Home / Reptiles / Lizards / Common blue-tongued skink
Some federal rules apply In-depth sheetCommon blue-tongued skink
Tiliqua scincoides
Also known as Australian blue-tongued lizard, Common Bluetongue, Eastern Bluetongue, Northern Bluetongue, Eastern Blue-Tongued Lizard
Reptiles › Lizards (Lacertilia) › Scincidae (Skinks)
Blue-tongued skinks are calm, hardy omnivores that tame easily. Clint's Reptiles gives them a perfect 5/5 for both care and hardiness.
Experience: Easy
Adult length15–24 in
Lifespan15–20+ years
ActiveDay
DietOmnivore
Care at a glance
Species-specific values
Values researched for this exact species. Where they differ from the group guide below, follow these. Air, surface and water temperatures are listed separately, and each source is kept as published rather than averaged.
| Humidity | 40–60 % RH T. scincoides applies to northern/eastern forms only; Tanimbar differs | 206 |
| Cool zone temperature | 70–85 °F Source cool-zone wording; measurement surface versus air not explicit | 206 |
| Air temperature night | 65–75 °F | 206 |
| Basking surface temperature | 105–115 °F | 206 |
| Humidity | 60–80 % RH T. scincoides chimaerea (Tanimbar) | 206 |
| Enclosure floor area minimum | 12 ft2 Source minimum; height at least 18 inches or 24 inches with internal lamps | 207 |
| Social | House individually. | 207 |
Care guide
Diet
- Omnivores: insects, snails, greens and some fruit; quality dog food has been used as a protein base.
Temperament
- Docile and easily tamed; they gape, hiss and show the blue tongue when threatened.
Sources 81
Show the group care guide for blue-tongued skinks and australian/pacific skinks
Group care guide
Blue-tongued skinks and Australian/Pacific skinks
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Woodland, grassland and rainforest. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For Tiliqua, current ReptiFiles guidance calls for at least 12 ft² of floor area; this does not specify arboreal Corucia housing.
- Deep substrate, a basking spot and UVB.
Climate & lighting
Starting point only: Tiliqua moisture requirements differ by species and subspecies; the 40–60% default excludes Indonesian and arid forms. Check the species-specific values for this animal where shown.
| Basking spot | 95–105°F |
| Warm side / daytime | 82–88°F |
| Cool side | 72–78°F |
| Humidity | 40–60% |
- UVB: Recommended.
Diet
- Blue-tongues: omnivorous mix of lean protein, greens and vegetables. Solomon Islands skinks: strictly leafy greens and vegetables.
Social life
- Tiliqua should be housed individually; do not extrapolate that recommendation to every genus in this guide.
Health watch
- Obesity and retained shed; Indonesian species need more humidity than Australian ones.
Understanding the animal
In the wild
In the wild
Researched for this exact species, not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1234
| Where it lives | Australian open woodland, grassland and suburban gardens with abundant ground cover. Eastern populations use tussock grasses, leaf litter, rocks and logs as shelter; northern populations occur in warmer Australian habitats. |
| Ground it lives on | Soil beneath grass tussocks and leaf litter, with cover under rocks and logs. |
| Climate | Eastern populations experience winter cooling and retreat into shelter during cold weather. Active wild body temperatures are about 86–95°F; these are body temperatures, not ambient air. Numeric humidity and a species-wide ambient range were not established. |
| Active | Diurnal; eastern populations undergo winter inactivity, sometimes emerging to bask on sunny days. |
| Wild diet | Plant material and fruit plus slow-moving animals, notably snails, beetles and other invertebrates. |
| Behavior to plan for | Basks before ground-level foraging and crushes hard prey with strong jaws. Defensive displays include the blue tongue, hissing and flattening; it can bite if restrained. |
What this means for care
- Prioritize floor space and dense ground-level shelters.
- Provide both plant foods and suitable animal foods.
- Match seasonal management to eastern or northern provenance.
