Best safe and non-toxic greens and vegetable list for blue tongue skinks
| Staple | Feed occasionally | Feed rarely |
| Arugula (rocket) | Pumpkin | Carrots |
| Collard greens | Kale | Radishes |
| Endive | Pinto beans | Okra |
| Escarole | Green beans (raw, green) | Cabbage (red or green) |
What do Blue Tongue Lizards eat?
Blue-tongued lizards are omnivores. Garden snails are their ideal food, but they will also enjoy most varieties of fruits and veggies. For a treat, feed them crickets and mice which you can buy at your local Petbarn store. Blue-tongues usually eat from late morning through to midday after getting some sun.
Can blue tongue skinks eat insects?
Yes, blue tongue skinks can eat insects. Insects such as hornworms, Phoenix worms, crickets, silkworms and others should be the main source of protein for blue tongue skinks. All insects must be bought for reptile consumption and gut-loaded for 24 hours (apart from Phoenix worms) before feeding to your skink.
Do blue tongue skink lizards need calcium?
Otherwise, it will start rotting and smelling. Calcium is one of the main minerals that your blue tongue skink needs. To maintain optimal levels of calcium in your skink lizard’s body, you should make sure that it doesn’t eat foods with high phosphorus levels.
What should I do if my blue tongue skink is sick?
This is a brief guide to preventing, recognizing, and treating some of the most common illnesses and conditions seen in captive blue tongue skinks. Some things you can do to keep tabs on your blue tongue skink’s health: Weigh them weekly – sudden weight loss often indicates illness.
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What do I do if my blue tongue lizard isn't eating?
If your blue tongue skink is refusing to eat, then it could be due to low temperatures in the tank. Blue tongue skinks need high temperatures in a basking spot to digest their food.
What human food can blue tongue lizards eat?
They will eat a range of chopped fruits and vegetables including dandelion, milk thistle, watercress, banana, apple, pawpaw, pear, green beans, carrots, alfafa sprouts, parsley and tomato. In addition, small amounts of moistened dog kibble and canned dog food may be given occasionally.
Can blue tongue lizards eat scrambled eggs?
You can prepare eggs boiled or scrambled, whichever is most comfortable for you, some skinks may seem to prefer one or the other. You can give raw eggs to your pet skink, just ensure that you don't provide them with the eggshell as the shell is sharp and can cause damage internally.
What meat can I feed my blue tongue lizard?
Blue-tongues can also be fed small amounts of tinned dog food (beef or chicken) with added calcium powder as well as boiled egg. Fruits and vegetables that can be offered include apple, pear, melons, pitted stone fruits, berries, banana, squash, carrot, endive and kale.
What kills blue tongue lizards?
Blue Tongue Lizard Predators and Threats What Kills Blue Tongue Skinks? The blue-tongued lizard predators include dingoes, kookaburras, snakes, foxes, and dogs. Feral cats are one of its most ferocious predators.
How do you help an injured blue tongue lizard?
If you do find an injured blue tongue lizard the best way to pick it up is to use a small towel that is large enough to cover the whole animal. Place the towel over the animal, gently wrap the animal in the towel and then lift it under the tummy between the front and back legs and place it in a box/container.
Can blue tongue lizards eat lettuce?
Can blue tongue skinks eat lettuce? Yes, your blue tongue skink can eat lettuce, but only small amounts mixed in a salad, and mainly for water. Lettuce of all types is low in nutrition, and too much can also cause diarrhea. Romaine lettuce is the most nutritious of all lettuces.
Can you feed blue tongue skink dog food?
Can blue tongue skinks eat dog food? Actually, yes! Super premium dog food can be a healthy source of protein and some vegetables for your pet skink. Look for natural ingredients with lean meat like chicken, and be sure to moisten any dry food before placing it in his or her enclosure.
Can lizards eat peanut butter?
Bearded dragons cannot eat peanut butter as it is too high in protein added sugars and fats. Rather than taking a chance, avoid peanut butter completely to ensure your dragon remains healthy.
How long do blue tongue lizards live for?
Northern blue-tongued skink: 20 yearsBlue-tongued lizards / LifespanThe northern blue-tongued skink is the largest and heaviest of the blue-tongued lizards. They are native to Australia and found almost exclusively in the Northern Region. They generally live around 20 years and are commonly kept as pets. Wikipedia
How can I fatten up my blue tongue skink?
