Blue-tongued skinks are one of the popular lizards that you can keep as a pet. They are diurnal creatures and originate from Australia and Indonesia. Since blue tongue skinks are exotic creatures, you may be wondering if there are pet shops or breeders in Florida where you can buy them.
The good news is that blue tongue skinks are not a rare lizard species, and it is not quite hard to buy them. Furthermore, it is legal to buy blue tongue skinks in Florida. There are several reputable breeders where you can buy this magnificent reptile in Florida.
In this article, we will help highlight some of the top breeders in Florida where you can buy a blue tongue skink.
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Are Blue Tongue Skinks Legal in Florida?
Yes, it is completely legal to own a blue tongue skink as a pet in Florida. You can buy a blue tongue skink from a reputable breeder since they are exotic breeds. However, you will need a special permit to sell them.
Although Florida has an excellent climate for housing a blue tongue skink outdoors, it is best to keep your skink indoors and provide some time out in the sun during the handling session.
Top 4 Blue Tongue Skink Breeders Florida
As stated before, there are several breeders in Florida where you can buy your skinks. Some of the top breeders in Florida are stated below.
Ray Gurgui
Ray Gurgui is a top reptile breeder located on the west coast of Florida. He is known as a reptile breeder and has a tropical plant nursery. You can check out Ray Gurgui’s old website, Thunder Bay, but it has not been updated for years.
However, Ray Gurgui has high-end skinks that you can buy, and he sells a wide range of morphs of eastern blue tongue skinks. You can contact Ray Gurgui by calling his number from his page on Facebook or emailing him at [email protected]
Bluetongueskinks.org
Bluetongueskinks.org is an educational website where you can learn about blue tongue skinks. Blue tongue skinks enthusiasts run the website.
Some blue tongue skinks available for sale are Northern, Eastern, Tanimbar, Centralian, Merauke, Indonesian, Kei, Blotched, Irian Jaya, Western, and Shingleback skinks.
You can contact bluetongueskinks.org on their website at www.bluetongueskinks.org.
Cb Reptile
CB reptile is a family-owned business where you can buy all kinds of healthy captive-bred reptiles online. The good thing is that they have a biologist onsite to help ensure that any pet you buy will arrive the following morning through UPS or FedEx.
CB reptiles have Halmahera and northern blue tongue skink available for sale. You can contact them by mailing them on [email protected] or call or text them on 609-705-7787.
Morphmarket
Morphmarket is a website that provides services that promotes the best and most ethical way to buy and keep reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. The website helps to connect breeders and keepers from all parts of the world.
They also have a forum where you can learn how to keep your pet the best way possible.
You can get different blue tongue skinks from Morphmarket. You can message them by signing up on their website and clicking on the message button.
How Much Does a Blue-Tongued Skink Cost In Florida?
There are varieties of blue tongue skink morphs. Therefore, the price of a blue tongue skink will depend on the morph, sex, and breeder. The average cost for a common blue tongue skink is between $150-$250.
However, there are some blue tongue skinks morphs that cost more than $1000, like the Merauke morph costing $5000 or more. You will also need to consider the shipping costs, which are usually above $50, if you want a special shipping service.
Can Blue Tongue Skink Withstand Long-Distance Travel
Like most pets, blue-tongued skinks can easily be stressed from traveling. However, they can withstand long-distance travel if you provide the appropriate enclosure and supplies for them during the trip.
What Is The Cheapest Kind Of Skink?
The cheapest kind of blue tongue skink is the northern blue tongue skinks. They are usually the most frequently bought skink for adoption and usually cost between $150-$250.
Should You Get Male Or Female Blue Tongue Skink?
Whether you get a male or female blue tongue skink does not matter. It is best to choose a blue tongue skink based on its health, personality, and background. For instance, if you need a more active skink, you can opt for a male blue tongue skink.
On the other hand, if you want a laid back skink, female skinks are more suitable for you. However, a blue tongue skink personality will depend on the skink itself, as there are some situations where a female will be more active while a male will be laid back.
Therefore, you can talk with the breeder to help you choose a suitable skink that matches your lifestyle.
Can You House A Male And Female Blue Tongue Skink Together?
Skinks are not social creatures, and it is best if you don’t house them together. This means you should not house a male and female skink together if you are not planning to breed them.
Should You Get Baby Or Juvenile Blue Tongue Skink?
There is no set age for buying a blue tongue skink. Therefore, you can buy baby or even adult blue tongue skinks. However, adult skinks are usually more expensive than baby blue tongue skinks.
We recommend you buy a baby blue tongue skink when you decide to buy one. This is because you will bond and watch as your skink grows and determine its personality as they grow up.
Furthermore, baby blue tongue skinks are more readily available. On the other hand, buying older juvenile skinks can be quite risky, and this is because older blue tongue skinks may be suffering from health problems caused by bad husbandry or poor-quality food before you buy them.
Another thing is that you may end up buying a wildly caught skink.
How To Choose Right Blue-Tongued Skink
Choosing the right blue tongue skink will depend on your personality. However, there are several things that you will need to consider when buying a skink. Some of them are stated below.
Understanding Your Favorite Blue Tongue Skink Specie
Generally, caring for a blue tongue skink is quite easy, but they require specific care. This is why you need to know more about caring for a blue tongue skink before you buy one.
You must create a safe and appropriate enclosure for them before you bring home a skink to make them comfortable and happy.
Suitable With Your Budgeting
Budget is a common thing made by most exotic pet owners. Without an adequate budget, your skink may end up in rescues and sanctuaries or even die.
You will need to have a budget of the expected annual and upfront expenses to help ensure you can meet your skink’s needs before you buy them.
A Suitable Vet Near You
Another thing that you should consider is where an exotic vet is in your area. This is because finding an exotic vet is difficult, and even more difficult to find an exotic one that can treat a blue tongue skink.
Therefore, you should determine if there is an exotic vet that can meet your skink’s medical needs before you get a skink.
Conclusion
Besides blue tongue skinks, some of the reptiles you can keep as a pet in Florida are bearded dragon, ball python, green anole, crested gecko, leopard gecko, Russian tortoise, corn snakes, etc. However, you can check your local law to determine whether you will need a special permit or not.
You will find many reputable breeders in Florida, where you can buy all these reptiles. You can message us in the comment section if you find a good breeder in Florida apart from the ones mentioned above.
