Introduction: Blue Tongue Lizards have some specific needs that must be understood and attended to correctly if your new pet is to live a happy and healthy life. Firstly you need to understand that although your Blue Tongue may be small now (if you have purchased a juvenile) it has the potential to grow over 45cm long – an animal this size requires a relatively large living space. Secondly, your Blue Tongue could live for 15-20 years, so be prepared for the long haul!
The good news is, with the correct husbandry, diet and care, Blue Tongues Lizards make one of the best pets imaginable. Below is a basic guide to maintaining your pet Blue Tongue’s long term health – after all, healthier Blue Tongues make far better pets!

Lighting: Correct lighting is crucial for your Blue Tongue. Blue Tongues require a day night cycle to live happily and develop a normal sleep/wake pattern, this can be achieved by placing your tank in a position that has available natural sunlight or by using and electric light source. Lizards must also have access to both UVA and UVB light for normal bodily functions and to help in the production of Vitamin D in particular. UV lights should be turned off at night time (for the night part of the cycle!) and replaced every 6-12 months.

Heating: Blue Tongues cannot function normally without the right temperature available. Your enclosure will need a temperature gradient (a hot end and cool end) to ensure your Blue Tongue can move between temperatures that suit it. The ideal range is around 20 degrees C at the cool side and 30 degrees C at the hotter end. Try to look for heat sources that spread the heat, creating a ‘hot spot’ can be dangerous and cause burns. For heat at night, a red incandescent light can be used to provide heat but at the same time allowing a ‘night’ environment so you’re Blue Tongue can sleep.

Handling: Blue Tongues are hardy and handle well, however being a ground dwelling lizard they like to feel secure and require support of both front and back legs when being handled. Your Blue Tongue’s tail acts an important fat store for the animal, picking your Blue Tongue up by the tail may cause it to drop off – this can create problems and should be avoided at all costs.

Hygiene: Use a quality disinfectant cleanser HERPACARE to clean your enclosure regularly. This will reduce the risk of bacterial build up and the risk of Salmonella in particular. Remove shed skins, uneaten food and droppings daily and change water every two days. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling your lizard.

Shedding: Healthy Blue Tongues will shed regularly, particularly when they are growing. Try not to handle the lizard during the shed and provide a rough rock or branch in the enclosure for the animal to rub against. Attention needs to be paid to your Blue Tongues feet, toes and tail during the shed, old skin can sometimes become stuck and create a constriction around these delicate areas. Misting your Blue Tongue lightly with Herpashed will help to soften the old skin and lift it from the body – after using HERPASHED, you can help by gently pulling any stubborn pieces of old skin from these areas.

Feeding: Blue Tongues can be greedy! - This makes over feeding them quite easy to do. Daily feeds are recommended for juvenile Blue Tongues and feeds every second day for adults.

contains a good balance of Vet formulated nutrition, but always offer some fresh and preferably softer fruit and veg (grapes, strawberries, apple etc). The odd snail is always a Blue Tongue favorite but should be minimised and used as treats along with red meat and banana. Avoid fish or fish based products (such as cat food) if at all possible. Remove uneaten fresh foods daily – LIZARD FOOD can be left in the enclosure song long as it remains dry.

Enclosure: Blue Tongue Lizards can grow to quite a size and a suitably sized enclosure is a must, a 4-5 foot aquarium should suitable for most adult Blue Tongues. Remember that because Blue Tongue Lizards are ground dwelling animals, length of you enclosure is more important than height. Your enclosure will also need to be dry and have an available hide space to avoid disease and stress of the animal. Position your Lizards water at the cooler side of the enclosure and ensure that the dish cannot be easily tipped over. Hollow logs, leaves or loose bark all make good hiding spaces for Blue Tongues. A quality substrate should be used to line the bottom of the enclosure, sand can be used, but is not preferred by many as it can be dangerous if accidently ingested by the Blue Tongue. Herpabed is a safer option that still allows for a natural, visually appealing enclosure. Herpabed also contains natural minerals that help absorb toxins and bad odours. Newspaper can be used as a very basic substrate, but lacks visual appeal.

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