How Big Should a Blue Tongue Skink Enclosure Be?

Terrarium Size

An adult blue tongue skink requires minimum 8 sq ft of floor space, or a 48″x24″x18″ enclosure. Skinks are extremely active and love to explore, so bigger is better. Even baby blue tongue skinks can be housed in an adult-sized enclosure as long as they have lots of hiding places to help them feel secure. (For more info on creating hides, visit this page.)

Front-opening enclosures are considered best for housing reptiles, and skinks are no exception. Since there’s no screen on top, they don’t dry out easily, which is important to trapping humidity to facilitate shedding and general health. Skinks are strong and clever, so whether you’re using a front- or top-opening cage, it must be securely latched to prevent escape.

Blue tongue skink enclosures are generally made of wood, glass, or melamine.

  • Wood: Holds heat well, but stain prone and tends to mold in high humidity. Must be chemically treated. Avoid pine and cedar.
  • Glass: Attractive and easy to clean. But is heavy and holds heat poorly. Must be covered on 3 sides to help the skink feel secure.
  • PVC: Holds heat and humidity well, lightweight, easy to clean. Overall best choice.

These are my picks for the best blue tongue skink terrariums that you can buy pre-made. (However, note that these are the minimum recommended size, and bigger is always better!) Larger sizes are available from most of the manufacturers listed below.

Never house more than one skink per enclosure. I promise s/he will not get lonely! But if possible, position the enclosure in a relatively mainstream area of house where s/he can watch you. Skinks like to watch you just as much as you like to watch them!

 


Keep reading:

  1. Introduction to Blue Tongue Skinks
  2. Shopping List
  3. Tiliqua Species & Subspecies
  4. Terrarium: Size Requirements (YOU ARE HERE)
  5. Terrarium: Temperatures & Humidity
  6. Terrarium: Substrate
  7. Terrarium: Decorating
  8. Feeding Your Skink
  9. Handling Tips
  10. Diseases & General Health Information
  11. Additional Resources

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