# Tiliqua Gigas

The Tiliqua gigas, also known as the Solomon Island skink, is a large, friendly lizard that loves to bask in the sun! These skinks have shiny, colorful scales that make them look very special in their tropical homes.

- **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Tropical forests and coastal areas of the Solomon Islands.
- **Also known as:** Giant skink, Pacific skink, Solomon Island skink

![Tiliqua Gigas](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tiliqua_gigas_Grodno_1608.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Шатилло Г.В., CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tiliqua_gigas_Grodno_1608.jpg)

## Appearance

The Tiliqua Gigas is a stout-bodied lizard with short limbs and a distinctive triangular head. It has large, smooth scales, often displaying patterns of brown, tan, and black bands across its back. Its bright blue tongue makes it visually unique among most other lizards.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Squamata
- **Order:** Lacertilia
- **Family:** Scincidae
- **Genus:** Tiliqua

## Interesting facts

- A single Tiliqua Gigas can amazingly live for over 30 years in human care!
- Female Tiliqua Gigas give birth to live babies, not eggs like most other reptiles!
- They sometimes eat their own skin after shedding it to recycle important nutrients!
- When scared, they often flatten their bodies to look bigger and more intimidating!

## Special abilities

- **Vivid Tongue Flash:** Tiliqua Gigas can flash its bright blue tongue to startle predators, making them hesitate and giving the skink time to escape.
- **Protective Armor:** Tiliqua Gigas has tough, smooth scales that act like protective armor, helping shield it from bumps and bites.
- **Shell-Crushing Jaws:** Tiliqua Gigas has powerful jaws that allow it to easily crush the hard shells of insects and snails for food.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 45-70 cm
- **Weight:** 0.5-1.5 kg
- **Lifespan:** 15-20 years
- **Speed:** 8 km/h

## Diet & Feeding

These lizards are omnivores, munching on insects, snails, plants, and even tasty fruits!

- **Primary Foods:** Insects, Snails, Slugs, Berries, Flowers, Mushrooms
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [Garden Snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — A common food source
- **Eaten by:** [Reticulated Python](https://www.snappit.app/explore/reticulated-python) (*Python reticulatus*) — A major natural predator
- **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — A common urban predator
- **Eats:** [Black Rat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-rat) (*Rattus rattus*) — Sometimes hunted opportunistically

## Traits

- [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.
- [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.

## Collections

- [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Tiliqua Gigas?

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 Tiliqua Gigas?

45-70 cm

### How much does Tiliqua Gigas weigh?

0.5-1.5 kg

### How long does Tiliqua Gigas live?

15-20 years

### How fast can Tiliqua Gigas move?

8 km/h

### What does Tiliqua Gigas eat?

These lizards are omnivores, munching on insects, snails, plants, and even tasty fruits!

### Where is Tiliqua Gigas usually found?

Tropical forests and coastal areas of the Solomon Islands.

### How does Tiliqua Gigas hunt?

Foraging

## 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*)

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Source: [Tiliqua Gigas: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tiliqua-gigas)