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 skinks eat?
As for specific foods, blue tongue skinks are omnivores; they can eat fruits, vegetables, and a few different forms of protein. However, you’re going to want to prioritize protein and veggies over fruit, since they offer more nutritional benefits. For the most part, you should limit the amount of fruit you feed your skink.
What can I Feed my Blue Tongue Lizards?
Here’s our recommendation: Fruit and Veggies: Remember to keep fruit to a minimum and stick mostly to veggies. The best vegetables for blue tongue skinks are collard greens, dandelion greens, green beans, arugula, mustard greens, and endive. The best fruits are berries, squash, apple, and papaya.
What foods shouldn’t be in a blue tongue diet?
Shouldn’t contain vegetables or fillers that are not good for your blue tongue – such as potatoes, spinach, wheat, corn, dairy and other veggies listed in the tables above.
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What do blue tongue babies eat?
Blue-tongue Feeding Blue-tongue lizards are omnivores and feed on a range of live insects and plant matter. In captivity, blue-tongues should be fed a variety of both live foods and fresh fruits and vegetables (50:50). Live foods include; snails, crickets, woodies, mealworms (in moderation) and silkworms.
How much should I feed my blue tongue?
Blue tongue skinks don't need to eat much at all, but offer babies (under 3 months old) as much as they can eat, 2-3 times a day, 6 days a week. In general, adult blue tongue skink's portion size should be 1-2 tablespoons of food.
Can blue tongues eat banana?
Bluetongues are omnivores and should be offered a variety of foods such as insects e.g. crickets, worms, snails and slugs. 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.
What veggies can a blue tongue skink eat?
Items such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, bell-pepper, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, parsnips, sweet potato, spring greens, pumpkin and turnip are also good for occasional feeding, to help keep a picky vegetable dodger happy.
How often should you feed blue tongue skink?
Blue-tongued skinks are omnivorous reptiles that eat a wide variety of vegetables and animal protein. As juveniles half of their diet comes from insects, whereas adults should eat proportionately more plant matter. If a commercial lizard diet is offered, provide only as a supplement. Feed skinks every one to two days.
How often should you feed a baby blue tongue?
It's fine to leave food in their enclosure for them to eat over the course of the day, but if left unfinished it's best to throw it out after a day. Baby lizards should be fed five times a week (once to twice per day) and once a full-grown adult, only two to three times a week.
How often should I feed adult blue tongue skink?
Neonatal skinks and young skinks should be fed daily as much as they will eat. Adult skinks do well on one to two feedings a week. Blue-tongue skinks have to have their food intake monitored or else they readily become obese.
How often do adult blue tongue skinks eat?
every two to three daysFor each feeding, a ratio of 50 percent vegetables/greens, 40 percent protein and 10 percent fruit is ideal. Adult blue-tongued skinks should be fed every two to three days. Young blue-tongues do best when fed every other day. Feed them as much as they will eat in one sitting.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
Keeping Your Pet Reptile Healthy and Happy
The blue-tongued skink continues to be one of the most popular “beginner” pets for new reptile owners. It’s not hard to see why: Along with being colorful and fun to watch, the blue-tongued skink is easy-going and relatively low maintenance. His size will range between 18 and 24 inches as an adult.
Prepare your grocery list
These are just a few of our favorite vegetable and fruit options for blue-tongued skinks:
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.
What foods bind iodine?
Before starting, let’s discuss few terms: Goitrogenic: foods high in goitrogens will bind iodine and cause thyroid issue long-term. Oxalic foods: foods high in oxalates that bind calcium and remove it from the body, long-term causing calcium deficiencies. Foods high in phosphorus also bind calcium, leading to deficiencies long-term.
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.
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.
How Often To Feed A Blue Tongue Skink?
In warmer months, a blue tongue skink should be fed every 2 days, whereas, in colder months, a skink should be fed every 3 days. Keeping its tank in temperature constant throughout the year is essential.
