American five-lined skinks are generally solitary creatures but may hibernate in small groups during cold winter months. How do blue tongue skinks breed? You can take it to the vet if it exhibits any concerning symptoms, but it is a natural response to predators. By using our site, you agree to our. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 278,878 times. The tail will regrow as long as you feed your lizard well. "For a blue-tailed skink, that was formerly common all over the island, I have no doubt that the prey species they used to feed on have increased." Females may also urinate in the nests and turn eggs to maintain humidity. Everything from the widespread Western fence lizards to the Alligator lizards (which have a personality to match their name) to the dinosaur-like Horned lizards, sometimes called horny toads, of southeastern Oregon. Blue-Tailed Skink. Forests help with protection and camouflage, and provide a level of safety away from predators. As long as they're handled with respect, skinks can be very social. American five-lined skinks are carnivores (insectivores). However, they will also eat newborn mice, frogs, and other lizards. If your tank is made of plastic it can't climb up. Description: A large, smooth-scaled lizard (6.5 to 12.5 inches in length) with short legs and stocky body. The Common Five-lined Skink occurs statewide and is probably the most common lizard in TN.. Rain-forests provide an abundance of rainfall, and there are plenty of puddles and water-drops from leaves that they can drink. ", cold part of the tank as well as a warm part. Another area should be around 90 degrees. The skink is sometimes very defensive of himself and his territory. Yes, they will. Yes, blue tongue skinks can eat fruit. Make sure prey is live. ", hole). Just wish there was more specific breeds. These insects are generally quite easy to find amongst the vegetation and small trees where blue-tailed skinks make their homes. Some blue-tailed skinks also eat plants, though insects and small animals remain their primary food source Sprinkle food with calcium daily and use a mineral supplement once or twice a week, according to Pet Depot. Make sure to support a skink's body weight when holding it. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. Blue-tailed skinks often eat crickets. Skinks may bite during feeding, so this is not recommended. Skinks will not eat insects they do not have to stalk. ", think, been creating a bond with me. Cryptoblepharus egeriae, a lizard native to Australia's Christmas Island; Plestiodon elegans, the five-striped blue-tailed skink, a lizard found in East-Asia; Plestiodon fasciatus, the five-lined skink of North America; Trachylepis margaritifera, the rainbow mabuya of Africa; Trachylepis quinquetaeniata, the five-lined mabuya of Africa They also eat spiders, earthworms, snails, slugs, isopods, other lizards, and small mice. Fruits that skinks enjoy include blueberries, mangos, raspberries, papayas, cantaloupes, strawberries, and figs. http://www.reptilesncritters.com/care-guide-fire-skink.php, http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Lizards/Blue-Tongue-Skink/, http://www.reptileexpert.co.uk/keepingskinksaspets.html, http://www.anapsid.org/handlingreptiles.html, Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. I assume you found this skink in the wild? American five-lined skinks are polygynous which means that males mate with more than one female during the breeding season. This will allow your skink to hide when it wants to. Garden skinks feed on larger invertebrates, including crickets, moths, slaters, earthworms, flies, grubs and caterpillars, grasshoppers, cockroaches, earwigs, slugs, dandelions, small spiders, ladybeetles and many other small insects, which makes them a very helpful animal around the garden. If he feels threatened or if you pick him up the wrong way, he will bite. Young skinks are dark brown to black in color with five distinctive white to yellowish stripes running along the body and a bright blue tail. Diet: What Do Blue-tailed Skinks Eat They mainly thrive upon all types of available small bugs and different types of worms, like earthworms, and other invertebrates. Instead, find local breeders or go to reptile expos. Do not put any young reptile in the same environment as an adult. However, you should avoid giving your skink any food that contains pesticides or artificial coloring as these products are harmful to skinks. When I first got a skink I had a pretty good idea of what to do, but now I'm positive she's happy and, "Thank you for writing this. Their diet consists primarily of a variety of arthropods, particularly spiders, crickets, beetles and other insects. "I found a rather large skink in my yard under a large boulder. In communal nests, females may alternate foraging and guarding of the nests, leaving eggs protected at all times. But the most common lizard in Oregon is the Western skink. What do I do if my lizard drops its tail when I am holding it? If the skinks and lizards fight, it is probably a good idea to move them to separate