About
Animal Facts
Common Name:
Blue-tongued Skink
Scientific Name:
Tiliqua scincoides
Behavior:
  • Males and females are solitary, except during mating season.
  • They feed on insect larvae, snails, slugs, plants, and fruit during the heat of the day and are less active at night and during winter when it is colder.
  • When threatened, they will stick out their blue tongue, hiss, and lie flat on ground so their body looks larger.
Diet:
Omnivore
Weight:
14 oz
Length:
18 in
Gestation Period:
100 days
Number of Young:
10-12 eggs
Habitats:
  • Grassland
  • Savanna
  • Shrubland
Fun Facts:
  • Eggs hatch in mother and she gives birth to living young encased in a placenta. This is called ovovivipary.
  • Native to Australia, these garden-friendly skinks eat snails and slugs.
  • Like many skinks, they may drop their tail if caught by a predator.
Threats:
  • Habitat Loss
  • Invasive Species
Endangered Status
Endangered Status
  • Extinct in Wild (EW)
  • Critically Endangered (CR)
  • Endangered (EN)
  • Vulnerable (VU)
  • Near Threatened (NT)
  • Least Concern (LC)
  • Not Evaluated (NE)

Surprisingly good climbers, skinks use several climbing areas and tight crevices in their Zoo habitat as they would in the wild. We provide ledges for them to hide under and rocks in natural sunlight for basking. Lightbulbs that emit UV are present for their health care.