Description:
Scientific name: Tiliqua sp.
Life span: 15-30 years
Among blue-tongued skinks, the Irian Jaya has a distinctive pattern that is thought to be one of the most attractive. It has broad stripes that are peachy gold to brown in undertone and are usually dark brown or even black. These animals might have bellies that are cream, orange, or even red.
Native Region/Habitat
The Irian Jaya blue-tongued skink lives in the arid tropical areas of southern coastal New Guinea that are comparable to nearby northern Australia in terms of climate and habitat.
Behavior:
Irian Jaya blue tongue skinks are typically caught in the wild, yet they exhibit friendly personalities.
Breeding season only happens once a year. A male will scent mark and follow a susceptible female after he discovers her. Males will hold the female down by biting her sides during vigorous mating. Scale damage and minor bleeding are frequent. The only time blue-tongued skinks congregate as a group is during the breeding season.
Care As a pet/In captivity:
Housing: Leading contemporary blue tongue skink husbandry authorities advise maintaining blue tongue skinks in an enclosure that is at least 120 gallons in size (48″L x 24″W x 24″H), preferably more. The enclosure should have sufficient ventilation and open from the front for simple access.
Heating: These blue tongue skinks are cold-blooded, they must migrate between environments with varying temperatures in order to maintain a constant body temperature. In the wild, blue-tongued skinks become warm via sunbathing. They thrive in captivity with a halogen heat lamp.
- Surface temperature for soaking: 100–105°F (38–41°C).
- Cool zone temperature: 71–80°F (21-27°C)
In a 24″ tall enclosure, 90w PAR38 halogen flood lamps should be sufficient to reach those basking temperatures. However, you can turn it down with a plug-in bulb dimmer if you discover that they are becoming too warm. You need greater wattage lamps if your basking area is too chilly.
Humidity: The ideal ambient humidity for Irian Jaya blue tongue skinks is between 60 and 80 percent, as determined by a digital probe hygrometer with the probe positioned on the ground on the cool side of the cage. Anytime the humidity is persistently greater or lower than this range, your pet could become ill.
Diet: Adults should be fed 1-3 times per week, with a diet that contains 40% protein, 50% greens and vegetables, and 10% fruit. While skinks should be fed daily until they are about a year old or about 1/3 of their potential length, babies should gradually reduce their feedings to around 2-3 times per week.
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