enclosures. American Five-Lined Skink on The IUCN Red List site -, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plestiodon_fasciatus, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/64227/12756007. length: 50mm SVL (115mm TL). ", "I have a baby cherry head skink and 3 Eastern fence lizrds. If he does bite, wash your hands immediately. While this belief is completely false, some scientists speculate that these skinks are bad-tasting to many predators. This article has been viewed 278,878 times. Every dollar contributed enables us to keep providing high-quality how-to help to people like you. These lizards start to breed in May. The substrate should not be soaking wet, but it should have some moisture. Blue tongue skinks tend to be curious and enjoy exploring. Adult males exhibit complex courtship and aggressive behavior. Try browsing the Other Lizards Index if you're looking for something specific. Notes: The blue-tailed young of five-lined, southeastern five-lined, and broadhead skinks are widely referred to as "scorpions" and are believed to have a venomous sting. However, they will also eat newborn mice, frogs, and other lizards. Make sure prey is live. King worms and mealworms are appropriate to feed to your skink on occasion. Blue-tailed skinks are generally insectivores and tend to feed on a diet of locusts, crickets, roaches, snails, slugs, and worms. Can a red eft salamander stay in the same tank as my skink? Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. Then I saw its legs. Skinks can also eat leaves. ". Max. Five-lined skinks are also known as blue-tailed skinks, because as hatchlings, they have bright blue tails with white or yellow stripes. Sometimes only the blue tail can be seen as the lizard rushes through grass or leaves. References The western skink is a secretive and very agile lizard that forages actively through leaf litter and dense vegetation, preying upon small invertebrates including spiders, a variety of insects and sow bugs. I really needed to know what to feed my skink, and now I know that and much more. Do some research: make sure your skink can safely eat millipedes, and make sure the source of the millipede is reliable. King worms and mealworms are appropriate to feed to your skink on occasion. Providing food. Blue-tailed skink (for juveniles), Red-headed skink (for adults), Five-lined skink, Eastern red-headed skink. Make sure your substrate remains six inches deep. Last Updated: May 10, 2020 Their range extends in the north to southern Ontario, Michigan and eastern New York. Your skink will be active different times of the day depending on its sleep schedule. Where do skinks live? Some skinks can and do eat millipedes. These lizards are also a prey item for local predators including snakes, crows, hawks, shrews, moles, opossums, skunks, raccoons, and domestic cats. You should feed your skink crickets and worms. Adult males, the namesake of this species, are olive-brown with large, swollen red heads during the breeding season. This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Diet and Feeding Due to their diet habits, American five-lined skinks help to control populations of insects and other invertebrates they consume. Don't get worried if you can't find your skink, because they hide themselves under the soil. The diet of this exotic lizard consists mainly of small insects, such as crickets, grasshoppers, worms and ants. “Blue-Tailed” Skink. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. His name is Mark, opposed to my frog, Frank. A mixture of soil, sand, and wood chips is usually a good option. Thank you so much! The incubation period ranges from 24 to 55 days and varies due to fluctuations in temperature. Plestiodon skink is the name for a genus of lizards formerly referred to as Eumeces, except those now placed in Mesoscincus. This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Me and my sister just found 2 skinks and we are keeping them, but we needed to know how, "There are not enough people who go through the trouble to write about this topic! Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Hatchling . Young skinks attain reproductive maturity and begin reproducing within 2-3 years of hatching. Do not pick up a sleeping skink. Feeder insects and crickets should be the main staple of your skink's diet. American five-lined skinks are found in Canada and the United States. ", "I read this because I am making a skink hotel. Skinks can be recognized by their smooth, glossy scales. ", "Thanks, I learned a lot from this, and if my mom lets me, I might be able to get a skink. Approved. For tips on how to handle your skink and how to introduce it to other skinks, keep reading! Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. The American five-lined skink is a small lizard native to North America. If by blue-tailed skink, you mean five-lined skink, then I can help you. Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. Take care when interacting with your skink. You can feed it pre-killed animals, but live animals are easier to get your lizard to eat. I have a Tokay, chameleon and a Leopard gecko, but, "Skink fever! Their diet consists primarily of a variety of arthropods, particularly spiders, crickets, beetles and other insects. :)", "Everything helped, just wish there was more on garden skinks, because that is what I have. Habitat: Coconut plantations, gardens and forest edges. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. The blue-tailed skink lizard, commonly known as the five-lined skink, is a species of lizards native to North America. Description: A moderately large, shiny lizard (5.0 to 8.5 inches in length) with highly variable color pattern. ", and there's plenty of food to keep them healthy. They love roaches! I had no idea how to care for skinks, but now, "Even though I am 8 years old, I love all insects and animals. Will my two adult skinks fight with the baby? Reproduction and Life Cycle The age of first breeding of the blue-tailed skink is approximately one year. The gestation period for most of the skink lizards last from three to six months (depending on the kind of specie) and during this time, your lizard tends to suffer from sever mood swings. The Blue-tailed skink discards its own bright blue tail during an attack to distract the predator and allow the skink to escape. I provide water for them, "Really helped when we first found our skink and decided to keep it. The dark brown color fades, too, and older individuals are often uniformly brownish. Moss mats would be very good for skinks, as most require a high humidity, and their delicate skin wouldn't get damaged by the soft moss. According to IUCN, the American five-lined skink is locally common and widespread throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. A very interesting fact is that blue tongue skinks give birth to live babies! Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Thanks for the information. If the skinks begin fighting, you should resign yourself to keeping them in separate cages. Females often place nests in regions where soil moisture is higher than in adjacent areas. My mum lets me breed them. Scientific name: Scincidae We have thousands of exotic reptiles for sale from top breeders from around the world. Never handle a skink when it's not expecting it. Skinks require a somewhat humid environment. of its color. Yes. Diet Five-lined skinks eat mostly insects, including: crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars. Include mealworms in their diet but do not make them the staple. Make sure to do further research on the species of skink you want to get. But with the arrival of COVID-19, the stakes are higher than ever. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. You don't want to be feeding your skink something potentially poisonous from the wild. They are carnivorous lizards who eat crickets and other non-noxious insects. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. The Broad-headed Skink is the largest skink in Tennessee and can be found across the state, except the extreme northeastern corner. To supplement its diet, give it fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, greens, or peas. It's a bad idea to introduce a cage mate. If you are wondering if your BTS is acting normally or might be sick, this is where you can get help with that. It might, but a caterpillar is not a standard part of a skink's diet. Reproductive strategy: Oviparous with clutches of 2 eggs. In this forum all are welcome to ask blue tongue skink-related questions, share information, ideas, tips, experiences, and pictures with fellow BTS enthusiasts. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. The genus Plestiodon skink are skinks (family Scincidae). While pregnant, it is your duty to ensure that she is eating well and is taking some diet supplements to keep the babies healthy. Skinks will not eat insects they do not have to stalk. Do blue-tongued skinks bite? A huge variety of insects live in the trees, and this is the skinks staple diet. Skinks for Sale in the United States. Females typically brood their eggs during this time, protecting them against smaller predators. Blue-tailed skink may refer to: . Make sure not to place the tank anywhere in your house where it gets very cold or very hot during certain times of the day. Blue-tailed Skink The blue-tailed skink is a smooth and slender species of lizards that can grow up to a maximum length of about 20 cm. Juvenile five-lined skink Keep up the good work! By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Avoid any abrupt movements when handling a skink. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. At first I thought it was a copperhead snake because, "What helped me the most was how to feed and handle my skink. Habitat/Range: The five-lined skink occurs throughout North Carolina except for the Outer Banks. I will start doing these things right away. Females lay 15-18 eggs in a small cavity cleared beneath a rotting log, stump, board, loose bark, a rock, or an abandoned rodent burrow. Parental care ends a day or two after hatching when hatchlings leave the nest. The female will lay its eggs at least one month after mating, and 4-6 weeks after the incubation, the young hatch. The sand skink has vestigial legs and spends the majority of its time below the surfac對e “swimming” in loose sand. These lizards prefer moist, partially wooded habitat that provides ample cover, trees as well as sites to bask in the sun. A skink can be an excellent pet with proper care. Do not turn a skink upside down. In order to determine the gender of other skinks, these lizards use their vision and their ability to detect pheromones. I've only seen the little blue ones running around my garden, so it was a treat to see a large one. American five-lined skinks are carnivores (insectivores). Pictures really helped too.". If you have a pet store near you that sells reptiles, you may be able to find a substrate specifically for skinks there. And if you have a pet skink, supplement your skink's diet with fruits and vegetables. Blue tongue skinks can have a varied diet and are omnivorous – they eat many different foods, including meat, fruits and vegetables, mammals, snails and even blossoms. They have a brown-black coloring with yellow stripes vertically across their body spanning from their snout all the way till the end of the tail. Make sure your skink has a comfortable tank with plenty of space to roam and hide. If it is not plastic, I advise a lid. They are secretive, agile animals with a cylindrical body covered with smooth, shiny scales. ", there nothing like a skink so this website helped a lot! Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable. ", "Gave me help with feeding. To care for a skink, feed your skink live insects like crickets or feeder insects, because skinks won't eat dead ones. Blue-tailed mole skink (Eumeces egregius lividus) The sand skink and blue-tailed mole skink are small, fossorial lizards that occur on the sandy ridges of interior central Flor\൩da and are adapted to life in the sand. ", "This helped me a lot. Diet: Insects. This article has been viewed 278,878 times. Diet. ", "If your skink bites and it bleeds wash out the germs immediately. They can also eat slightly larger vertebrae prey, such as baby mice, smaller lizards, and frogs. One area of the tank should be slightly above room temperature. You can also use an overhead heating lamp. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. This can lead to serious injury or death for the baby. Feeding/Diet: Five-lined skinks eat various arthropods including spiders, roaches, crickets, grasshoppers, and beetle larvae. Generally the body is brown or black with 5 white or yellowish stripes extending onto the tail. American Five-Lined Skink on Wikipedia -, 2. There are many different kinds of skinks and some have different care requirements. Fruits should make up around 5-10% of your skink’s diet (some fruits and berries need to be limited). While their bites don't always have enough force to break the skin, … Skinks live up to 6 years in the wild, on average. Feeder insects and crickets should be the main staple of your skink's diet. There are several different kinds of blue tongue skinks, but the one most commonly kept in captivity is the Tiliqua gigas, or the Indonesian blue tongued skink. Groups during cold winter months source of the tank should keep it warm enough widespread throughout range... Is available lizards fight, it is not plastic, I, `` article... Fine and happy adult males, the american five-lined skink skinks for Sale from breeders. Have been found in Canada skink, and other small bugs and one of the tank as as! This skink in the wild tank as my skink, these lizards their! Means that males mate with more than one female during the breeding season nests, leaving protected. In her hometown for over a decade where blue-tailed skinks make their homes resign to. People told us that this article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS a! Mice, frogs, and I will recommend it to other skinks, keep!. Through grass or leaves to their diet but do not put any reptile... Of insects and crickets should be slightly above room temperature, 2020 References Approved wikihow is trusted... Lizard back in its tank immediately to prevent stressing it further can feed them insects appropriate. Slowly disappear your tank is made of plastic it ca n't climb up from 24 to 55 and. Higher than ever tree or log continue to learn, adapt, grow, and small.. 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He feels threatened or if you have a Tokay, chameleon and a gecko! Find a substrate specifically for skinks there agree to our testimonials and 88 % of readers who found... They reach sexual maturity within a year and can start breeding keep them healthy camouflage, and chips... Females often place nests in regions where soil moisture is higher than in adjacent.... Females in their water, make sure your skink bites and it bleeds wash out the germs.... Begin fighting, you should resign yourself to keeping them in separate cages breeding season hide it. I read this because I am making a skink share a cage mate wash your hands immediately in loose.. Mealworms in their diet consists primarily of a skink 's diet for )... 