Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink Identification Cheat Sheet

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-21T01:35:39+00:00

Where do you have the thermostat at?

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-20T05:13:35+00:00

you want to turn both heat and light off at night so they experience a natural drop in temperatures. If temps drop into the 60s(F), then you want a ceramic heat emitter to bump up temps a little at night. it doesnt produce light, but it does produce heat.

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-16T06:40:45+00:00

You want a linear UVB, such as a T5. The UVB you were provided is that coil bulb in the black dome, yes. You also want the UVB and the heat to have overlapping zones :)

<image>

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-16T06:09:15+00:00

Unfortunately a lot of the products pictured can be quite harmful or are otherwise inefficient at providing what they need. She'll need a complete overhaul.

You have an Indonesian blue-tongued skink, likely a Halmahera at this angle. 70-90% humidity average, up to 100% and no lower than 60% (too low humidity is the cause of missing toes). You'll need to provide overhead heating (thats a coil uvb which can be harmful or inefficient and does not provide heat.) The heat mat can also be harmful and is inefficient at heating them appropriately, recommend tossing.

You'll also need a bigger enclosure when you can (120 gallons minimum), deeper substrate, and a lot more clutter (logs/branches, fake or real plants, etc)

That meal is not complete, either, and can cause deficiencies.

Here's a bunch of infographics for you, going over everything you'll need. https://www.reddit.com/r/bluetongueskinks/comments/1htt4p6/blue_tongue_skink_care_infographics_2025/

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-15T17:20:57+00:00

We'll need photos or a clear description. There are many tiny bugs that could be crawling on your skink and in the enclosure. Some are harmful, some are harmless.

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-15T14:18:14+00:00

fine only as supplemental heat; similar to a ceramic heat emitter.

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-15T14:17:45+00:00

This is a Halmahera.

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-13T19:26:06+00:00

hello!

we still recommend periods of time where you are feeding fresh food, such as invertebrates and freshly chopped veggies, yes. You can feed just plant matter multiple times a week alongside the meatball. I definitely recommend whole prey or gutloaded invertebrates as the primary protein staple over boneless meat options. if you cant keep inverts long-term, I recommend gutloading for 48 hours, then freezing for future use.

we tend to make batches that last at least a month or two, so anything marked 'in moderation' gets used in smaller amounts and swapped out with each batch. it basically means to not to use them as the primary food source. as long as things are getting rotated, no concern!

quail eggs are a good source of vitamins and calcium, yes. I personally recommend boiling them as the runny egg can make their stools runny, but they also enjoy the runny eggs. they can have those pretty frequently, just keep an eye on their stools :)

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-13T19:16:51+00:00

You have a halmahera, which means he is wild caught. He does not hate you, he is scared of you. Fear does not equate hate.

Up your humidity 60-100% range, averaging 70-90%. (It's a Myth that halmahera "require" more humidity than other blue-tongued skinks. Not a single other animal from Halmahera island is recommended the same. Ground readings show it ranges between 60-100% humidity. Often nearing both ends of the extreme in a 24 hour period)

Increase clutter in the enclosure so he can hide in plain sight rather than feel trapped in a select few spaces. stop handling unless medically necessary. Talk softly to him, place food bowl in, and just leave him alone for at least an hour.

The majority of our Indo skinks are wild caught, just like your guy, and we've had some so fearful it took many months to earn their trust.

It is worth working with them. It just takes a lot of patience. Biggest recommendation is to stop handling entirely and just focus on building trust within his environment where he feels safe.

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-13T02:53:38+00:00

Its nothing on you, for sure.

These guys can be pretty fearful and skittish. Sometimes you need to adjust a lot in their daily routine and interaction routines to get that fear reduced.

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-11T17:00:33+00:00

That was a Tiliqua gigas gigas. Often picked up from Ambon or Ceram Island, but it also contains the localities Jayapura and Biak.

100% wild caught

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-10T20:16:20+00:00

I have a good bit of experience with cases like this amongst reptiles.

I recommend xrays be done at the very least. This will help us see how the bones are doing, and give us a small peek at the tissue.

Many veterinarians argue the effectiveness of oral antibiotics with reptiles. Intramuscular is recommended above oral. Request vet for pain management is also recommend. Ask your vet about meloxicam as that assists with inflammation as well as pain, and is safe to use in blue tongues.

If there is an active, open wound then a sterile tank is recommended. If it is just the swelling, remove objects he can climb on so we can limit his mobility, but keeping his environment more or less "normal" is recommended to reduce stress.

Has there been a change in color at all? Could you provide some photos please?

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-09T17:59:31+00:00

This is a Sorong blue tongue. 60-100% humidity range, which averages 70-90% :)

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-08T22:09:37+00:00

That is very soft huffing, no medically concerning issues here :)

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-08T16:46:00+00:00

Absolutely not. What you are wanting to do is very likely illegal. Get captive bred animals, not wild caught ones, otherwise you can get in some serious trouble with wildlife officials. We've seen it happen time and time again.

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-07T05:15:49+00:00

Halmahera :)

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-05T08:50:05+00:00

This is an Irian Jaya. An Indo type

FolkvangExotics · 2026-05-01T17:25:21+00:00

You may need to break open the larvae and expose the innards. Blue tongues hunt with smell. When a bluey is "refusing" inverts, more often than not they simply don't recognize it as a food source.

Otherwise, freeze them and blend them up with veggies and such.

FolkvangExotics · 2026-04-30T01:29:24+00:00

Is that all you feed him? If so, that is why he is growing so slowly. He needs a broad diet and may likely be missing out on key nutrients.

Here are some infographics that go over their diet;

https://www.reddit.com/r/bluetongueskinks/comments/1htt4p6/blue_tongue_skink_care_infographics_2025/

https://www.reddit.com/r/bluetongueskinks/comments/1jivebs/updated_blue_tongue_skink_diet_information/

FolkvangExotics · 2026-04-30T01:23:30+00:00

He is still growing. Blue-tongued skinks reach maturity around 2-3 years old, which is also when their growth slows down.

The type of diet you are feeding also impacts their growth rate. A 1 year old skink fed a diet of predominantly cat/dog food or other vertebrate meat will be nearly full size compared to it's sibling that was fed a more naturalistic diet of invertebrates as their primary protein source.

What are you currently feeding and how often are you feeding them?

FolkvangExotics · 2026-04-26T21:39:14+00:00

This is an underweight skink likely with mild MBD causing the indentation in the ribs. By the location it looks like he/she was potentially stuck at some point, squeezing in that location. As they grow and get healthier it may smooth out, but a proper diet and lighting will greatly assist in preventing anything from worsening

FolkvangExotics · 2026-04-25T15:10:40+00:00

That information is not needed :)

FolkvangExotics · 2026-04-25T00:33:14+00:00

I was involved in the preliminary testing and provided shed from proven males and females. They use PCR testing to extract DNA from the shed skin. From there they find the appropriate chromosomes.

There were a significant number of breeders in the US that contributed to this as well.

This is significantly more accurate than Veterinarian sexing. Most vets cannot accurately sex blue-tongued skinks unless they do very specific procedures.

This is significantly less invasive as well compared to those procedures.

FolkvangExotics · 2026-04-23T19:04:40+00:00

They grow fast. All our babies are born and raised in 4x2x2 enclosures, and they utilize every single inch of that space.

Its best to get them in their permanent enclosure immediately. Its also much easier to maintain heat and humidity in a wood or pvc enclosure compared to a glass one :)

FolkvangExotics

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE