Description: These are large, heavily built lizards that come from Australia, New Guinea and the Indo-Pacific region where they live in a variety of different habitats, from deserts and savannas to woodlands and tropical forest margins. Their large head and small legs are typical for skinks but the beautiful blue tongue is special. They are quite intelligent and generally make very good pets that readily tame down enough to be easily handled. Although they have strong jaws and sharp nails that could do some damage, most are quite docile and seem reluctant to harm their keepers. Hissing at you seems to be more their style. Still, beware, some wild caught individuals never do become tame and some have been known to bite hard! Other than that, just be careful that your fingers do not get mistaken for food! Blue tongues are very curious and love to explore, running away does not seem to be a high priority but finding a new hiding place can be fun for them. You will notice them making eye contact and looking at you often.
One thing to remember, you should always wash your hands after handling any reptile, food/water from their dishes or any cage items as a precaution against germs.
BTS can live for up to 30 years in captivity but 20 years is about average.

Species:
Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink Tiliqua gigas. Also known as the New Guinea BTS. This species has a wide distribution across the Indo-Pacific region and is frequently imported. Many are gray to brownish but a lot of different color types exist including red, orange yellow and green. All have dark brown or blackish bands and usually have mostly black front and hind legs with some speckling. Other distinguishing features include: The top scales of the head are separated by smooth, dark lines instead of deep channels and is rather smooth overall; the tongue may be light blue turning to pink halfway inside; the feet may be comparatively larger.
Eastern (or Common) Blue Tongue Skink T. scincoides scincoides. From Eastern Australia where it is common and lives in semi-deserts, cultivated fields and often in suburban yards. Can grow to 2’ in length but 18" is more normal. Many color variations exist and it can easily be mistaken for the Irian Jaya BTS. Distinguishing features include: thin lengthwise lines down the back, large brown spots on the sides of the belly and solid color on the front legs; comparatively thinner heads and shorter/thicker tails.
Irian Jaya Blue Tongue Skink T. sp. (scientifically undescribed). Possibly an ancient natural hybrid between the Indonesian and the Eastern, this highly variable and often very beautiful BTS grows to between 18 and 22". Often patterned similarly to the Eastern, the front legs are usually mostly black with some speckling like the Indo. The head is not thin and the belly is often red.
Northern (or Common) Blue Tongue Skink T. scincoides intermedia. From Northern Australia where it lives in grasslands and tropical forest margins and grows to about 2’. This may be the easiest BTS to breed and it has the largest number of babies per clutch – up to 25. It is also one of the friendliest and heaviest types and it makes a great pet. These can be distinguished by having a solid color on the front legs and large pinkish-orange spots on both sides.
Australian Pink Tongue skink Hemisphaeriodon gerrardii. From New South Wales where it lives in damp forests, foraging for slugs and snails at night during warm temperatures and by day when it is cold.

Temperature: 75 to 80°F with about a 5°F drop at night. A basking area of 90 to 100°F is needed during the day. This is best set up with about a 100-watt bulb over a large, flat rock. Be sure to provide a warm and a cool side in the enclosure so that the BTS can choose the temperature that it feels is comfortable at any given time. Seasonal temperature variations may be beneficial but should not drop below 65°F.

Humidity: Low, 25 to 40%. High humidity could be detrimental.

Light: UV light may be beneficial and should be provided along with a basking light. Use a timer to provide a 12 hours on, 12 hours off cycle during the summer season.

Feeding: Omnivorous, about 40% animal, 60% vegetable and 10% fruit for adults. Large crickets and a few giant mealworms with an occasional pinky mouse will be fine for the animal portion. Soft cat food containing chicken can be given as well. Fresh (not frozen) mixed veggies with Romaine lettuce, kale, collard, mustard and dandelion greens (finely chopped) are good for the main vegetable food. As a treat, fruits and berries are generally relished, bananas seem to be a favorite.
Feed them as much as they want, whenever they seem hungry, you will know by the stares and begging behavior. Young ones may need to be fed every day (and with more animal matter) but as they age, it will taper down to once every 2 or 3 days.
Clean water should be available at all times. A bowl large enough for them to bathe in is ideal. Frequent cleaning may be needed as they may use it for a toilet.

Habitat: These are large lizards and each adult requires their own large enclosure. Keeping 2 together will, sooner or later, most likely lead to violence; injury or even death could result. The minimum size is 36"L x 18"W x 12"H+ but a larger tank would be better. Floor space is more important than height. Although they do not climb much and may not seem too inclined to escape, a secure screen top should be used to prevent surprises.
Bark chips, other than pine or cedar, work well as a substrate. Aspen shavings are also good but avoid any sharp, splintery material that could cause injury. A depth of 2 to 6" should be enough for a BTS to bull doze around in.
A large, flat rock (such as slate or flag stone) that is not too rough is ideal for the basking spot. Large ceramic, granite or terra-cotta floor tiles will work also. This must be placed near one end of the tank, free from obstructions and directly under the basking bulb. This makes it the warm side of the enclosure.
Away from the basking area, at least one hiding place should be provided, a half log works well. Adding a second one as a humid hide box near the cool end would be helpful in preventing shedding problems.
Fake plants and wide climbing branches or logs are also great additions to the habitat but should be used in the cooler 2/3rds of the enclosure.
A large water dish should be placed at the cool end and lightly spraying the area with water occasionally will provide the BTS to choose a spot with some humidity if it wants it.

