Can My Blue Tongue Skink Eat Raw Meat?

While skinks are in their natural habitat in the wild, they do eat raw meat. They are even known to be scavengers and eat meat that has gone rotten, that doesn't necessarily make it okay for them to eat in captivity.

Rotten meat contains all sorts of bacteria and parasites, and consuming this can make them very sick. Of course, the raw meat that we use isn't rotten, but it still isn't the best thing to offer them as it can still pose a risk to their health. The meat we eat is often treated with additives and hormones that the skink would not encounter in their natural habitat and could have an adverse effect on their bodies.

It is better to use the recommended foods for them, such as gut-loaded insects like dubia roaches and superworms, you can also offer them canned dog food as a treat once every couple of weeks. Instead of raw meat, you can use cooked meats such as lean beef, ground turkey, chicken, duck, or venison. Cooking renders the fat in the flesh, which makes it leaner and more healthy for your skink, which will lessen the risk of obesity and other related health issues from eating meat. As skinks are omnivores, you can also offer them fresh vegetables that are found safe for them to eat as well. Sometimes blue tongue skinks can be fed pinkie mice; click here to read more about feeding pinkies to your pet skink.