Therefore, it is not too hard to escape a bite from the pet. It is also important to note that blue-tongue lizards are not poisonous and do not post any threat to your cats or dogs. It’s not recommend that you kiss a wild lizard (or any other wild animals for that matter), because you don’t know what diseases it might be carrying. Lots of rocks and logs on the ground, piles of leaves, mulch, ground covers and low shrubs are ideal as beetles, spiders, snails and other critters will like the many m… When threatened, blue-tongues turn towards the threat, open their mouth wide and stick out their broad blue tongue that contrasts vividly with the pink mouth. We will share stories with you – about people, places, things to do, how things work, our Aboriginal heritage, how you can get involved and what you can do to help. They just need is plenty of shelter and food. Adults can grow up to 24 inches. In fact, they are really not that dangerous at all. If provoked, it will bite hard but will let go quickly. The skink is a ground-dweller. As the weather warms up, blue-tongue lizards come out of brumation (see our question below about hibernation!) If the intended target is unimpressed, the wide-bodied skink hisses, and then flattens out its body in hopes of appearing too large to attack. A: Blue-tongue lizards generally do not like to be handled, but if you need to move a lizard in your yard, and it isn’t in a spot where you can gently sweep it into a box, you may need to pick it up. The Australian Blue Tongue Lizard. Let your blue tongue skink acclimatize for around 2 weeks before you start handling it. This is because the gentle blue-tongued skink has peg-like teeth that aren't sharp enough to deliver dangerous bites. A: As a general rule, it’s best not to feed wild animals. However, if you feel the lizard is in immediate danger in your yard, you can relocate it as a last resort. One of the largest of the skink species, with beige or tan skin and a blue tongue. Due to extremely strict regulations prohibiting the export of native … Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia Licence. In fact, they can be a very helpful friend to have around the garden as they eat snails and caterpillars and other insects and can help keep the population of these invertebrate garden pests down. Healthy blue-tongues should be active and alert, responding to movements with their tongue or head. In the wild, they will also eat carrion and any mammals, reptiles, birds or amphibians they can find, though snails are their main Blue-tongued skink. I'm a little worried about this because my blue tongues enclosure is in my bed room. The species include the eastern bluetongue lizard … When threatened, the blue-tongued skink puffs up its body, sticks out its long, blue tongue, and hisses. Perhaps the most striking feature of the Blue-Tongued Skinks is its distinct blue tongue. Blue Tongue skinks are diurnal, and ground-foraging animals. Here are the answers to some of your most frequently asked questions. These lizards quickly get used to the presence of humans and go about their business unperturbed. A good way to go about this is by getting an open cardboard box and putting it on its side next to the lizard. Blue-tongues have a home range. A: It is not recommended to keep a blue-tongue lizard in a box (besides while you are relocating it if it’s unsafe to leave it where you found it). Look no further than native grasses for a low-maintenance garden option. If you’ve stumbled across a bluey in your yard, first you might like to read our story: What to do if there’s a blue-tongue lizard in your backyard. If, during brumation, the lizard is finding that the spot it has chosen to stay is not suitable – it may be too warm or too cold, or if they feel in danger – they will seek out a new place to stay. For some reason, some people are quite superstitious and rumours have led people to believe that they are dangerous, poisonous or even venomous. A: Like the French, blue-tongues see snails as a delicacy. Here are six of our top picks. Then, it opens its jaws, startling the predator with … It uses its powerful bite to feed on snails and other prey, sometimes refusing to release its mouth. If a lizard eats a poisoned snail, the lizard could also die. Blue tongue lizards rely on bluffing tactics for survival. First, you’ll need to make sure it is indeed a lizard and not a snake. It is also important to note that blue-tongue lizards are not poisonous and do not post any threat to your cats or dogs. A blue tongue is the main defense mechanism – to trick predators into thinking that the skink is venomous/poisonous. The best option is to remove the danger to the lizard, such as by securing your pets (if they might be threatening the lizard), or letting the lizard move on of its own accord. Disqus is not affliated with the Department for Environment and Water. Blue-tongued lizards are out and about, and it's often hard to tell if they are fighting or mating. Most blue tongued lizards are not dangerous or poisonous- The bright blue tongue is meant to scare or frighten away predators- in Biology this is known as aposemitism (warning colors). Blue-tongue lizards are one of Australia’s most familiar reptiles, and provide a valuable pest control service to your home, snacking on snails, caterpillars, insects and other garden pests. This display, together with the large size of the head, may frighten off predators. Though most lizards have small teeth, they can easily pierce the skin. Blue-tongued Lizard Habitat And Life Cycle. The blue-tongued skink is a fairly small lizard that is recognizable by its blue tongue. This can lead to impaction and/or choking. It can be