Blue Tongue Skink in a vivarium setup

Skinks · Care guide

Blue Tongue Skink Care Guide

Tiliqua gigas

A terrestrial ground-dwelling skink native to New Guinea and surrounding islands (Tiliqua gigas; often 18–24″). Docile with regular handling. Adult minimum vivarium 48″ × 24″ × 24″. Indonesian and Australian forms differ in heat, UV%, substrate, and humidity.

At a glance

Quick facts

Key parameters for day-to-day husbandry. Full detail is in the sections below.

  • Daytime probe

    82–86 °F

    Indo 82 · Aus 86 · see climate

  • Night drop

    ~10 °F

    Indo ~70 °F · Aus ~74 °F

  • Adult enclosure

    48×24×24″

    Minimum · or larger

  • UVB

    T5 6% / 12%

    Indo 6% · Australian 12%

01 · Housing

Enclosure & housing

Large terrestrial skinks (often 18–24″). Give floor space, warm and cool hides, branches and tunnels for security, and a solid temperature gradient. Adult minimum is 48″ × 24″ × 24″. Match substrate and humidity to Indonesian or Australian form.

Adult minimum size

48″ W × 24″ D × 24″ H

Adult minimum, or larger if you wish. Adults often reach about 18–24″. Fill open floor space with hides, branches, and tunnels so they feel secure.

Decor

  • At least two hides — one on the warm end, one on the cool end
  • Branches and tunnels — fill the ground area for security and enrichment
  • Artificial plants for a naturalistic look
  • Cool-side water bowl (de-chlorinated water)
  • Australian forms: add a wet box / humid hide with the dry substrate

Substrate

  • Indonesian: humidity-retentive coir mixed with orchid bark
  • Australian (e.g. Northern, Nigrolutea): dry pelleted straw + wet box
  • Avoid fine mineral sands that can cause impaction

Cleaning

  • Daily: spot clean to limit bacteria and odours
  • About every six weeks: full clean if kept relatively clean — replace substrate, disinfect decor and vivarium

Housing diagram

Enclosure example

Front view 48″ wide × 24″ tall (depth 24″) · warm & cool hides · branches · tunnel · foliage · cool-side water bowl

Example Blue Tongue Skink vivarium front view at 48 inches wide by 24 inches tall Front elevation of an adult Blue Tongue Skink vivarium at 48 by 24 inch proportions. Heat dome on the warm left about one-quarter of the way in, T5 UV tube on the ceiling, climbing branches, a hide on the warm end and cool end, an open arched tunnel for enrichment, artificial plants, a small water bowl on the cool-end floor, and humidity-retentive coir mixed with orchid bark substrate (typical Indonesian setup). Depth is 24 inches. Adult minimum size. ADULT MINIMUM · FRONT 2:1 48″ W × 24″ D × 24″ H 24″ tall 48″ wide · depth 24″ · height 24″ Branches Foliage Warm hide Tunnel Cool hide Water bowl Coir + orchid bark WARM COOL
  • Front proportions — 48″ wide × 24″ tall (2:1); depth 24″ — adult minimum
  • Hides & tunnel — at least warm and cool hides; fill the floor for security and enrichment
  • Branches — climbing and cover as they explore the ground area
  • Foliage — artificial plants for a naturalistic look
  • Water bowl — cool end; de-chlorinated water
  • Substrate — Indonesian: coir + orchid bark (shown). Australian forms: dry pelleted straw + wet box — see guide

Setup diagram · 1 of 2

Top-down view

Heat bulb & probe left–right positions · Recommended temps need this layout

Vivarium top-down: heat bulb and thermostat probe positions Rectangular vivarium viewed from above. Heat bulb one-quarter of the way from the left side, halfway between front and back. Thermostat sensor one-quarter of the way from the right side, along the back wall. BACK FRONT Heat bulb ¼ from side · mid depth Thermostat probe ¼ opposite · back wall hangs to near floor WARM COOL ≈ ¼ ≈ ¼

Setup diagram · 2 of 2

Front view

Looking into the vivarium · bulb on the ceiling · probe hangs down the back

Vivarium front view: heat bulb and thermostat probe heights and side positions Front elevation of the vivarium. Heat bulb sits on the ceiling about one-quarter from the left. Thermostat probe hangs down the back wall about one-quarter from the right, with the sensor tip a few inches above the floor. CEILING FLOOR / SUBSTRATE back wall (behind) Heat bulb on ceiling · ≈ ¼ from side few inches Thermostat probe hangs down the back ≈ ¼ from opposite side WARM COOL ≈ ¼ ≈ ¼
  • Heat bulb — about one-quarter from one side, halfway front to back (on / through the ceiling)
  • Probe — one-quarter from the opposite side, hanging down the back, resting a few inches from the floor

02 · Climate

Temperature & UVB

Day/night cycling, a proper gradient, and the correct UV% for Indonesian vs Australian forms are essential.

