Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a cage right now but would like to know if it is big enough by seeing some pics with the dimensions added. Plus what lighting do they need?
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1.2 Hypo Tang Leos, 1.0 Blizzard Leo, 0.1 het Blizzard Leo, 2.0 Tremper Albino Leos, 1.0 Knight Anole, 0.1 Mali Uromastyx, 0.1 Green Iguana, 1.1 Ball Pythons, 1.0 Green Anole, and a Common Snapping Turt.
www.geocities.com/multiplemorphherpetoculture

Sorry, I don't have any pics but I can answer your questions without them and maybe someone will post some pics sometime later. The minimum enclosure size should be 6 sq. feet. Basically 3' X 2'. As for lighting, there's no absolute proof that BTS require UV lighting, so regular fluorescent lighting is fine. You can also provide light with an incandescent bulb but this should not be used alone since it doesn't provide quite enough illumination. If you have juveniles though, UV light can be of great benefit to them, but, again, it is not required as long as a good diet and regular supplementation is given. I hope this information helps you. Don't hesitate to ask anymore questions.

My BTS set up is a little different from the other people of this FORUM. As i live in a very hot country (the temp the whole year varies from 85 to 90)i raise all my reptiles outdoors the whole year. The level of humidity is perfect for them too.I keep my BTSs in one of my green iguanas old cages. I used those cages for my igs when they were smaller but now they outgrew those cages and i needed to build bigger ones for them!!
The cage is 7F H, 3F W and 3 F D. On the bottom i put several hiding tubes, a huge bowl of water and another large bowl with a wet sponge on the bottom.This is my BTSs prefered place! I put a few rocks and low platforms for them to climb without danger. My female BTS is becoming fatter and fatter!She loves to lay down on her sponge bed,to look around and to see so many trees!I do believe that a nice view is VERY important to keep your reptile ( an iguana, a BTS, it doesnt matter!) happy!

n/p
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Edward
Carpe diem

I print this quite often, but maybe it can help you. Feel free to e-mail me for pics. One of the advantages of keeping Blue-tongued Skinks is that they have very simple caging requirements. They need a surprisingly small amount of cage space for as large a lizard that they are. The average adult Blue-tongue can be kept adequately in a 40-gallon glass aquarium with a screen top. While this standard reptile terrarium does the basic job, I have found them to possess a few flaws in their design.

The first problem is the all glass design. Most reptiles like to have some kind of refuge or cover to retreat to when they feel threatened. It is when they are completely covered and out of site from would-be predators that they feel the safest and most secure. Reptiles do not understand the concept of glass, and why they cannot get through it. They also do not understand that predators cannot come through the glass to eat them. As a result many reptiles take flight, head-on into the glass, at the first sign of a perceived threat or danger. It is needless to say that this can be very detrimental to the reptile's snout and general well being. These threats can be anything that moves in the reptile's field of vision; including you, your family and friends, and your dog or cat. Fortunately, most Blue-tongued Skinks are not easily frightened, but they still feel a need for security that is hard to provide with a glass tank.

I have also seen blue-tongues that walk up the corner of a glass tank about half way, putting their bodies into an L shape. This is an example of a skink that simply wants out, for whatever the reason, but can not figure out why it is not getting through. Being extremely persistent animals, these skinks will sometimes stay in this unnatural position for days, weeks, or even months, often causing permanent deformities to their spines. I also do not like the all-glass tanks because they are unnecessarily heavy, very easy to damage, hard to fasten lights and accessories to, and awkward when you need access to maintain your skink. If you have ever placed your tank on a dresser, at a height (about 4 ft.) that makes a great display, then you know what I am talking about!

Custom Enclosures:
I have found an option to the glass tank that is comparable in price, more functional, and visually more pleasing. Since I keep and breed a large amount of Blue-tongues, space is a valuable commodity. As a result I house my skink separately in 3'L x 16"D x 15"H stackable melamine enclosures. The melamine is an easy to clean surface that also provides good insulation from extreme temperatures. For easy access, I use 1/4 inch sliding glass bypass doors, on plastic track, for the front of the cage. Most of the Blue-tongued Skinks available to hobbyists in the U.S. prefer a relatively dry environment, so it is important to provide them with plenty of ventilation. The back walls of my enclosures are made from 1/4-inch pegboard, which provides my skinks with adequate ventilation while still helping to maintain constant temperatures. Light fixtures are easily mounted to the ceiling of the enclosure.
Note: If you are keeping just one or two skinks, I recommend the same type of enclosure, but if space permits, it may be a good idea to go with a slightly larger set-up. An enclosure that is 4'L x 2'D x 20"H makes a great display that gives your skink a lot of extra space, which is always a big plus!

People working with numerous Blue-tongued Skinks usually face space consideration challenges. Some people have successfully maintained blue-tongues in rack systems similar to those used by snake breeders. While this may be effective for larger scale breeding operations, I prefer to give my skinks a more spacious enclosure with the benefit of lights. My melamine enclosures can be used to house large amounts of blue-tongues because they are front opening and stackable. The glass fronts also provide me with the advantage of being able to observe and monitor my skinks, and their environments, when needed.

