# Prairie Skink (*Plestiodon septentrionalis*) The Prairie Skink is a small, colorful lizard that loves to bask in the sun. With its shiny scales and long tail, it can be found darting through grass and hiding under rocks. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Prairie Skink](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Plestiodon_septentrionalis_septentrionalis%252C_Seitenansicht.jpg&width=800) Photo: Peter Paplanus, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plestiodon_septentrionalis_septentrionalis%252C_Seitenansicht.jpg) ## Appearance The Prairie Skink is a slender lizard with a shiny, smooth body. Adults are typically tan to olive-brown with dark stripes running down their sides. Young skinks stand out with bright blue tails, which fade as they grow older. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Lacertilia - **Family:** Scincidae - **Genus:** Plestiodon ## Interesting facts - Baby prairie skinks are born with dazzling blue tails, which are a flashy warning to predators. - Mama skinks often guard their eggs, cleaning them and even eating spoiled ones! - Prairie Skinks prefer sunny spots and often hide under rocks or logs to stay safe. - These amazing lizards hibernate underground during winter to survive the cold temperatures. ## Special abilities - **Tail Breakaway:** Prairie Skinks can drop their wriggling blue tail if a predator grabs it, because this distraction helps them escape to safety. - **Striped Camouflage:** Prairie Skinks have dark stripes that help them blend into tall grasses and shadows, making it hard for predators to spot them. - **Sun Sentry:** Prairie Skinks can bask in the sun to warm their bodies for energy, which helps them move quickly to hunt or flee danger. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 13-22 cm - **Weight:** 0.005-0.02 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 10 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 5-18 - **Incubation:** 30-50 days ## Diet & Feeding Prairie Skinks mostly munch on insects and other tiny creatures they find in their habitat. - **Primary Foods:** Crickets, Grasshoppers, Beetles, Spiders, Small Moths - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Fall Field Cricket](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fall-field-cricket) (*Gryllus pennsylvanicus*) — A common and nutritious insect that Prairie Skinks hunt. - **Eaten by:** Common Garter Snake (*Thamnophis sirtalis*) — A frequent snake predator that hunts skinks in their habitat. - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Large birds of prey like hawks often prey on small lizards. ## Traits - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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. - [Thermoregulating](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/thermoregulating): Thermoregulating organisms maintain a stable internal body temperature despite fluctuations in the external environment. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Regenerative](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/regenerative): Regenerative organisms possess the ability to regrow lost or damaged body parts, tissues, or organs. - [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 Prairie 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 Prairie Skink? 13-22 cm ### How much does Prairie Skink weigh? 0.005-0.02 kg ### How long does Prairie Skink live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Prairie Skink move? 10 km/h ### What does Prairie Skink eat? Prairie Skinks mostly munch on insects and other tiny creatures they find in their habitat. ### Where is Prairie Skink usually found? Grasslands ### How does Prairie Skink hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Chilocco Indian Agricultural School](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chilocco-indian-agricultural-school) — Oklahoma, US · Campus - [Great Plains Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-plains-zoo) — South Dakota, US · Zoo - [Howard County Courthouse](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/howard-county-courthouse) — Nebraska, US · Historic Site - [Spruce Woods Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/spruce-woods-provincial-park) — Manitoba, CA · State Park [View all places to see Prairie Skink](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/prairie-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: [Prairie Skink: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/prairie-skink)