Aug 07, 2025

Blue Tongue Skink Care Sheet

Blue Tongue Skink (Tiliqua spp.) Care Sheet

Reviewed by Joshua Rodriguez, Owner of Modern Reptile
Last Updated: June 2025

Quick Reference Guide

Parameter	T. scincoides (Northern/Eastern/IJ)	T. gigas spp. (Indo/Merauke/Halmahera)
Basking Temp	100–110°F	95–100°F
Cool Side Temp	70–80°F	75–80°F
Ambient Temp	80–85°F	80–85°F
Humidity	50–60%	60–80%
Nighttime Drop	65-70°F	Maintain above 70°F for tropical types
Enclosure Size	4x2x2 minimum	4x2x2 minimum
Diet	Omnivorous	Omnivorous

Ethical Stewardship & Long-Term Commitment

Northern BTS are ideal for beginners: bold, forgiving of husbandry errors, captive-bred commonly
Indonesian species (Merauke, Halmahera, Classic Indo) are less tolerant of poor care and are usually wild-caught
Expect to commit for 15–30 years
Always verify locale from breeders, misidentified skinks are common

Species / Locality Overview & Comparison Chart

Species / Locale	Common Name	Origin	Size (in)	Captive Suitability	General Visual Differences	Temperament
T. s. intermedia	Northern BTS	Northern Australia	18–24	Excellent (CB common)	Bright gold/tan base, light orange bands (Depending on line bred traits). Broad triangular head.	Docile/Hardy
T. s. scincoides	Eastern BTS	Eastern Australia	15–20	Uncommon (Less CB in USA)	Cool silver/grey base, crisp black bands, less bulky than Northerns and usually smaller. Visual cues dependent on locale.	Docile/Hardy
T. sp	IJ (Irian Jaya) BTS	Papua New Guinea	18–24	Uncommon (Less CB in USA, more WC available)	Colorful bands over a tan base. Usually looks like the middle ground between Australian and Indo species.	Fairly Docile/Hardy
T. s. chimaera	Tanimbar BTS	Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia	16–20	Difficult (WC mainly)	Metallic silver or yellow sheen, reduced or absent banding, slender body, fast-moving, smaller head	Less Docile/ Fairly Hardy
T. gigas gigas	Classic Indonesian BTS	Indonesia (mainland)	18–22	Rare (Most common WC available)	Earthy brown base, dark limbs, narrow head, reddish eyes possible, variable band clarity	Less Docile/ Hardy
T. gigas	Halmahera BTS	Halmahera Island, Indonesia	20–26	Rare (Most common WC available)	Stark brown base, dark black blotchy limbs, narrow head.	Less Docile/ Hardy
T. gigas keyensis	Kei Island BTS	Kei Islands, Indonesia	16–20	Difficult (WC mainly)	Gold-olive or orange-red base with soft, faint bands, often misidentified as Indo-type; subtle and very rare	Less Docile/ Hardy
T. gigas evanescens	Merauke BTS	Papua/Western Indonesia	22–28	Moderate (some CB)	Longest tail-to-body ratio, thin clean bands, tan/light brown body, calmest Indo-type, can have narrower face	Fairly Docile/Hardy
T. multifasciata	Centralian BTS	Papua New Guinea	15–18	Extremely Rare	Orange/Gold coloration and plump bodies	n/a
T. nigrolutea	Blotched BTS	Tasmania / SE Australia	16–22	Extremely Rare	Black or dark brown body, large irregular blotches, sometimes pink/peach belly, cold-adapted	n/a
T. adelaidensis	Pygmy Blue Tongue	South Australia (arid)	~8	Unverified	Very small, copper-bronze color, short stubby tail, long narrow face, critically endangered	n/a
T. occipitalis	Western Blue Tongue	Western Australia	17–20	Extremely Rare	Tan-to-sandy base, stark banding	n/a
T. rugosa rugosa	Shingleback (Bobtail)	SW Australia	16–18	Extremely Rare	Heavy armor-like scales, very short blunt tail, dark bands	n/a
T. rugosa asper	Eastern Shingleback	Eastern Australia	14–16	Extremely Rare	Similar to rugosa, less contrast, more uniform in color	n/a
T. rugosa konowi	Rottnest Island Shingleback	Rottnest Island (AUS)	10–14	Unverified	Smallest rugosa form	n/a

Temperature Gradient & Heating

Locale	Basking Temp	Notes
Most T. scincoides	100–110°F	Tolerates warmer basking, benefits from night drop
Most T. gigas	95–100°F	Needs stable ambient temp with mild night drop

Use overhead heating bulb or DHP for basking

Humidity & Ventilation

Locale	Humidity Range	Notes
Most T. scincoides	50–60%	Moderate airflow, drier substrate preferred to avoid blisters
Most T. gigas	60–70%	Deep mulch, moderate misting, ventilation essential (to avoid mold)

- Use hygrometers with dual probes (ambient and substrate-level).
- Avoid sealed glass tanks without proper airflow.

