Friendly reptiles: Blue tongue skink

Affectionately known as the Bluey, Blue Tongues are the largest of the skink species. They are also one of the most interactive. Bluey’s will learn to become relaxed and obedient as they grow with their carer. So it is best to have your Bluey from the start of their life, when they hatch.

Bluey’s can be trained to enjoy being handled and play with you. Often, they will happily sit beside their owners or on their shoulder. Bluey’s are smart reptiles, making them a great pet for all ages. The typical life expectancy of a captive skink is anywhere between fifteen and twenty years. However, some have been known to live over thirty years. So it is important to consider whether you can commit to this length of time before purchasing.

Bluey’s do not have well developed teeth. But when they bite on to something, they are very powerful and tend to not let go. So a Bluey’s bite is a painful one which is best avoided. When threatened, their body puffs up and flattens out its body to look larger to predators. When under attack, some blue tongue species will break or pull their tail off as a defence mechanism.