an uncomfortable time for them, especially the youngsters … We are here to help inspire and inform you so you can make a difference in your life and world. Blue-tongues do not have well-developed teeth, but … Here’s everything you need to know so you and your visitor can live in harmony. If you would prefer not to log in you can still make a comment by selecting 'I'd rather post as a guest' after entering your name and email address. The eastern blue tongue lizard is one of the most familiar reptiles in Australia. A: Like any animal, lizards can carry pathogens, particularly salmonella (which every animal has in its faeces) so normal hygiene practices should be followed. While blue-tongue lizards will mostly be docile, if the lizard is scared it may bite, so be sure to protect yourself by wearing gloves when handling it. But more recent research suggests that it may be primarily used for blue tongue skinks to communicate with each other. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Blue tongue skinks have long, slim, smooth and chubby bodies. Supporting its legs – so it still feels connected to something solid – will help to make it feel more comfortable. Blue-tongue lizards are an asset in the garden as they keep the numbers of snails, caterpillars and other pests down. On warm winter days you may see them basking in the sun, but by late September/early October, the brumation period ends and you’ll see them emerging and back in their usual location. Blue Tongue skinks are another popularly domesticated lizard. The brumation period happens over winter, and it’s during this time that blue-tongue lizards seek out a safe, dry and warm place to stay. We’ve teamed up with our Conservation and Wildlife Unit here at the Department for Environment and Water to answer some of the most common questions you’ve asked us about how to keep blue-tongue lizards safe if one decides to make itself at home in your backyard. They vary a bit in colour and size, but ... Australian Blue-Tongue Lizard Facts. The scales are smooth. Lizard Bite Safety Blue Tongue skinks. Australia has the deadliest snakes in the world. This approach can be dangerous, as the lizard will likely attack. Check our blog comments policy before posting. Most bites occur when people try to catch the reptiles in their hands to remove them from homes or yards. Blue tongue skinks are from the open woodland and forest and field areas of Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea. Blue Tongues In Your Garden. Large rocks are very dangerous. Here’s how Kangaroo Island’s western whipbird is faring. A: To avoid causing harm to blue-tongues, you can opt for an organic weed killer. The length of brumation varies between lizards, and can last up to 12 weeks. The blue tongue skink’s tongue is widely speculated to be a defense mechanism used to ward off predators. Australian Blue Tongue Lizard Species. No, they are not poisonous. When an eastern blue-tongued lizard feels threatened, it turns towards the source and opens its mouth wide to stick out its broad blue tongue that it is in sharp contrast with its pink mouth. If you are not too lucky and get a bite, don’t overreact as the bite is not dangerous. When threatened, they’ll open their mouths wide and stick out their broad blue tongue. They can bite but their teeth are used more for crushing than tearing, so they might bruise you but will rarely break the skin. Most animals … That being said, many people have had blue-tongues – or rats and mice, which are also prey species for snakes – in their garden or shed for years and have never seen a snake. During moulting season you might see them scratching themselves like a dog. Like any pest, a lizard will bite as a means of self-defense when it feels threatened. They are commonly called blue-tongued lizards or simply blue-tongues or blueys in Australia. A: A great way to provide blue-tongue lizards with some shelter away from your pets is to place pieces of PVC pipe around your yard for it to crawl into should it feel it's in danger. There's a snake in my backyard, what should I do? It can cause impaction and there is an increased risk of … They belong to the Sciniadiae family. First off - don't panic, they are not poisonous and they greatest defence is bluff! The Good Living blog comes to you from the South Australian Department for Environment and Water. The first thing to do is, relax! While you may think you’re protecting the blue-tongue, keeping it in a box is actually quite stressful and may be unintentionally making things worse. In most cases, the bite will not even break your skink as they only have tiny, undeveloped teeth. The blue tongue skink species (Tiliqua scincoides intermedia) is a blue tongued lizard, also commonly referred to as blue tongues in Australia.The most common characteristic of these lizards is the blue tongue that is used to warn potential predators. The Australian Museum also has a fact sheet on blue-tongues: https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/reptiles/blotched-blue-tongue-lizard, If you find an injured blue-tongue lizard, contact an Australian wildlife rescue volunteer near you by visiting the Australian Fauna Care Network at https://www.fauna.org.au, https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/theres-a-blue-tongue-lizard-in-my-backyard-what-should-i-do/. Spring is here and blueys are out and about. Blue-Tongued Skinks have a relatively normal diet. A: Blue-tongues don’t hibernate in winter, instead they go into what is called ‘brumation’, where their metabolism slows down considerably. Blue-tongue lizards are slow moving and are not aggressive. 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