# Experiences with keeping the Blue Tongue Skink.



## Scaleyfoot (Dec 15, 2013)

Just wondering has anyone had any disasters occur from keeping a pair together year round? (Noticed a lot of division on this)
Health and behaviour differences when supplying or not supplying UV lighting. (Noticed people are divided on this too)
Does anyone breed them and if so what is your set up like for housing the newborns? All together or separated?


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## RoryBreaker (Dec 15, 2013)

B_HERP said:


> Just wondering has anyone had any disasters occur from keeping a pair together year round? (Noticed a lot of division on this)
> Health and behaviour differences when supplying or not supplying UV lighting. (Noticed people are divided on this too)
> Does anyone breed them and if so what is your set up like for housing the newborns? All together or separated?



Depends on the individual bluey, gender, species and age difference. eg. Blotchies usually get along with no problems in groups whereas northerns (especially males) are best kept singularly.

I am from the school of thought where UV is optional as long as the diet is sufficient. If you live in an area where you have the suitable climate conditions for the species you keep, run them in outdoor enclosures anyway for the sake of saving your power bill.

As for newborns, I tub mine and heat with 12volt 50watt down lights. Upturned saucers for hides(with an access hole cut into the side ). Paper substrate changed daily. High protein wet dogfood , dusted with calcium and wombaroo fed daily. Separate the bullies as they grow. 
0-3 months feed daily
3-6 months feed every 2nd day
6 months + once or twice per week
Some juveniles will still brumate the first winter even if the heat is kept on.

What species do you /or are you wanting to keep?


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## Scaleyfoot (Dec 15, 2013)

I'd like to keep and breed the common Blue Tongue Skink (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) 
Have you had many missing toes/tails etc. when keeping them together?
I am considering an outdoor enclosure but I have the space and enclosures to keep them indoors too. 
Trying to come to a conclusion based on the experiences of others.


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## RoryBreaker (Dec 15, 2013)

The only times I have kept Commons together ( multiple adults ) is in an outdoor enclosure/pit. I found inevitably you end up with a dominant male and his 'poor doer' smaller buddies which end up beaten and battered. Females get constantly harassed during the breeding season and can lose tails plus get quite severe shoulder scarring.

Where as if kept separately, the male can be introduced to a female purely for the act of mating and then removed ( if they are in season mating behaviour usually will start within minutes). It limits the damage to your girls and also helps keep the male interested for the next round. 

At the end of the day, you try to limit the risk of damage to your skink because a missing tail/leg or crooked jaw will always remind you of how ruthless they can be.


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## Vengeance (Dec 15, 2013)

Hi B_HERP,

As RoryBreaker suggested it really depends on the personality, age, gender and size of the skinks involved. 

I have recently aquired two ten month old Easterns that were sharing an 120x60x60cm enclosure for two to three days after coming into my care. Prior to purchasing them, they shared a similar sized enclosure as well, and were familiar with each other. I noticed signs of dominance from the smaller one on the third day, where he/she went as far as attempting to attack the larger one. I separated them immediately, as I do not wish to have one lose digits or limbs so quickly after coming into my care. The smaller one was 4 grams lighter and a few mm shorter, so the size difference was not significant. I fed them separately, so the dominance was not related to food.

I was firmly in the 'do not share enclosures' mindset prior to getting them, but chose to risk it anyway. I wouldn't do it again - especially not with Easterns. I am not saying to do the same, I am just urging caution when choosing to allow multiple skinks to share the same enclosure.

I do not breed them but wish to some years down the track, I wish you the best of luck in those endeavors should you choose to go through with breeding.


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## champagne (Dec 16, 2013)

In my experience it depends on enclosure size and design, lots of hide, lots of basking spots, multiple feeding spots and enough room that if they want to get away and hide from each other they can. Also I have experienced that If they are raised together from birth they seem to tolerate each other more. I have never provided uv for any of my bluies, most go out side at 6 months but even the adults I have seen kept inside their whole lives that don't get uv and have no problems. In saying all of that I only keep eastern bluies, which apparently are less aggressive then the northern forms. I keep a ratio of 1 male to 4 or 5 females so in breeding season he doesn't just constantly harass the one female. when I raise them together I can see who is more aggressive/dominant and remove them at a young age before it becomes a problem.


