Northern Blue-tongued Skink

As with most Blue-tongued Lizards the Northern Blue-tongued Skink has a very distinctive patterning. The Northern Blue Tongue skink (Tiliqua scincoides intermedia) is a subspecies of the Eastern Blue-tongued Skink. Northerns also tend to be a bright orange to soft peachy orange or even a yellowish colour with darker stripes along their side and back with a lighter creamier colour on their stomachs. As their name would suggest they also have a bright blue tongue that is often used to warn off or startle predators. Their legs are short and small compared to the length and width of their bodies. They can grow to approximately 24 inches (61 cm).

Behavior

Northerns are very mild mannered and love to be handled when treated gently and with respect. They are easy to tame and can be good with small children even. Make sure they aren't hungry though as fingers can sometimes look like small mice. Northerns are aggressive to all other Blue tongues. Whilst it may not seem so at the start, Northerns are known to suddenly attack other blueys tearing off limbs and potentially killing cage mates. Housing them separately is advised. During mating season, the male will grab the female around the side of the body and try to position her to mate. This can be a very violent act, so keep watch. They can be shy and will very much like to hide. When they are just getting used to you a small piece of food can be used to lure them from their hiding spot so that they can be handled. This practice shouldn't be continued for long though or they may begin to associate you hand with food and bite and nip at you even when you have no food. If they feel threatened they will often open their mouths and show their tongues in an attempt to frighten. When that doesn't work, they can flatten their bodies in an attempt to make themselves look bigger.

Northern Blue-tongued Skinks as pets

Northerns are one of the most common Blue-tongued Skinks that are kept as pets because they are very mild mannered and easy to breed producing more in their litters then other types of Blue-tongued Skinks. They are also easy to find, inexpensive, and have very striking markings.

Lifespan

A well fed and healthy Northern can live 20 or more years.

Breeding

The breeding season occurs once yearly. When a male finds a female he likes he will scent mark her and follow her around. Mating is very aggressive and the males will hold the female down by biting her. Damage to the scales and light bleeding are common. This is the only time males are aggressive towards females and therefore they can be kept together for the rest of the year as they will be quite compatible.

Northerns are ovoviviparous. Their gestation period is roughly 100 days with 15 to 20 babies born per litter. The babies look almost exactly the same as the adults with only slight variations to colouring. The babies will wander off on their own and begin eating small insects and fruits just a few days after birth. If you are planning on selling them you should wait until after their first few sheds to make sure they are healthy and get used to being handled.

Reptiles