How to look after
a blue tongue
Learn more about one of the best pet reptiles!
A little about eclipse
Eclipse is our iconic hypermelanistic blue-tongue, meaning he has increased melanin in his scales making him significantly darker than the average blue-tongue. Eclipse has been here with us at Kellyville Pets since 2017 and enjoys lounging around his enclosure and hanging out with the awesome team in the reptiles department.
Eclipse is an omnivore and his diet consists of a variety of live insects and vegetables.
We are extremely lucky to have such an amazing animal as part of the Kellyville Pets family!
All native reptiles are protected in NSW and a Reptile Keeper's licence must be obtained from the Office of Environment and Heritage to own one as a pet.
fast facts
about the blue-tongues
| Lifespan | 25+ years |
|---|---|
| Size | Up to 60cm |
| Enclosure | 120x45x60cm |
| Diet | Live insects and vegetables |
setting up your Blue-tongue
Housing
Blue-tongues are active, diurnal reptiles that spend considerable time basking and foraging for food during the day. Blue-tongues are solitary animals and should generally be housed on their own. Having more than one blue-tongue in an enclosure may lead to dominance and aggression issues.
Enclosure
For one adult blue-tongued lizard a glass or timber enclosure of at least 120x45x60cm enclosure is required. It is important that the enclosure has sufficient ventilation as well as a secure, lockable door.
Inside the enclosure
The enclosure can be furnished with a low basking log (blue-tongues are not great climbers) or rock, background, artificial plants and a water and feed dish. An absorbent substrate is also important such as coconut fibre or artificial grass repti-mat.
care
Blue-tongue lizards have a very specific set of requirements in regards to general care, however if all of these elements are provided they thrive in captivity.
Providing adequate temperature gradients within a blue-tongue’s enclosure is essential for their health and wellbeing. Blue-tongues require a basking spot maintained between 33-35˚C. They should have access to an elevated piece of flat timber or rock ornament to allow them to bask closer to the heat source. The cool end of the enclosure should be maintained between 24-26˚C and should not drop below 18-21˚C at night.
Temperatures should be checked daily and must be regulated with the use of a good quality thermostat. Recommended sources of heat include the use of incandescent, halogen and ceramic (night time) globes along with a heat mat as a secondary source of heating.
Ultraviolet light (UV) plays an important role in a blue-tongues growth and development. A 5.0 UVB tube or compact globe must be used as a source of artificial UV lighting in the blue-tongue’s enclosure. Blue-tongue’s should also have access to unfiltered, natural light at least once or twice a week. They also require a ‘day and night’ cycle with heat and UV lights running for approximately 10-12 hours each day, set on a timer.
It is important to maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene within the blue tongue’s enclosure. Daily ‘spot checks’ should be carried out cleaning substrate to remove any faeces, shed skin or uneaten food. A full substrate change should be carried out every six to eight weeks (depending on what substrate is used) and the enclosure thoroughly cleaned with a reptile-safe disinfectant.
food
Blue-tongue lizards are omnivores and feed on a range of live insects and plant matter.
In captivity, blue-tongues should be fed a variety of both live foods and fresh fruits and vegetables (50:50). Live foods include; snails, crickets, woodies, mealworms (in moderation) and silkworms.
All live foods should be dusted with a calcium and multivitamin powder before being offered to the blue-tongue. Blue-tongues are relatively slow-moving and may have trouble catching faster insects such as crickets and woodies.
Blue-tongues can also be fed small amounts of tinned dog food (beef or chicken) with added calcium powder as well as boiled egg. Fruits and vegetables that can be offered include apple, pear, melons, pitted stone fruits, berries, banana, squash, carrot, endive and kale.
Commercially available lizard pellets can also be mixed through the chopped fruits and vegetables to provide extra nutrition to the lizard. Juvenile blue-tongues should be fed daily and adults can be offered food every second day.
Fresh water should be available to the lizard at all times and changed daily.
Health
Common health issues in blue-tongues
Intestinal Parasites (worms): Blue-tongues are susceptible to worms, including the potentially fatal coccidiosis organism. Faecal checks and worming can be carried out by an experienced reptile veterinarian.
Dysecdysis (Abnormal Shedding): Low humidity levels can sometimes result in a dragon having an ‘incomplete’ shed.
Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD): Calcium or vitamin D3 deficiency as a result of incorrect diet and/or lack of or incorrect UV lighting.
Red Flags
Is your Blue-tongue showing any of the signs of disease or illness? If yes, please consult your reptile vet.
Loss of appetite
Diarrhoea
Lethargy
Retained skin around toes or tail tip
Abnormal movements
Disorientation
Twitching/tremors