Enclosure Sizing & Habitat Design

Age/Size	Enclosure Size (All Locales)	Notes
Baby- Juvenile	36x18x18”	Temporary only, you can start them off in their adult enclosure if needed as long as they are eating and drinking normally.
Adult	48x24x24” minimum	They will utilize all the space given, you can give them more horizontal land.

Interior Setup by Locale

Style	Northerns	Indo/Merauke/Halmahera
Minimalist	Paper liner, 2 hides, water & food bowl	Add moss box or moist hide
Naturalistic	Cypress, coco, bark, driftwood, hides	Use deeper mulch, cover to maintain humidity
Bioactive	Loose ABG, live plants (low RH)	High drainage, sphagnum zones, large plant coverage

Always include:

Multiple hides
Water dish
At least 3” of diggable substrate
Climbing material or basking platforms

Bioactive Setup Guide for BTS

Suitable for:

Captive-bred BTS
Avoid with recent imports or WC Indonesian skinks until fully acclimated, free from parasites, and dewormed

Supplies Needed:

Enclosure: 4x2x2 w/ top airflow
Drainage Layer: LECA or gravel + mesh separator
Substrate Base: ABG mix or Forest Floor blend (topsoil, coco, orchid bark)
Leaf Litter: Magnolia or oak leaves, 2–3” depth
Clean-Up Crew: Springtails + Isopods (avoid larger isopods that may irritate)
Live Plants: Snake plant, Pothos, Ficus
Lighting: Full-spectrum LED + low-output UVB (Arcadia ShadeDweller or 6% T5)

Management Tips:

Spot-clean feces daily
Stir soil lightly weekly
Replace leaf litter monthly
Monitor RH with a digital hygrometer (humidity at substrate level can differ from ambient)

Diet by Life Stage

Age/Stage	Protein Ratio	Veg Ratio	Fruit	Notes
Hatchling	60%	30%	10%	Feed daily
Juvenile	50%	40%	10%	Feed every other day
Adult	30–40%	50%	10–20%	Feed 2–3x/week

Notes:

These "%"'s are variable and averages. In our care we primarily feed the following:

High quality grain free wet dog food (as a base)
Mazuri Insectivore Diet
Mazuri Herbivore Diet
Leafy greens (Arugula, Collard Greens, Turnip Greens, Romaine Lettuce)
Other Veggies (Carrots, squash)
Fruit (Bluberry, Strawberry)
Uncooked Egg (with cracked shell)
Supplements (Calcium, Multivitamin)

Track weight monthly and adjust calories based on energy level and growth.

Common Feeding Issues

Issue	Fix
Refuses food	May not be used to what you are offering, speak to the seller for their diet input and adjust
Lethargic after meal	Might be from overfeeding, give them less food or more days inbetween meals
Undereating	Check husbandry, animal be stressed, check for infection

Behavior, Intelligence & Handling

Normal Skink Behavior:

Behavior	Meaning
Hissing, puffing	Startled, back off
Tongue flicking	Scent investigation
Head bobbing	Territorial or courtship behavior
Sudden hiding	Normal post-exploration

Choice-Based Handling

Open enclosure, allow approach
Use feeding tongs to desensitize
Avoid frequent handling with WC Indonesians

Indos are shyer, less tolerant of handling
Aussies are bold and tolerate frequent short sessions

Human Bond & Cognition

Blue tongues are limbic-driven, meaning they recognize patterns, not emotion
They do not bond like mammals, but they are more personable than bearded dragons making them a more interactive and intuitive pet.
Can learn feeding time, tolerate familiar routines

Avoid anthropomorphism:

Affection = comfort, not emotional attachment
Hiding is not “being mad”, it’s instinct

Color Morphs, Lineages, & Ethical Breeding

Most color and pattern variations of CB Blue Tongue Skinks are Northerns that are "Line-Bred". This technique describes polygenic traits, like high orange coloration and aberrant patterning, that are bred with similar animals to hold on and increase these traits through generations. Actual Morphs (i.e. recessive, incomplete/complete dominants) in the United States are very rare, but over the last few years they are becoming more popular. Though their price point is high and availability is sparse, they provide. a great opportunity for breeders to stronghold a potential micro-industry for blue tongue skinks. And as popularity rises, they will truly shine as the best pet lizard.

