Blue Tongue Skink FAQ: Feeding & Care Questions

Blue tongue skinks are omnivores. Feed a mix of protein, such as dubia roaches, crickets, superworms, snails and cooked lean chicken, turkey or egg, and plants, mostly dark leafy greens and vegetables, with a little fruit. Young skinks need more protein and adults more greens. Our feeding calculator shows the right mix for your skink’s age.

Babies up to 3 months eat once a day, juveniles from 4 to 11 months eat 3–4 times a week, and adults eat 2–3 times a week. Each meal should be about the size of the skink’s head. Weigh your skink regularly and feed less often if an adult starts to look heavy.

Healthy adults are fed only a few times a week, so a few days without food is normal, and many eat much less in winter while losing little weight. Babies and juveniles have smaller reserves and should eat on their normal schedule. Weigh your skink during any fast; if it loses more than about 10% of its body weight, or also seems weak or lethargic, see a reptile vet.

Yes, as a small part of the diet, no more than about 10%. Berries, papaya, mango and figs are good choices. Fruit is high in sugar and low in calcium, so too much can cause weight gain and weak bones. Avoid citrus, rhubarb, and fruit seeds and pits.

Many keepers use a high-quality, meat-based, grain-free dog or cat food as part of the protein. It should be only one part of the diet, mixed with greens and vegetables and alternated with insects and other proteins. Choose a food with meat as the first ingredient and no added onion or garlic.

Yes, as part of the protein. Superworms are a popular choice for adults because they are large and meaty. Mealworms and superworms are higher in fat than roaches, so mix them with dubia roaches, crickets, snails and cooked lean meat rather than feeding them alone. Dust all insects with calcium before feeding.

Common reasons include a recent move, an upcoming shed, a basking spot that is too cool, and the cooler months, when many skinks eat less. Check the basking surface with an infrared thermometer and try a different protein. See a reptile vet if your skink loses more than about 10% of its body weight or refuses food for several weeks outside winter.

Yes. Dust insects with calcium and mix a little into chopped greens. Use calcium with vitamin D3 if you do not have UVB lighting; with good UVB, plain calcium is usually enough. A multivitamin about once a week for juveniles and twice a month for adults covers other vitamins. Too much D3 or vitamin A can also cause harm, so follow the label.

Blue tongues flick their tongue to smell their surroundings, like snakes do. When frightened, they open their mouth wide, flash the bright blue tongue and hiss to scare off predators. It is a bluff. Move slowly, let your skink calm down, and it will usually close its mouth and relax.

They can, and a bite from a large skink is firm, but it is uncommon in captive-bred skinks that are used to handling. Most bites happen when a skink mistakes fingers for food or feels cornered. Wash your hands before handling, pick your skink up from the side while supporting its body, and wash any bite with soap and water.

Young skinks shed more often because they grow quickly; adults shed less often. The skin usually comes off in patches over a few days. Check the toes and tail tip after each shed, because stuck skin there can cut off blood flow. A humid hide or a short lukewarm soak helps loosen stubborn pieces.

Blue tongues sleep in their hides at night and often burrow for part of the day. Many also slow down in late fall and winter, eating less and sleeping more. That is normal if your skink still basks, stays a steady weight and looks alert when awake. If it stops basking or loses weight, check temperatures and see a reptile vet.

Watch for weight loss, refusing food for several weeks, a soft or swollen jaw, bent limbs, tremors, trouble walking, stuck shed on the toes, swelling, or breathing with an open mouth. Any of these needs a reptile vet. A yearly checkup with a vet who treats reptiles is also a good idea.

Northern blue tongues average about 17 inches and can reach 22–24 inches, weighing 280–510 grams. With good care, blue tongue skinks commonly live 15–20 years, and some live much longer. See the blue tongue skink growth chart for weight and length by age.

Yes, especially captive-bred northern blue tongues, which are usually calm and easy to handle. They need a roomy enclosure, a hot basking spot, UVB lighting and a varied diet of protein and greens. Our blue tongue skink care hub links every tool and guide you need.

Yes, UVB is strongly recommended. It helps blue tongues make vitamin D3 and use calcium, which protects them from metabolic bone disease. Use a linear T5 high-output tube over about half the enclosure, aim for a UV index of about 3–4 at the basking spot, and replace the tube as the maker recommends.

Northern and other Australian blue tongues are captive-bred, usually very tame, and need fairly dry air of about 30–50%. Indonesian types, such as the classic and Merauke, are often imported, can be more nervous, and need 60–80% humidity and a moisture-holding substrate. Check which type you have before setting up the enclosure.

A deep, soft, loose substrate 4–6 inches deep lets your skink burrow. For northern and other Australian types, a mix of about 60% organic topsoil and 40% play sand works well. Indonesian types need a moisture-holding mix with coconut fiber. Avoid pine and cedar, and feed from a dish so your skink does not swallow much substrate.

Usually not. Turn off the basking and UVB lights at night so your skink gets a dark, cooler rest. Nights of about 65–75°F are fine. If your room falls below that, add a heat source that gives off no light, such as a ceramic heat emitter or deep heat projector, on a thermostat.

Let a new skink settle for a week or two, then start with short sessions a few times a week. Scoop it up from the side, support its whole body, and keep it low over a soft surface. Many blue tongues become very relaxed with regular gentle handling. Skip handling right after meals and while it is shedding.