Blue tongue skinks need to eat 40-45% protein – bugs mainly, and some meat, dog/cat food. Please remember that live bugs have to be gut-loaded (read below). Shingleback skinks (Tiliqua rugosa) – will need to eat less protein – around 30%. They also tend to be hungrier, so feed adults 2 times a week.
Can blue tongue lizards eat bacon?
They are even known to be scavengers and eat meat that has gone rotten, that doesn't necessarily make it okay for them to eat in captivity. Rotten meat contains all sorts of bacteria and parasites, and consuming this can make them very sick.
Can blue tongue lizards eat lettuce?
Can blue tongue skinks eat lettuce? Yes, your blue tongue skink can eat lettuce, but only small amounts mixed in a salad, and mainly for water. Lettuce of all types is low in nutrition, and too much can also cause diarrhea. Romaine lettuce is the most nutritious of all lettuces.
What fruit can blue tongue skinks eat?
Field research has shown fruit is a large part of a Blue-tongued skink's natural diet. But it is mostly that of the berry variety. Therefore keeping to the berry theme is ideal, with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries being great options for this part of the diet.
Can blue tongue skinks eat cat food?
Feeding Cat/Dog Food To Your Blue Tongued Skink Cat food is higher in protein than dog food, and feeding too much protein in their diet can lead to gout, so it is best to stick with dog food generally. Cat food can be offered to young skinks, but once they are adults, you should only give them dog food.
Can blue tongue skinks eat raw meat?
While skinks are in their natural habitat in the wild, they do eat raw meat.
What do blue tongue lizards drink?
Blue tongue lizards drink water from a bowl and will also get in to soak. The best type of a water dish for your blue tongue skink is a large water dish that your blue tongue can fit in at least partially. So, choose an extra large water dish like this, that will be big in size and sturdy.
What to feed blue tongue skink?
Please feed your blue tongue skink mainly live feeder bugs for protein. Gut-loaded bugs will provide correct nutrition and allow your skink to exercise. On top of insects, you can sometimes feed cat or dog food, some cooked lean meat and raw or cooked eggs (treat). If cooking eggs, don’t use any oil or seasonings.
What supplements can I take for blue tongue skink?
Best supplements that you can get for your blue tongue skink are: Repti-Calcium like this – pure calcium without vitamin D3. Multivitamin by Rep-Cal like this – balanced Ca:P ratio, no vitamin D3. Repashy calcium like this – no vitamin D3. Repashy multivitamins like this.
How to maintain calcium levels in skink lizards?
To maintain optimal levels of calcium in your skink lizard’s body, you should make sure that it doesn’t eat foods with high phosphorus levels. Ideal Ca:P ratio in the diet is 2:1. This is because too much phosphorus will bind calcium and remove it from the body. Over time, this will lead to deficiencies.
What do blue tongue skinks eat?
Blue tongue skinks are omnivores, and in the wild they eat plants, vegetables, fruits, berries, blossoms, dead animals, bugs. As pets, blue tongue skinks can enjoy a big variety of foods, such as live bugs, meat, veggies, greens, dog or cat food, fruits and plants.
Can you buy commercial food for blue tongue skinks?
You can also buy commercial food for your blue tongue skink, to offer on some days for variety or to use when you don’t have time to prepare other food. Few of the best commercial foods that you can find for sale are: Repashy Bluey Buffet like this – a gel premix, omnivore diet.
Can a blue tongue skink eat dog food?
Yes, your blue tongue skink can eat cat or dog food, but there are a lot of rules when choosing right ones. However, only offer dog or cat food occasionally, once a week for young blue tongues and once in 2 weeks for adults. Cat foods tend to be higher in protein than dog food. So, it’s better to stick to dog food.
What insects are good for blue tongue skinks?
Insects such as hornworms, Phoenix worms, crickets, silkworms and others should be the main source of protein for blue tongue skinks. All insects must be bought for reptile consumption and gut-loaded for 24 hours (apart from Phoenix worms) before feeding to your skink.
Is fish good for skinks?
This is because fish is high in salt and fat, which is not good for skinks. Also, fish can carry parasites and have a high heavy metal load, which over time will cause serious negative effects to your blue tongue’s health.
Can skinks eat mice?
Yes, your blue tongue skink can eat mice, but only once or twice a month as a treat. This is because they are hard to digest and fatty. Only offer pinky (also called neonate or fuzzy) mice or rats, and preferably only to skinny skinks.
Can you skink blue tongue hay?
It would not be advisable to offer blue tongue skink any hay (orchard, timothy etc.). Alfalfa hay is actually a legume. While hay is high in protein, it’s also dehydrated. This can cause issues with digestion, and might expand in guts or mouth and cause impaction.
