# Little Brown Skink (*Scincella lateralis*) The Little Brown Skink is a small, shiny lizard that loves to hide in leaves and grass. It has a long body and a tiny head, making it very cute and quick! - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 14 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Little Brown Skink](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Little_Brown_Skink_%28Scincella_lateralis%29_-_Flickr_-_2ndPeter.jpg&width=800) Photo: Peter Paplanus from St. Louis, Missouri, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Little_Brown_Skink_%28Scincella_lateralis%29_-_Flickr_-_2ndPeter.jpg) ## Appearance The Little Brown Skink is a slender, glossy lizard with smooth, shiny scales. It typically has a bronzy-brown back and a distinct dark stripe running along each side, from its snout to its tail. Its belly is usually a paler, yellowish-white color. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Lacertilia - **Family:** Scincidae - **Genus:** Scincella ## Interesting facts - Female skinks sometimes guard their eggs until they hatch, being a super mom! - Little brown skinks can find their way home even after being moved! - Their scales are so shiny, they look almost like tiny, living jewels! - When they burrow into soil, they wiggle their bodies like a miniature snake! ## Special abilities - **Tail Escape Artist:** Little Brown Skink can drop its tail to confuse predators, giving it a chance to escape danger when threatened. - **Leaf Litter Camouflage:** Little Brown Skink has a camouflaged body that helps them blend perfectly into leaf litter, making them hard to spot. - **Super Smooth Slider:** Little Brown Skink has super smooth, shiny scales that help them slip through tight spaces and leaf litter quickly. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 7-14 cm - **Weight:** 0.001-0.005 kg - **Lifespan:** 1-4 years - **Speed:** 3 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-6 - **Incubation:** 21-28 days ## Diet & Feeding Tiny insectivores, they munch on small bugs, spiders, and other little invertebrates found on the ground. - **Primary Foods:** Ants, Beetle larvae, Spiders, Isopods, Small crickets - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Racer (*Coluber constrictor*) — A common snake predator in their habitat. - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — Often hunted by common house cats. - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Birds snatch them from leaf litter. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [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. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a skink, watch it from a distance and don't try to catch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Little Brown 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 Little Brown Skink? 7-14 cm ### How much does Little Brown Skink weigh? 0.001-0.005 kg ### How long does Little Brown Skink live? 1-4 years ### How fast can Little Brown Skink move? 3 km/h ### What does Little Brown Skink eat? Tiny insectivores, they munch on small bugs, spiders, and other little invertebrates found on the ground. ### Where is Little Brown Skink usually found? Grasslands ### How does Little Brown Skink hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Convent and Academy of the Visitation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/convent-and-academy-of-the-visitation) — Alabama, US · Campus - [Locust Grove State Historic Site](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/locust-grove-state-historic-site) — Louisiana, US · Nature Reserve - [San Antonio Missions National Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/san-antonio-missions-national-historical-park) — Texas, US · National Park - [Greensboro Science Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greensboro-science-center) — North Carolina, US · Zoo - [Bethabara Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bethabara-historic-district) — North Carolina, US · Historic District - [Brackenridge Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brackenridge-park) — Texas, US · Park [View all places to see Little Brown Skink](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/little-brown-skink) ## 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: [Little Brown Skink: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/little-brown-skink)