Pink Tongue Skink

Longhorns1187

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As requested by Tom, I've started a new thread on our pink tongue skink named Shadow. He is 8 1/2 months old, weighs about 60 grams, and is about 13 1/2 inches long. He currently resides in an Exo Terra 18x18x24 terrarium with plans on upgrading his enclosure to a 36x18x24 this spring/summer.

He's a semi arboreal lizard, spending quite a bit of time up on the top of his vertically positioned cork bark tube or his Magnaturals magnetic ledges. We provide a 5.0 UVB light and a basking area that reaches around 95 F. We provide a water bowl, but he seems to prefer drinking water droplets after spraying down his enclosure to boost the humidity level. We maintain a 50-80% humidity range with daily misting, usually once in the evening.

He eats live snails, frozen snails (apple snails from Asian market), and grain free canned cat food. I would consider him diurnal, as he is most active in the early morning hours and in the evening. Although, there are times when he's out, moving about his enclosure at all times of the day.

We got him when he was about 8 weeks old and had all the black and gray alternating bands that pink tongues have when young. The bands have since faded and his former black tongue has finally turned pink.

He was a little skittish when we first got him (we let him adjust for 2 weeks prior to any interaction with him, other than providing water and food), but he's a fairly outgoing and extremely docile lizard. He has never once hissed or tried to bite us, from the day we brought him home. He is just the perfect reptile as far as handleability goes. I would describe him as some sort of a mixture between a blue tongue skink and a monkey tailed skink. He does climb around quite a bit like a monkey tail does, and he uses his semi prehensile tail in a similar manner. He reminds us of a snake in a way he moves about his enclosure and the way he rapidly flicks his tongue, smelling his surroundings.

Overall, I would say pink tongue skinks are a VERY underrated species of reptile. Anybody who has the desire and ability to keep one, will not be disappointed.

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Tom

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Great write up. Thank you for sharing.

Do you think snails are essential? What about insects?

If you are inclined to add more pics, you have an eager audience. :)
 

Longhorns1187

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Nice write-up! But...you gotta get a shot of the tongue! I'm sure he will be happy to cooperate! After all, that is what he's known for! [emoji14][emoji104]
Ha ha... you are absolutely right. My wife was able to snag this photo just the other day. He finally got his completely pink tongue just a few weeks ago. I have heard that some pink tongues keep their dark colored tongues throughout their entire lives.

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Longhorns1187

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Great write up. Thank you for sharing.

Do you think snails are essential? What about insects?

If you are inclined to add more pics, you have an eager audience. :)
From all that I've read, snails/slugs are a large part their diet in the wild and he really loves them. We haven't tried Zoo Med's Can O Snails yet, but he chomps ramshorn snails from one of our aquariums and the aforementioned frozen apple snails.

I have read most pink tongues will accept Repashy Bluey Buffett, earthworms, and dubia roaches. We're still working on introducing new food items to him with varying degrees of success. I think we spoiled him with the abundance of snails we have on hand...lol.

This is what Shadow looked like when he arrived. received_2058190020880284.jpeg
 

KarenSoCal

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Ha ha... you are absolutely right. My wife was able to snag this photo just the other day. He finally got his completely pink tongue just a few weeks ago. I have heard that some pink tongues keep their dark colored tongues throughout their entire lives.

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Good picture! I knew he'd be proud of himself!
 

ColleenT

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Are these easy to find? What do they usually cost? ( a guess). i thought of a snake when i saw his expressions.
 

Longhorns1187

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Are these easy to find? What do they usually cost? ( a guess). i thought of a snake when i saw his expressions.
I wouldn't say they are easy to find, but they come up every now and then on different Facebook groups. The good news is the babies should all be CBB (captive bred and born) and they usually have decent sized litters. Price wise, I've seen them offered anywhere from $200-300 for youngsters. You might see one at a reptile show, if you're lucky. Word as spread on how great blue tongues are, over the last few years. I suspect the same, on a smaller scale, will happen to pink tongues eventually.
 

Cathie G

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Nice write-up! But...you gotta get a shot of the tongue! I'm sure he will be happy to cooperate! After all, that is what he's known for! [emoji14][emoji104]
That's really interesting that you have apple snails. In Florida, I was told they are extinct. However, I did find fresh shells.
 
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