Whether you are creating a naturalistic, bioactive, or easy to clean terrarium for your Blue-Tongued Skink, we will be covering several different, Blue-Tongued Skink substrate options to help you choose the best substrate for your Blue-Tongued Skink!
Before diving into the best substrate options for a Blue-Tongued Skink, it is important that you are able to identify which species of Blue-Tongued Skink you own. Australian Blue-Tongued Skinks require lower humidity levels than Indonesian Blue-Tongued Skinks, and therefore the substrate choices will be different depending on the environment where your Blue-Tongued Skink is native. The best options for an Australian blue tongue would not be ideal for an Indonesian blue tongue.
Blue tongue skinks are popular pet reptiles known for their calm demeanor, hardy nature, and unique blue tongues As burrowing lizards, they require a specific type of substrate in their habitat to engage in natural behaviors and maintain health. Choosing the right substrate for a blue tongue skink depends on the species and its humidity needs. This guide will examine the top substrates for blue tongue skinks to create a suitable habitat.
Why Substrate Matters for Blue Tongue Skinks
Substrate, also known as reptile bedding, serves important functions in a habitat:
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It allows for natural burrowing and digging behaviors. Blue tongues love to tunnel and borrow, so 4-6 inches of substrate is recommended.
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It impacts humidity levels Some substrates retain moisture better than others Humidity is especially important for Indonesian species that require more tropical conditions,
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It can prevent infection. Substrates like paper or carpets allow waste to build up and bacteria to grow if not changed frequently Natural substrates have antifungal and antimicrobial properties
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It affects temperature regulation. Materials like sand retain heat well, while substrates like aspen shavings stay cooler.
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It can prevent impaction if ingested. Blue tongues may accidentally ingest substrate, so impaction risks should be avoided.
The ideal substrate provides burrowing opportunities, healthy humidity and heat levels, and poses minimal impaction risk. Poor substrates can lead to respiratory infections, fungal growth, inhibited natural behaviors, and potentially life-threatening impactions.
Best Overall Substrates for Blue Tongue Skinks
Here are the top 5 substrate options to provide a safe and enriching habitat:
1. Coconut Fiber
Coconut fiber substrates like Eco Earth and Plantation Soil are a popular choice. The soft, fine material retains moisture well to provide the higher humidity levels needed by Indonesian species. It allows for burrowing and planting live plants for bioactive setups. The antimicrobial properties inhibit mold growth. It may be too damp for some of the drier Australian species.
2. Cypress Mulch
Cypress mulch creates a naturalistic forest environment. It retains some humidity but less than coconut fiber, making it suitable for both Australia and Indonesian species. The darker color shows waste for easy cleaning. It permits burrowing and plants for bioactive vivaria. Look for reptile-safe brands with no additives.
3. Sphagnum Moss
For the more tropical Indonesian species, sphagnum moss generates humidity. It has excellent moisture retention abilities and antimicrobial properties. It provides a soft, spongy texture for digging. It should be dried out regularly to prevent bog-like conditions. Use along with leaf litter or orchid bark.
4. Orchid Bark
Orchid bark comes in fir, a reptile-safe wood. The chunky pieces allow for burrowing and climbing enrichment. It provides good moisture retention but not as wet as cypress or coconut fiber. Ensure it is organic, chemical free, and not pine or cedar.
5. Play Sand
Though controversial, play sand is suitable for some species if mixed sparingly into substrates like topsoil or coconut fiber. It allows digging and retains heat well. Concerns of impaction are reduced with proper husbandry, though individual animal tolerances vary. Supervise feedings closely. Avoid calci-sand.
Soil
Though not commercially sold, organic, chemical-free topsoil is an inexpensive substrate option. Blend 40% soil with 60% play sand or coconut fiber. Sterilize the soil first by cooking to kill any parasites or pathogens. Supervise feedings on this substrate.
Worst Substrates for Blue Tongue Skinks
Some common substrates should be avoided for blue tongue skinks due to impaction risks, humidity issues, or cleanliness factors:
- Calcium or vitamin sand
- Cat litter or clay-based substrates
- Gravel or aquarium stones
- Pine, cedar, or aromatic wood shavings
- Alfalfa pellets or corn cob bedding
- Loose substrates under 6 months old
Choosing Species-Specific Substrate
For Australian blue tongues: Moderate humidity levels are needed. Good substrates choices include cypress mulch, orchid bark, organic topsoil mixes.
For Indonesian blue tongues: High humidity is essential. Best options are coconut fiber, deep sphagnum moss, tropical soil mixes.
For bioactive setups: Use soil, leaf litter, orchid bark, and moss layered over drainage. Tropical plants suit Indonesians while succulents match Australians.
No matter the substrate, always monitor blue tongues closely when first using a new material. Look for signs of accidental ingestion like vomiting or changes in droppings. Remove and replace substrate immediately if health issues appear. With proper husbandry, substrates can safely enrich habitat and encourage natural blue tongue skink behaviors.