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## cinnamonmybluey (Dec 22, 2013)

dont keep two males togther unless you are trying to sex them then do it briefly if they fight their male. Females and a male and females can be put togther. 

I kept my commons tgther from a young age for over a year until one ran away. However One was a female not sure of the other ones sex. They would spend every day together and cuddle up togther in the same hide even though there was many hides in their enclosure. Both these Blueys have lovely natures though and get along with everything including my dog haha.

But it does depend on the nature. My friend puta six month old with a 1yr old both female but the older one is a crumpy lizard all the time. She bit the other lizards tail off. They were put in a three foot tank with no hides or substrate so make sure they can get away from each other. These blueys are now housed in the same three foot tank with no promblems because they have seperate hides. 

Enclosure size does count but if your blueys are going to fight they will do it any way. At the start my babys were ekpt in a one foot cube together for the first four months then they were moved to a 2 footer then finally a 4footer


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## champagne (Dec 22, 2013)

cinnamonmybluey said:


> dont keep two males togther unless you are trying to sex them then do it briefly if they fight their male. Females and a male and females can be put togther.
> 
> I kept my commons tgther from a young age for over a year until one ran away. However One was a female not sure of the other ones sex. They would spend every day together and cuddle up togther in the same hide even though there was many hides in their enclosure. Both these Blueys have lovely natures though and get along with everything including my dog haha.
> 
> ...



I've seen 2 adult females fight when put together and also seen males housed together without any major fighting so I don't know how you can sex them by putting them together?


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## MesseNoire (Dec 22, 2013)

cinnamonmybluey said:


> dont keep two males togther unless you are trying to sex them then do it briefly if they fight their male. Females and a male and females can be put togther.
> 
> I kept my commons tgther from a young age for over a year until one ran away. However One was a female not sure of the other ones sex. They would spend every day together and cuddle up togther in the same hide even though there was many hides in their enclosure. Both these Blueys have lovely natures though and get along with everything including my dog haha.
> 
> ...



Bluetongues of any sex can and will fight each other. Keeping them together will always be a risk for the benefit of the keeper only.
Putting two suspected males together will not %100 confirm their sex as stated by Champagne.


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## -Peter (Dec 22, 2013)

Young bluetongues need UV, there is no "school of thought", there is UV or uninformed opinion. Your choice.


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## champagne (Dec 23, 2013)

-Peter said:


> Young bluetongues need UV, there is no "school of thought", there is UV or uninformed opinion. Your choice.


any proof of this? I have seen adult bluies that have never been provided with uv and they are large and health, they breed every year.


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## -Peter (Dec 23, 2013)

champagne said:


> any proof of this? I have seen adult bluies that have never been provided with uv and they are large and health, they breed every year.



You got any proof of that?

Show me where someone has actually made the definitive judgement, based on scientific research, that bluetongues do not require UV. Don't just show me opinion from the net.


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## cinnamonmybluey (Dec 24, 2013)

BLIE TONGUES NEED UV LIGHTING WHEN I GOT MINE SHE HAD BEEN DEPRIVED AND HAD MBD. HER OLD OWNER THOUGHT YOU COULD FIX THIS WITH STUPID SUPLEMENTS. NO YOU CANT IF A BEGINNER READS THESE COMMENTS THEY MIGHT GIVE THEIR BLUEY MBD....


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## cinnamonmybluey (Dec 24, 2013)

Blue*


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## SpilotaFreak78 (Dec 24, 2013)

I have only one Common Blue and it has been without UV all its life and is kept inside. He gets regular vet checks along with my other reptiles and he is in good health according to the vet. I'd have to agree with most others about putting more than one male together, considering how aggressive males can be during breeding season, especially if kept with one or females in the same tank/cage. I've seen plenty of females been put together in groups with no issues though.


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## pinefamily (Dec 24, 2013)

I think its true of all lizards. If you get away with keeping more than one in an enclosure, you're lucky. General rule of thumb is they will dominate/fight/etc. Our two juvenile beardies came out of the same tank at the reptile shop, went into the same tank when we got them home. Within 2 months, we separated them, as we could see dominance, and a gradual difference in size starting to happen. And we couldn't even have them in eyesight of our adult male; he used to go crazy all day long, until we moved the tanks around.
The only way to guarantee safety of them living together is to put them in an outdoor enclosure or pit. The larger size gives them room to move around and hide.