Communal Housing
While I can't say that I personally recommend it, some people choose to house their Blue-tongued skinks in pairs or groups. Unfortunately, many people mistakenly feel that their skink will grow to be lonely or bored without the company of other skinks. The fact is that almost all reptile species are, for the most part, solitary animals. There are a few exceptions, but blue-tongues are not one of them.

Blue-tongued Skinks do best when kept alone, and in actuality, a skink would view another skink simply as competition for food, water, basking sights, and shelter. Most people see two skinks all curled up together in a shelter or basking area and assume that they are enjoying each others company. This is a very common misconception. The skinks are actually piled up together because that one spot happens to be the best spot for whatever they are looking for at that specific time, such as warmth, coolness, or shelter. It is important to realize that blue-tongues do not like, need, want, or require each other's company, and it can actually be extremely stressful for them to be confined together in a situation where they cannot get away from each other as they would be able to in the wild. This is especially true for males. In the animal kingdom the world is run by the rule "survival of the fittest," with breeding rights and the best territories going to the biggest, strongest, and the most aggressive males. These territories are often defended fiercely, and the presence of another male is usually perceived as an immediate threat, requiring the intruder to either flee at once or fight. Of course the current occupant also has the same option to flee if he feels that he is no match for the new challenger. Males of many reptile species will often run off females as well as other males with exception being taken during the breeding season. The same is often true with females running off other females and males. In captivity this opportunity to flee is not available, and it often results in unwanted combat by the animal that would be less likely to fight if given the chance to flee. I have seen a lot of skinks with serious injuries, including: broken or missing limbs, fractured jaws, and missing tails, all due to cage-mate specific aggression. If fights do not occur, it is common for the sub-dominant animal to go to a corner and assume a submissive posture, doing nothing to threaten the status of the dominant animal. This means staying right there, and not eating, drinking or basking. A blue-tongue in this situation will usually end up dying, of what is often referred to as psychological domination, if it is not removed and given its own environment. Blue-tongues just do not appreciate the "company”. They function on very basic survival instincts that they have been programmed with over millions of years, and fortunately for them, the human emotion of loneliness is not one of them.

Still there are many people who chose to communally house their blue-tongues, thinking that it is the only way that their skinks will breed for them. In actuality, the skinks usually either fight or become sexually complacent to each other's presence. In my opinion, it is just not worth it and it is, more often than not, counterproductive. For those people who are fortunate enough to live in the mild climates of southern California or Florida, the use of LARGE outdoor zoo style pit enclosures could be an exception to the rule, offering the skinks the ever important option to flee when confronted by a would be aggressor. There are reports of some of the more cold tolerant species that have been kept and bred in this fashion all year around. The more tropical species may need to be brought indoors for part of the year, or possibly given access to supplemental heat. Outdoor pits should allow the skinks access to sun and shade with numerous shelters and visual barriers. The skinks should also be able to dig down, with precautions being taken to prevent them from digging out. You will want to make sure that the pit is secure in that it is both escape proof, and impenetrable to other animals such as dogs, cats, racoons, and birds of prey.

Mixing different reptile species is even more complicated with additional concerns of habitats and environments being added to the previous concerns of keeping more than one blue tongue in the same enclosure. Reptiles from different areas (even on the same continent) often harbor foreign pathogens that your skink may have no natural immunity too. In short, it is a big mistake to mix different species, especially with blue-tongues, as they are known to often be even more aggressive to other reptile species than they are to their own kind. If you want to keep another reptile, do both animals a favor, and purchase or build a suitable enclosure for the new addition. It really is the only responsible thing to do.

Free Ranging Skinks
Many people feel that it is wrong to keep their reptiles in an enclosure. They often say it is cruel or inhumane. I have often been asked, by these individuals, questions like; "How would you like to be locked up in a cage all day?" While they may have good intentions, these people must realize that reptiles are NOT people, and we should not place human emotions on them. But, if these people must have an answer, I would say that I would much rather be locked in my room at comfortable temperatures than to be set free in 45 degree temperatures with no way for me to warm myself, which is exactly what letting your skink roam free in your house is like. They are not cats or dogs; they are ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals that require an ambient temperature of 80-85 degrees, and basking temperatures of 95-100 degrees. These temperatures are needed for proper digestion, and other key body functions, and there is no way that you can maintain these temps in your home. In addition, free ranging skinks as well as other reptiles will readily eat a multitude of harmful objects that are available to them when wondering in your home. These objects include dead or live poisoned insects, small toy parts, jewellery, pennies and other small metal objects. Skinks may tip over lamps, causing house fires, and may damage valuables and house furnishings. They are also very good escape artists, finding and exploiting any potential ways out of your house. Skinks have a knack for finding ways to get into dead spaces in cabinetry and large appliances which can often result in the death of the skink, and a very bad odor for the grieving home owner. Free ranging reptiles in your home can also potentially pose a health risk to you and your family through possible Salmonella contamination throughout your house. Reptiles are still considered to be wild animals that have very specific needs that must be met in order for them to thrive in our captive care. If you want to allow your skink more freedom, then build a larger enclosure, or maybe, a good outdoor enclosure. It is simply irresponsible to let your skink go in your home where it will be forced to fend for itself in an environment that is totally foreign to it and one that its evolution has not prepared it for. To do this is an injustice to the skink, and if a person is not willing to be responsible enough to put their skink in the proper enclosure where the environment can be monitored, then that person should seriously reconsider their decision to purchase the skink. The same would hold true for any other reptile species

