Housing a Blue Tongue Skink

[Morbid Visions]

I'm looking into getting my first blue tongue skink in mid August. I'm planning on getting an indonesian blue tongue, I just have a one question about the enclosure, I can't seem to get much of the straight answer for some reason. I'm planning on getting a 36x18 terrarium (that's all the space I can allow at the moment), how long would that last? What size should I be getting a larger one? I know on the care sheet it says 36x18 is the absolute minimum, but I don't think it's right to keep it in there for life. I'm hoping it would be ok for 5-8 months, maybe even a year? If not, I can always hold off, but I'd like to get back into the hobby. I've had a bit of an obsession these past few months. I know they grow fast, but does anyone have a growth rate? I know it depends on the conditions and diet, but can anyone just give me a general growth rate?

Thank you.

[Linnea]

they can grow to adult size in one to two years time. i think one and a half is regular.
they grow much quicker in the beginning than in the end, so the only way to count it on average would be with a graph equation, which i do not currently have the info to put together.

that size of a terrarium will do for a bts. i had to count it over in cm but if its one metre x 45 cm then it should be okay for an adult sized skink. a bit larger definitely wouldnt hurt, but its okay. with a bts, any floor space given will be loved. some get a really active skink that would probably feel bad if it couldnt forage around as much as it wanted, and some skinks are lazier, but still will use the space on "good days". so any size which you can afford, and keep good temps in, is good.

just make sure that you can keep the skink when you move to get more space for your own living. if you do not have more space available, and one day hope to do so, its not always very simple to bring a reptile to apartments that wont allow them D:

note that indos are almost always born from a wild caught mother and imported. do not be tricked. anyone lying about this will also try to lie about other things, so make sure the bts you pick is healthy.

[Morbid Visions]

Yes, it would be equivalent to about a meter. If I feel that it isn't getting enough room in its enclosure, room can be made, just gotta rearrange a few medium to XX-large aquariums. Ha. You could say it's a bit overcrowded with fish, I'm planning to just get some larger aquariums and combine some so there's not one aquarium here, one there and oh look, one right there too! But yeah, as someone who keeps a few creatures I know how much just a little more space means to them.

We are planning to move in a year or so, but I'm not relying on that. Nevertheless, dog, cat, rabbit, frog, fish, or lizard, I could never leave my little ones behind.

I've been looking for a breeder, I did find one in a local pet store, they claimed it's captive bred, gave a birth date and such, but yeah, it's hard to be sure. What's the price I should be looking to pay? The one there is $200, and it's around 12". They're not as common here, at least that I know of, so that would probably bring up the price..

[Fatal_S]

There are no CBB Indonesians. At best, the mother was captured pregnant while wild. The most probable reality is that the baby was farmed (keep a bunch of wild skinks in one area, and collect the babies to be shipped overseas when needed). Things to watch for include mites, respiratory infections, and internal parasites (almost every WC skink will have IPs, and many CB ones too). So be ready to visit a vet and get a fecal check done.

Where in Canada are you? There are currently CBB Northerns in Ontario and Manitoba. I think Alberta too, plus there's another breeder there waiting for her skink to pop. These are the only CBB skinks I know of in Canada.

[iLoveMyLizard]

Why is it that all indos in captivity are apparently WC?

[Fatal_S]

Simply because no one has figured out how to get them to breed. Brad (ReptileKing) managed to produce a single baby, that unfortunately passed away. There have been a few other people who have managed it, usually by accident. But there's no actual Indonesian breeders known. Therefore the only way to get them is from the wild.

[Snickers :)]

I believe another reason indos are wild caught is because Indonesia allows their animals to be exported, meanwhile Australia (where most other BTS are from) does not allow exportation so we need to breed the other species here.

[Morbid Visions]

There are no CBB Indonesians. At best, the mother was captured pregnant while wild. The most probable reality is that the baby was farmed (keep a bunch of wild skinks in one area, and collect the babies to be shipped overseas when needed). Things to watch for include mites, respiratory infections, and internal parasites (almost every WC skink will have IPs, and many CB ones too). So be ready to visit a vet and get a fecal check done.

Where in Canada are you? There are currently CBB Northerns in Ontario and Manitoba. I think Alberta too, plus there's another breeder there waiting for her skink to pop. These are the only CBB skinks I know of in Canada.

Thanks for the info.

I live in Canada, Alberta, the BTS doesn't have to be Indonesian, I just thought because those were the only kinds I could find.

[Linnea]

I live in Canada, Alberta, the BTS doesn't have to be Indonesian, I just thought because those were the only kinds I could find.[/quote]

Never settle for less than you wish, when it comes to animals that live for nearly thirty years (unless your pick of animal is a super endangered species with few living that cost a few millions each, thats taking it too far for most)

luckily, all skinks are beautiful ( pattern, colour, scales, scale positioning, eyes, movement, etc.), and comes with their own personality XD

[Fatal_S]

You're in luck. There are two breeders in Alberta. Spankenstyne and Katrina. Spankenstyne has some baby Northerns available now:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=20929
Katrina is waiting on baby Northerns and baby Meraukes (fingers crossed).

I can also ship to AB, but it'd drive up the price. I have Northerns available and am hoping for IJs and Silver Tanimbars.

So now you see, you have lots of options!

[Morbid Visions]

Wow, awesome. I should have joined this forum a few months ago. Haha.

[Dan]

Like Indonesians, are Irian Jayas harder to breed in captivity as well? For someone who is considering a breeding project, would you recommend starting with Northerns?

[Linnea]

Dan, i think you should start with the subspecies/species you wish to keep i think a burning desire to help the species or to keep them and breed is neccessary for keeping the interest up, and helping discovering new breeding ideas for species harder to breed.

[Richard.C]

i think being wild caught and cheap,alot of folk dont bother trying to breed them,in saying that a few people do try,i dont think it would be hard,its just figuring out whats needed to make it so,some species are more forgiving of hiw we cycke them,pr them up ect,indonesia has many differing climates,and animals are collected from here,there and everywhere in between,hard to know where most originate

the challenge is getting it all in sync,definatly doable,but theres many things that come together to successfulky breed any species,especially over many seasons

northerns would be a good species to start with,there great to keep anyways,but they breed well and are from a reasonably similar climate,but seem to breed quite easily compared to many indo types

id love the challenge of trying to breed indos,ij,s ect,but still have northerns to,lol

[xxmonitorlizardxx]

There are no CBB Indonesians

Yes their are, I know a breeder