They may develop bone deformities, fractures, and more. When kept indoors, many reptiles that dont have exposure to UVB rays develop bone diseases. A team of pet enthusiasts and I created this website to help other reptile keepers take care of their pets! 1. If there is any issue in the body regarding parasites or infection, then the first impact is on the stool. Yes, the Blue Tongue Skink will make a great pet and is suitable for children. Blue-tongued skinks[2] comprise the Australasian genus Tiliqua, which contains some of the largest members of the skink family (Scincidae). Its always good to go for a new tank because a new reptile will not feel comfortable with the smell around him. Parasites are a common problem for the Blue Tongued Skink. Then, see if they are limp and seem heavier than normal. Unlike some lizard species, these skinks are terrestrial, which means that they live on the ground rather than in the trees. Moreover, a discharge from the nose and eyes will also accompany it. They will perform necropsy that will help determine the cause. It may look like your pet is dead but keep a check on their breathing. Hence, if it does not respond to you, move around, seem heavy, and is not breathing, then it is dead. Blue tongued skinks are hunted by a variety of large and medium-sized predators, most notably including birds of prey, large snakes and monitor lizards (goannas). Lets get the tongue out of the way first. read our article on how to get it to eat again here! Purchase a hygrometer and use it regularly to stay on top of humidity levels. It may seem cruel to some, but this will ease pain and suffering. If you see something like that, get your skink to the vet immediately. You can use glass or wood, as both will work well. Blue-tongued skinks are solitary creatures that spend their days searching for food and basking in the sun. What You Should Do if Blue Tongue Skinks Pees on You? Failure to maintain the heat and light in the tank can lead to the sudden death of your pet. Most Blue Tongued Skinks have a similar diet to other reptiles. Scientists believed that it was extinct until the 1990s. The interesting thing, however, is that we dont know exactly how they do it. This is the most confusing sign of all as you dont understand the breathing patterns of a blue tongue skink. These reptiles are easily bred in captivity, but have not been formally domesticated in any way. Blue-Tongued Skink Care Sheet For First-Time Owners - Everything Reptiles Some will even plan out meals ahead of time and break down the nutrient profile for better control. Younger and still developing Blue Tongued Skinks should eat plenty of insects to build strong muscle, but once they are fully grown, you can feed them a diet that consists of as much as 40% fruits and vegetables. The white mussy tip on their poop is Urate/ uric acid (pee). Once you get the habitat going, its inexpensive and easy to raise these pets. Im wondering if this is ok or if I need to worry. The screened lid will promote ventilation, which helps to manage humidity levels a bit. Blue-Tongued Skink - Tiliqua | PetMD These are stocky, heavy lizards and arent particularly agile, so ambushing prey works best for them. This is how you can differentiate between the three distinct situations. might just be the best pet lizard on planet earth. It's usually brown, orange, black, and grey, but can be found in other colors too, including light blue. The breathing becomes labored and rapid with crackling sounds. Their first line of defense is to simply remain undetected by hiding or relying on their cryptic body coloration. The only cause of concern should be if the blue tongue skink is breathing with their mouth open all the time. Hello Im new to blue tongue skinks and am wondering how much pee us too much pee for a baby BTS. Incubation 100 days; generally give birth in mid-summer Females are ovoviviparous ("egg-live birth") - the mother produces egg cases, which she then carries inside her. All species are found on mainland Australia with the exception of Tiliqua gigas, which occurs in New Guinea and various islands of Indonesia. The protein content in their diet should be animal-based. The first rumor is that these reptiles are venomous. Blue-Tongued Skink Care Sheet For First-Time Owners - Everything Reptiles The general temperature of the tank should be kept between 70 and 80. The largest animals in the skink family, blue-tongues seem to have. Capture for the pet trade has some impact on species, but they will reproduce readily in captivity, which decreases the pressure on wild specimens. Youre not going to see blue tongue