In this article, you will know what blue tongue skinks can eat along with what diet suits them better. To your knowledge, skinks can eat various live foods and insects, but it’s not essential to give them all. They can do well even on green leafy veggies mixed with fruits and legumes. They do need animal protein sources but only from insects. So, let’s know what can blue tongue skinks eat?
Insects tend to be the primary source of protein in the natural wild habitat. This article is solely based on research and the information collected from different reliable sources. I have tried my best to give you all the required information on what is perfect for your blue tongue skink’s immune system and health. Let’s learn what can skinks eat.
What Do Blue Tongue Skinks Eat In The Wild?
Blue tongue skinks are omnivorous lizards who prefer feeding on insects, worms, snails, ants, flies, weeds, flowers, fruits, plant matter, and berries in the wild. They love consuming berries and seeds on native bushes too.
They also love feeding on leaves and seasonal flowers like dandelions, roses, sunflowers, and hibiscus. Their natural diet is not always rich in nutrients to support their health, but they still prey & feed based on survival. In The wild, their life expectancy also decreases as they are prey to predators also.
What Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat In The Captivity?
In captivity, Blue tongue lizards primarily eat plant matter, roots, fruits, seeds, veggies, live insects, and worms. Live insects like snails, flies, Dubai roaches, woodies, mealworms, silkworms, & crickets are their favourite. They should be fed a mix of fresh fruits and vegetables with the ratio of forest 4:1.
Their diet in captivity should also consist of at least 40% animal-based protein. The best meal for them is a mix of veggies, insects, and fruits. I have also shared a very detailed guide on what fruits can blue tongue lizards eat. Here is another resource to what vegetables can blue tongue lizards eat.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Chicken?
Yes. Blue tongue skink can eat chicken in moderation but not daily. Feeding too much chicken to your skink can make them ill. Chicken breast & chicken liver are great when it is typically billed. You should provide a tiny piece of chicken once every few months. Chicken is nutrient-dense, protein-packed, and overall great for other beings but not for reptiles & lizards.
It is high in Phosphorus content. Feeding too much chicken to your blue tongue skink can put them at the risk of developing metabolic bone disease. Metabolic bone disease is one of the major concerns for reptiles and lizards owner because it could also result in permanent paralysis or death.
Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Cockroaches?
Yes, blue tongue lizards can safely eat cØckroaches. Hence, they are omnivores, and they should be fed insects like live Dubai roaches. It is an excellent ingredient to add to their regular diet, especially for young skinks. Before providing cØckroaches to your blue tongue skink, make sure it is cleaned and intended to be consumed.
Avoid feeding cØckroaches you caught in your house as they carry lots of parasites & hazards. I would suggest you get them commercial cØckroaches that are generally raised intended for lizards and reptiles. Commercial cØckroaches are usually clean and free from any parasites on hazards. It is a good source of protein for baby and adult blue tongue skinks.
The only tip I will give you is to be careful when feeding cØckroaches to your blue tongue lizard. It would help ensure that the cØckroaches are not more significant than the space between the skink’s eyes. Otherwise, they may suffer from impaction or choke. Avoid feeding cØckroaches to your skink. Most cØckroaches tend to be very high in protein while less in fat, perfect for your skink’s staple diet. The only issue that I think behind feeding cØckroaches to your skinks is the price and the availability. You can order them from Amazon online, though.
Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Mice?
Yes. Blue Tongue Lizards can safely eat pinky mice but not those chopped or cut into pieces. Mice can be a healthy addition to your blue tongue skink diet when fed occasionally. Being high in fat content, you should avoid feeding them more than once in a couple of months. Blue Tongue Lizards primarily feed on insects and rarely on mice when food is scarce in the wild.
It is not ideal for skinks and lizards to eat mice every day. The only reason you would want to avoid feeding mice is its high-fat levels. Feeding mice too much can lead to health issues like diarrhea and fatty liver disease. If you are considering feeding mice to your blue tongue skink, consider getting them the baby mice. Adult mice carry lots of fat, and we all know how dangerous fat can be to lizards like skinks.
Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Snakes?
Yes. Blue Tongue Lizards can eat young snakes If you can get them. In The wild, lizards know snakes and occasionally prey on little ones. Being opportunistic in the wild, they might consider feeding on snakes if they carry the same traits.
We have seen many cases when giant lizards catch a baby garter snake in its natural habitat. So I guess, being a big lizard, a blue tongue skink would eat babies and small snakes if provided. Just make sure that it is not too large to fit in their guts. Baby snakes are the best prey for lizards like skinks.
Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Rat Bait?
It depends on what kind of rat it is. I have seen many instances when Blue Tongue Lizards never eat rat bate unless it is highly emaciated. However, there is no harm in feeding newborn rats if your blue tongue lizard is giant enough. A blue tongue skink can safely eat Pinky mice.
Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Spiders?
Yes. Blue Tongue lizards can safely eat spiders if given the opportunity. However, it would help if you did not make it a habit or feed spiders every day. Avoid feeding spiders you catch because they have less nutritional value while carrying more parasites and pesticides. Some types of spiders can also be poisonous to skinks.
Some may also upset their tummy. Do your proper research before feeding any spider. It is essential to learn what kind of spider you are going to give do your skink. Make sure to know what sort of nutritional value it carries. We all know that spiders primarily feed on other bugs & insects that carry parasites or might have to contact pesticides.
