The Blue Tongue Skink Care Guide and Info Thread

[Fallen_Leaves16]

Looks good. I'd add just a little more substrate and cover, but for the most part I don't think it'll pose much of a problem. Good luck!

Here’s the setup, he should be here in the morning
Reptisun 10.0 at around 14” away
100w basking bulb
150w heat bulb
Tank is 4ft x 18nches
Think this is good for the tanimbar?

temps/humidity are not accurate, I’ve had the lights off all day and I just sprayed it

View attachment 1525319

 

[Friller2009]

Here’s the setup, he should be here in the morning
Reptisun 10.0 at around 14” away
100w basking bulb
150w heat bulb
Tank is 4ft x 18nches
Think this is good for the tanimbar?

temps/humidity are not accurate, I’ve had the lights off all day and I just sprayed it

View attachment 1525319

Good looking set up, seems like you care for this animal, but there is a couple things I'd change.
1. I would aim for a larger enclosure in depth, I'd aim for 24 inches. A lizard that can reach up to 24 inches should be able to turn around completely. I would suggest front opening as well. I've found with skinks, they hate hands coming from the top. The blood i've lost testifies this. Building a melamine enclosure shouldn't be that hard, just make sure you seal the edges well with silicone to keep the humidity in.

2. Change the substrate. BTs don't live on sphagnum moss. For my eastern, I use a substrate of eucalyptus mulch, coir peat and sand (3:2:1), but I use this to keep down humidity to prevent respiratory infections during brumation. For my pink tongue, I use a substrate which I would suggest for your BT. It's a mix of Eucalyptus mulch, Coir Peat, Orchid Bark, Tree fern fibre, Sphagnum moss and sand (2:2:2:1:1:1) and leaf litter on top. I would also allow for a substrate level of about 25cm to allow for digging, something which blueys, scincoides in particular, do a lot.

3. I would raise the basking spot and use a tile such as slate to heat up. You don't want your lizard to be a slave to a basking spot. I use slate and sandstone in my enclosures and they heat up really well with just a simple 25W flood light.

 

[Fallen_Leaves16]

Didn't notice the sphagnum moss substrate- would definitely recommend changing that.

I defer to Friller's expertise- I'm only a mere novice compared to him.

 

[Joshuakahan]

Good looking set up, seems like you care for this animal, but there is a couple things I'd change.
1. I would aim for a larger enclosure in depth, I'd aim for 24 inches. A lizard that can reach up to 24 inches should be able to turn around completely. I would suggest front opening as well. I've found with skinks, they hate hands coming from the top. The blood i've lost testifies this. Building a melamine enclosure shouldn't be that hard, just make sure you seal the edges well with silicone to keep the humidity in.

2. Change the substrate. BTs don't live on sphagnum moss. For my eastern, I use a substrate of eucalyptus mulch, coir peat and sand (3:2:1), but I use this to keep down humidity to prevent respiratory infections during brumation. For my pink tongue, I use a substrate which I would suggest for your BT. It's a mix of Eucalyptus mulch, Coir Peat, Orchid Bark, Tree fern fibre, Sphagnum moss and sand (2:2:2:1:1:1) and leaf litter on top. I would also allow for a substrate level of about 25cm to allow for digging, something which blueys, scincoides in particular, do a lot.

3. I would raise the basking spot and use a tile such as slate to heat up. You don't want your lizard to be a slave to a basking spot. I use slate and sandstone in my enclosures and they heat up really well with just a simple 25W flood light.

Thanks! The BTS I’m getting is actually a tanimbar which supposedly stay smaller, 14-18” with 18” being the biggest known and they grow very slowly from what I’m reading. So hopefully the 75 is good for a while.But I’m planning on buying/building a front opening at some point. Do you know if my info about tanimbars is correct as far as staying smaller?
Sorry for the bad picture, but this is actually 4-ish inches of Forest Floor ( cypress mulch ) with around 1” of sphagnum to aid in humidity. Do you still think I should change or add to that?

 

[Joshuakahan]

Looks good. I'd add just a little more substrate and cover, but for the most part I don't think it'll pose much of a problem. Good luck!

Thanks!

 

[Joshuakahan]

Good looking set up, seems like you care for this animal, but there is a couple things I'd change.
1. I would aim for a larger enclosure in depth, I'd aim for 24 inches. A lizard that can reach up to 24 inches should be able to turn around completely. I would suggest front opening as well. I've found with skinks, they hate hands coming from the top. The blood i've lost testifies this. Building a melamine enclosure shouldn't be that hard, just make sure you seal the edges well with silicone to keep the humidity in.

2. Change the substrate. BTs don't live on sphagnum moss. For my eastern, I use a substrate of eucalyptus mulch, coir peat and sand (3:2:1), but I use this to keep down humidity to prevent respiratory infections during brumation. For my pink tongue, I use a substrate which I would suggest for your BT. It's a mix of Eucalyptus mulch, Coir Peat, Orchid Bark, Tree fern fibre, Sphagnum moss and sand (2:2:2:1:1:1) and leaf litter on top. I would also allow for a substrate level of about 25cm to allow for digging, something which blueys, scincoides in particular, do a lot.

3. I would raise the basking spot and use a tile such as slate to heat up. You don't want your lizard to be a slave to a basking spot. I use slate and sandstone in my enclosures and they heat up really well with just a simple 25W flood light.

I just added leaf litter to the cypress and sphagnum

 

[Friller2009]

Thanks! The BTS I’m getting is actually a tanimbar which supposedly stay smaller, 14-18” with 18” being the biggest known and they grow very slowly from what I’m reading. So hopefully the 75 is good for a while.But I’m planning on buying/building a front opening at some point. Do you know if my info about tanimbars is correct as far as staying smaller?
Sorry for the bad picture, but this is actually 4-ish inches of Forest Floor ( cypress mulch ) with around 1” of sphagnum to aid in humidity. Do you still think I should change or add to that?

That's my error in thinking that tanimbar were just northerns from the tanimbar islands.
I'd still aim for a 24" deep enclosure, that extra space will just give so much for you animal.
I would defiantly mix the substrate around and add a little bit of sand to hold burrows together.

 

[Joshuakahan]

That's my error in thinking that tanimbar were just northerns from the tanimbar islands.
I'd still aim for a 24" deep enclosure, that extra space will just give so much for you animal.
I would defiantly mix the substrate around and add a little bit of sand to hold burrows together.

Oh haha, no it’s a lot more like a smaller Indonesian from what I’m told…but with an attitude
Is there a specific type of sand or just any standard reptile sand?

 

[Kelly_Aquatics]

I agree with the front opening doors, it makes interactions much easier. For substrate I use coco fiber and sphagnum moss and a bit of orchid bark.

 

[Joshuakahan]

I agree with the front opening doors, it makes interactions much easier. For substrate I use coco fiber and sphagnum moss and a bit of orchid bark.

I’m noticing that front opening would be much easier. That’s what I use for my lacerta