Blue tongue morphs lizards are a group of Australian lizards that are somewhat shy compared to other lizard species. As the name suggests, these reptiles have a blue tongue, and they tend to move slowly because of their short legs. If you’re looking to get a blue tongue lizard morph for your terrarium but aren’t sure what types are out there, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll list all the different types, and for each, we’ll include an image and a short description so you can decide which one is right for you.
11 Common Blue Tongue Skink Morphs:
1. Adelaide Pygmy Blue-Tongue Skink
The Adelaide pygmy blue tongue lizard is a species most experts believed was extinct until 1992 when they rediscovered it in southern Australia. It has a limited habitat and often lives in spider burrows. In 2016, scientists began a successful captive breeding program to help increase their numbers. These blue tongues are still quite rare, but you can contact Flinders University for more information on how their work is going and the possibility of purchasing them.
2. Tiliqua Gigas
It is much easier to use the common name tiliqua gigas, the Indonesian blue tongue lizard. This lizard is closely related to the eastern blue-tongued lizard, and they look very similar. You can find these animals in the rainforest, so you will need plenty of moisture to keep them in your home. It is a slender reptile with a long tail.
3. Merauke Blue Tongue Lizard
The Merauke blue tongue lizard is a subspecies of the Indonesian blue tongue lizard, and shares many features in common. It requires a tropical environment with high humidity. It can reach 30 inches in length and is very popular in its native area, but captivity is not perfect for this species so it is difficult to find in America.
4. Centralian Blue Tongue Skink
You’ll find Centralian blue-tongued lizards in New South Wales, Australia if you want to see them live naturally. It is usually brown or gray in color with an orange stripe along its body. The underside is pale white. These are sedentary lizards that typically move less than 400 feet per day. Its main diet is grain, insects, and livestock manure.
5. Blue Tongue Skink
The blue-toned tongue lizard is native to southeastern Australia, and it is one of the largest lizards on our list. It is about 20 inches long and has a stout body. Usually relies on camouflage to hide from predators, but also has powerful jaws and will bite if provoked. It will also drop its tail if caught but will hold it longer than other lizards.
6. Western Blue Tongue Skink
The western blue tongue lizard is a larger lizard native to southern Australia. It is about 18 inches long and is usually brown in color with dark brown bands all over the body. This species tends to hiss and flatten its body to repel enemies. Despite having a larger natural habitat than other lizards, their numbers continue to decline due to habitat destruction.
7. Sturdy Tail Lizard
As the name suggests, the stumpy-tailed lizard has a very small tail which makes it unique compared to the other lizards on this list. It’s also slow moving compared to other slow movers, so don’t expect a lot of action in your terrarium. It has a heavily armored body and is one of many shades of brown. He likes to dig, eat plants and snails.
8. Ordinary Blue Tongue Skink
The common blue tongue lizard is one of the most commonly available lizards. You can find it in Australia as well as several islands in Indonesia. It can grow to about 23 inches and can weigh over 2 pounds. It adapts to a wide range of habitats and often lives 30 years or more.
9. Eastern Blue Tongue Skink
The eastern blue tongue lizard is a subspecies of the common blue tongue lizard, and shares many of the same traits, but you’ll only find it in Australia. This species can also live up to 30 years and tends to hiss and expose its tongue when threatened.
10. Northern Blue Tongue Skink
The northern blue tongue lizard is another subspecies of the common blue tongue lizard with many of the same features. You usually only see these lizards in northern Australia, and they don’t have a very long lifespan, often only living an average of 20 years. This lizard is yellowish in color with darker stripes on its back, and tends to grow to about 22 inches in length.
11. Irian Jaya Blue Tongue Skink
The Irian Jaya blue tongue lizard has a distinctive color scheme that attracts many people. It has dark brown stripes over a golden body, and the body can range from cream to red. They can reach 30 inches in length and often live as long as 30 years.
- Also Read: How Much Does It Cost To Have A Blue Tongue Lizard? (Price Guide)
Summary
Blue tongue lizards are unique lizards that can be fun to own if you have a large enough aquarium and can achieve the high humidity levels they need. Their diet is similar to that of other reptiles, so it’s not hard to feed them, but finding one to buy can be difficult. The common blue-tongued lizard is probably your best bet as they have the widest range of environments and their numbers are high, but you may be able to spot them if you’re vigilant.
We hope you enjoyed reading our list and discovering some lizards you’ve never heard of before. If we’ve given you a new pet to track, please share these 11 common blue tongue lizards on Facebook and Twitter.
Featured image credit: Kurit afshen, Shutterstock