Blue Tongue Skink

Tiliqua scincoides

Reptiles Alive Name: “Mystique & Tiliqua”

Hissstory: Mystique was an unwanted pet that was sent to us in 1997.  Tiliqua was sent to us by Alexandria Animal Control in 2003 after she was  found as a stray – either a lost or abandoned pet.

RA Diet: We feed our blue tongues: greens, fruits, vegetables, crickets, super worms, roaches and dead mice.

Natural Diet: Fruits, flowers, insects, carrion, fungi, and invertebrates; especially snails.

Range: Australia.

Habitat: Semi-arid savannas, woodlands, tropical jungles, and urban backyards.

Size: Blue tongue skinks are some of the largest members of the skink family.  They can grow to 23 inches long.

Lifespan: Blue tongues can live over 20 years.

Reproduction: Most lizards lay eggs – but not blue tongue skinks.  Females give birth to about 10 live young. The baby lizards are on their own the moment they are born.

Conservation: While once widespread, they are becoming more rare in certain parts of their range due to human related activities:  dogs, cats, lawnmowers and busy roads.

Cool Facts: When confronted by a predator, blue tongue skinks open their mouths, stick out their blue tongue and hiss loudly.   This display is usually enough to scare off their enemy.