skinks drinking very often. Skinks can be found in 47 states although are more widespread in the Southeastern United States with the warmer climates. Blue Tongue Skink - Exotic Pets Too many decorations will only make the skink uncomfortable. Their drab colours are relieved by darker bands. Final Thought What To Do if You Find Out Your Blue Tongue Skink Might Be Dying? This way, their pet can brumate in peace. They make decent pets, as theyre low maintenance, and relatively docile. Northern blue tongue skinks are native to northern parts of Australia. Most of the people get scared and throw the animal off their lap; this is exactly what scares the hell out of the poor creature. In addition, it will need a screened top, so it doesnt escape, and a front opening will help you access the reptile. It can also give you closure around the sudden death of your pet. This is another way they are able to thrive in such urban environments. Not only do they have a very interesting look, but theyre super low-maintenance! Support the skinks entire body when you hold it. As a bare minimum, the enclosure should measure at least 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 10 inches tall. The pellets included up to 8 varieties of dried fruit blended to achieve rich fruity flavor. 10 Signs That Show That Your Snake is Happy! Unfortunately, this could also be a sign of Metabolic Bone Disease, whose primary cause is a lack of calcium or vitamin D3. Like birds they excrete uric acid and other toxins in solid form. Blue Tongue Skink Care: Diet, Size, Enclosure Setup - Reptile Direct The type of predator/threat that is near will determine the intensity of colour present in the tongue. Why Northern Bluetongue Skinks Have Ultraviolet Tongues - Animals This particular skink is terrestrial and prefer floor space over climbing area. Due to their preference for burrows, conservationists have discovered that by creating more burrows, they can improve the population of some of the more endangered species of blue tongued skink. Their needs are relatively easy to manage and they dont require any intense husbandry. Hunter Briggs is an experienced reptile breeder who has been keeping and raising various species over the past seven years. Blue tongue skinks have a gentle personality and do well with both beginners and experienced hobbyists. What Do Blue Tailed Skinks Eat in the Wild and as Pets? However, if you find that the situation is just getting worse, then its time to put them down. Partnerships between blueys last between about 10 and 43 days a year, and most males observed were classified as monogamous. Blue Tongue Skink Poop Guide - Healthy vs Unhealthy Poop It stops eating and becomes lethargic. They should be fed a wide variety of protein sources, fruits, and vegetables. UVB lighting is meant to replicate the effects of the suns rays, which are crucial for good health. These skinks are not dangerous, and their bite is not . This means its best to keep the habitat relatively bare. Blue Tongued Skink: Facts, Info & Care Guide (With Pictures - Pet Keen Halmahera Blue . The Australian Blue Tongued Skink can grow to reach 15 inches. Blue-tongued skinks are closely related to the genera Cyclodomorphus and Hemisphaeriodon. In the wild, blue tongue skinks live in semi-dry environments. Reply . Adult blue tongue skinks can live very healthy lives in a tank size of 40 or 50-gallon. Our mission at Pet Keen is to make the life of you and your pets easier and even more enjoyable. Blue Tongued Skink: The Dragon With A Blue Tongue - YouTube 0:00 7:33 Blue Tongued Skink: The Dragon With A Blue Tongue Animalogic 1.83M subscribers Subscribe 452K views 2 years ago Who needs. Average lifespan is 15-20 years, although they are known to be capable of living 35+ years, which is an important consideration to keep in mind when you're . Blue tongue skinks self regulate their body heat. A healthy stool looks brown and has no odor at all. - Get their common name from their bright blue . If you have the space in your home to go larger, aim for an enclosure that's closer to 48 inches long, 24 inches wide, and 24 inches tall. Impaction is serious among reptiles and if it remains untreated then it can become lethal all too sudden. Blue Tongue skinks pee; however, it is neither as liquid as mammals, neither the process is same. Usually, in the wild, a blue tongue skink knows its needs, and they live and have its diet accordingly. They would eat plants, insects, animals, etc., to satisfy their hunger. 