Where To Buy Blue Tongue Skink
Blue-tongued skinks[2] comprise the Australasian genus Tiliqua, which contains some of the largest members of the skink family (Scincidae). They are commonly called blue-tongued lizards or simply blue-tongues or blueys in Australia. 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. The type of predator/threat that is near will determine the intensity of colour present in the tongue. In addition, their blue tongue will produce a response in the prey which will in turn diminish the attack.[3] The tongue can also deform itself and produce a thick mucus in order to catch prey.[4] They are relatively shy in comparison with other lizards, and also significantly slower due to their shorter legs.
where to buy blue tongue skink
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Blue-tongued skinks are closely related to the genera Cyclodomorphus and Hemisphaeriodon. All species are found on mainland Australia with the exception of Tiliqua gigas, which occurs in New Guinea and various islands of Indonesia. the Tanimbar blue-tongued skink, a subspecies of Tiliqua scincoides, is also found on several small Indonesian islands between Australia and New Guinea. Tiliqua nigrolutea, the Blotched blue-tongued skink, is the only species present in Tasmania.
Most species are diurnal, ground-foraging omnivores, feeding on a wide variety of insects, gastropods, flowers, fruits and berries.[5] The pygmy blue-tongue is again the exception, being primarily an ambush predator of terrestrial arthropods.[6] All are viviparous, with litter sizes ranging from 1-4 in the pygmy blue-tongue and shingleback to 5-24 in the eastern and northern blue-tongues.[7]
Blue-tongues skink species are generally docile, gentle, quiet and easily tamed, and can make a good reptile pet for beginners. Although they are not aggressive, they have strong jaws and teeth, meaning that a bite from a skink can be painful. It is advisable not to startle or provoke them, as they may bite if they feel threatened.[8] Specimens can live up to 20 years or more.[9]
General Blue Tongue Skink for sale care featured below applies specifically to the Northern blue-tongued skink, but most species and subspecies of blue-tongued skinks can be kept using these guidelines. Including the Red Eye Crocodile Skink. We have both blue-tongued skink for sale and red eye crocodile skink for sale most of the year. Blue-tongued skinks are ideal for beginners, as they have loads of personality and great dispositions. Blue-tongued skinks are also an excellent choice for advanced hobbyists, as breeding them can be challenging and certain blue-tongue species and localities are extremely rare.
Northern blue-tongued skinks are available seasonally, with most litters dropped June through August. Other species, including Indonesian blue-tongued skinks (Tiliqua gigas gigas), are more readily available and often imported, but Northern blue-tongued skinks are hardier and make better pets. Be sure to choose reptiles from a reputable source and look for active lizards with bright, open eyes. Check for open ear canals, clean toes with no sign of retained shed skin, and observe the overall appearance of the lizard for signs of health. Northern blue-tongued skinks range in price from $150 for babies to $250 for adults. High-colored or rarer forms may cost more. Rare blue-tongued skinks such as Centralian and shingle backs may cost between $1,500 and $5,000 each.
Baby blue tongue skink for sale should be housed singly in plastic reptile enclosures, terrariums, or 20-gallon aquariums with full-screen tops. An adult blue-tongued skink requires, at a minimum, an enclosure measuring 36 inches long by 18 inches wide by 10 inches tall, with a full-screen top. Larger is even better. Remember, blue-tongued skinks are terrestrial and prefer floor space over the climbing area.
All blue-tongued skinks, both juveniles, and adults are best kept singly. You may be able to house females together, or a male and female pair, but observe them very closely. If they fight, keep them in separate cages. Males should never be kept together.
Before purchasing your new baby blue tongue skink for sale, establishing the proper habitat is key. BTS enclosures should have ambient temperatures on the cool side from 75 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. The warm end should include a basking area of 90 to 100 degrees. This can be accomplished using an under-tank heating device, such as a heat mat or heat tape, and/or an overhead incandescent basking light or heat emitter. If both under-tank and overhead heat are provided, the overhead heating devices should be turned off at night. Daylight bulbs should be on a maximum of 12 hours each day. The cooler end of the enclosure can drop to 70 degrees at night.
Blue-tongues may climb over rocks and logs, but they are not agile climbers. Be sure they cannot fall from any high areas, such as stacked rocks or branches, in their enclosures. Proper housing accessories include cork bark, Mopani wood, logs, large rocks and hide boxes or other shelters. Do not clutter the cage, as blue tongues enjoy plenty of open space. Elaborate decorations are unnecessary and will be rearranged by blue-tongues.
