# Blue-tongued Skink (*Tiliqua scincoides*) The Blue-tongued Skink is known for its bright blue tongue! When it feels threatened, it sticks out its tongue to scare away predators. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Grasslands and forests - **Also known as:** Blue-tongue Lizard, Blue-tongued Lizard ![Blue-tongued Skink](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425935/objects/5685.jpg) ## Appearance The Blue-tongued Skink has a large, sturdy body with short limbs and a thick tail. Its skin is covered in smooth, glossy scales, often displaying bands of brown, grey, and cream. The most striking feature is its bright, cobalt-blue tongue. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Lacertilia - **Family:** Scincidae - **Genus:** Tiliqua ## Interesting facts - Blue-tongues can flatten their bodies to look bigger and scarier to predators. - These skinks help gardeners by eating slugs and snails. - They are born live, looking like mini adults, not from eggs! - They sometimes bask on roads, so drivers must watch out for them! ## Special abilities - **Bluffing Tongue:** Blue-tongued Skink can flash its vibrant blue tongue and hiss loudly to startle predators, making them think it's venomous. - **Tail Autonomy:** Blue-tongued Skink can drop its tail when caught by a predator, allowing it to escape while the tail wiggles to distract. - **Live Birth:** Blue-tongued Skink has live birth instead of laying eggs, which helps its babies develop safely inside the mother. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 45-60 cm - **Weight:** 0.5-1.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-20 years - **Speed:** 12 km/h ## Diet & Feeding Blue-tongued Skinks are omnivores that enjoy a varied diet of plants and small animals. - **Primary Foods:** Insects, Snails, Berries, Flowers, Mushrooms, Small Rodents - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Wedge-tailed Eagle (*Aquila audax*) — A large bird of prey that can hunt skinks. - **Eaten by:** King Brown Snake (*Pseudechis australis*) — A venomous snake known to prey on lizards. - **Eats:** [Garden Snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — A common garden pest that skinks love to eat. - **Eats:** Mealworm (*Tenebrio molitor*) — A common insect larva that skinks eat. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) - [Reptiles & Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles-and-amphibians) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Look but don’t touch. Keep a safe distance and wash hands after exploring. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Blue-tongued Skink? Compare toes, scales, head shape, crests and tail proportions. Many lizards can drop and regrow their tails, so a short tail isn't always a species trait. Lizard Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Blue-tongued Skink? 45-60 cm ### How much does Blue-tongued Skink weigh? 0.5-1.5 kg ### How long does Blue-tongued Skink live? 15-20 years ### How fast can Blue-tongued Skink move? 12 km/h ### What does Blue-tongued Skink eat? Blue-tongued Skinks are omnivores that enjoy a varied diet of plants and small animals. ### Where is Blue-tongued Skink usually found? Grasslands and forests ### How does Blue-tongued Skink hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Zoo Saarbrücken](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-saarbrucken) — Saarland, DE · Zoo - [Poppy Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/poppy-park) — Florida, US · Nature Reserve ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) --- Source: [Blue-tongued Skink: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-tongued-skink)