This is the primary reason why you should avoid feeding your blue tongue lizard other household insects and bugs. Although you can provide spiders to your skinks, it is not the ideal nutrition to offer. Consider giving them a mixed diet of insects, greens, vegetables, and fruits.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Dog Food?
Yes. Blue skinks can eat canned dog food once a week. Always make sure to check nutritional ingredients and information before feeding. Many people have used dog food as a staple protein source for their blue tongue lizards. Certain lizards do very well on high-quality canned dog food, while some want to avoid it. Even dog foods are solely made for dogs; it is a good protein source for skinks.
Recently in an interview, a veterinarian explained why processed foods are not suitable for reptiles and lizards. However, I have seen many forums where experts argue not all dog foods are dangerous to skinks. From my end, I am not an expert, and all I have is the research. Although a baby’s skin needs protein, dog food protein is not the same.
You can feed dog food to them, but why would you want to when there are alternatives. A dog’s source of protein and skink’s source of protein are different from each other. Most dog foods are primarily made from meats, fish, and vegetables, while most skink commercial foods have live insects and not animal meat.
From my perspective and knowledge, I think the skink digestive system does well with animals meat occasionally.
If you feed too much dog food, their kidneys are likely to be affected. You can provide dog food to baby skinks more frequently compared to older ones. Baby skinks need 80% protein from their diet while adult-only need 40%.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Hornworm?
Yes. Bluetongue skink can eat hornworm and tomato worm frequently if given. Hornworms are a great complementary addition to any skink or reptiles diet. Hornworm tends to be rich in calcium, water, and protein, which are highly vital to a blue tongue skink. Avoid making hornworms as a staple diet for skinks, especially when they are fully grown.
Hornworms are more suitable when they are fed once a week. If you have a baby skink, you can provide hornworms more frequently. The high count of hornworms will be appropriate for juvenile blue tongue skinks. You should find the correct sized hornworms that fit their mouth without choking.
Try giving one hornworm at a time inside their cage. If your skink is enjoying hornworms, feed them as much as it would like during that time. Remember to remove the leftover from the cell, especially if it is life; otherwise, it can bite your skin and spread infection.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Salmon?
No. In The wild, blue tongue skinks don’t feed on fish. Even if they do, it is scarce. It is not a good idea to include salmon in your skink diet. However, salmon can be fed to a blue tongue skink as an experiment to Check-in they like it or not but in a small amount only.
Occasionally or rarely, you can provide fresh salmon meat to your Juvenile blue tongue skink because it is a protein-rich food source, but overfeeding them can cause serious health issues like gout and illness. There is not enough research & information available on the effect of feeding salmon to blue tongue skinks.
Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Birds?
No. Blue tongue skinks can’t eat any bird that has a bone structure. Plus, birds are the Predator of blue tongue lizards in the wild. You can feed fresh bird meat to check if they like it or not, but I would recommend you to avoid it as it can upset their stomach.
Bluetongue skinks can’t digest any bird that has a bone structure. Plus, due to not having well-developed teeth, they’re not capable of chewing or getting through the bone structure. However, they can give you a powerful bite while not letting go.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Raw Eggs?
Yes. Bluetongue skink can safely eat raw eggs. They can also eat half-boiled eggs. I would recommend you to give them boiled chopped eggs to consume. When they are young, you can provide them with egg whites as a primary source of protein to support their growth. They love eating hard-boiled eggs but don’t give them more than half an egg at a time if they are adults.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Eggs?
Yes. Bluetongue skinks eggs. The egg is the primary source of protein. Skink can eat egg white and egg yolk both. Avoid giving too much egg because too much protein and fat can lead to health issues like fatty liver disease and overweight.
I recommend you feed quail eggs to blue tongue skink as they tend to be appropriate in size, and you’ll be safe from overfeeding them. One-two quail eggs in 2-3 days to Juvenile and one quail egg to adult blue tongue skinks can be safely given.
Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Chicken Eggs?
Yes. Blue Tongue skinks can safely eat chicken eggs when given the opportunity. Chicken eggs contain Vitamin A, D, E, and B12. Vitamin D is vital to process calcium for your skink. If they are not getting a proper amount of vitamin D, your blue tongue skink will not process calcium leading to deformation and soft bones.
You must avoid feeding eggshells because it can choke your lizard even if they are high in calcium. It should be powdered to minimize the risk of choking and any other diseases. Consider boiling and crushing it entirely if you’re thinking of feeding eggshells to your blue tongue lizard. The best advice would be to avoid feeding eggshells.
Final Thought
I hope I have managed to give you all the information on what can blue tongue skinks eat. If you have any concerns regarding any information provided above, please ask me in the comment section. I shared a comprehensive guide on what fruits skinks eat and what veggies are suitable for skinks.
I also shared a detailed guide on how to care for blue tongue skink. I hope you share our valuable resources as well; till then, take care, and goodbye.
94% of pet owners say their animal pal makes them smile more than once a day. In 2007, I realized that I was made for saving Animals. My father is a Vet, and I think every pet deserves one. I started this blog, “InPetCare”, in 2019 with my father to enlighten a wider audience.