- Avoid pulling or restraining the tail.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 80°F (up to 86°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 43°F (down to 37°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 56–68°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 67–71% on average (driest month about 63%) |
| Rainfall | about 959 mm a year, spread fairly evenly |
Measured at 123 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
Profile
Profile
Researched for this exact species. Sources are listed under In the wild above.
History
Tiliqua scincoides was originally described as Lacerta scincoides by White in 1790. Its taxonomy includes eastern, northern, and Tanimbar forms, and the synonymy of older names has been revised repeatedly.
Keeper tips
- Provide substantial terrestrial floor space with secure hides and ground-level cover.
- Include sturdy logs or rocks that the skink can move around and brace against with its claws.
- Offer a varied omnivorous diet consistent with the wide range of animal and plant foods recorded in the wild.
- Do not mistake the blue-tongue display, hissing, or body inflation for normal aggression; these are documented defensive responses.
- Handle carefully because the species is capable of tail autotomy.
Behaviors reported
- Displays its bright blue tongue when threatened.
- May hiss, lunge, gape, and inflate its body during defensive encounters.
- Can autotomize its tail and later regrow it.
- Is generally shy and secretive and often remains close to shelter.
Unique adaptations
- The bright blue tongue is used as a conspicuous defensive display.
- Tail autotomy allows the skink to shed its tail during a confrontation.
- Juveniles can have more varied coloration that makes them cryptic.
- The tongue is coated with sticky mucus that helps capture prey.
- Its adaptability allows it to persist in urban and suburban environments.
Remarkable facts
- Tiliqua scincoides can exceed 24 in in total length and 2.2 lb in mass.
- It has a stout body, short legs, and a blue-violet to cobalt-blue tongue.
- The species is ovoviviparous and gives birth to live young rather than laying an external clutch of eggs.
- Litters can contain about 5 to 25 young, with Tiliqua scincoides reported to produce the largest litters.
- The species is known to live for more than 30 years.
- Recognized forms include the eastern, northern, and Tanimbar blue-tongued skinks.
Stories
- Some scientists have suggested that the blue-tongued skink's appearance may mimic the venomous death adder, which overlaps part of its range.
- The species is considered a beneficial resident in some Australian urban areas because it consumes garden pests such as slugs and snails.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Tiliqua scincoides is a species of lizard in the subfamily Egerniinae of the family Scincidae (skinks). The species is native to Australia as well Tanimbar Island (Maluku Province, Indonesia). There are three recognized subspecies. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Wild diet | The Blue-Tongued Skink is omnivorous and will survive on a variety of foods. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Behavior | Blue-Tongued Skinks show little aggression. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Reproduction | The Blue-Tongued Skink is ovoviviparous, which means the offspring develop in eggs which are not laid and stay in the mothers body for further development. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Appearance and size | The Eastern Blue-Tongued Skink is characterized by its long blue tongue which is used in defensive displays (Cogger and Zweifel, 1998). — Animal Diversity Web |
| History and naming | Presumably named after the Latin Scincus (a north African skink, one of the first to be given a binomial name) plus the suffix -oides (similarity). — The Reptile Database |
| Conservation | Australia prohibits commercial export of most wildlife (including lizards), and the pet trade stock would necessarily need to be captive-bred. — Animal Diversity Web |
Data and studies
Researched care notes
Researched care notes
Findings checked against veterinary, zoo, welfare, keeper and peer-reviewed sources. Air, basking-surface and water temperatures are kept separate, and where sources disagree both are shown. “Study” notes report what a paper measured, not a universal rule.
Blue-Tongued Skink
Researched for this genus; applies to its species unless a species note says otherwise.
