Requirements to thrive..

[Raven]

Hi,
Had my (Eastern) blue tongue for over a month now. Just wondering if anyone could give me some tips for it to live a long and happy life. I'm not sure if I will get a tank mate as the tank is 3ft length, just under 2ft high and 45cm wide. I believe it's female and I have a UVB 25W that I keep on in daylight hours. Nighttime hours I use the 100W Basking light, I'm using sugar cane mulch as substrate.

It seems to be going fine and to me it seems blue tongues are quite hardy but if there are any concerns and/or advice please feel free to add. I'd like to add a tank mate for her but I was advised by the pet shop that it's not a good idea as they can get territorial. I will see if I can get a photo up.. Thanks.

[mb606587]

I have a 24 year old skink. Best advice I can give you is to make sure your temperatures are correct and feed a good diet. I've been feeding canned dog food from day 1. I'll add that I wouldn't cohabitate with another skink either.

[Janella]

Follow the guidelines from this forum and absolutely don't put two skinks together. If you follow this, you will be just fine.

[Y33T]

Easterns ideally need a 4ft tank, I have 3 and 2 are kept in 120x50x40cm vivariums while my newest is still in a 3ft tank since he’s still small. I also have mine housed separately, I don’t support cohabbing unless you’re keeping them in a massive outdoor pit like breeders use and you have to have the skinks long enough to know their personalities and preferences really well. The only time I have them together is when i take them outside in their outdoor play pen. They still think it’s a new unfamiliar place and won’t get territorial as they would in their main enclosures.

If the basking light produces light don’t leave it on at night. All lights should be on a 12 hour period during the day, I recommend getting a timer if you don’t have one already. There should be no lights on at night. For easterns, nighttime heating is kinda unnecessary even during winter. As you said they are hardy, they won’t develop RI if it gets slightly cold at night. I never gave mine nighttime heat.

As for sugar cane mulch. I had used it before but it’s incredibly dusty and dry and will get mouldy when wet. It’s better to use a substrate that can hold moisture like euci mulch or coir potting soil and only use the sugar cane in one small part of the enclosure for burrowing. Dry bedding can cause shedding problems and their belly scales will get all flaky and gross, it is very uncomfortable for the skink.

For enrichment make sure you add plenty of plants and decorations, aim for different textures and give them a tunnel and things to climb. Instead of hanging the foliage, leave them on the ground so they can forage through them. Also get some problem solving toys meant for cats and dogs like those KONG toys that you hide treats in. They work really well for blueys too.

[Raven]

IMG20210811111740.jpg

IMG20210811111725.jpg

Thanks for the advice & I'll keep all that in mind & won't be adding another bluey. If anyone has any info on the gender that would be great also.

[Interesting Lizards]

You can add rocks for sunbathing on. Provide plenty of fresh water and food. From my experience sugar cane mulch is very dusty. Fine eucalyptus mulch works well from what I have heard.