Adult Blue Tongue Skink Care: Feeding, Housing and Health

An adult blue tongue skink (Tiliqua scincoides) is a fully grown animal. A zoo fact sheet gives a snout to vent length of roughly 300 to 320 mm and a total length averaging 450 mm.

Adult care means holding a steady weight, keeping bones strong and watching for slow problems such as obesity. The general care guide covers the basics from the start; this page covers the grown animal.

When a Blue Tongue Skink Counts as an Adult

The Australian Museum puts sexual maturity in Tiliqua scincoides at about 3 years of age. By then the lizard reaches roughly 400 mm in total length. LafeberVet gives 2 to 3 years for the northern subspecies (Tiliqua scincoides intermedia).

Newborns are about 90 to 130 mm in snout to vent length and weigh 8.4 to 20.7 g.

An adult is several times longer and far heavier. In practice, treat a skink past 3 years as an adult. It is fully grown once length stops climbing between checks.

Size figures vary by source. The Animal Diversity Web lists about 33 cm and 493 g, but does not say whether the length is body or total.

The zoo gives 450 mm total length on average. Do not merge the two; the first likely excludes the tail.

Males and females look alike, so size alone does not tell you the sex. Subspecies and other Tiliqua species differ in size, but no authoritative figures were available for them here. Do not apply these numbers to the shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa) or the giant blue tongue (Tiliqua gigas).

Adult Blue Tongue Skink Diet and Feeding Frequency

In the wild, Tiliqua scincoides eats flowers, native fruits, berries, fungi, insects, snails and carrion. Snails and insects are important prey.

That makes it an omnivore, and a captive menu should mix animal protein with plants. The blue tongue skink diet guide lists foods in detail.

LafeberVet, writing on the northern subspecies, puts greens and vegetables at 45 to 60 percent of the diet. Insects, snails and the occasional pink mouse make up the rest.

RSPCA Australia puts animal foods at 50 percent of an adult diet and 70 percent under 1 year of age. Both agree that adults eat a larger plant share than juveniles.

Feeding frequency is where the two authorities part ways. LafeberVet feeds adults every 1 to 2 days. RSPCA Australia feeds subadults and adults 1 to 2 times a week.

Portion size explains the gap, since frequent feeding needs small meals. Adjust to the scale reading, not to appetite, because a skink will usually eat what is offered.

RSPCA Australia adds vegetables with multivitamin powder every 2 weeks, a raw or boiled egg every 2 to 3 weeks and fruit in season. LafeberVet dusts calcium on a nonbreeding adult diet once a week, at a calcium to phosphorus ratio of at least 2:1. A general vitamin and mineral supplement goes on once a week.

Calcium balance matters more than the exact ratio. Merck lists calcium to phosphorus ratios for common reptile foods. Mealworms are 0.11, crickets 0.31, earthworms 0.69 and adult mice 1.37.

A low ratio means more phosphorus than calcium, so mealworms should not be the main food. Remove uneaten dead prey after about 12 hours.

An older reference mentions dog food with added vitamins and greens such as collard, turnip and dandelion. That source is dated, so ask a reptile veterinarian about current feeds.

Weight and Body Condition

Serial weights are how a veterinarian tracks growth and disease, so an accurate scale is basic equipment. Body condition is judged from weight relative to length and from overall shape. The species average of about 493 g is a rough reference, and individuals vary.

Weigh your adult blue tongue skink on a kitchen scale once a month and log the figure with the date. A gain of several months in a row means portions are too large. A steady loss with a normal appetite points to parasites or illness and needs a vet visit.

LafeberVet lists obesity among the common problems of captive northern blue tongues, along with metabolic bone disease and cachexia from poor husbandry.

Merck links it to limited exercise and excess calories, and notes it can lead to hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver). The fix is more exercise and a gradual diet change over many months, not a sudden fast.

Enclosure Needs for Adults

Merck recommends 0.2 m2 of floor per 0.1 m of total length for terrestrial lizards. This is a general rule, not a Tiliqua figure.

As arithmetic, a 0.45 m skink needs 0.2 x 4.5 = 0.9 m2. A 0.6 m skink needs 0.2 x 6 = 1.2 m2.

Species sources land in the same range. RSPCA Australia gives an adult enclosure of 1.2 to 1.8 m long, 0.6 m wide and 0.6 to 0.9 m high. LafeberVet calls 40 to 55 gallons the minimum for an adult northern blue tongue, with larger always better.