Common “Morphs” by Type:

Morph/Trait	Type	Characteristic	Species/Locale
Fuego	Line-bred	Stark red coloration with black contrasting bands. Built by combining different "Red-Line" animals with "Sunrise"/"Sunset" and "Magma" genetics.	Northern
Albino	Recessive	Lack or reduced production of melanin, the pigment that gives yellow/white appearance and red eyes	Eastern
Anery	Recessive	Removes the red pigment, resulting in a gray and black animal	Northern
Axanthic	Recessive	Primarily removes the yellow pigment, resulting in a gray and black animal	Halmahera
Black & Gray	Line-bred	Increased black contrast with minimal color appearing "gray"	Northern
Bubblegum	n/a	Hypomelanistic looking animal with variable coloration	IJ
Dark	Line-bred	Increased black pigment throughout the banding	Northern
Halloween	Line-bred	Similar to Dark lines but has increased coloration of yellow/orange in between banding	Northern
Ivory/White	Recessive	Pale white, sometimes has yellow pattern on back	Northern
Kit-Kat	Incomplete Dominant	Vertical banding that intersects horizontal bands appearing aberrant	Northern
Magma	Line-bred	High orange/red coloration that is much brighter than Red line animals	Northern
Melanistic (Hypermelanistic)	Recessive	Completely melanistic animal that sometimes has orange "flames" that come up from the sides of the animal	Eastern
Neely Patternless	n/a	Variable patternless	Merauke
Orange	Line-bred	Higher expression of orange pigment	Northern
Orange crush	Line-bred	Bright orange with bands almost appearing hypomelanistic	Northern
Patternless/Toffee	Recessive	Removes banding from pattern	Northern
Pitch Black	Line-bred	Extreme high expression of melanistic pigmentation and increases as the animal ages	Northern
Red	Line-bred	Higher expression of red pigments	Northern
Sunrise	Line-bred	Higher yellow coloration	Northern
Sunset	Line-bred	Higher orange coloration	Northern
Swedish	Line-bred	Both colorful and with great contrast that helps animals keep color as they age	Northern
Turner White	Line-bred	These animals start a "classic" coloration and become more white as they age, sometimes becoming almost completely color and patternless	Northern
Yellow	Line-bred	Higher yellow coloration	Northern

Ethics:

Aim to breed documented animals from reputable breeders
Hybriding without disclosure is frowned upon
Avoid breeding closely related animals

Breeding Practices

Step	Best Practice Notes

Season
Mating
Gestation
Litter Size

COMING SOON

Biosecurity: Crypto, Mites, Quarantine

Crypto (Cryptosporidium)

Potentially fatal and incurable
Causes regurgitation, weight loss, lethargy
No treatment: euthanasia often required

Quarantine Protocol:

90–120 days
Dedicated tools per enclosure
Daily fecal checks recommended in collections

Mites & External Parasites:

More common in Indonesian imports
Use paper substrate + dark hides during quarantine
Treatment protocol coming soon..

Common Health Issues

Ailment	Symptoms	Solution
URI	Clicking, mucous, open-mouth breathing	Raise temps, vet antibiotics
MBD	Weak limbs, tremors, curved spine	Calcium + D3, proper basking temps
Mouth Rot (Stomatitis)	Swollen gums, pus	Vet treatment, improve enclosure hygiene
Impaction	Lethargy, bloating, no feces	Soak, hydrate, adjust substrate

Myth vs. Fact

Myth	Reality
All blue tongues are the same	Regional species have different care needs
They can live in a 40 gal forever	Adult skinks need 4x2 ft+
You can cohab blue tongues	They are primarily solitary and territorial. Can be done in rare occasions when keeping outdoors and/or in naturalistic enclosures. But, still not recommended unless you are an "advanced" keeper.

Supplies You’ll Need

Heating & Monitoring

Heat producing bulb/DHP bulb
Dimming thermostat *optional
Infrared temp gun
Dual digital thermometers/hygrometers

Enclosure & Substrate

4x2x2 PVC or wood enclosure
Cypress/coco mulch, ABG mix, or Reptichip
Drainage layer + leaf litter (bioactive)

Feeding & Supplements

Tongs or scoop
Stainless steel bowl
Calcium with D3 (Repashy, Arcadia)
Access to insects, veggies, pellet diets, fruit, high quality wet dog food

*Check back here for future updates! Our care is always changing and growing. As new resources and knowledge becomes available we plan on updating this sheet with new info as available.