Daytime temperature gradient

When the heat bulb and thermostat sensor are placed as instructed, a probe target of Indo 82 °F · Aus 86 °F creates this spread. The probe point is not the basking spot.

Daytime temperature gradient by zone, plus night drop
Zone Temperature
Cool side ~78–80 °F (~26–27 °C)
Probe · Indonesian (thermostat probe target) 82 °F (28 °C)
Warm side · Indo 90–95 °F (32–35 °C)
Night drop Reduce thermostat by ~10 °F · Indo ~70 °F / Aus ~74 °F

Australian forms (e.g. Northern, Nigrolutea)

Daytime probe about 86 °F (30 °C), creating roughly 82 °F cool, 88–90 °F middle, and 95–100 °F warm. Night about 74 °F. Use dry pelleted straw substrate with a wet box, and T5 12% UV.

Photoperiod & night

  • Winter: 12 hours light/heat
  • Summer: up to 16 hours
  • Night: reduce thermostat by ~10 °F — Indonesian about 70 °F · Australian about 74 °F
  • Night drop lets metabolism slow — essential for the lizard

UVB lighting

  • Recommended T5 UV on the ceiling — Indonesian about 6%, Australian about 12%
  • Mount straight across or diagonally (diagonal often places the power unit toward a rear vent)
  • UV hours: about 9–10 h winter · 14–16 h summer
  • Replace every 12 months — UV output degrades over time
  • Match UV on/off to daylight / heat schedule (morning on, evening off)

Climate diagram

Lighting setup

T5 UV (Indonesian ~6% / Australian ~12%) on the ceiling - heat dome on the warm side

Vivarium lighting: T5 UV tube on ceiling and heat dome on warm side Front view of a Blue Tongue Skink vivarium. A T5 UV tube is mounted on the ceiling — straight across or diagonally so the power unit can sit toward a rear vent. A heat bulb in a dome sits on the warm side, about one-quarter from the left. UV and heat follow the same on/off schedule. Photoperiod is 12 hours in winter and up to 16 hours in summer. Replace the UV tube every 12 months. CEILING FLOOR T5 UV tube Mount on ceiling · replace yearly Heat bulb / dome Warm side · ≈ ¼ from end WARM COOL PHOTOPERIOD (HEAT + UV TOGETHER) Winter 12 h Summer up to 16 h
  • T5 UV unit (Indo 6% / Aus 12%) — ceiling-mounted (straight or diagonal); UVA supports appetite & activity; UVB enables vitamin D3 / calcium absorption
  • Heat dome — warm side; same on/off routine as UV (morning on, evening off)
  • Photoperiod — 12 hours in winter, up to 16 hours in summer
  • Replace UV every 12 months — output degrades even if the tube still glows
First power-up tip

Always have the thermostat dial turned down before you plug it into the mains for the first time.

03 · Nutrition

Diet & feeding

Omnivorous diet: insects (method of 5), snails, small amounts of dog/cat food, sized mice, and vegetation. Dust every feed.

At a glance

Feeding cheat sheet

Method
Offer 5 insects at a time and wait until eaten before adding more
Adults
5–10 crickets often consumed daily once settled
Dust
Every feeding · 4:1 calcium : Nutrobal (store airtight)
Food size
Appropriately sized for the animal (choking risk if too large)

Staple insects

Fed regularly

  • Crickets
  • Locusts
  • Calci Worms
  • Mealworms

Occasional treats

In moderation only

  • Waxworms & Morios (moderation)
  • Snails (especially favoured)
  • Small dog/cat food · sized mice · pinkie · salad

Supplements — every feeding

Dust every feeding with a 4:1 mix of calcium : Nutrobal (4 parts calcium to 1 part Nutrobal). Store the mix in an airtight container and use it to coat food every time you feed.

Feeding new lizards — “method of 5”

New Blue Tongue Skinks often will not eat well for the first few days. This is perfectly normal. Once settled, appetite usually increases.

