Tropical terrestrial lizard

Indonesian blue tongue skink

Tiliqua gigas

A large, ground-dwelling lizard from Indonesia and New Guinea, known for its blue tongue, sturdy build and curious nature. It needs more humidity than its Australian cousins.

See the gear

We are still putting together the setup for an Indonesian blue tongue skink. Ask us and we will help you choose, or start with the gear below.

Photograph of an Indonesian blue tongue skink — Photograph by lienyuan lee, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Care sheet

What it needs

We have taken these figures from published sources and are still checking them against our own experience. Treat them as a guide, and ask us before you buy.

Basking surface: 35 to 40°C Measured on the surface the animal lies on, not in the air.
Daytime air: 24 to 30°C The cool end, away from the lamp.
Night air: 21 to 24°C
UV index at the basking spot: 2 to 3 Zones 2 to 3. Partial sun or occasional basker, thermoregulator
Humidity: 60 to 80%
Daylight hours: 12 h in summer, 12 h in winter
Where it lives: Foliage or shrubs, Rocks, crevices, or burrows
Adult length: 45 to 65 cm
What it eats: Omnivore Omnivorous. Offer varied leafy greens, suitable vegetables, insects, snails and appropriate animal proteins. Quality prepared omnivore diets may form part of the rotation. Offer fruit occasionally rather than as a staple. Adjust feeding frequency and portions to age and body condition. Provide fresh water, calcium and appropriate vitamin supplementation.
When it is active: Diurnal
How it lives: Terrestrial
Typical captive life: 15 years
Longest recorded life: 17 years A record from the literature, not what to expect. Most animals live well short of it.

Our reading of the literature, not veterinary advice. Animals vary, and so do rooms, so take these figures, and any setup the builder puts together, as a starting point, and ask a reptile vet about your own animal. Where the figures come from.

From the catalogue