Cage Furnishings
Blue-tongues like to hide on occasion, so it is important to provide them with some sort of means to accomplish this. While three solid walls and roof help, additional shelter is recommended. I like to use hide logs because the skinks have the opportunity to bask on them when they want to warm up, or hide in them when they want to feel secure or sleep. Aside from their water bowl, they will not need any other furnishings.

Substrate
There are many different opinions on the subject of substrate. I have personally tried many of them myself, and I have found that newspaper, Care-fresh, and artificial-turf have all proven to be effective substrates for me. Cypress mulch is also frequently used and recommended by many keepers. Aspen Bedding has been used by many hobbyists, but it contains long sharp slivers can work their way into the skinks nostrils, eyes, or vent, causing serious injury. It is also hard to keep it out of the skinks food, and can cause very serious problems when ingested. I also avoid orchid bark for the same reasons and because of the possibility of respiratory and skin problems as a result from the red dust that it produces. Note: Never use cedar chips due to the toxic oils that they secrete.

Blue-tongues will often burrow in their substrate if given the opportunity (especially when kept in a glass tank). They do this simply out of convenience, in an effort to get under something and out of sight from potential dangers. Blue-tongues are not burrowing lizards by nature, rather they are opportunistic shelter seekers that do not need a substrate to burrow in if given appropriate hides and an enclosure that provides them with some sense of security.

Sand is also not recommended, mainly because it is very hard to maintain. Blue-tongues can be very messy lizards, causing the sand to have a very unpleasant odor in a relatively short period of time, and it is just not practical to replace the sand as often as you will need to. It is often pointed out to me that sand is often encountered in the wild by many blue-tongue species. However, that does not change the fact that it can get into your skinks eyes, nose, and food, unnecessary causing potential health risks to your skink. The reason for this is that in the wild the skink is not forced to be in constant contact with the sand 24 hours a day, for its entire life, as it would be in captivity. Let me try to explain. Many of the lizards from the south-western United Stated come in close contact with many different Cactus species. However, cactus is not the best choice of cage décor for these lizards in captivity. The point is, just because something is encountered in the wild, does not automatically make it beneficial in captivity. In captivity we should try to duplicate the beneficial aspects of the wild while decreasing the dangerous and rigorous aspects that the wild also presents.

Lights and Heat
There are many opinions in regards to lizards and full-spectrum lighting. While it has proven to play an important role in the development and vitamin D3 synthesis of many Iguanid and Agamid species, I am not totally convinced that it is absolutely necessary for the proper growth and development of Blue-tongued Skinks. There are many reports of blue-tongues being raised without any exposure to full-spectrum lighting. However, in the wild, blue-tongues do bask in the sun. Weather this is for UV light benefits, or simply just to raise their body temp, is still in question. I personally believe it to be primarily for the purposes of thermoregulation, and the synthesis of vitamin D3, and I cannot discount the possibility of additional benefits. I would much rather play it safe than sorry, and I still believe that the potential psychological and physiological benefits of full-spectrum lighting make it well worth the effort. A photo-period of 12 hours on and 12 hours off can be established and controlled through the use of a household appliance timer. I maintain this 12-hour photo-period for the entire year, with the exception of when I am cycling my skinks for breeding. A thermogradiant should be established in the cage by providing a basking site of 90-95 degrees at one end of the enclosure while maintaining temperatures of 80-85 degrees at the cool end. This can be accomplished by using an under tank heating pad or spotlight of appropriate wattage, and it will allow the skink to control its body temperature my means of thermoregulation. Night-time temperatures of 70-75 degrees are acceptable.

Okay, I've resized this photo, so hopefully you can see it without having to move the screen!! This is a custom made BTS enclosure made of plywood. It is 4 x 6 feet and 2 feet high. It houses one male Northern BTS, and he seems very happy in it, and uses every inch!
Beth

Okay, I've reduced it even more... hope you can see it in one
view!

I used a converted jewelry showcase to create this display for my living room. The nice thing about these cases is that they have built in fluorescent light fixtures that now house UV bulbs (not necessary?). Low voltage halogen bulbs also run the length of the case. Depending on the time of the year I pull some of the bulbs out to reduce heat. In the summer, the sliding doors are screens, in the winter I replace them with vented glass to help retain heat and use heat mats and night time IR lights to keep the interior warm until brumation. Since this image was taken I have added a low voltage halogen basking flood lamp to each level. Take it easy on me Edward, I can't keep them outside here in NJ!!

n/p
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Edward
Carpe diem