I'm a wildlife carer and often deal with injured eastern blue tongues. I thought you might be interested in some of the pictures and stories I have of them. They are easily my favourite reptile to care for, and they're such tough little guys, it's amazing the sort of damage they can recover from.


This guy was attacked by a dog. He dropped his tail, and also had some puncture wounds on his sides. He was eventually successfully released.

Juvenile bluetongue, no idea what happened to him. His skull was crushed - possibly someone dropped something on him. I had to have him euthanised as he was unable to open his mouth and was in a horrific amount of pain.


This guy was named Lucky. My dad happened to see him on the side of the road and brought him home to me. I was sure he was going to die. One eye and the top of his head was bleeding profusely, and he'd failed to entirely drop his tail. I started applying pressure to the bleeding and rushed him off to the vet. He came out of it minus an eye and his tail, but otherwise alright. He turned out to be the greediest blue tongue I've ever seen, was in my care for quite a while until his eye was healed up. He was released as far into a national park as I could take him, well away from any roads.


Smallest and feistiest blue tongue I've ever had. He was a cat attack. You can see some of the puncture wounds on his side in the second picture. He died after two days unfortunately, despite medication. I counted the puncture marks after he died, the total number was 11. Lots for such a little fella.


This is Lt Dan. Dan was attacked by a dog and taken to a vet by the dog's owner. The vet who saw him had no idea how to look after bluetongues and he came into care with a terribly infected leg and very weak. He was taken immediately to another (good) vet who performed an emergency amputation and gave him meds for the infection. He had a very slow recovery. Dan was an incredibly friendly bluetongue and wouldn't actually leave when we tried to release him. I ended up taking him on as a permanent education animal and he is the friendliest blue tongue I've ever met. He's been on the radio, to schools and fetes, all sorts of places, and he's never once hissed or gotten cranky. I absolutely adore him. I wish I had pictures of how skinny and beat up he looked when he first came in, you wouldn't even recognise him as the same lizard.
I also have another two easterns (both who have birth defects), two northerns, and a shingleback on my personal reptile license. Love em!



Its always great to meet new people who share our passion for these awesome critters! Sounds like you've got loads of bts-keeping and care experience, I hope you'll stick around. 













you inspire me