Getting a Pink tongued skink

[snakeluvver]

Hi my birthdays in July and I am planning to get a pink tongue! Just some questions:
Are they ok to handle?
Who here breeds them?
What do you feed them exactly? (some care sheets just say snails)
Can you keep more than one in the same tank?
Am I better off just getting a blue tongue as a starter?
Thanks in advance

---------- Post added 02-Jan-11 at 09:10 PM ----------

Oh and is a 60cm cubed enclosure okay for one or two?

 

[hornet]

i have kept them and found them no different than keeping blueys, just give them more humidity and something to climb on. I would love to get more in the future they are great captives and like blueys if you handle them from a young age they calm down well. Feed them as many snails as you can and supplement with the same diet as blueys

 

[snakeluvver]

So would a mixture of snails, crickets and veggies be ok?

Oh and what sized portion?

Also how would I supply the humidity? Just a bowl of water or a mist?

 

[hornet]

i used to mist them daily, they are a rainforest dweller so dont be afraid to give them a good soaking. Just feed them as much as they will eat once or twice per week as adults, every 2 days as juvies. You in brisbane?

 

[snakeluvver]

Sunny coast. I know pink tongues are native here, I've seen one in the garden.
So is a 60% veg 40% meat diet ok? And where can I get snails?

 

[hornet]

catch them in the garden, if you have seen a pink tongue you can guarantee you have a good supply of snails if you find any for sale locally let me know

 

[snakeluvver]

Oh and one more feeding question lol. If I have a large supply of snails will I need to feed them any thing else?

 

[shortstuff61]

One of the pet stores here routinely house 2-4 young looking ones together. Although pet store protocol isn't always the best!

 

[hornet]

Oh and one more feeding question lol. If I have a large supply of snails will I need to feed them any thing else?

no you shouldnt need to, as far as i know their diet in the wild consists almost 100% of slugs and snails so they should do fine on that in captivity

 

[JasonL]

They will also naturally eat smooth skin Caterpillars / Beetle larvae. They are great to keep, though I wouldn't say they are anything like BTs. New borns are a little tricky as they go downhill fast if kept too hot or dried out. If you live within their natural range then only very mild heat should be supplied, a heat mat ect would be fine for adults and no heating at all for newborns
I would def go the PT over a BT, but I am bias...

 

[snakeluvver]

What temp would be best in the warm end for adults?
And hopefully this is the last question lol, can I house more than one in a tank? What size?

 

[hornet]

I only kept adults so i cant comment on the husbandry of juvies but i kept my adults as i do with blueys with just a few small differences, daily misting for high humidity and no heat

 

[snakeluvver]

Okay just to check:
I have my eye on a 60cm cubed terrarium, is this okay for an adult?
I will feed it only snails?
It needs no heating?
Large water dish daily misting?
I think that's it. If the answer is yes to all of the above, then I am ready

 

[hornet]

you could probably house 2 in that size viv. No heating but as jason said if you do provide heating only give them very mild heating. Feed mainly snails if you can, freeze some and when you defrost them de-shell and sprinkle with vitamin and calcium powder. I gave mine a small water dish but i dont think they really need it as long as you mist daily. I gave them a deep substrate of coco peat about 5-10cm deep which they loved to burrow in and also helped with keeping the humidity high. Something to climb would also be great as they are fairly arboreal by nature (they have a prehensile tail)

 

[Snakeluvver2]

Before you buy the lizard you should go and buy Breeding and Keeping Australian Lizards so you can reference some more info.
Another note it you may want to start breeding snails (bit hard but it's part of the fun)
I know there are some pet stores in Brissy that sell snails, I'm sure they would do bulk and deliver as well.
You should be able to grab some great information from Sonya Snailfarming In Australia and you maybe able to find you can get breeding packages, also ask her if you can get some live ones delivered if your finding it hard to find collect them from your yard.

 

[hornet]

actually snails are alot easier to breed then i originally thought, just need to get conditions right

 

[Snakeluvver2]

That's great news
I always loved the look of Pink Toungues

 

[snakeluvver]

If for some reason I cannot supply snails every feeding day is there any alternative meal?

 

[hornet]

i fed mine beef heart (in the frozen fish food section at the pet shop). Dog/cat food is also fine. Not sure if they take veggies like blueys tho

 

[snakeluvver]

Are crickets okay?