Any new reptile, including a new blue-tongued skink, should be allowed to acclimate for a few days. It should not be handled until it is comfortable in its new environment. Once your new blue-tongue is feeding regularly, then handling can begin.
Blue-tongues are omnivorous and should be fed a combination of proteins, vegetables/greens, and fruits. Variety is important. Switch protein sources and provide diversity when feeding canned foods. For each feeding, a ratio of 50 percent vegetables/greens, 40 percent protein, and 10 percent fruit is ideal. Adult blue-tongued skinks should be fed every two to three days. Young blue-tongues do best when fed every other day. Feed them as much as they will eat in one sitting. After your skink has stopped eating, uneaten food should be removed immediately.
A blue-tongued skink spends most of the day searching for food. When a predator threatens a skink, the lizard puffs up its body to look bigger. At the same time, it opens its mouth and hisses while sticking out its bright blue tongue. The sudden flash of color may surprise and confuse the predator just long enough for the skink to scurry away.
Blue-tongued skinks are found in both Australia and New Guinea. In Australia, blue-tongued skinks are very common and are often seen in people's yards, where they eat insect pests. Because they live among humans, blue-tongued skinks have to watch out for dogs and cats, as well as their other natural predators, such as snakes and kookaburras.
Blue-tongues usually live in open country with lots of ground cover such as tussocky grasses or leaf litter. They shelter at night among leaf litter or under large objects on the ground such as rocks and logs. Early in the morning blue-tongues emerge to bask in sunny areas before foraging for food during the warmer parts of the day. Like all lizards, blue-tongues do not produce their own body heat, and rely on the warmth of their surroundings to raise their body temperature. Blue-tongues maintain a body temperature of about 30C - 35C when active. During cold weather they remain inactive, buried deep in their shelter sites, but on sunny days they may emerge to bask.
When threatened, blue-tongues turn towards the threat, open their mouth wide and stick out their broad blue tongue that contrasts vividly with the pink mouth. This display, together with the large size of the head, may frighten off predators. If the threat does not go away, blue-tongues may hiss and flatten out the body, making themselves look bigger. A frightened blue-tongue may bite if it is picked up.
Female blue-tongues give birth three to five months after mating, between December and April. The Eastern Blue-tongue usually gives birth between December and January. The Eastern Blue-tongue is able to breed every year if it has sufficient food but other species of blue-tongue may often skip a year.
Of all the blue-tongues, the Eastern Blue-tongue has the largest litters and the smallest young; up to 19 (but usually about 10) young are born, each measuring 130-140 mm in total length and weighing 10-20 g.
Unfortunately, blue-tongues will eat snails and slugs poisoned by snail baits and can be poisoned themselves. Care should be taken in using snail baits and insecticides when blue-tongues are living in a garden. Blue-tongues can squeeze through small holes in and under fences, and garden pests can also cross fences, so chemicals used by neighbours can also affect your blue-tongue.
Look out for blue-tongues when mowing long grass! They will try to escape the lawn mower by hiding in the grass rather than running away. Blue-tongues like to bask on warm surfaces, and black tar roads which warm up quickly in the sun "lure" many to their deaths.
Adult blue-tongues adapt well to suburbs where there are large backyards with plenty of shelter. They rapidly become used to human activity, and may live in the same place for many years. Rockeries, horizontal pipes and the cavities under houses are favourite hiding places; sunny paths and lawns provide basking sites. Plenty of food such as snails, slugs and caterpillars is usually available in gardens, and a blue-tongue in the garden will help to keep down the number of snails and plant-eating insects.
Reptile ticks are commonly found on blue-tongues; they attach under the scales and in the ear canal. They do not normally attach to mammals, and are not known to cause paralysis. A number of nematode worms parasitise blue-tongues, and may sometimes be seen in faecal pellets. Again, these worms normally only parasitise reptiles.
In the bush the major predators of blue-tongues are large predatory birds (such as Brown Falcons and Laughing Kookaburras) and large snakes (including the Eastern Brown Snake, Red-bellied Black Snake and Mulga Snake). Feral cats and dogs also eat blue-tongues. 041b061a72