Halmahera blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua gigas gigas)

Short answers

Halmahera blue-tongued skink: How big does the enclosure need to be?

150×70×60 cm.

Halmahera blue-tongued skink: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–32 °C, basking spot 40 °C, at night 21–24 °C.

Halmahera blue-tongued skink: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 10.0).

Halmahera blue-tongued skink: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 15–25 years.

Halmahera blue-tongued skink: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–32 °C

Night temperature

21–24 °C

Basking spot

40 °C

Humidity

65–80 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 10.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

150×70×60 cm

Substrate

Soil and bark mulch with leaf litter, cork tubes, a large water dish

Feeding

Food

Insects, snails, fruit, leafy greens

Feeding interval

2–3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

45–60 cm total length

Life expectancy

15–25 years

Origin

Halmahera (the Moluccas)

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

None

Cohabitation

Keep them singly. Blue-tongued skinks are territorial. Males in particular fight in earnest and injure their heads and limbs in the process; females too claim the warm spot and the food for themselves. For breeding, put them together under supervision and separate them again afterwards.

Notes

Darker and slimmer than the Australian forms, with long black legs. A rainforest species – higher humidity than T. scincoides, but good ventilation against skin problems.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Centralian blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua multifasciata) – Intermediate
• Common blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua scincoides) – Beginner
• Indonesian blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua gigas) – Beginner to intermediate
• Irian Jaya blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua sp. „Irian Jaya") – Intermediate
• Kei Island blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua gigas keyensis) – Intermediate
• Shingleback skink (Tiliqua rugosa) – Intermediate
• Merauke blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua gigas evanescens) – Intermediate
• Northern blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua scincoides intermedia) – Beginner

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Halmahera blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua gigas gigas) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (150×70×60 cm), substrate (Soil and bark mulch with leaf litter, cork tubes, a large water dish), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.