The species is terrestrial and shelters in burrows at night in the wild, so floor area matters more than height. House one skink per enclosure. RSPCA Australia calls them territorial, and LafeberVet lists bite wounds from group housing as a common injury.

Include a snug hide, a second hide at the cooler end and enough open floor to walk. The housing guide compares enclosure types.

Heat and UVB in Brief

The Australian Museum reports that wild eastern blue tongues hold a body temperature of about 30 to 35 C when active. They bask in the early morning to get there.

LafeberVet gives a basking spot of 33 to 38 C and a cool end of 21 to 29 C for the northern subspecies. RSPCA Australia gives a gradient of 27 to 42 C across the enclosure.

Merck adds the general principle that night runs about 5 C cooler than the preferred zone. Use a thermometer at both ends and screen heat sources, since Merck links burns to unscreened lights.

Merck calls UVB at 290 to 300 nm especially important for diurnal lizards, and this skink is diurnal. Fluorescent tubes sit within 30 cm of the animal and are replaced every 9 to 12 months. Mercury vapor bulbs are replaced every 12 months.

Most glass and plastic filters UVB, and a 12 hour photoperiod suits general maintenance. RSPCA Australia accepts 4 to 6 hours of unfiltered sunlight a week in place of an artificial UV source.

Humidity for the northern subspecies sits near 30 percent (LafeberVet). RSPCA Australia gives 40 to 60 percent for Australian keepers. The heating and lighting guide covers equipment.

Brumation in Australian Types

Brumation is a winter slowdown in reptiles. The Australian Museum reports that wild eastern blue tongues are inactive during cold weather, buried in shelter sites. Mating follows in September to November.

Neither LafeberVet nor RSPCA Australia gives a captive cooling protocol for the species. Merck lists hibernation for some species and not for others, with no Tiliqua entry.

If an adult blue tongue skink stops eating in winter, do not assume brumation. Loss of appetite is also a sign of metabolic bone disease, parasites and respiratory disease.

Have a reptile veterinarian examine the animal first. Do not cool a skink on purpose without vet guidance.

Common Adult Health Problems

Merck data below concerns reptiles generally, not blue tongue skinks specifically. Each problem has a husbandry cause you can control, which is why the yearly exam is worth keeping.

Merck ties primary gout to excess dietary protein. Dysecdysis (bad sheds) comes from low humidity, ectoparasites, poor nutrition or infection. See the health guide for disease overviews.

Yearly Vet Check

Veterinary references do not fix a required exam interval for healthy reptiles. A yearly visit to a reptile veterinarian is common keeper practice and a sensible minimum for an adult. Bring a fresh fecal sample from your skink, your weight log and photos of the setup.

Merck says captive reptiles are prone to heavy parasite loads. Diagnosis relies on fecal exams, often with serial samples.

Remove feces and uneaten food daily and quarantine new animals for 3 to 6 months. Wash your hands with soap after handling the animal or its tank.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does an adult blue tongue skink live?

Sources disagree. Animal Diversity Web reports captive averages of 9.0 years for females and 14.3 years for unspecified sex. A zoo reports about 20 years in managed care.

The Australian Museum notes several captive animals have lived 20 years and may live much longer. LafeberVet gives 20 plus years for the northern subspecies.

Can an adult blue tongue skink live with another skink?

No. LafeberVet states the species must be housed alone and lists bite wounds from group housing as a common injury. RSPCA Australia likewise keeps one skink per enclosure because they are territorial.

The sexes look alike, so sight alone will not tell you who is male. Keeping each animal alone is the rule, not a precaution.

Is an adult blue tongue skink dangerous to handle?

The species defends itself by gaping, showing its blue tongue, puffing up its body and hissing. A study of the northern subspecies found the full tongue display came mostly in the final stages of a predator attack. Hold the body with the legs supported and never grab the tail.

Can an adult get salmonella?

Merck states Salmonella is often found in healthy reptiles and is part of normal flora. Assume every skink carries it. Wash hands with soap after handling, feeding or cleaning, and keep young children from handling reptiles.

How often should I replace UVB bulbs for an adult?

Merck advises replacing fluorescent UVB tubes every 9 to 12 months and mercury vapor bulbs every 12 months. Place tubes within 30 cm of the animal.