- Surface: ReptiFiles distinguishes a general basking surface of 37–40°C from 40–46°C for Tiliqua scincoides; these are localized surface recommendations, not whole-enclosure air settings.1
- Air / night: the guide gives Australian species approximately 18–24°C and Indonesian species 21–24°C; apply the identified species' requirements rather than merging them.1
- Humidity / taxon difference: Northern and Eastern T. scincoides receive 40–60% RH guidance, versus 60–80% for Indonesian T. gigas; uncertain identification prevents choosing a single genus-wide value.1
- Study: eleven adult T. scincoides showed increased plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D after four weeks of either two or twelve hours of daily UVB exposure.2
- Study limit: this UVB experiment measured a biochemical response under one diet; it does not establish a universal safe lamp distance, UV Index, or supplementation dose for every Tiliqua species.2
- House individually; ReptiFiles warns that territorial disputes can seriously injure co-housed skinks of either sex.3
- Provide substantial horizontal movement space plus sufficient height for furnishings and safely installed lighting; cage footprint alone does not describe the usable setup.3
- Feed a varied omnivorous ration containing suitable plant and animal foods; younger skinks need a different balance from adults.4
- Prepare firm vegetables in finely chopped, shredded or mashable form so they are easier to consume.4
- ReptiFiles — Blue Tongue Skink Temperatures, UVB and Humidity
- Godke et al. (2025) — Measuring the Rise and Fall of Plasma 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations with Ultraviolet B Exposure and Withdrawal in Blue-Tongued Skinks (Tiliqua scincoides)
- ReptiFiles — Blue Tongue Skink Enclosure Size Requirements
- ReptiFiles — Blue Tongue Skink Food
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Maximum recorded lifespan
Highest reported30years
Longest recorded lifespan reported by each database; typical lifespans are usually shorter. The AnAge record comes from an animal in human care.
Typical adult weight
Average of sources17.4oz
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- The lingual dorsal surface of the blue-tongue skink (Tiliqua scincoides) Abbate F et al., Anatomia, histologia, embryologia 2009
- Epizootic of fatal amebiasis among exhibited snakes: epidemiologic, pathologic, and chemotherapeutic considerations Donaldson M et al., American journal of veterinary research 1975
- Coloration affects heating and cooling in three color morphs of the Australian bluetongue lizard, Tiliqua scincoides Geen MR et al., Journal of thermal biology 2014
- Measuring the Rise and Fall of Plasma 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations in Blue-Tongued Skinks (Tiliqua scincoides) Following Ultraviolet B Exposure and Withdrawal Godke A et al., Veterinary sciences 2025
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. See all 11 on PubMed → 170
Sources for this sheet
- Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan): Tiliqua scincoides Zoo, university or veterinaryUniversity-hosted species account, mostly wild biology.
- ReptiFiles: Blue-tongued skink care Experienced keeper or breederWell-researched care guide.
- Clint's Reptiles (YouTube): Blue-Tongued Skink, The Best Pet Lizard? Expert educator & keeperClint Laidlaw, PhD in Biology Education and MS in Evolutionary Ecology; owner of Clint's Reptile Room and a longtime keeper. Rates each species on handleability, care, hardiness, availability and upfront cost.
- AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources) Peer-reviewed researchCurated, referenced longevity and life-history records for thousands of species; maximum lifespans are often from zoo animals.
- Myhrvold et al. (2015). An amniote life-history database. Ecology 96: 3109 Peer-reviewed researchPeer-reviewed compilation of life-history data for over 21,000 birds, mammals and reptiles.
- Species+ (UNEP-WCMC and the CITES Secretariat) Zoo, university or veterinaryThe official database of species listed under CITES.
- USFWS International Affairs: CITES Zoo, university or veterinaryFederal agency that issues CITES permits.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management and husbandry of reptiles Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional, metabolic and endocrine diseases of reptiles Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- ReptiFiles: Blue-tongued skink temperatures, lighting and humidity Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- ReptiFiles: Blue-tongued skink enclosure size Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Clint's Reptiles (YouTube): Blue-Tongued Skink, The Best Pet Lizard? Expert educator & keeperClint Laidlaw, PhD in Biology Education and MS in Evolutionary Ecology; owner of Clint's Reptile Room and a longtime keeper. His "Best Pet?" series reviews each species' care in depth.
- The Reptile Database Peer-reviewed researchScientist-curated catalog of every reptile species, with taxonomy and literature.
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) Peer-reviewed researchInternational scientific taxonomy used here for classification.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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