How To Make Bioactive Enclosure for Blue-Tongued Skink?
To create bioactive substrate for a Blue-Tongued Skink, you will need to create an environment to support a cleanup crew – typically isopods and springtails.The most common soil used for bioactive mixes is organic topsoil. Ensure that whatever soil you choose does not have added fertilizers or weed inhibitors. Zoo Med Reptisoil, Zoo Med EcoEarth, and ExoTerra Plantation Soil are the most common substrates found in brick and mortar stores that can be used in bioactive mixes. ReptiChip (coconut chips) and ZooMed Forest Floor (cypress mulch) can be mixed into bioactive substrate to create a chunkier mix.
For Australian Blue-Tongued Skinks, you will want to make a soil that is made up of more sand to ensure quick drainage and lower humidity. For lower humidity environments, it is important to look into the cleanup crew that can survive with lower humidity. Powder orange isopods are a popular choice for lower humidity bioactive vivariums. Indonesian blue tongues need higher humidity and will appreciate a substrate that is high in peat moss or coconut fiber to aid in holding humidity. Most commonly used tropical isopods and springtails, such as dwarf white isopods and tropical white springtails, will be suitable for an Indonesian Blue-Tongued Skink’s enclosure.
While we do not have a dedicated enclosure build video for our Blue-Tongued Skink, Cleo, you can see what her enclosure looks like here: Updated Reptile Room Tour 2022! | MASSIVE Tegu, Blue-Tongued Skink Upgrades + MORE! | Zen Habitats.
Decorations play an important role in your skink’s enclosure as environmental enrichment. Enrichment items encourage exercise, stimulate your skink’s natural instincts, and help promote overall wellbeing. And, of course, they make the enclosure look nice!
Cork rounds, cork flats, sturdy branches, and live or artificial plants work well as décor in a skink terrarium. Although skinks do climb on low, sturdy decor, Blue-Tongued Skinks are not very graceful climbers due to their stubby legs. They also have a tendency to uproot live plants as they burrow or flatten fake plants as they plow through their enclosure. Some keepers may opt to use sturdy plant pots to give the live plants more protection from being uprooted as the skink creates burrows. Placing cork rounds half buried into the substrate can give your skink a good starting point to create burrows. Decor used for skinks should be wide and sturdy enough to support their bodies.
To learn more about reptile enrichment, check out our reptile enrichment article here: How To Provide Enrichment For A Variety Of Reptile Species.
How To Create Your Own Substrate Mix For Blue-Tongued Skinks
Australian blue tongues require a semi-arid mix that are well draining. Indonesian blue tongues need a humidity retaining tropical mix. To create your own mix, you can use the proportions below. You can also mix in some of the other elements listed to make a chunkier substrate mix.
- Semi-arid mix of 60% topsoil, 40% play sand
- Cypress mulch
- Coconut husk
- Tropical mix of 40% topsoil, 40% peat moss / sphagnum peat / or coco fiber, 20% play sand
- Coconut husk
- Cypress mulch
We do not recommend these products as these are inadequate choices for Blue-Tongued Skinks and may pose significant health risks:
- Softwood products like pine, fir, and cedar wood
- Shredded paper products or small mammal bedding
- Calcium sand
- Walnut shell
- Reptile carpet
Blue-Tongued Skinks are healthiest and happiest when they are housed on a substrate (a.k.a. “bedding”) that imitates the conditions of their natural habitat and facilitates the humidity levels they would experience in nature.
As Blue-Tongued Skink skinks love to burrow in their substrate, provide a substrate layer that is at least 4-6” deep. Feces and urates should be removed daily, and contaminated substrate should be scooped out and replaced. Non-bioactive substrate should be completely replaced once every 4-6 months.
Blue Tongue Skink Care Guide! (EVERYTHING you need to know)
FAQ
What substrate is best for a blue tongue skink?
For example, always use reptile-safe sand as your substrate for blue tongue skink such as clean children’s play sand rather than builders’ sand, which has …
What bedding is best for blue tongue skinks?
Blue-tongue skinks are burrowers, so they need four to six inches of deep, soft substrate. It needs to retain moisture well, which helps maintain healthy humidity levels. Popular options include coconut husk, cypress mulch, reptile soil or bioactive bedding.
What substrate for blue tailed skink?
Providing a layer of naturalistic substrate (“bedding”) will help maintain correct humidity levels and also helps make your enclosure more attractive! We recommend the following substrates for Pacific blue-tailed skinks: Zoo Med Eco Earth. Zoo Med ReptiSoil.
Is 4×2 enough for blue tongue skink?
Ideally, we recommend a minimum 4′ x 2′ x 2′ enclosure for an adult blue tongue skink. Glass enclosures and PVC enclosures both work for these lizards, but personally we prefer PVC enclosures as they hold humidity better for this rainforest species.