Social Interaction and Handling :

 

As I mentioned above, blue tongued skinks make great reptile pets for kids because they are so easily handleable. They have smooth, shiny scales and hard bodies (unlike bearded dragons, iguanas, uyromastyx, etc), and that to me makes them a bit easier to hold. They're also fairly stiff in the sense that when you hold them, it doesn't feel like you're squishing them. Whenever I handle say a Uyromastyx, their body and skin is so delicate that I always feel like I'm crushing them. Blue tongues have hard, tough bodies and can handle the firm grip of a child.

 

Interaction :

Blue tongues have tiny little legs and feet, so they don't go anywhere fast (although they are capable of surprising speeds when in pursuit of live prey), and they have very personable, almost human eyes. When you approach them, you can actually see them looking at you. You cannot make eye contact with any snake or gecko. You can make actual eye contact with a blue tongued skink, and that to me can develop a bond between a skink and its owner. I honestly believe that a blue tongued skink can develop a certain recognition for their owners. All in all, the best way to get to know your skink is to hold it often, let it wander around outside its cage, hand-feed it, lay it on your chest and let it watch T.V with you...anything you want! Have fun! The keyword is interaction. If you do this, you will soon have a very lazy, tame, and friendly skink. They generally are pretty lazy, so they really do just sort of hang out—more so as adults. If you're looking to race your skinks, then this is probably not the lizard for you. They are however, VERY curious. If they're in the right mood, they love to explore. Set up some newspapers, blankets, empty cereal boxes, etc. They will search in and out, and in every nook and cranny with their big blue tongue going ever faster. It's a blast too watch! After a while, you'll just find him asleep. 

 

One question we get a lot is: "Do BTS like to be handled"? There is a large range of views on this subject. Some keepers believe that handling should be kept to a minimum as reptiles only "tolerate" handling rather than actually enjoying or benefitting from it—at the same time however, most still believe that the skink will enjoy an occasional romp outdoors in the sun. Remember that blue tongued skinks are not domesticated like a dog or cat. They are wild animals, BUT if a reptile does benefit from being out and about, I'm not sure that that differs from anything else whether it be walking in the grass, walking on your lap, walking on the floor, or doing anything else outside its regular cage. I know they don't, in a sense, "want" certain things, so when I place my hand in the baby's cage and they immediately run to it and crawl up, do they *want* to be held, or do they *want* to explore elsewhere besides in their cage? I think that they just live their life and take things as it comes, and a captive bred bluey's curiosity often gets the best of them (sudden captivity would essentially be a culture shock for a wild caught pet). When they don't feel threatened, and are used to a life in captivity, I think they are curious about everything; the sky, the grass, different foods, various sounds, and yes, you and me as well. That curiosity is satisfied which is evident in their often obvious change in behavior when interacted with, and whether that be enjoying the sun outdoors, or being petted on the head, it's stimulation and interaction that is beneficial in my book.

 

For most, handling is a big part of enjoying your BTS. I know that's a broad statement and not true for everyone, but for the most part, handling and interaction can be one of the best aspects of owning these creatures.

 

Can people really bond with BTS? :

Absolutely! Something that many people don't realize (and likely never will) is that lizards are not the creepy crawly scary animals that society has made them out to be. If you are reading this, you likely know exactly what I'm talking about. The redundant yet obligatory reactions of disgust and even pure terror. This is commonplace, and a true shame. It's difficult to explain to someone who is hard in their ways, but each one of these animals has its own unique personality and own funny characteristics. They even show intelligence such as recognition of their owner, recognition for sound (shaking bags, their name being said, opening of the tank lid) memory of locations, recognition of gestures such as lowering a bowl into the cage, recognition of color (foods, etc) and objects, likes and dislikes of food, and an incredible inquisitive nature and curiosity of their surroundings. Many will never experience this or understand it because they simply won't give reptiles a chance. They see them as "icky slimy creatures" and very few people could even tell you exactly why they don't like them. Every person I know who was nervous around these animals at first immediately warmed up to them once seeing the personality in their eyes, their curious nature, and calm disposition. The usual reponse: "Wow, I had no idea". Once some of these people form bonds of their own with the BTS, it completely changes their entire perspective on reptiles. Of course, there are always those adverse individuals who will shriek and act as if they're about to die. I'm not sure there's much hope for them!

