What size hides should I get my blue tongued skink?

[Dobbytheskink]

I am planning a big enclosure upgrade for my Blue Tongue and I want to order some different hides that go with a naturalist theme but I am not sure what size to order. Basically, how much space do they like in their hides? When I got him he was baby and my hides are all homemade 😄

[Bogertophis]

Nothing wrong with homemade hide, especially for growing reptiles. What size & how old is he now? (I don't keep BTS so hopefully another member who does will answer also- I'm not sure how "cozy" they like it.)

[Dobbytheskink]

He's fully grown and I've had him almost a year. No, nothing wrong with homemade hides but they don't go with the theme I have in mind and I always planned to save up for some really nice ones.

[Bogertophis]

You might pm & ask dakski- he has a BTS, last I recall- but he hasn't been posting so much lately.

[dakski]

Just saw this.

What kind of substrate are you using?

I use plastic hides from reptile basics. I think this size extra large. https://www.reptilebasics.com/xl-hide

Depending on substrate you use, I'd use that and maybe put some extra substrate in. I use printless newspaper as a substrate. I squeeze a large piece into a ball and stick in the hide. My BTS, Frank, likes to borough under the paper. So when I put the crinkled up paper in the hide, he feels safer and more secure.

If you are using something else, that your BTS can dig in, I would just put some extra in the hide. I have a 6X2' tank for Frank. He has two cool side hides and one hot side. He usually "suns" himself under the basking lamp on the hot side and rarely goes in that hide. On the cool side, he's almost always under the paper or in one of his two hides.

If you are going for something more naturalistic, same applies re homemade hides. Or, you can use something like this, that is easy to clean and bury it a little. Not sure if that fits the bill for naturalistic though. Keep in mind, BTS waste a lot. So overly naturalistic may make it harder to clean.

Any BTS questions, feel free to ask on the forum or PM.

Good luck and keep us posted.