  1. Offer 5 insects at a time

  2. Wait until they are eaten before adding more

  3. Prevents dumping many insects that go uneaten — reducing stress and insect-related injuries

Adult intake

  • 5–10 crickets commonly consumed daily once settled
  • Omnivore — snails, small dog/cat food, sized mice, and vegetation (hide meat in salad if needed)
  • Hunting provides exercise — avoid excessive hand feeding (obesity risk)

Water & humidity

  • Water bowl on the cool side — they will drink from bowls
  • Indonesian: spray 1–2× daily (night spray most important); ~60% day / ~80% night
  • Australian: drier overall; wet box + humidity about 40–80% by species
  • De-chlorinated water only — moisture also comes from live foods

Gut-load insects before offering — variety matters for calcium-to-phosphorus (Ca:P) and vitamins.

Why gut loading matters

Feeder insects must be well fed before offering. In the wild, lizards eat insects that themselves ate a wide variety of foods — providing complete nutrition and a better calcium-to-phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio.

  • Use commercial gut-load foods with quality ingredients
  • Add fresh reptile-safe vegetables for variety
  • A single piece of carrot or potato is not enough — poor Ca:P and limited vitamins/minerals

Hand feeding can help bonding, but excessive hand feeding can lead to obesity. Hunting and chasing food provide exercise and enrichment.

Speak to a member of staff for more feeding advice.

04 · Behaviour

Handling & behaviour

Patience first. Settling and regular feeding come before handling.

  1. Step 1

    Settle first

    Allow the lizard to settle and begin eating regularly before handling — we recommend at least two successful feeds first. With regular handling they become extremely docile. Early handling while stressed can make settling worse.

  2. Step 2

    Short sessions

    Initial sessions: 5–10 minutes only. Lengthen as the lizard becomes more comfortable.

  3. Hygiene

    Wash hands

    Always wash or disinfect hands before and after handling to prevent bacteria transfer both ways.

  4. Warning

    No aerosols

    Do not use aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure — the chemicals can harm your lizard.

05 · Welfare

Health & welfare

Prevention starts with correct husbandry — heat, UVB, hydration, and supplementation working together.

Best prevention: good husbandry

Correct temperatures, supplementation, hydration, and UVB keep the immune system and gut working well — supporting essential physiological processes.

Inert substrates Paper, lino, carpet — pros & cons

Pros

  • Lower impaction risk

Cons

  • Limit natural behaviours such as digging
  • Remove natural digging behaviour
  • Can increase faecal contamination (waste less absorbed; insects may contact waste)

Questions

FAQ

What size vivarium does a Blue Tongue Skink need?

Adult minimum is 48″ wide × 24″ deep × 24″ tall, or larger. Provide at least two hides (warm and cool ends), branches, tunnels, artificial plants, and a cool-side water bowl. Fill open floor space — they feel more secure with plenty of cover. Adults often reach 18–24″.

What temperatures do Blue Tongue Skinks need?

Indonesian forms: probe about 82 °F (28 °C) by day, creating a warm end around 90–95 °F; night drop about 10 °F to around 70 °F. Australian forms (e.g. Northern, Nigrolutea): probe about 86 °F, with roughly 82 °F cool, 88–90 °F middle, and 95–100 °F warm; night to about 74 °F. Use the ¼ / ¼ heat-bulb and probe method. Heat day length is about 12 hours in winter and up to 16 hours in summer.

What UVB and humidity do they need?

Indonesian species: T5 about 6% UV. Australian species: T5 about 12% UV. UV hours about 9–10 in winter and 14–16 in summer. Humidity depends on form: Indonesian high humidity with spray 1–2 times daily (night spray most important), about 60% by day rising to 80% at night. Australian forms are drier overall (about 40–80% depending on species) with a wet box and drier substrate.

When can I start handling my Blue Tongue Skink?

Allow the lizard to settle and begin eating regularly before handling — we recommend at least two successful feeds first. Initial sessions should be 5–10 minutes only; lengthen as they become more comfortable. With regular handling they become extremely docile. Always wash or disinfect hands before and after handling. Do not use aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure.

What do Blue Tongue Skinks eat?

They are omnivorous. Use the method of 5 for insects (5 at a time until eaten). Once settled, about 5–10 crickets daily is common. Staples include crickets, locusts, calci worms, and mealworms; waxworms and morios in moderation. They particularly like snails, take small amounts of dog or cat food, small mice sized to the animal, and vegetation (you may need to hide snails or meat in salad). Dust every feed with a 4:1 calcium : Nutrobal mix. Occasional pinkie is fine.

Next steps

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