Blue Tongue Skink

Blue Tongue Skink care at a glance

Adult length

45–60 cm (18–24 in)

Adult weight

300–600 g (10.6–21.2 oz)

Lifespan

15–20 years

Basking / warm side

38–41 °C (100–106 °F)

Cool side

24–27 °C (75–81 °F)

Night minimum

20 °C (68 °F)

Humidity

40–60%

UVB

Recommended

Diet

Omnivore: greens, vegetables and protein

Activity

Diurnal

Lifestyle

Terrestrial

Typical values from common keeping practice, not yet reviewed. Individual animals and setups vary.

Blue Tongue Skink research

79 published papers in the HerpAtlas library. Most cited below, or see the latest research →

• A Review of Placentation among Reptiles with, particular regard to the Function and Evolution of the Placenta.

  Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London · 1935 · cited 228 times

• Ontogenetic variation in the molariform teeth of lizards

  Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology · 1984 · cited 128 times

• Oxygen Consumption, Thermal Conductance, and Heart Rate in the Australian Skink Tiliqua scincoides

  Copeia · 1965 · cited 99 times

• The ecology of an Australian reptile icon: how do blue-tongued lizards ( Tiliqua scincoides ) survive in suburbia?

  Wildlife Research · 2001 · cited 99 times

• The Dangers of Life in the City: Patterns of Activity, Injury and Mortality in Suburban Lizards (Tiliqua scincoides)

  Journal of Herpetology · 2002 · cited 88 times

• Static biting in lizards: functional morphology of the temporal ligaments

  Journal of Zoology · 1998 · cited 83 times

• Predation on toxic cane toads (Bufo marinus) may imperil bluetongue lizards (Tiliqua scincoides intermedia, Scincidae) in tropical Australia

  Wildlife Research · 2010 · cited 57 times

• Behavioral regulation of internal temperature in the lizard Tiliqua scincoides

  American Journal of Physiology-Legacy Content · 1969 · cited 54 times

Blue Tongue Skink natural history notes

Field and captive observations published in Herpetological Review's Natural History Notes. Each is a single observation, summarized by us, with a link to the original.