The Blue Tongued Skink

 If you saw or read my last post you likely saw the photo I posted with a gorgeous Blue Tongued Skink!  I have owned them in the past, but it has been a minute. I will buy one again soon!  One does not just pick oneself up and drive to the pet store to pick up a Blue Tongued Skink, mind you. Where these lizards are not rare, they are certainly not common either. They are available, but they do come with a hefty price. The average BTS is demanding around $350 at the moment. The lizard is one cost, and the enclosure is quite another.  

    The BTS is such a simple lizard pet. It really isn't hard to keep at all. One of the best things about them of course is their brilliantly colored tongue, but they are also just too sweet for words. They actually like to coil and cuddle with you. They even recognize faces and voices. I love these guys.  I think my last one was about four years old and I had her when Caity was in kindergarten - - Caity turns 32 in about 2 weeks, so yeah, there's that. It's been a minute....or more.

    The enclosures for a BTS need to be at least 36-40 inches long and another 18 inches wide. They don't climb a lot, so the enclosure doesn't have to be tall. The average terrarium is about 15 to 18 inches tall, and that's high enough. The ground is the most important part of the enclosure. It needs to be big enough so they can move around and for me, I think I'll end up with a very big tank, if not an actual enclosure made specifically for the animal (once I move).  The enclosure (cage) will be either an 80 or 100-gallon tank, not something small, I want to spoil the Dickens out of my new boy/girl.  

    The BTS isn't necessarily a fussy eater either, and this is what makes keeping them so easy. If you are lucky enough to find one that is older, say over 9 months to 12 months, you can start with the salads, greens, a few fruits, and only a few proteins such as crickets, raw chicken, mealworms, etc.  The raw chicken (for me) is the way to go because I can simply cut off a slice when I'm about to cook my own! I love that. I can mix up a good green salad (sans spinach) and throw in a strawberry slice or two. Let me tell you, a lizard will do backflips for fruit!! I may need to video that so I can prove it!

    The general stats on a BTS are this:  They can live to be 18-20 years old. They can grow anywhere from 10 inches to 28 inches, depending on the species. They come in all colors really, but the basic colors are black on white, grey on black, brown on white, and grey on white.  They are found in Indonesia, Tunisia, Australia, New Guinea, and the surrounding areas. They are not poisonous, they are not biters, though any animal can snap. They are friendly, take their time, are quiet, and they are reserved. They basically hang out and look really pleasant.  My girl was 23 inches long and weighed just over 5 pounds I think. She was about four when I had to find her a new home; that was a sad day!

    I'll have to come up with a really good Celtic name for my new one. I don't know if it's a boy or girl yet, so I will come up with two names. I'm thinking of calling it Inverness if it's a girl and Culloden if it's a boy.  The Blue Tongued Skink is NOT from Scotland, mind you, but I like my Celtic names!  My last BTS was a girl and her name was Mary Scot for Mary Queen of Scotland.  It's just something I do. I had a horse named Eoghan and one named Niall.   If you've never been introduced to a Blue Tongued Skink before, or if you've never seen one in person, I would encourage you to find a place where they may have one. There are some really cool things to be learned from loving a reptile - - they aren't all fluffy and spunky like dogs, but they are capable of being social and even prefer human contact! Most reptiles are loners and can't be with other reptiles; the BTS is no different. Having a friendly face to spy on from their enclosures makes them happy.

    I'll have an outdoor enclosure built on wheels and keep it in the garage or in a storage shed.  It will be about four feet by two feet and another 15-18 inches high. It will be so the animal can go out and enjoy the sunlight. I will spoil my BTS! It will happen!! I can't wait to bring her or him home, but I have a few things to iron out in the house first, such as where I'm going to put the tank!!  These things take time if you want to do them correctly.  

Photo Credit: Pinterest