Can you dip your blue tongue in applesauce?
A little bit of applesauce can also be used to dip meat if your blue tongue is not interested in it. Make sure that applesauce is free of preservatives, corn syrup, sweeteners or even added sugar. Choose only unsweetened applesauce or make your own.
Can you feed bananas to a blue tongue skink?
In general, you should avoid feeding bananas to your blue tongue skink. This is because bananas are high in sugar and phosphorus, which binds calcium and removes it from the body. Offer a very small piece once a month or less.
Can blue tongue skinks eat oranges?
No, blue tongue skinks must not eat oranges. In fact, avoid any citrus fruit such as lemons, limes, clementine, tangerines, kumquats and else. Citrus fruit will cause serious digestive upsets and diarrhea in your blue tongue skink.
Common Symptoms Of A Sick Blue Tongue Lizard
All reptiles, including the various types of Blue tongue lizards, will have different living requirements such as temperature, humidity, light, nutrition.
How To Prevent Blue Tongue Skink Sickness
In order to be able to recognize the symptoms of a sick Blue tongue lizard, keep a diary of the following:
Final Thoughts
As any pet, your Blue tongue lizard can get sick. Therefore, being able to recognize the symptoms of a sick Blue tongue lizard is as important as knowing what a healthy lizard looks like.
Related Topics Q&A
For you to be able to recognize the symptoms of a sick Blue tongue lizard, first you must know what a healthy lizard looks like.
How to care for a blue tongue skink?
Some things you can do to keep tabs on your blue tongue skink’s health: 1 Weigh them weekly – sudden weight loss often indicates illness. 2 Keep a weekly record of weight, feeding habits, behavior, shedding, etc. 3 Prepare a reptile first-aid kit so you won’t be left scrambling if your skink becomes sick or injured
How to keep blue tongue skinks healthy?
Some things you can do to keep tabs on your blue tongue skink’s health: Weigh them weekly – sudden weight loss often indicates illness. Keep a weekly record of weight, feeding habits, behavior, shedding, etc. Prepare a reptile first-aid kit so you won’t be left scrambling if your skink becomes sick or injured.
Why do blue tongue skinks need bright light?
Blue tongue skinks require bright light and UVB, because it promotes hunger and activity. During the day, you must use the bulb that produces heat and light. At night, lights should be turned off, not to interfere with a sleep cycle.
Why is my blue tongue skink refusing food?
Reason 13: Shedding. Your blue tongue skink might be refusing food because it’s shedding. Believe it or not, most reptiles become fussy eaters few days before, during and even after shedding. Make sure you adjust correct humidity levels, have a bowl for soaking and even give a bath to help with shedding.
Why do blue tongue skinks rot?
Without high temperatures in a basking spot, your blue tongue skink won’t digest food – it will rot in the guts, causing constipation, poor appetite and so on.
How long does it take for a blue tongue skink to be scared?
If you have just brought your blue tongue skink home, it will be scared and stressed. Your blue tongue skink will spend first week or few weeks hiding, eating almost nothing and being scared.
What happens if you pinch a blue tongue skink?
Signs of dehydration include wrinkly skin and slimy saliva. If you pinch the skin, it won’t go back to normal quickly if an animal is dehydrated.
Why is my blue tongue not eating?
If your blue tongue skink is refusing to eat, it could be because its bored with its food. This specifically happens when you feed it same foods every time – yes, blue tongues can get bored of same foods!
When do blue tongue skinks reach maturity?
Blue tongue skinks reach sexual maturity at the age of 12-16 months (for males), and around 24-30 months old for females. Your blue tongue skink might start showing breeding symptoms when reaching sexual maturity.
Can a Blue Tongue Lizard Harm Your Dog?
Your dog or cat is capable of doing more harm to a blue-tongue than vice versa.
Measures To Take That Minimize The Chances Of A Toxic Substance Will Affect Your Dog
1. Try to keep your dog mostly indoors. Dogs are predators and tiny lizards are easy prey for them.
Real-life Example Shared by a Dog Owner Whose Dog Ate a Blue Lizard Who was Infected with a Toxic Substance
My dog ate a blue tongue lizard a few days ago, and since he’s been a bit constipated as he always is with bones (he eats them too fast and they become impacted in his bowel – it’s happened before so we don’t give them to him anymore). He was however, appearing to get better.
Russel
A pet owner who loves to share useful facts and information about animals. For now, I write mostly about dogs and cats.
