Having blue tongue skinks with other pets

[scoot1810]

I have a dog and a cat.
Would I be able to have a blue tongue skink too? I want to let the skink roam around the house with plenty of freedom. Is it possible for them to be friendly with dogs or cats?

[Susann]

This is a highly debated topic, and it can stir emotions on both sides.
Here is my personal view on the matter:
I do not believe reptiles should ever “free-roam” with dogs or cats. (I don’t think they should ever free-roam at all without supervision, ever.) The risk of something bad happening is simply not worth it, because, when something goes bad, it happens in a split second and always results in the skink coming out the loser.
Regardless of whatever proof has been put forth by others in the past that skinks “enjoy” snuggling with furry pets, I am of the conviction that reptiles do not experience the feelings we attribute to them of wanting to be friends with creatures they would absolutely never approach in the wild with an intention of getting to know them, play with them, or least of all, go snuggle with them.
So why do we, from time to time, see cute pictures of BTS sleeping very close to a cat or a dog on a couch? Simply because mammals are warm. And reptiles, after a while on a cold floor, will look for a heat source to hide in/by. Can they get to know each other? Sure, they can get used to each other and know that there’s never been any threats in the past. But I’m an adult, and I’ve seen horrific outcomes of animals left without supervision together with a reptile, or a child, and I’ve heard all the desperation in owners stating “This has never happened before! They got along perfectly!”

They can learn to tolerate each other, but they will not be friends. There is nothing positive for a BTS in roaming with furry pets, nothing they wouldn’t much rather get in a warm hide inside their tank. They can seem like they are perfectly fine right next to your dog or your cat, but there is no way for you to know how much stress is really going on inside your skink. So why risk it? Why not ensure the safety of everyone involved by letting your skink have separate, supervised exploration time by himself, and leave the cat and dog to do their own thing the rest of the time?

[Yeshika]

We have two cats here, along with three lizards.
I would never, ever let my skink go about alone in room by himself, let alone one with the cats in it.
If the cats are anywhere near him, they are wandering around while he is safe in his vivarium.
When I take him out, they are closed out of the room.
It just isn't worth it, to jeopardize his life. I don't think my cats are aggressive, but they are cats.
It is in their nature to prey upon reptiles.

[scoot1810]

We have two cats here, along with three lizards.
I would never, ever let my skink go about alone in room by himself, let alone one with the cats in it.
If the cats are anywhere near him, they are wandering around while he is safe in his vivarium.
When I take him out, they are closed out of the room.
It just isn't worth it, to jeopardize his life. I don't think my cats are aggressive, but they are cats.
It is in their nature to prey upon reptiles.

Thank you for this!
I would never even let the skink roam in a room alone without me watching, but now I won’t even let the skink roam whilst I’m watching if there are other animals in the room . I will simply put my animals in another room when I let him roam. I feel that cats and dogs may seem fine but they are truly unpredictable so if I looked away for just a second it may put my skinks live at risk.

[scoot1810]

This is a highly debated topic, and it can stir emotions on both sides.
Here is my personal view on the matter:
I do not believe reptiles should ever “free-roam” with dogs or cats. (I don’t think they should ever free-roam at all without supervision, ever.) The risk of something bad happening is simply not worth it, because, when something goes bad, it happens in a split second and always results in the skink coming out the loser.
Regardless of whatever proof has been put forth by others in the past that skinks “enjoy” snuggling with furry pets, I am of the conviction that reptiles do not experience the feelings we attribute to them of wanting to be friends with creatures they would absolutely never approach in the wild with an intention of getting to know them, play with them, or least of all, go snuggle with them.
So why do we, from time to time, see cute pictures of BTS sleeping very close to a cat or a dog on a couch? Simply because mammals are warm. And reptiles, after a while on a cold floor, will look for a heat source to hide in/by. Can they get to know each other? Sure, they can get used to each other and know that there’s never been any threats in the past. But I’m an adult, and I’ve seen horrific outcomes of animals left without supervision together with a reptile, or a child, and I’ve heard all the desperation in owners stating “This has never happened before! They got along perfectly!”

They can learn to tolerate each other, but they will not be friends. There is nothing positive for a BTS in roaming with furry pets, nothing they wouldn’t much rather get in a warm hide inside their tank. They can seem like they are perfectly fine right next to your dog or your cat, but there is no way for you to know how much stress is really going on inside your skink. So why risk it? Why not ensure the safety of everyone involved by letting your skink have separate, supervised exploration time by himself, and leave the cat and dog to do their own thing the rest of the time?

