Skink Lizard

A skink is a type of lizard with a smooth, shiny body, a long tail and, usually, short little legs. Skinks make up the family Scincidae, one of the largest lizard families in the world, with more than 1,500 species living on every continent except Antarctica.

Scientific Classification & Quick Facts

Common name	Skink
Scientific name	Scincidae
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Squamata
Type	Reptile; lizard family with over 1,000 species
Diet	Insects, worms, snails and sometimes small rodents
Habitat	Burrows, crevices, gardens and stone walls
Native range	Worldwide except polar and subarctic regions
Special feature	Cylinder-shaped body and short legs

What Skinks Look Like

Most skinks have long, tube-shaped bodies, cone-shaped heads and necks that are hard to tell apart from their bodies. Their scales are smooth and glossy, and many have small bony plates inside them that work like a light suit of armor.

Skinks come in many sizes. The little brown skink of North America (Scincella lateralis) is only about 7.5 to 14.5 cm (3 to 5.7 inches) long, and more than half of that is tail. Most skinks are small to medium-sized, but some are much bigger. Australia’s blue-tongued skinks can reach about 60 cm (2 feet), and the Solomon Islands skink, the largest living skink, grows to roughly 75 cm (2.5 feet).

Some skinks have tiny legs, and a few, such as the African blind skinks (Typhlosaurus), have no legs at all and look more like snakes. These species spend most of their lives burrowing through sand or soil.

Young five-lined skinks and some other species have bright blue tails. If a predator grabs the tail, it can break off and keep wriggling to distract the attacker while the skink escapes. A new, slightly shorter tail grows back later.

Habitat

Skinks live in a huge range of places, from tropical rainforests and grasslands to deserts and mountains. They are missing only from the coldest polar and far northern regions. Many live on the ground, hiding under logs, rocks and leaf litter. Others burrow in sand, climb trees, or even live near water.

Skinks also do well near people. They often shelter in gardens, stone walls, woodpiles and the gaps under sheds, decks and garages.

Diet

Most skinks are meat-eaters, and insects make up a big part of their diet. They hunt grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, caterpillars, flies, spiders and other small creatures. Many also eat woodlice, earthworms, slugs and snails, and larger skinks may catch small lizards or baby mice.

Some skinks eat plants too. Blue-tongued skinks eat a mix of animals, fruit, flowers and leaves, and the Solomon Islands skink is almost entirely a plant-eater.

Behavior

Skinks are usually shy and quick. Many species love to burrow and dig, and they dart into cracks or under cover the moment they sense danger. Like snakes, they flick their tongues in and out to pick up scents from the air and track down food. When a skink finds prey, it rushes forward, grabs it in its jaws and swallows it whole.

Skinks are cold-blooded, so they bask in the sun to warm up before they become active. In cold climates, many hibernate through the winter in burrows or under logs.

Breeding

Skinks reproduce in two main ways. Many species lay eggs, often in moist soil, rotting logs or under rocks. Female five-lined skinks, for example, curl around their eggs and guard them until they hatch.

A large share of skink species, possibly close to half, give birth to live young instead. The babies develop inside the mother’s body, which helps them survive in cooler places where eggs left in the ground might not stay warm enough.

Predators and Threats

Lots of animals hunt skinks, including snakes, hawks, crows, herons, foxes, raccoons, opossums and larger lizards. Pet cats and dogs catch many skinks in gardens too.

On islands, skinks face extra danger from animals that people have brought in, such as mongooses, rats and cats. Some island skinks have already disappeared, and others, such as several species in New Zealand and the Caribbean, are endangered. Habitat loss is another serious threat.

Skinks as Pets

Some skinks, especially blue-tongued skinks, are popular pets because they are calm and easy to handle once they get used to people. If your family is thinking about a pet skink, buy a captive-bred animal from a reputable breeder rather than taking one from the wild, and check your local rules first. A vet who knows reptiles is the best person to ask for advice.

Housing

Pet skinks need much more room than many people think. A blue-tongued skink needs an enclosure of at least about 120 x 60 cm (4 x 2 feet) of floor space. Most skinks are best kept on their own, because they can fight, especially males.

• A deep layer of loose substrate, such as a soil and bark mix, for digging
• A warm basking spot at one end and a cooler area at the other, so the skink can choose its temperature
• A UVB light, which helps reptiles stay healthy and build strong bones
• Hiding places, such as cork bark or half-logs, at both the warm and cool ends
• A shallow, heavy water dish that won’t tip over, cleaned often

Food

What to feed depends on the species. Insect-eating skinks need live insects such as crickets and roaches, dusted with a reptile calcium supplement. Blue-tongued skinks do well on a varied diet of protein (insects, snails, and some high-quality wet pet food recommended by a vet) plus plenty of leafy greens, vegetables and a little fruit.

Handling

Pick up a skink gently by sliding your hand under its belly and supporting its whole body. Never grab it by the tail, because it may drop off. Keep handling sessions short at first while the skink gets used to you. Always wash your hands with soap and water after touching any reptile, as they can carry germs such as Salmonella.

Skink FAQs

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