Buyer question
Is a Northern blue-tongue skink good for beginners?
Yes: our Animal Library rates the Northern blue-tongue skink 4 out of 5 for beginners (good first large lizard).
Source: the Northern blue-tongue skink page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Northern blue-tongue skink in the Animal Library
The detail
The northern blue-tongue skink is a large, calm Australian lizard with a bright blue tongue and bold bands, and it is the most common blue-tongue in captivity. It is also where the morphs are found, including hypo, albino, caramel and anery.
- Best fit
- First large lizard, morph keepers
- Handling
- 5 out of 5 (Calm, handles well)
- Setup complexity
- 4 out of 5 (Big tank, UVB, heat)
- Feeding ease
- 4 out of 5 (Varied omnivore diet)
What to weigh
A blue-tongue needs a large enclosure, UVB and a varied omnivore diet, and lives 15 to 20 years or more. Australian types are captive-bred, which is good, but they are rarely cheap.