BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Hello! My name is Rebecca and I am going to be getting a tank together to get my very first blue tongue and I have looked into each species on the main page but found very little information on each species humidity needs and also what substrate suits each type ect (maybe I missed it in the care sheet?) and I was wondering if that information is available on here and I'm just missing it! Sorry for the silly question please feel free to remove this if it's in the wrong section and also thank you in advance!!

I'm in the process of writing a detailed list of care differences for each species and sub species. Until then, when you decide which species that your going to bring into your home, let us know and we can answer any questions you may have. Either here, or shoot me an email or pm and I can walk you through setting up the tank myself.

Thank you so much I really appreciate the help! I first need to get my cage it's going to be one of the Zilla critter cages but if anyone else has any other recommendations I would appreciate it! As I have been having a hard time finding the exact one I want (the 36x18x12)

Welcome to the forum and good luck in your search! How exciting
We appreciate people who take the time to learn before bringing home a new pet. Your question is in no way silly; never hesitate to ask if you're not finding an answer; we're happy to help.

As far as temperature goes, you'll be pretty close regardless of what species you get if you just go by the Caresheet recommendation for now; the gigas species can take a slightly warmer basking spot than the Australian species, but that can probably be adjusted if need be once you know what you're getting. Gigas also require higher humidity, which can be a struggle depending on your environment, but if you prepare for a gigas by getting a humidifier, or by raising humidity some other way, but then end up getting a Northern, I figure it's a lot easier to lower humidity in most cases than it is to raise it. And a Northern wouldn't in any way be hurt by high humidity, they just don't tend to develop problems from the lack of it; gigas species are just a lot more susceptible to problems from lack of humidity.

We're happy you've found us, and will be excited to learn what you end up with!

Hi! Over here in the General Discussion FAQ section are a number of threads that I keep going back to read myself, including one about substrate and setting up a tank etc.

Do you know where you will get your new pal from? If you buy from a breeder (there are great ones on this forum! Just head over to the classified section to have a look), you can be sure you are getting one that is truly captive born and bred, nice and healthy and well looked after. You will also know exactly what species it is - there are lots of stories where they are sold one as one species of bts but it turns out to be a different bts species altogether! Just thought Id mention it because you are putting so much thought and planning into what you want

(Here is Aus we have very strict import/export laws so this is less of a problem for us, we just have to look out when we buy for people trying to sell BTS that they are actually captive and haven't been illegally pinched from the wild)

Thank you so much for the replies and information!!! I appreciate it a lot so it looks like I'm going to get my cage and lights and small essentials like bowls and thermometers ect first before I decide on a skink and then substrate will come once I've decided! I'm really the most interested in northerns and IJs and will be looking to buy from someone on here whenever the next breeding season comes along! Also I did read that substrate thread you linked and it's helpful and coconut husk seems like a good choice to me but I'm just not sure if they can burrow in it and what would be best for whichever breed I decide? (And how easy it is to clean up messes in lol)