The Blue-tongue Skink (Tiliqua scincoides) is one of the most rewarding reptiles you can keep. They are intelligent, recognise their keeper, handle well from an early age, and are genuinely personable animals with real character. That large, vivid blue tongue is not just a novelty: it is a defensive display used to startle predators, and seeing it for the first time never really gets old.
We stock several forms including the Eastern Blue-tongue, Black Blue-tongue, Pied Blue-tongue, and the Northern Caramel White Blue-tongue. All are Tiliqua scincoides and all require the same care covered here.
In Queensland a wildlife keeper's licence is required. See our Queensland Reptile Licence Guide before purchasing.
Enclosure
Blue-tongues are robust ground-dwellers and need floor space to roam and thermoregulate. A single adult requires a minimum enclosure of around 120 x 60 cm of floor area (4 x 2 ft), and larger is always better. Provide a loose substrate they can partially dig into (reptile soil, orchid bark, or a sand and soil mix), at least two hides, a sturdy water bowl, and a raised basking surface such as a flat rock or slate tile directly under the heat lamp.
Browse our enclosures and reptile supplies.
Heating
Blue-tongues are diurnal (day-active) baskers and need a strong, well-defined temperature gradient to digest their food and maintain immune function.
- Basking surface temperature: 35 to 40°C directly under the lamp
- Warm ambient (mid-enclosure): 28 to 30°C
- Cool end: 22 to 25°C
- Night: allow to drop to the low 20s°C. A ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat can provide overnight warmth in cooler homes without disrupting the light cycle.
Use a thermostat on every heat source and verify temperatures with thermometers at both ends. Browse our heating and thermostat range.
UVB Lighting
Despite older advice that sometimes circulated, blue-tongues absolutely need UVB. They are active daytime lizards from open country and benefit from good UV exposure to maintain vitamin D3 production and calcium metabolism. Use a high-quality T5 UVB tube positioned above the basking area, providing a UV Index of around 3.0 to 4.0 at the basking surface. Run lighting for around 12 hours per day and replace the tube every 6 to 12 months regardless of whether it still produces visible light.
Natural unfiltered sunlight on warm days is excellent supplementary exposure. Always supervise outdoor time and ensure the animal can retreat from direct sun.
Browse our UVB lighting range.
Humidity
Eastern and Northern Blue-tongues come from a range of environments but generally do well at moderate ambient humidity of around 40 to 60%. Avoid constantly damp conditions. Provide a humid hide (a hide with moist sphagnum or coconut husk inside) to assist during the shed cycle.
Diet
Blue-tongues are genuinely omnivorous, which is part of what makes them so interesting to feed. A healthy adult diet is roughly 60% plant matter and 40% animal protein.
Plant matter
Offer a variety of leafy greens, vegetables, and limited fruit. Good options include dark leafy greens such as bok choy, endive and mustard greens, broccoli florets, grated carrot, capsicum, peas, and small amounts of fruit such as apple, banana or strawberry as occasional treats rather than staples. Avoid avocado, which is toxic, and limit high-oxalate plants like spinach and beet greens.
Protein
Offer live insects such as crickets, woodies, and roaches, plus occasional small amounts of lean cooked meat or high-quality canned reptile food. Some keepers use premium wet cat food in small amounts as a protein top-up. Avoid fatty meats and processed food.
Feeding schedule
- Juveniles: feed daily, with a higher proportion of protein to support growth.
- Adults: feed every 2 to 3 days. Blue-tongues are prone to obesity, so monitor body condition and adjust frequency if the animal is gaining too much weight. A healthy adult should be well-muscled and firm, not soft and heavy.
Calcium and supplements
Dust food with calcium at least twice a week and use a reptile multivitamin once a week. Provide fresh water daily.
Browse our reptile food and supplements and live feeders.
Handling and Temperament
Blue-tongues are among the most handleable lizards in captivity and generally become calm, confident animals with regular, gentle contact. Give a new skink a week to settle before handling. Support the body fully and avoid grabbing the tail, as blue-tongues can drop their tail as a stress response (it will regrow, but it is better avoided). Their blue tongue display is defensive and does not mean they are about to bite: they flash it to startle, not as a precursor to aggression.
Breeding
Blue-tongue Skinks are live-bearers. Breeding typically follows a brumation (winter cooling) period of several months with reduced temperatures, shorter day lengths and no feeding. After a gradual return to normal conditions in spring, mating occurs and the female gives birth to a litter of up to 25 live young roughly 3 to 5 months later. Hatchlings are independent from birth and must be separated from adults immediately. Only attempt breeding with healthy adults in good body condition.
Quick Reference
| Parameter | Target |
|---|---|
| Adult size | 45 to 60 cm |
| Lifespan | 15 to 20+ years |
| Enclosure (adult) | 120 x 60 cm floor area minimum |
| Basking surface | 35 to 40°C |
| Warm ambient | 28 to 30°C |
| Cool end | 22 to 25°C |
| UVB | T5 tube (UVI 3.0 to 4.0 at basking), 12 hrs/day, replace every 6 to 12 months |
| Diet (adults) | 60% plant matter, 40% protein |
| Feeding (adults) | Every 2 to 3 days |
Shop
- Enclosures and Reptile Supplies
- UVB Lighting
- Heating and Thermostats
- Live Feeders
- Reptile Food and Supplements
- Substrate and Decor
If you have questions about setup or choosing a form, our team is always happy to help.
Disclaimer
This guide is provided for general educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. Individual animals vary and outcomes cannot be guaranteed. Always consult a qualified reptile vet for health concerns. A Queensland wildlife keeper's licence is required to purchase and keep Blue-tongue Skinks.