How Much Should I Feed My Blue Tongue Skink?
In one sitting, you should offer 1 to 2 tablespoons of food. However, you should feed your skink as much as they want and will. Once your blue tongue skink stops eating, remove all uneaten foods because they can rot and create a foul smell.
Should I Feed My Blue Tongue Skink every day?
Blue tongue skink tends to Store internal fat. It would help if you fed your blue tongue skink every other day as it can cause fouling of habitats and dietary issues. Young growing skinks need to be provided daily, but adults should only be fed twice or thrice a week.
Do Skinks Eat Every Day?
They are diurnal reptiles and can be fed every day, but it is not recommended. Adult blue tongue skink only needs to eat twice a week, whereas Juveniles can eat every day. Juvenile blue tongue skink needs to eat every day to support their growth. Bluetongue skinks 0-6 months old can be fed daily, whereas 6-12 old skinks every other day.
How Long Can A Blue Tongue Skink Go Without Food?
A blue tongue skink can survive for another 7-21 days without eating in the summer season. In the winter season, they can even go up to three months without food during brumation. Lizards bred in captivity can only go upto a few days without food.
Do Blue Tongue Skinks Need To Eat Bugs?
Yes, Skinks diet should consist of 40% protein in which the primary source should be insects & bugs. Blue tongue skinks can eat many bugs, but gut loading the feeder insects is essential for their diet.
How Do I Get My Blue Tongue Skink To Eat Greens?
Being omnivorous, blue tongue skinks can eat greens and always love to feed on plant matters. If your blue tongue skink is not eating greens, consider switching their diet or its variety.
What do blue tongued 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.
How to transport a blue tongue?
When travelling, wrap them in a towel or blanket and use a hot water bottle. Transport them in a small plastic container, pet carrier or cardboard box, making sure there are openings for air.
Why are my blue tongues moody?
When their skin begins to appear dull and starts to crack it is best to leave them be; blue-tongues can be moody when they shed. Blue-tongues will also enter a process called brumation. Brumation is the equivalent of hibernation and is a natural process your lizard will go through to avoid cool conditions.
How often do blue tongues shed?
Blue-tongues will shed their skin up to 10 times in their first year of life and will still shed a few times a year once reaching adulthood. Prior to shedding, your lizard may show a loss in appetite and become increasingly thirsty.
How to legally house a blue tongued lizard?
In order to legally house a blue-tongued lizard, you must register with your local government by applying for a ‘Companion Animal Keeper Licence’. This varies from state to state, so find the relevant information on your government website. For example, in NSW, the ‘Code of Practice for the Private Keeping of Reptiles’ keeps you up to date with the rules and regulations relevant to keeping your new pet. You can then apply for your licence online or call the provided number.
Do blue tongues have mucus?
Be aware of any mucus around the eyes and mouth, heavy breathing or sneezing – blue-tongues aren ’t immune to conjunctivitis or respiratory infections.
What to feed blue tongue skinks?
Most blue tongue skink keepers swear by cat and dog food, and many skinks enjoy eating it. It makes a good diet when mixed with vegetables. Make sure to use canned food rather than kibble (although kibble is alright occasionally if water is added), and avoid formulas containing artificial colors/flavors or fish. Grain is fine as long as the formula is high-quality and not too high in carbohydrates. The claim that grain-free dog food is best is largely unsubstantiated and may even be harmful, although that claim is still being investigated.
What do blue tongue skinks eat?
Blue tongue skinks are omnivorous, meaning that they need to eat both plant and animal matter to get the right nutrition. In this section we’ll discuss options for protein, vegetables, and fruit that are safe to feed your pet. Just like humans, skinks’ nutritional needs change as they grow.
What do shingleback skinks eat?
rugosa) are more herbivorous than other species of blue tongue skink! Although in the wild they occasionally scavenge and eat insects, the vast majority of their diet is flowers and leafy greens. An adult shingleback’s diet should be only 20-30% protein.
