Bearded Dragon vs Blue-tongue Skink

The same axes for both animals, taken from the same care guides, so this is a like-for-like comparison rather than two articles written months apart. Neither animal is the right answer on its own — the question is which one fits the space, the budget and the routine you actually have.

Reptiles
Bearded Dragon
Pogona vitticeps
Difficulty
Intermediate
Lifespan
10-15 years
Adult size
40-60 cm
Minimum space
7,200 cm² floor (1,116 sq in)
Company
Must live alone
Daily time
Medium; daily feed, UVB, cleaning
Running cost
High
Habitat
Vivarium 120x60x60cm+
Diet
Omnivore (insects + greens)
Suits you if
Keepers wanting an interactive, handleable lizard. Families with reptile experience. Those who can fund a large, high-powered setup
Watch out for
Undersized enclosures and weak UVB. Housing two or more together. Calcium/UVB neglect causing bone disease

Full Bearded Dragon guide

Reptiles
Blue-tongue Skink
Tiliqua scincoides
Difficulty
Intermediate
Lifespan
15-20 years
Adult size
45-60cm (18-24in)
Minimum space
7,200 cm² floor (1,116 sq in)
Company
Must live alone
Daily time
Medium - daily feeding/cleaning
Running cost
Medium to High
Habitat
Vivarium 120x60x45cm minimum
Diet
Omnivore - greens, veg, protein
Suits you if
Keepers wanting an interactive lizard. Those who can provide a large enclosure. People able to prepare varied fresh diets
Watch out for
Needs UVB - MBD risk if omitted. Obesity from too much protein or fat. Must be housed alone, never paired

Full Blue-tongue Skink guide

How to read this

Every row is filled from the same field of the same care guide for both animals, so nothing here is cherry-picked to favour one of them.

Minimum space is the figure from each species' housing guidance, converted to one unit. It is a floor, not a target.

What this does not tell you: your experience, your household, your climate, or which animal you will actually enjoy. Difficulty is our judgement, not a measurement. Read both full guides before deciding — and if the honest answer is neither, that is a good outcome too.