substrate should be moist with high humidity, but if water starts pooling, decrease the humidity by increasing ventilation. Tongues are meant to be pink. To care for a blue tongue skink, you need to have the time and the right materials to effectively care for one. So I've looked into blue tongued skinks and literally everything about them is perfect. All species are found on mainland Australia with the exception of Tiliqua gigas , which occurs in New Guinea and various islands of Indonesia . But to get one here in Canada costs more than $500 dollars, most getting closer to $600. phil goss. They are diurnal animals just like humans, and thus, it’s easy to interact with them. I’m not unwilling to pay that much, but I have no idea what’s with the 3x price markup, Also if you know any breeders in or near Alberta that sell for cheaper let me know, Lack of breeders? Why Skinks Need UV Light There is a common belief floating around that blue-tongued skinks don’t need UV bulbs. Why Blue Tongues Can Make Cool Pets. Personally, I agree with you that cs skins are overpriced, but cs is a completely different game since it has such a huge market with real-world value by trading and whatnot, skins are practically 40% of the game. Blue-tongued skinks comprise the Australasian genus Tiliqua, which contains some of the largest members of the skink family (Scincidae). ), commonly called blue-tongued lizards or simply blue-tongues and blueys, are endemic to Australia. Here are a few cool facts you might like to know, as well as some things you should be aware of if you are thinking of bringing one home: 1. Many captive-bred pet blue-tongue skinks will become quite friendly and beg to come out when they spot their main care-giver. Blue-Tongued Skink Size Blue tongue skink is the largest blue-tongue. Bildagentur Zoonar GmbH/Shutterstock. Northern blue-tongued skink. and are not blue, which is very interesting. These lizards are diurnal and are intelligent, laid back and sturdy. Why Skinks Need UV Light There is a common belief floating around that blue-tongued skinks don’t need UV bulbs. People trying to impress their own opinions onto their skink is often a cause of malnourishment and even death among blue tongue skinks. That said, most skink owners in the know tend to come down on 1 side of the argument. Blue-Tongued Skink Enclosure Many keepers use premium canned dog or cat foods as their source of protein! This will not allow the light to be as bright which will decrease the amount of heat the bulb can produce. New blue tongue skinks will be stressed and will spend most of time hiding and not wanting to be touched. Blue tongue skinks are extraordinarily curious lizards that get bored easily, with above average needs for mental as well as physical exercise. Here are a few cool facts you might like to know, as well as some things you should be aware of if you are thinking of bringing one home: 1. A cozy place for anyone who loves cold-blooded creatures of the world. … This is also where you can have some FUN while sharing the enjoyment you get from your blueys! #1 – There are 1,500 Skink Species in the World – But Only 1 Has a Blue-Tongue. The break down of these items should be mostly vegetables like leafy greens. Maria Ramirez, via ReptilesMagazine.com . The dimmer wouldnt adjust the heat accordingly. Skinks are easy-to-care-for, low-maintenance lizards, and make good pets for children and beginners, as long as owners are prepared for their relatively large size compared to other pet lizards. Docile blue tongues are tolerant of handling, too. Blue tongues are quiet an investment since . The blue-tongued skink is one of the stranger animals to be found at a pet store. The most prominent and popular of the pet skinks is the Tiliqua, or blue-tongued skink. 3. They are the Western, Centralian, Eastern, Northern, Blotched, Pygmy, Indonesian, Kei Isl… Skinks are really cute animals. Blue-tongue skinks are forest floor dwelling lizards with large, smooth, flat scales; a wide head and a bright blue tongue. Blue Tongue Skinks spend most of their time hiding, so place several hideouts throughout the enclosure so they can take advantage of the entire temperature gradient. Just got a BTS and want to introduce yourself? Have a question? Blue tongued skinks are extraordinary! I personally vote for the temp controller (If what you mean by that is one of those things that switches the heat source on and off to keep it at the temp you want.) From what I’ve seen, a BTS cost ~$200-250 in the USA, which seems reasonable enough. These are much smaller than the other subspecies of skink. Among blue-tongue skink enthusiasts, this can sometimes be quite a heated argument. Soil not only looks great, but it will often allow for the construction of “tunnels,” which blue-tongued skinks occasionally like to do. Other reasons why blue tongue skinks make good pets is: Cute and fun to look at. It has features of many different types of blue-tongue, so it's possible that it's a naturally-occurring hybrid breed rather than a “true” blue-tongued skink. She is the author of My Husband and Other Animals.… Read Next. According to a new study published in the journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, the skink's blue tongue serves as a deterrent to ward off would-be predators. These lizards have large heads with Armour plated scales. In this article, we will attempt to find the best food for blue tongue skink lizards. However, the best-recommended size should be 60 gallons. To determine the gender your blue tongue skink, look at these factors: Body length – females are usually longer than males. Low Temperature. Many blue tongue skinks enjoy coming out to explore. They ran the spectrophotometer over the tongues of 13 skinks and found that in addition to the tongue being UV-blue, the back was nearly twice as bright as the tip. However, the exact size you can expect is going to depend entirely on the subspecies you choose. Sure they might be a bit more expensive, but I don't mind. Northern blue-tongued skink. Include a large, flat stone or piece of tile for a basking surface. Here are the most common diseases in blue-tongue skinks. YOU’VE PROBABLY experienced it yourself on a bushwalk – a startled bluetongue skink exposes its large blue tongue, often simultaneously hissing and inflating its body to look bigger and more threatening. Also, skinks **really** enjoy digging up the bugs and snacking on them, so they make excellent mental