 

Personality :

Every blue tongue literally has his own individual personality, and you will quickly learn his favorite food preferences, his likes and dislikes, etc. Blue tongues are also fast learners, and adapt quickly to their environment. There are lots of stories out there about blue tongues doing funny/amazing things, but many people attribute it to anthropomorphization (giving human characteristics to an animal), however I've seen some remarkable stories that are true. Many swear that their lizards will react differently to sounds, certain words, and so on. Personally, one of my skinks does react to different sounds. Check out the video section for videos demonstrating voice recognition, and the shaking of a bag. My big male Irian Jaya has a funny characteristic—we let him bask out in the grass during the hot summers. We put him pretty far out and leave our patio screen door open about two inches while we relax in lawn chairs. He lays there and basks usually motionless for about 20 minutes, then starts exploring. When he's done (and this is literally every day we take him outside) he climbs up the patio, heads for the door, and goes straight inside! If the door is closed, he paces back and forth until let in. If we leave the screen open half an inch—he will stick his nose in and wedge the sliding screen open. Now, telling anyone that my skink comes in the house everyday on his own might sound far fetched. But, what can I say—he does it every single day. None of my other skinks do it, they wander off, and we have to retrieve them. It's really taught me to be more open minded, and to not jump on people immediately saying: "No way". More experienced reptile owners attribute most of these personalities to coincidences and an active imagination. I'm sure not all stories are true, but I'm sure many are. You'll hear a lot of them if you join a reptile forum/community!

 

All in all, there's nothing wrong with a fancy imagination in my opinion—stories are fun to read and quite humorous—even if they are a little far fetched. I'd much rather owners take notice and be excited enough about their reptile to even share a story—no matter how ridiculous it may sound. It shows that the person really cares, and is excited about what they are doing which usually results in good care. "Lizard leashes" are looked down upon by some, but used as a tool by others. If you can actually get one to work (which is hard because they streamline their legs with their bodies, and it's like trying to put a snake on a leash) then it can be used to keep your skink from wandering off. Tie one end to the leg of your lawn chair, a tree or fence post and try your luck. Don't get too comfortable lying in the sun with him however because he'll likely wiggle his way out in no time.

 

Can BTS make noise?:

Aside from quiet grunting and/or funny little squeeks, BTS are completely silent. If your BTS begins struggling while you have a firm grip, once in a while he'll let out little squeeks or grunts almost like a person would while trying to reach something far away. My male Merauke (Sunny) grunts pretty loudly while being held, but I haven't heard it from any of my others. A lot of times the grunts almost sound like a whimper.

 

Getting Peed On :

If a bluey starts to go to the bathroom on you—which usually results from an excessively strong grip or a body that is not fully supported—DO NOT PANIC! Many people get very startled, and throw the animal off their lap in a panic. A blue tongue's urine is just water, and has no scent or color. Excrement however, is obviously more odorous, but it's nothing that will stain or hurt you. Remember, it is possible to get your bluey on a feeding schedule, which essentially gets them on a "waste cycle". They normally defecate once per day (unless they have loose stool), and it's probably not a good idea to let them wander around outside their cage until they've done their business. A word of advice: Blue tongues tend to defecate/urinate once they become active. They often hide or sleep in their cages, so once you take them out, excreting their bodily fluids is often the first thing that happens. Just be sure to take them out in the grass for a few minutes, and they usually go right away. If you see waste in their cage upon returning home, you're good to go! Keep in mind that if your BTS has the runs, he could go a number of times during the day, and at any time.

 

Proper Handling Techniques :
There are many ways to hold a blue tongue skink, but the most important thing to remember is to keep the animal's ENTIRE body supported. Especially their hindquarters. Proper handling is also important to teach your children, otherwise when held, you will have a very finicky and panicked blue tongued skink. If their backside is not supported, they will fling their tails around wildly because they don't feel secure and feel as though they're going to fall. If you've ever heard of blue tongues peeing on you, this is the time they'll do it. However, when handled in a correct and responsible manner, you will have no problems. The following three pictures show the best methods for handling. The first is probably our favorite. Simply lay your blue tongue across your underarm, just so his nose touches your bicep, then support his backside with your palm. This creates complete security and support for his entire body. You can use your right or left arm, whichever you are most comfortable with. The second pic is basically the same idea except his head and tail are switched. The third picture shows a method that is easy for moving your blue tongue short distances. Simply lift him from behind, and prop him up on your free hand.