What is the best multivitamin for blue tongue skinks?
Best multivitamins for blue tongue skinks: Herptivite. Arcadia Earthpro A. Repashy Supervite. Use each supplement as directed by the label, but keep in mind that dog food, cat food, and other prepared diets are already fortified with vitamins and do not need the addition of a multivitamin.
How long should I gut feed a feeder?
Note: All feeder insects should be gutloaded for at least 24 hours before feeding. Ideally, they should come pre-gutloaded from the breeder. If they weren’t, or you buy your feeder insects in bulk, the easiest way to keep them fed and gut-loaded is with a rotation of Lugarti Dubia Diet and Repashy Grassland Grazer.
What is repashy's dog food?
If you’re looking for a more reptile-specific prepared food, Repashy ’s Grub Pie, Meat Pie, Veggie Burger, and fruit powders make great mix-ins to add to dog food for variety. They even have a blue tongue skink-specific formula: Bluey Buffet.
How to keep skinks strong?
Keep your skink’s bones nice and strong with a pinch of calcium powder: 1x/week for adults, 2x/week for anything younger . If you’re not using UVB lighting, be sure to use a supplement that includes particularly high quantities of vitamin D3.
Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Vegetables?
Blue tongue lizards can eat vegetables and fruit mix in captivity. They also love to eat a mix of mealworms, crickets, super worms, dubia roaches, and waxworms. It will be best to give them a mixed assortment of chopped-up fruits, vegetables, and a few insects. Vegetables like peas, collard, mustard, and beans are their favorite.
What Vegetables Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat?
Yes. Blue Tongue lizards and skinks can eat tomatoes safely. Although tomatoes are pretty low in sugar, it supports your lizard heart health. It is also a good source of vitamin A to strengthen your skink immune system reproduction, vision, and growth.
Final Thoughts
Watercress, turnip greens, dandelion greens, endive, escarole, and beet greens can be fed frequently in a week to your blue tongue skinks. However, vegetables like green cabbage, kale, red leaf lettuce, and red cabbage-like vegetables should be fed occasionally, like once in 1-2 weeks.
How Many Fruits Can Blue Tongue Skink Eat?
An adult blue tongue skink can be fed fruits once in two weeks. Give them 10% fruit-based, 40% protein-based, and 50% vegetable-based food once a week. As they have slow metabolism, they don’t need to be fed every day.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Bananas?
Yes. Being omnivorous, blue tongue skink can be fed varieties of fruits including bananas. Banana should be fed to the skinks occasionally only as a treat. It generally contains 1% of protein and 0.5% of fat. Adding banana treats to your skink diet will boost their health and add a great taste to their meal.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Grapes?
Yes. Bluetongue skink can eat grapes when chopped in right size to fit theri mouth. Adult skink can have their salad mixed with chopped grapes in it. Grapes should be fed occasionally as a treat as well. I would recommend you to crush it completely.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Raspberries?
Yes. Blue tongue skink can not only eat raspberries but also strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and wild berries. In the wild, blue tongue skink get their 10% diet from berries. Berries are great to taste to blue tongue skink.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Pineapple?
Yes, blue tongue skink can eat pineapple but only in moderation. Pineapple is not calcium-rich, so your lizard can also develop serious health issues if he eats pineapple every other day or even every week. Instead, you should save pineapple as an occasional treat for your skink.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Apples?
Yes. Bluetongue skink can safely eat crushed, smashed & chopped apples as a treat once in 2-3 months. Like mealworms, you should feed apples in moderation only as they are not widely available in their natural habitat.
Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Strawberries?
Yes. Bluetongue lizards mostly eat berries fruits in the wild. They love berries. However, it would help if you avoided feeding strawberries mainly due to its calcium to Phosphorus ratio. Although they’re allowed to feed on strawberries, it is still best to provide good and avoid evil for your pet.
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