stimulation as well. A common size range for this kind of pet skink is 12-18 inches (30-45 cm), though some can be as long as 32 inches (80 cm). Yes Blue Tongue Skinks shed their skin, it’s how they grow wider. You have to have an enclosure to keep it in, the ability to maintain the ideal temperature for it to thrive, and the right food to satisfy your skink’s dietary needs. The blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua spp., Cyclodomorphus spp.) This is why if you are starting out as a new skink keeper; keep just one reptile for at least a year or so before experimenting with keeping multiple BTS reptiles. Blotched blue tongue skinks inhabit southeastern Australia. Makes an excellent pet, due to its beautiful coloration, calm and docile nature, large size and long lifespan. Everything Blue Tongues! I want a lizard that I can have by me while I study or maybe rest on me while I watch Youtube, etc. Taming and regular handling can help fulfill that need for stimulation while also teaching the skink to feel secure in your presence. What more could you want from a skink! If the head is wider than the body, it’s likely to be a male. Fact #5: Why they have a blue tongue! They are quite large blue tongues, reaching 23-24 inches long (58.4-61 cm) long. Now that you have a basic understanding of blue-tongued skinks and their lifestyle in the wild, we can begin discussing the best way to maintain these lizards in captivity. People trying to impress their own opinions onto their skink is often a cause of malnourishment and even death among blue tongue skinks. This is the place! Do NOT clutter the tank, though, as skinks enjoy plenty of open space. Adult blue tongue skinks (18 months old … Each Blue Tongue Skink species requires slightly different humidity levels, so let’s discuss the most popular pet—the Northern blue-tongued skink. Pet skinks should be placed in glass tanks with a very warm environment. In today's episode we talk about why blue tongue skinks are becoming so popular and why I think they are the next big thing in reptiles! There are ten types, or subspecies, of blue-tongued skink. The Northern blue tongue skink is one of the largest available. I don't know if its the same in Canada but I am assuming because they can get the money for them I don't foresee them dropping prices until there is more competition, New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Although blue-tongue skinks are known for their hardiness and toughness, like all animals, they are still susceptible to disease and sickness. 18/06/2018 Janaki Lenin . Remember that one of the reasons we discouraged a blue tongue skink starter kit was the tank size. They are omnivores and so need a balanced diet of vegetables, animal proteins, and fruits. I'm just not sure how chill they are. There are several different species and subspecies of blue-tongued skink, all of which sport the trademark berry-blue tongue. Aquarium stores also often sell cracked tanks for very low prices. Blue-tongues are by far the most popular pet skink which can be hardy captives if they are captive-bred. The average blue tongue skink size is pretty big compared to other popular lizard species in the reptile trade. Between the terrerium, lights, heaters, bedding and food sources, youre talking about 300 + dollars. If you're looking to save money, something like craigslist or local classifieds may be a good place to look. Their tongues really are blue! ), because, well, their tongues are blue. More info About the Blue Tongue Skink . Everyone is or wants to breed. Blue tongue skinks are burrowing lizards, so they require 4-6 inches of deep, soft, loose substrate. That is why it’s very important to setup its enclosure before you bring it home. They feed on almost everything readily available in any ordinary household, and they are not so picky. Press J to jump to the feed. Substrates to avoid are: sand (by itself), walnut shells and anything containing pine or cedar. The rest 5%-10% percent o… Blue-Tongued Skink. Blue-tongued skinks comprise the Australian Genus Tiliqua, which have the few largest members of the Skink family Scincidae. If your blue tongue is very stressed, you can cover the sides of … despite the fact that if, while you're honest approximately washing your hands after dealing with you puppy, this shouldnt be a controversy. Reasons why a blue tongued skink bites its owner. - : Most species of this type are daily, ground-metal omnivorous animals that feed on various types of insects, gastropods, flowers, fruits and berries. Head shape and size – males usually have larger and broader heads, but it’s not always true. Answer: While the bearded dragon and leopard gecko are most often recommended as the ideal beginner lizards—and with good reason—the blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua ssp.) Thus, buying a large tank for your pet will give them enough … Their tongues really are blue! Respiratory Infection- caused by high humidity levels, … The first common reason why your blue tongue skink is hiding is because it’s new and scared. This means there is a little chance they will bite or run away. Unfortunately, google … There is a number of different reasons why your blue tongued skink may bite you. They are commonly called blue-tongued lizards or simply blue-tongues or blueys in Australia.As suggested by these common names, a prominent characteristic of the genus is a large blue tongue that can be bared as a bluff-warning to potential enemies. Although they tend to be very laid-back, skinks also tend to form strong bonds with their owners, and that might be why they are so popular. Why Do Blue-Tongued Skinks Have Blue Tongues? While there are 600-800 breeds of skinks, the most common pet skink is the blue tongued breed. Blue-tongues, … Centralian blue-tongued skinks grow between 15.5 and 17.5 inches (40 to 45 cm) in length. They Brumate (sleep) through winter and breed through spring, so leaving water out in spring and summer is perfectly fine. Why do blue tongued skink bite? Blue-tongue skinks are certainly tough, after all, not too many animals thrive of off eating dead, decaying meat and trampled vegetation. In this forum all are welcome to ask blue tongue skink-related questions, share information, ideas, tips, experiences, and pictures with fellow BTS enthusiasts. However, there are also theories suggesting it is used to scare off potential predators. 4. 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