Thank you! Please refer to my other reply for what I am planning on doing in the future .

[kingofnobbys]

We have two cats here, along with three lizards.
I would never, ever let my skink go about alone in room by himself, let alone one with the cats in it.
If the cats are anywhere near him, they are wandering around while he is safe in his vivarium.
When I take him out, they are closed out of the room.
It just isn't worth it, to jeopardize his life. I don't think my cats are aggressive, but they are cats.
It is in their nature to prey upon reptiles.

Thank you for this!
I would never even let the skink roam in a room alone without me watching, but now I won’t even let the skink roam whilst I’m watching if there are other animals in the room . I will simply put my animals in another room when I let him roam. I feel that cats and dogs may seem fine but they are truly unpredictable so if I looked away for just a second it may put my skinks live at risk.

I concur, the cat/s must never be allowed in the same room as the lizard/s or their vivs (EVER) , not worth the risk .

Also when the lizard is going to be let out for floor time , the cat/s MUST BE LOCKED UP in another room and NEVER be allowed to meet the lizard/s or have any contact of any kind with them.

[splashy07]

Looks like all has been covered here, I totally disagree with free roaming anyway unless you keep your house at around 85 degrees...and have NO other free roaming pets. Here is a scenario I hear way too often, 'I've had my skink for years and suddenly he has an RI, about a week after I let him out for a few hours for the first time...Think about this. You are removing your animal from a cage that is 85-100 degrees. A sudden 20+ degree temperature drop does not do any of us good, much less a reptile. I have a place in south Florida and when I go from the parking lot into the supermarket I get an instant headache along with very annoying sinus issues. Think of your reptile dealing with such instant climate change.

[Yeshika]

Thank you for this!
I would never even let the skink roam in a room alone without me watching, but now I won’t even let the skink roam whilst I’m watching if there are other animals in the room . I will simply put my animals in another room when I let him roam. I feel that cats and dogs may seem fine but they are truly unpredictable so if I looked away for just a second it may put my skinks live at risk.

Blue tongues are like little sausages. I think even if you know the temperament of your other pets, it's just better to be safe. Make sure to keep a close eye on him when you let him roam! They're sneaky little guys All the best!

[Taliats]

I have a Dog and a Scorpion as well as my Skink.

The Scorpion never leaves its enclosure

When the skink is out, the dog is locked in the kitchen, usually when it's dinner time for him.

[Helloquaso]

[thank you for the info but is it okay to have a dog roaming around your house and your lizard inside your room? Can the dog sense the blue tongue lizard?][/quote]Susann"]This is a highly debated topic, and it can stir emotions on both sides.
Here is my personal view on the matter:
I do not believe reptiles should ever “free-roam” with dogs or cats. (I don’t think they should ever free-roam at all without supervision, ever.) The risk of something bad happening is simply not worth it, because, when something goes bad, it happens in a split second and always results in the skink coming out the loser.
Regardless of whatever proof has been put forth by others in the past that skinks “enjoy” snuggling with furry pets, I am of the conviction that reptiles do not experience the feelings we attribute to them of wanting to be friends with creatures they would absolutely never approach in the wild with an intention of getting to know them, play with them, or least of all, go snuggle with them.
So why do we, from time to time, see cute pictures of BTS sleeping very close to a cat or a dog on a couch? Simply because mammals are warm. And reptiles, after a while on a cold floor, will look for a heat source to hide in/by. Can they get to know each other? Sure, they can get used to each other and know that there’s never been any threats in the past. But I’m an adult, and I’ve seen horrific outcomes of animals left without supervision together with a reptile, or a child, and I’ve heard all the desperation in owners stating “This has never happened before! They got along perfectly!”

They can learn to tolerate each other, but they will not be friends. There is nothing positive for a BTS in roaming with furry pets, nothing they wouldn’t much rather get in a warm hide inside their tank. They can seem like they are perfectly fine right next to your dog or your cat, but there is no way for you to know how much stress is really going on inside your skink. So why risk it? Why not ensure the safety of everyone involved by letting your skink have separate, supervised exploration time by himself, and leave the cat and dog to do their own thing the rest of the time?[/quote]