My new baby (Blue Tongue Skink)

I'd like to introduce my newest baby. I've been wanting and researching Blue Tongue Skinks for a long time but just didn't have the space for one until now. When the opportunity arose earlier this week for me to purchase an Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink, I just couldn't pass it up. I've named it Cahya (pronounced CHAH-yah) which means the light in Indonesian and is a unisex name (too young to know gender). Cahya is about 10" right now and pretty darn grumpy from being shipped and placed in a new home. I'm leaving him/her alone except for taking care of the water dish and food.

Here is Cahya!



Any other BTS keepers out there? Once Cahya acclimates and starts exploring the tank should I start handling with gloves or just bare-hands? I'll admit I'm a little nervous about getting bit, lol.

I have a Northern BTS, Lilo.

I'd get him used to hands being in the cage without touching first, just like taming any other lizard. If you need to use gloves so that you are comfortable, go right ahead.

Beautiful!! I have a blue tongued skink that I've had for close to 15 years now. He was a full grown adult when I got him so he is quite old!! Mine has never ever even tried to bite anyone. Is yours acting aggressive?

Congrats on your new addition. We use gloves to get ours out because he tends to think anything going into his cage is food. Once he's out, we don't use gloves at all.

I think BTS are awesome. Maybe one day I'll get one. Wife wants a bearded dragon next.

I'd take a BTS over a bearded dragon anyday.

Me too. But the wife held a bearded at the reptile show. She fell in love.

Cahya has "hissed" and lunged at me. I can't help but pull away when he/she does that. I tried wearing gloves just so I'd feel more comfortable. When I reached in with the gloves, Cahya hissed and lunged but I didn't pull away. Evedn though Cahya lunged he/she stopped before making contact with me and I was able to hold him/her. I've found that wearing the gloves gives me a little more confidence to pick Cahya up then I take the gloves off to hold him/her. I think Cahya's lunges are "mock lunges". Already they are much less frequent and I'm able to handle him/her more.


I also have a bearded dragon. I've had Penny for 6 years (raised her from a baby). I love her dearly but she has been described by others as the "Paris Hilton of reptiles". She has quite an attitude but is tame. She can get pissy pretty easily though. One of her more irritating habits/pastimes is pooping on people as a means of introducing herself. I rescued/rehabbed/rehomed a male bearded dragon that was the exact opposite of Penny. He was super laid back and hardly ever black-bearded.

I'd be hard-pressed to choose between the two species.