Are you thinking about adopting a Blue Tongue Skink as a pet? If so, then you may be wondering how much a Blue Tongue Skink costs and how much it costs to take care of a skink. We’ve done the research to help you find answers to these questions!
Connect with a verified veterinarian in minutes. Licensed vets are available 24/7 to answer your questions. No need to worry about your furry family member.
In this article, we’ll take a look at different morphs (types) of Blue Tongue Skinks cost and how much it costs to set up a habitat and care for a skink. Let’s get started!
What is a Blue Tongue Skink?
First, it’s essential to know what a skink is. A skink is a lizard of the family Scincidae, a family in the infraorder Scincomorpha. There are over 1,500 species in this family! Skinks generally have smaller legs than regular lizards, and their found in many habitats around the world, except the Arctic or subarctic regions. These lizards have more than five toes on each foot and have long tails that taper to the end.
The blue tongue skink (scientific name: Tiliqua scincoides) has a blue tongue! They originate in Australia. This is where their name comes from. Blue tongue and other types of skinks are very popular to keep as pets. The reason is that they’re generally easy to care for and are perfect for beginners and kids. One thing to keep in mind is that these lizards can become quite large. They can grow up to 20 inches long.
Blue tongue skinks are usually easygoing; however, they may bet if they feel threatened or scared. They may also hiss and show their blue tongues. They’re also easy to tame and quiet; for more reasons, they’re such popular pets.
We found notes that said these lizards are usually gentle and calm. However, they do have strong jaws and teeth, which means they may bite. Blue tongue skinks’ bites are painful, so keep this in mind when handling your pet.
OK—that’s a little background on the blue tongue skink! Now, let’s take a look at how much they cost!
How Much Do Blue Tongue Skinks Cost?
When it comes to prices for the skinks, adults tend to cost more than babies. And less common species or morphs can be more expensive. In addition, a female may cost from 20% to 30% more than a male blue tongue skink.
We’ve put together a table that lists some different types of blue tongue skinks. This way you can compare the costs and see a range of prices for these beautiful lizards.
| Price Range | Type | |
| Indonesian Blue Tongue Skinks | $150-$400 | Common species |
| Australian Blue Tongue Skink | $150-$975 | Common species |
| Centralian & Shinglebacks Blue Tongue Skinks | $5000 | Rare species |
This gives you an idea of the price variations between species and types of blue tongue skinks.
Here are some other species of blue tongue skinks and the price to buy one.
Review symptoms, medications & behavior to keep your pets healthy with a Vet Online in just minutes.
Ask a Vet Live NowIndonesian Blue Tongue Skink Species
These are skinks that come from Indonesia. This means they’re caught in the wild and then exported from the country. Thankfully this is not an illegal pet trade situation. In addition, these lizards tend to cost less.
Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
These lizards are great for beginners who haven’t learned how to care for reptiles. They have a calmer temperament than some other species.
The Merauke Blue Tongue Skink is easy to find, and the price depends on the local market. Generally, these skinks can cost between $200-$300.
Tanimbar Blue Tongue Skink
These are considered one of the most beautiful blue tongue skink species. They are not very large and grow to be about 18” when they become adults. They usually cost about $150.
Kei Island Blue Tongue Skink
These skinks come from Indonesia and usually cost about $375.
Classic Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink
This is a classic skink and grows to about 19 inches. They typically cost about $200.
Irian Jaya Blue Tongue Skink
This is one of the rarest skink species, and they usually cost between $250-$400.
Halmahera Blue Tongue Skink
This is a skink that is long, though they are the third smallest sizes after Pygmy and Classic Indonesian skinks. The price for baby Halmahera skinks are about $200, while adults usually cost between $200-$369.
Australian Blue Tongue Skinks
This is the largest and most common type of skink. This lizard requires high temperatures in order to stay healthy and happy. These skinks originate in Australia; however, the Australian blue tongue skinks available in the US are bred in the country. These are not wild-caught lizards because of the strict import laws in the US.
Northern Blue Tongue Skink
These lizards cost between $150 to $250 for baby lizards and about $650 for adults. They do come in various morphs, too. The T+Albino and the Caramel morphs are expensive and cost between $650 to $700.
Sunrise Caramel Northern Skink
This lizard is completely white, with a very light patterning over the body. The patterning can be red or yellow—so very pretty. These lizards usually range in price from $850 to $975.
Eastern Blue Tongue Skink
These are large lizards; the adults sell for about $400.
Adelaide Pygmy Blue Tongue Skink
This one of the smallest skink species, and they’re not all that common. These little guys usually cost about $100.
Costs to Keep a Skink
Now we’re ready to take a look at how much it costs to keep a blue tongue skink! Keep in mind that the initial setup tends to be more expensive. This is because you’re just starting out and probably don’t have all the equipment necessary to keep your blue tongue skink happy and healthy.
Blue Tongue Skink Habitat
When choosing the right habitat for your blue tongue skink, it’s essential to find a home that’s large enough for the lizard. As a guide, adults generally need at least a 40-55 gallon tank. These may run anywhere from $100 and up.
When you choose the tank, be sure to buy a lid. This will keep your skink from escaping!
In addition, your skink will need a heated home, so you’ll need to invest in a heater. These can run between $10 and $20, depending on the type of heater you choose. And remember to buy a thermometer/hygrometer to monitor the temperature and humidity level. These cost between $10 and $20.
Next, you’ll need to buy an incandescent basking light, which provides full spectrum UVA/UVB light for up to 10-12 hours each day. A light bulb and light fixture can be bought together. These can run between $20 & $30 or more.
Your skink will also need a substrate for his habitat. You can choose Reptichip, sugar cane mulch, sphagnum moss, etc. These don’t cost too much. You should count on spending about $27 or so for the substrate. In addition, your skink doesn’t require decorative elements to climb on. This is because skinks are landlubbers.
Food for Blue Tongue Skink
Blue tongue skins eat plants and animal protein. They can also eat fresh fruits, but not too many. According to the sources we found online, you can feed a skink legumes, green beans, squash, carrots, strawberries, bananas, low-fat canned cat or dog food, super worms, and pinkie mice. A month of food for your skin will be about $30.
To keep your skink healthy, it’s important to also buy supplements. These usually cost about $15-$20.
So, there you have it! These are all the costs involved with adopting a beautiful blue tongue skink!
Connect with a verified veterinarian in minutes. Licensed vets are available 24/7 to answer your questions. No need to worry about your furry family member.
Tom
Tom has always loved to write since he was little - he wanted to be either a writer or a veterinary doctor, but he ended up being a professional writer while most of his works are based on animals. He was born in San Francisco but later moved to Texas to continue his job as a writer. He graduated from the University of San Francisco where he studied biotechnology. He is happily married and a soon to be father!
Review symptoms, medications & behavior to keep your pets healthy with a Vet Online in just minutes.
Ask a Vet Live Now