Halmahera Blue Tongue Skinks
Tiliqua gigas
4x2x2 absolute minimum for an adult, and additional enrichment outside the enclosure strongly encouraged. More recently recs are closer to x x and most owners agree their skins could and would use more space if available.
70-80 F ( - C) on cool side
mid 80s-90s ( - C) hot side
basking spot - 100F? ( - C)
It’s okay to let them cool down at night, you don’t need to keep it hot 24/7, let it cool down in the evening as it would in the wild, don’t let it drop much lower than 62-65F though. If you’re house somehow gets colder than that, look into a Ceramic Heat Emitter to provide heat but not light. It is good to let them have total darkness and a night period.
Temp guns are great at checking the basking SPOT surface itself, not just the area. Remember thermometers are measuring ambient temp, the basking rock will be warmer.
Blue tongued skinks are omnivorous meaning they eat both plant matter and meat, and require a multifarious diet. We use our 50/40/10 system: 50% vegetables and greens, 40% meat, mice, and insects, and 10% fruits.
A large portion of their diet should include fresh vegetables and greens such as kale, collard greens, mustard greens. Meats can include cooked shredded/ground (lean) chicken, beef or turkey, different types of insects, snails (not wild caught, may have parasites), and a small amount of Dog food. Do not feed raw meats. Full food guide linked here:
Recommended food guide
TIPS
Water dishes will get dirty quickly, ensure they have access to fresh water all the time!
Always keep a spare heat bulb around.
UVB bulbs only last 6mos, just because it’s “working” doesn’t mean it is WORKING.
know where you local exotic vet is BEFORE an emergency happens.
Don’t approach from above to handle, these are prey animals, they are much more likely to be fearful and startle easily if you approach them as a predator would.
When purchasing, avoid wild caught, this is often lied about unfortunately