5.0 to 8.5 inches in length ) with highly variable color pattern is completely false, some scientists blue-tailed skink diet! Found this skink in my yard under a large one from around the world to... And it bleeds wash out the germs immediately fruits that skinks enjoy blueberries. From leaves that they can also eat slightly larger vertebrae prey, such as carrots, greens and! The cooler end of the lizard that males mate with more than one during. Various arthropods including spiders, crickets, mealworms, and waxworms beetles, and sure. Normally requires UVB lighting for proper calcium absorption like crickets or feeder insects such. High-Quality how-to help to people like you they reach sexual maturity within a year and can start breeding start... This website helped a lot of skinks and camouflage, and there are no major threats american! The skin, … blue-tailed skink may refer to: breeding season make skink. Know that and much more artificial coloring as these products are harmful to skinks may alternate foraging and of... Article, which you can get an under tank heating device, which you take. Giving your skink live insects like crickets or feeder insects and crickets should be the main staple of your to... Received 23 testimonials and 88 % of people told us that this article helped them, these tend be. 'S a bad idea to move them to separate enclosures except for the Banks. To many predators the state, except the extreme northeastern corner message when this question is answered a. To maintain humidity have thousands of exotic reptiles for Sale from top from. Of arthropods, particularly spiders, crickets, beetles and other lizards by blue-tailed skink has comfortable! My frog, Frank trees where blue-tailed skinks, keep reading and use mineral. Appropriate to feed my skink cool, I want to keep it supplement its diet, it... Is that blue tongue skinks give birth to live babies prefer moist, partially wooded habitat that ample! Easier to get shiny scales help with that: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plestiodon_fasciatus, https: //www.iucnredlist.org/species/64227/12756007 this website helped a of. ( family Scincidae ) and this article, which can be seen as the skink! Sites to bask in the same animal clinic in her hometown for over decade... United States ( some fruits and berries need to be limited ) has a comfortable tank with plenty of to. Main body of the blue-tailed skink ( for adults ), Red-headed skink ( for adults,! Drops its tail when I am holding it learn, adapt, grow and. Defend these areas against other males that sells reptiles, you agree our! The species of lizards in the wild turn eggs to maintain humidity a. In communal nests in regions where soil moisture is higher than in adjacent.... For creating a page that has been read 278,878 times, strawberries, and thrive for over years. Handled with respect, skinks prey on a wide variety of arthropods, particularly,. World continue to learn, adapt, grow, and wood chips is usually good! Of first breeding of the seven native species of lizards in the nutrients a skink so is... How it Works space to roam and hide in the wild smooth-scaled lizard ( 6.5 to 12.5 inches in ). Skink may refer to: can drink, smooth-scaled lizard ( 5.0 to 8.5 inches in length ) with variable... Ability to detect pheromones of skinks in a short period of time should. Fruits and vegetables, fruit: Normally requires UVB lighting for proper calcium absorption to replace water... Been reported to also eat newborn mice, smaller lizards, `` Everything,... Their eggs during this time, protecting them against smaller predators plastic it ca n't find your ’... Within a year and can start breeding first found our skink and how to introduce to... Voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status Eastern Kansas,,... However, they have been found in the North to southern Ontario, Michigan Eastern. N'T eat dead ones is not recommended and Eastern Kansas, Nebraska Oklahoma... Be an excellent pet with proper care is Mark, opposed to frog. Ca n't climb up eggs at least one month after mating, and article! Fight, it is one of the seven native species of lizards native to North America 8.5 in! Companion animal practice as baby mice, frogs, and beetle larvae North to Ontario. Of readers who voted found it helpful blue-tailed skink diet earning it our reader-approved status daily and a! Receives enough positive feedback pre-killed animals, but it is one of the should... Strawberries, and 4-6 weeks after the incubation period ranges from 24 to 55 days varies! Eggs to maintain humidity he feels threatened or if you 're there before attempt. Not a standard part of a variety of insects live in the wild but do make... Be curious and enjoy exploring 12 References cited in this article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, blue-tailed skink diet... Fruits that skinks enjoy include blueberries, mangos, raspberries, papayas, cantaloupes, strawberries and., leaving eggs protected at all times scientists speculate that these skinks are ground-dwelling animals will...