Alice White
One of the world’s most unusual lizards is the Blue-Tongued Skink. This creature is picky, calm, and friendly. It is great for home keeping and quickly becomes attached to the owner. These lizards will appeal to both beginners and advanced breeders. Skinks can be bred independently, although this is not an easy task.
General Characteristics
The unusual lizard Skink is a rather large animal. It grows up to 50 cm in length, and some individuals can reach 75 cm. The reptile has short legs, each of which has 5 fingers. The tail takes up about 60 percent of the body. This creature has very variegated, shiny scales that shimmer in the light.
In nature, Skinks live in Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea. They are able to live in a wide variety of conditions. Reptiles love coastlines, forests, wet savannas, and arid areas. They spend most of their time on the ground, but they can also climb trees.
Getting along with Skink is easy enough. Lizards have the following benefits:
- long life span (up to 20 years);
- daytime activity;
- sociability and rationality;
- no bad smell.
Lizard Species
Species with blue tongues are the most common, unlike their relatives. In general, the following types of Skinks are distinguished:
- Dwarf. The size of his body does not exceed 10 cm.
- Giant (southern and northern subspecies).
- Black and yellow. It is distinguished by a variegated, beautiful color, while the upper part of the body is dark, and the bottom is yellow.
- Black-temporal is gigantic. Has a creamy body color and black stripes on the head.
- Short-tailed. A very unusual variety. These individuals have stunningly beautiful, patterned, convex scales. The main difference from other lizards is the inability to throw off their tail during impending danger.
Character and Compatibility
These creatures lead an active lifestyle during the daytime. They avoid the heat and try to find shelter. Skinks move in a funny way and give the impression of clumsy creatures. However, in emergency situations, they become very dexterous and agile.
These reptiles are absolutely not aggressive towards humans, they are very affectionate and kind. It is very easy to tame such a lizard, she herself will strive to communicate with the owner.
Skinks are solitary animals. They need a couple only during the mating season. They reliably protect their territory, while they can fight and bite another individual, so it is better not to keep two lizards together (even if they are of different genders . When danger arises, the reptiles take a frightening pose, stick out their tongue and hiss loudly.
Conditions of Detention
After purchasing the animal, you must give it to acclimatize. Don’t bother the lizard again. At first, she may refuse to eat – this is completely normal. After the reptile begins to feed, you can begin to tame it. To begin with, you should take the creature in your arms no more than twice a day for 10 minutes. You need to keep the animal sitting on something soft so that the Skink does not fall if it decides to break free. Don’t forget to be careful. Until the reptile is tamed, it can bite.
A horizontal terrarium is suitable for Skink. It should be fairly spacious. It is best to purchase a 90 × 45 structure with a height of 30 cm. At the bottom, you can place particles of tree bark, shavings or lay a synthetic mat. It is worth paying attention to the fact that coniferous tree species are not suitable for a lizard. They give off fumes that are dangerous to the animal.
Sand or gravel should not be used. The lizard will definitely decide to taste it, which will lead to a blockage in the intestines. In an emergency, you can make a temporary primer out of pieces of paper or tissue. The materials must be clean, without paint and text.
Care should be taken to ensure that the litter is not too wet. It is not very beneficial for animal health. They love to climb, so you need to put driftwood and shelves in the terrarium. You can also put several stones in a flat shape. The reptile will happily rest on them.
Be sure to put a stable drinker and make sure that the water is clean. The air temperature in the terrarium should be between 26-30 degrees during the daytime and 20-22 degrees at night.
It is necessary to heat the lizard house with an incandescent lamp. In addition, an ultraviolet source is required. It is important for pets to maintain a 12-hour day length. The cover in the cage should be perforated and well ventilated.
Feeding
Skinks are almost omnivores, but they need a balanced diet. The following menu is considered the most useful:
- food of animal origin (squid, eggs, meat, small rodents, insects) – 25% of the diet;
- vegetable food (fruits and vegetables) – 75%;
- calcium supplements specifically for reptiles.
After the lizard has eaten, the remaining food should be removed so that the animal does not gain excess weight. Adult Skinks are fed 1 time in 2-3 days, and young animals – every day.