Seasonal Cycle – Brumation: Provide a winter cooling period starting in November and lasting for 3 to 4 months. Stop all feeding 2 weeks before beginning the process to allow time for complete digestion and defecation; do not feed them at all during brumation. Provide a dish of water as this is not hibernation, they could wake up from time to time and may need a drink. Lower the temperatures and shorten day length gradually over about 2 weeks to 65 - 70°F and about 8 hours of light. After the cooling period, gradually bring things back to normal again. Try offering them small amounts of some of their favorite foods to stimulate their appetites. Food may be rejected for some time, often adult breeders will not eat until after they have bred.

Sexing: Males generally do have larger heads but this is not always the case.
A hemipenes bulge may be visible at the base of the tail; gently bend the tail back toward the head to get a better view of it. A male with a less prominent bulge or a female with a fat, bulgy tail can easily be mistaken for the wrong sex.
A female that has bred before may have scars on the neck from the male.
From time to time, males that are at least 6 months old (more likely at a year or more) will drop what is called a "sperm plug". These clear to whitish 1 to 2" long strings dry out very quickly and may not ever be seen unless you look for them quite often.
Sometimes the males’ hemipenes may become everted when defecating but again, you have to be there at the right time to see it.
One way to determine the sex of a mature BTS is to place two together and watch the way they react to one another. Care must be taken to ensure that they do not get too violent with each other. If they are the same sex, no reaction may occur. If both sexes are put together, a female may whip her tail around and a male may first stare, then grab the female by the neck and attempt to breed with her. If she seems to lift her tail a bit to provide access to her vent for mating, it is likely a pair, especially if you let it go far enough to see the males’ hemipenes. If they end up fighting, either the female is not at all receptive or you have two males. It is important to conduct this test after brumation when the lizards are ready to breed. The results are not always accurate but this method is worth a try.

Breeding: Before and after brumation, the breeders should be in good condition and excellent health, especially the female who should be at least 2 years old. The female should be added to the male’s enclosure with the substrate removed and all dust and debris cleaned out to prevent it from sticking to his hemipenes during the mating process. Mating appears to be a violent affair and they should be watched to make sure all goes well. If it turns into a fight or it looks as though a foot or the tail will be damaged, they should be separated to try again in a few days. The male should eventually get a good hold on the female’s neck and maneuver her into position for mating. The female’s tail will be whipping around until she lifts it in preparation for copulation. The actual event may last for 30 to 60 seconds or more. When mating is complete, they will separate but the male’s hemipenes may be everted for a short period afterward. Watch to make sure that the female does not become aggressive and try to bite it. It is best to remove her right away. She may have some bite marks and if any look bad be sure to treat them.
Gravid females should not be given any medications. Feed them every day and give calcium supplements throughout the pregnancy. You should notice significant weight gain during the 3 to 6 month gestation period. Her temperament may change and she may even get mean as the time of birth grows near. Usually, all of the babies are born on the same day but occasionally some may be born a day or two later than the rest. Females are capable of retaining sperm to give birth up to a year after breeding, even as a second litter from one mating. This is quite rare but it has given a few surprises.

Birth: Gravid females will generally hide or burrow in and remain inactive most of the time. They will usually stop eating about a week before giving birth and become a lot more active.
Sometimes small-unfertilized ova balls or blobs will be produced along with the babies. These are often the result of breeding at a less than optimal time. The mother may eat them and/or any abnormal looking babies.

Young: 5 to 15 young may be produced depending on the species and the females size, health and age. They are each born along with a small, highly nutritious placenta, which they need to eat in order to survive. After that, they remain active, exploring and going about their business.
The offspring can usually be housed together safely until their first shed. They should be separated at this time to avoid fighting and bite damage. 10-gallon tanks will work fine to house them in but larger tanks will be needed sometime after 3 months of growth. Be sure that the substrate they are kept on is not splintery or so small that it could be accidentally consumed. Paper towels, cloth or artificial turf are all recommended.
Some babies may not recognize the food and may need to have their nose rubbed in it to get them to eat. The babies should be given a soft chicken type cat food during the first 2 or 3 weeks of their lives. Start mixing in some finely chopped greens, veggies and other adult foods for the next few months. By then they should be large enough to eat adult food but should be on a higher protein diet while they are still growing. If well fed, the babies can reach adult size in about a year or so.
A shallow dish of clean water should be available at all times.

ENJOY YOUR PET LIFE FORMS, Dave & Donna