Welcome to our comprehensive guide on blue tailed skink care! In this article, we will provide you with all the essential information you need to know about these remarkable reptiles. They make fascinating pets for reptile enthusiasts, but proper care is essential to ensure their well-being.
The blue tailed skink, known for their vibrant blue tails and unique characteristics, are captivating creatures. Welcome to the world of blue tailed skinks, a captivating reptile species that has captured the hearts of reptile enthusiasts worldwide. The blue tailed skink, scientifically known as *Plestiodon fasciatus*, belongs to the family Scincidae. With their stunning appearance and intriguing behaviors, blue tailed skinks hold a special place in the world of reptiles.
Pacific blue-tailed skinks (*Emoia caeruleocauda*) and American blue-tailed skinks are different species of skink, but overlap in many ways. The Pacific blue-tailed skink is quite small at about 6 inches in length. American blue-tailed skinks are slightly bigger and can reach up to 8.5 inches in length.
The American blue-tailed skinks occur in the United States as far west as Missouri and as far south as Florida. You can also find them in the central states of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. You can recognize a blue-tailed skink by its bright blue tail and light stripes. For both species, the stripes on the back of adults fade in time.
In the Pacific blue-tailed skinks the stripes fade with maturity. Pacific blue-tailed skinks have more than one color morph. Skinks can intentionally lose their tails. Pacific blue-tailed skinks show sexual dimorphism. The male has a longer and wider head than the female.
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Do you have a blue-tailed skink, or are you planning on getting one? This care sheet contains only very basic information. *This care sheet contains only very basic information. Although it’s a good introduction, please further your research with high-quality sources.*
Habitat Setup
Carefully designing a suitable habitat is essential for the well-being of your blue tailed skink. The right environment will not only provide comfort but also promote their overall health.
The absolute minimum terrarium size for a single Pacific blue-tailed skink is 18”L x 18”W x 24”H. Of course, larger is always better! Housing multiple Pacific blue-tailed skinks in the same terrarium is not required for their wellbeing, but if you wish to keep a group of them, they generally get along well. Up to three skinks can be housed in the abovementioned setup.
You can use a glass aquarium with a lid as a terrarium. Housing must be sealed and escape proof. Hatchling fire skinks can be housed in a 15 gallon Zilla Critter Cage but adults require a minimum of a 40 Breeder Zilla Critter Cage, especially for a pair of skinks.
In the wild, blue-tailed skinks live in hardwood forests, on the edges of thick bush, and in rocky places. Blue-tailed skinks tend to be more arboreal when in open woodland areas where there’s less ground cover where they can hide from predators. These skinks like to bask on piles of brush and logs. Blue-tailed skinks prefer some moisture.
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Adult males fight with other males so don’t house them together. Clean the terrarium you use for your skink at least once a month, but preferably more often. A dirty habitat will likely make your skink sick.
Temperature and Heating
Blue tailed skinks are ectothermic creatures, meaning they rely on their environment to regulate their body temperature. Maintaining the correct temperature gradient is crucial to ensure their well-being.
Pacific blue-tailed skinks should have a basking temperature of around 95°F, as measured by a digital probe thermometer with the probe placed on the basking surface. In order to allow for proper thermoregulation, the enclosure should also have a cool area that stays between 75-85°F. Provide a heat gradient between 80-85°F (26-29°C) on one side of the enclosure and a cooler area between 75-80°F (24-27°C) on the other side.
The temperature on the cool end of the habitat should be lower than under the heat lamp. Provide heat for your skink with a low-wattage incandescent heat bulb in a horizontal fixture. Heat bulbs are the best way to imitate the warmth of sunlight indoors, and considered to be a superior form of reptile heating by experts.
Lighting
Proper lighting is vital for blue tailed skinks as it mimics the natural sunlight they would receive in their native habitat. UVB lighting is essential for adequate calcium absorption and overall health. UVB provides the animal with the needed vitamin D3 and helps it metabolize calcium.
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Yes! Pacific blue-tailed skinks require UVB lighting for their survival. For best results, house the UVB bulbs in a horizontal, reflective fixture. UVB is blocked by glass and plastic, so placing the terrarium in front of a window doesn’t count as “free UVB” - in fact it can make your terrarium too hot due to the greenhouse effect. Pacific blue-tailed skinks are also likely to benefit from plant grow lights as part of their environment as well.
Use a UVB bulb specifically designed for reptiles, and ensure it covers approximately two-thirds of the enclosure. As day-active lizards, Pacific blue-tailed skinks also benefit from a 6500K LED or T5 HO fluorescent grow light to provide extra bright light in the enclosure and better simulate the effects of the sun.
Substrate and Humidity
Choosing the right substrate is essential to create a comfortable and safe habitat for your blue tailed skink. Avoid using substrates that can cause impaction, such as loose sand or small wood chips. Opt for substrates like reptile carpet, coconut fiber, or paper towels, which allow for easy cleaning and reduce the risk of ingestion.
Substrate should be at least 2” deep and completely replaced every 3-4 months. Providing a layer of naturalistic substrate (“bedding”) will help maintain correct humidity levels and also helps make your enclosure more attractive! Substrate covers the floor of your skink’s terrarium and helps make the enclosure more attractive, but it also helps maintain humidity. It’s ideal to use a substrate that imitates the “substrate” that the reptile naturally lives on in the wild. For Pacific blue-tailed skinks, that means it should resemble tropical soil.
Pacific blue-tailed skinks are a tropical species, so the humidity inside their enclosure should be fairly high: an average of 60-80% during the day, and up to 100% at night. The humidity in the terrarium should be between 60% to 80%. Increase humidity by misting your skink’s enclosure 1-2x/day with a spray bottle. Mist first thing in the morning and then again at night if needed. Aside from raising humidity, this also provides your pet with an important source of drinking water!
