Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone,

I'm interested in giving my new blue tongue skink the best care possible. I would like to have an outdoor enclosure so that it can get natural sunlight. I would only put it outside on sunny days and bring it in each night.

I live in western New York and the temps are not always ideal for these guys, yet I still want it to get SOME natural sunlight. Even on warm sunny days, the temps don't always get up to their hottest requirements. I'm worried about not getting a basking site up to 95-100F.

On sunny, but cooler days (ie, high of 85 or so), should I use a basking light outside? Should I just use black slate on the basking site to help get the temps high enough? Should I not put it outside at all?

What do people think?

heheh... One of the reasons I moved to southern california was to get my tortoises outside, though it has never been proven that blueys need UVB/A like many herps.

www.bluetongueskinks.net has a whole page of members outdoor pens. Yeah, dark flat rocks will give 'em the belly heat.

remember: you run the risk of a mite/tick infestation. check your skink every day before returning him indoors.

leaving overnight is ok if rats/raccoons/oppossums can't get access.

***my outdoor horror story: waking up at 4 am hearing rain and thunder. running around the yard in my underwear in the dark and rain trying to find the tortoises before they drowned. guh. ill never forget that night.

because of this, I constructed their sleeping pen under the porch, then trained them to return.

Have fun...construting an enclosure can be loads of fun.
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1 Eastern Blue Tongue Skink
2 Tarahumara Mountain Kingsnakes - Knoblochi
1 Thayer's Kingsnake - Thayeri
2 Golden Greek Tortoises
1 Pyxie Frog - 14 years old

Im using a plastic kids pool up on my porch for my bluey this year.I tried to make a space in the garden but my stupid cat kept going in so I need something more secure(I am trying to figure a way to make a lid for it).I think that if its 80 or above my bluey can go out.If not for any reason other then fresh air, exercise and mental stimulation.Sunlight is a plus but my bluey really doesnt spend a whole lot of time basking.Mostly just some time in the morning and bit in the evening maybe.
But I dont put him out everyday just a few days out of the week.
Im hoping to eventually screen in my whole porch and make it reptile proof.Then I can let my tegu out on odd days and my bluey on evens.
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