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## SpilotaFreak78 (Dec 24, 2013)

If I had the room for an outdoor pit I would get more, but my backyard has been turned into a nursery for my business! They are great animal the commons, so familial and personable and easy to keep. I have a hard time getting mine to eat fruit and veg as he loves cat food so much!


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## -Peter (Dec 24, 2013)

Its great that you have all seen bluetongues raised to adulthood without UV, I on the other hand have seen the insides of bluetongues raised to adulthood without UV. The skeletal structure is usually deformed and the bone density very poor.


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## RoryBreaker (Dec 24, 2013)

The OP asked for people's experiences with blueys and as one would expect you get different opinions. 

I stated my opinion in regards to UV, and tried to highlight diet as the most important factor in regards to bluey health. The fastest path to MBD is poor diet and infrequent feeds.


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## LippyM (Dec 24, 2013)

Female blueys can be as aggressive as males. I have a female that has to be kept separate all year round. If she sees another female she attacks regardless of hides or places to escape to. She doesn't let up.

Nice as pie to handle, and with kids and with male blueys too, but put her near a female and she goes psycho. I try them together every year to see if it changes and she might have mellowed but within minutes she's at it chasing the other girls so back to her own tank she goes.

I don't get thought why the others don't give it back to her. I have a female shingle that could probably crush her head no worries and outweighs her by about 350 grams but she runs everytime. They must have a pecking order like chickens.

Some can live together and some just can't. It's a lottery which ones work well together, but you can't force it.


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## champagne (Dec 24, 2013)

-Peter said:


> You got any proof of that?
> 
> Show me where someone has actually made the definitive judgement, based on scientific research, that bluetongues do not require UV. Don't just show me opinion from the net.



yes personal experience seeing adults kept inside there whole life that have no problem and breed every year.... one of my mates has a 12 year old that has never been kept under uv. It has more to do with diet rather then uv, just like monitors....


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## -Peter (Dec 24, 2013)

Sorry to have doubted you.


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## solar 17 (Dec 24, 2013)

-Peter said:


> Young bluetongues need UV, there is no "school of thought", there is UV or uninformed opinion. Your choice.


"LETS" turned this statement around "you" show us scientific research that "proves" BTL's cant be kept without UV ... solar 17


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## champagne (Dec 24, 2013)

cinnamonmybluey said:


> BLIE TONGUES NEED UV LIGHTING WHEN I GOT MINE SHE HAD BEEN DEPRIVED AND HAD MBD. HER OLD OWNER THOUGHT YOU COULD FIX THIS WITH STUPID SUPLEMENTS. NO YOU CANT IF A BEGINNER READS THESE COMMENTS THEY MIGHT GIVE THEIR BLUEY MBD....
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


 Do you have any photos? Can you show us the x-rays from the vet showing it had mbd?


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## richardsc (Dec 24, 2013)

Ive got 13 year old shingles,centralians to,theu have never had uv ,never been in the sun either,the stumpies i raised from a pr i had indoors with no uv for 17 years,all fed predominantly dogfood,zero mbd

Dietry intake is most important,uv lighting isnt what its cracked out to be and if u feed a poxy diet,ones with uv lighting get mbd anyways

People have waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to much faith in uv lighting as if its a miracle light,its far from it


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## jinjajoe (Dec 24, 2013)

I think that this argument will never be decided one way or the other...... UV is preferable.... But in some instances not necessary..... But in other instances VERY necessary.... Individual/genetic dependant.... They are NOT Bearded Dragons.......

I could build an argument for both based on experience not heaps of experience but a bit..... Provide D3 in the diet and get them outside a little.... Not that hard........


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## cinnamonmybluey (Dec 29, 2013)

My girl had a dip in her back before her tail three years ago when i got her not knowing i let it get bigger before she went for a checkup. A vet with over 40yrs of experience said she mbd when he saw her ... Thats all i know and since she has been going out to sun bake three times a week the bump has shrunk significantly. Although this is just my experience... Im not say it can work for others...


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## cinnamonmybluey (Dec 29, 2013)

Saying *


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