4, Why is the tongue of blue-tongued skinks blue? This pelleted food made to meet the dietary requirements of your sugar glider. These are stocky, heavy lizards and aren't particularly agile, so ambushing prey works best for them. There have been reports of specimens making it well past the 20-year mark! This issue mostly arises in wild blue tongue skinks because of their environment. Its a hardy animal that stores fat in its tail, so it cant detach it like the other varieties. Overall, blue tongue skinks are quite docile with humans. As suggested by these common names, a prominent characteristic of the genus is a large blue tongue that can be bared as bluff-warning to potential enemies. 5420. When your blue tongue skink dies, remove them from the tank otherwise, it will smell terrible. They are commonly called blue-tongued lizards or simply blue-tongues or blueys in Australia. This blue tongue skink is recognizable from other subspecies by a short tail, a bold black band behind each eye, and a thicker patterning along the body. Moreover, they are good at hiding any discomfort or pain, so its natural to assume that your reptile is not showing any signs of weakness. [4] They are relatively shy in comparison with other lizards, and also significantly slower due to their shorter legs. As soon as you take them out, they will understand the business and go for it. Blue-Tongued Skink, The Best Pet Lizard? - YouTube Tiliqua nigrolutea, the Blotched blue-tongued skink, is the only species present in Tasmania. The number of young produced also varies. Using the spray bottle to mist the reptile every few hours while keeping a close eye on an ergometer will produce the best results. Wild-caught food is the easiest way to pass parasites to your pet accidentally, and we recommend captive-bred food when possible. We hope this article helps you analyze the signs and know your pet a bit better. While we provide information resources and canine education, the content here is not a substitute for veterinary guidance. Also, keep an eye on this dish and refill it frequently. On one hand, its considered a good pet for novice reptile owners. Animals.NET aim to promote interest in nature and animals among children, as well as raise their awareness in conservation and environmental protection. Behavior & Ecology - Eastern Blue-tongued Skink (Tiliqua scincoides As suggested by these common names, a prominent characteristic of the genus is a large blue tongue that can be . But when they are dehydrated, their eyes will seem droopy and have slight haziness. . Expert Tip: Use a solid dish that cant be tipped over. The findings showed that once theyve found a garden they like, they spend about 70% of their time there, returning to safe spaces at night. Plus, if you move closer to them, they will become startled. This is perfectly normal. A slight weight drop is never an issue, but a significant weight drop causes a huge problem. Youll notice a movement in their neck area in the former and the front and behind the leg area in the latter. Northern blue-tongued skinks are the . All blue tongue skinks are members of the genus Tiliqua, and are named for their characteristic blue tongues. The loss of appetite happens during that time, so keep a check on the other signs. At this point, you also need to check if their shedding period, brumation, or breeding period is at its peak. 21 Blue-Tongued Skink Facts: All 8 Types (Ultimate Guide) | Everywhere Wild This is a classic skink and grows to about 19 inches. Ive had bearded dragons and they dont teally pee its more urate but my baby blue tongue slink just pees. Blue Tongue Skink Subspecies | ReptiFiles What can Blue-tongued skinks eat? - Exotic Direct While in these developed spaces, theyve been documented avoiding roads. With all the snails and garden pests around, they make a valuable contribution to a vegetable patch, as long as the crops arent on the lizards menu. It typically grows to 3.5 6 inches. As a bare minimum, the enclosure should measure at least 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 10 inches tall. This daily staple diet contains the mixture of fresh fruits, honey and excellent source of animal protein for balanced nutrition - no additional supplements required. The UVB light replicates the light of the sun which makes them active and indices appetite too. While its technically considered to be a lizard, blue tongue skinks are a class of their own. Hes also a musician and spends a lot of time helping people fix their guitars and composing music for independent films. While this might sound daunting, blue tongue skink is actually pretty simple (especially compared to a lot of other species). The popular Northern blue tongue skink has a light brown base color.