Enrichment
Blue tailed skinks appreciate hiding spots to feel secure and reduce stress. Place various hiding spots throughout the enclosure, such as reptile caves, hollow logs, or artificial plants. These hiding spots will provide your skink with opportunities to retreat and rest when needed.
It’s terribly boring for a lizard to be stuck in an enclosure with nothing in it except substrate and food/water bowls. An empty terrarium makes for a bored skink, reducing its quality of life. Since Pacific blue-tailed skinks are semiarboreal, at bare minimum you will need a branch for your skink to climb and bask on and some live or artificial foliage for it to hide in.
By considering these key elements, you can create a suitable habitat that meets your blue tailed skink’s needs.
How to Care for a Blue Tailed Skink | Blue Tailed Skink 101
Diet and Nutrition
Providing a balanced and nutritious diet is crucial for the health of your blue tailed skink. The diet of a blue tailed skink primarily consists of insects. Feed gut-loaded live insects like crickets and Dubia roaches.
Pacific blue-tailed skink are insectivores, which means that they need to get the majority of their nutrition from insects. Juveniles should be fed daily, while adults can be fed every other day. Offer as many insects as the skink will eat in a ~5 minute period. Offer a small amount of insects or fruits and vegetables at each feeding, amounting to approximately the size of their head. Gut-load insects by providing them with nutritious food prior to feeding them to your skink.
You will also need calcium and vitamin supplements to help keep your skink healthy. We recommend Repashy Calcium Plus LoD, lightly dusted on all feeder insects. Lizards need a 2:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorus. Before feeding insects, dust them with an appropriate calcium powder.
Those who own a pet skink are advised to supplement the skink's diet with fruits and vegetables. In addition to eating insects, skinks enjoy a variety of fruits and vegetables. They sometimes also eat isopods and millipedes. Waxworms have a high fat content (over 20%) as do mealworms (9%). This is particularly true with crickets. Crickets and roaches are excellent sources of protein.
Feed your skink about as much live food as they will consume in five minutes. You can buy commercial gut loading food for crickets or feed them nutritious and mineral-rich foods.
Water
Of course, don’t forget a small water bowl and feeding ledge for your skink to drink from! Although your skink will get most of its drinking water from daily mistings, it’s a good idea to also provide a wall-mounted water dish. Provide water in a small bowl.
Behavior and Handling
Blue tailed skinks have fascinating and unique behaviors that provide valuable insight into their overall well-being. By understanding and addressing their behavioral needs, you can ensure that your blue tailed skink remains happy and healthy.
One of the distinctive behaviors of blue tailed skinks is basking. These reptiles love to soak up the warmth of the sun, which helps regulate their body temperature. Blue tailed skinks are excellent climbers. They enjoy exploring and perching on various surfaces, such as branches, rocks, and plants. To satisfy their climbing instinct, it’s essential to include vertical elements in their enclosure, such as branches or driftwood.
Blue tailed skinks, like many reptiles, can exhibit territorial behavior. They might establish their own area within the enclosure and defend it from perceived intruders. Understanding and observing these behaviors will help you create an enriched environment that caters to your blue tailed skink’s instincts and preferences.
Few reptiles actually “like” to be held, and Pacific blue-tailed skinks aren’t one of them. Reptiles generally don’t appreciate petting and handling in the same way that dogs and cats do. Pacific blue-tailed skinks are one of the types of reptiles that are best to leave alone rather than attempt to handle regularly.
These skinks have diurnal habits so you won’t find them active at night. There are ways for a skink to escape if caught. The blue-tailed skink can autotomize its tail (lose its tail) if caught by a predator. These skinks aren’t venomous, though. Bite injuries can happen if you keep several males together.
Purchasing a Blue-Tailed Skink
Thinking of adding a blue tailed skink to your family? It’s no surprise - these captivating reptiles make wonderful pets! However, it’s essential to understand that blue tailed skinks have specific care requirements.
- Shy Nature: Blue tailed skinks are generally shy and may take some time to adjust to their new environment.
- Not Ideal for Handling: Unlike some other reptiles, blue tailed skinks are not the best pets for regular handling.
Before bringing a blue tailed skink into your home, consider your lifestyle, commitment, and ability to provide the necessary care. If you’re interested in getting a blue tailed skink as a pet, we want to ensure that you have all the information you need to make an informed decision. DON’T catch skinks in the wild. It’s bad for the natural population because it reduces population size. Wild-caught individuals may also carry parasites.
When purchasing a blue tailed skink, it’s important to find a reputable breeder who prioritizes the health and well-being of their animals. Look for breeders with positive reviews and a history of ethical breeding practices. Another option is to visit pet stores that specialize in reptiles. These stores often have a variety of reptiles for sale, including blue tailed skinks. When choosing a pet store, make sure to inquire about their sourcing practices and the conditions in which the animals are kept.
The internet provides a convenient platform to find blue tailed skinks for sale. However, it’s essential to exercise caution when purchasing online. Research the seller’s reputation, read reviews, and ask for additional information or pictures if necessary.
Remember, when purchasing any reptile, it’s crucial to prioritize the well-being and ethical treatment of the animal. Now that you have a good understanding of where to find blue tailed skinks for sale, you’re one step closer to welcoming this fascinating reptile into your home. These options are safer than buying from a pet shop.
Health Considerations
The American blue-tailed skink carries ticks that transmit Lyme disease. The Emoia species can carry worm parasites. Regularly check on your skink.
