Common Blue-Tongued Skink

Tiliqua scincoides

A chunky Australian lizard that sticks out a bright blue tongue to scare predators.

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About the Common Blue-Tongued Skink

Common blue-tongued skinks are heavy-bodied lizards up to 2 feet long, with short stubby legs and a flat, triangular head. They can be silver, yellow, brown or black with darker bands. They live in savannas, grasslands, semi-deserts, woodlands and scrub in Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea. They eat insects, snails, worms, small reptiles, fruit, berries, flowers, fungi and carrion.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Tiliqua scincoides^[2]
Size: Up to 2 feet long.^[1]
Lifespan: 12 to 20 years in the wild.^[1]
Diet: Omnivore. Insects, snails, worms, small reptiles, fruit, flowers, fungi and carrion.^[1]
Habitat: Savanna, grassland, semi-desert, woodland and scrub.^[1]
Where it lives: Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea.^[1]
Group life: Solitary. Active during the day.^[1]
Babies: 10 to 15 live-born young.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2017).^[2]

Fun facts

A blue-tongued skink scares predators by flashing its blue tongue.^[1]
Skinks can drop their tails and grow new ones.^[1]
Blue-tongued skinks give birth to live young.^[1]

Vocabulary

skink: A smooth, shiny lizard, often with short legs.
cold-blooded: Having a body temperature that changes with the surroundings; also called ectothermic.
bask: To lie in the sun to warm up.
ovoviviparous: Making eggs that hatch inside the mother, so the babies are born alive.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Oakland ZooOakland, California · Animal AmbassadorsSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Oakland Zoo. “Common Blue-Tongued Skink.” https://www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/common-blue-tongued-skink/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Tiliqua scincoides (Common Bluetongue).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/109481538/109481555 (accessed 2026-10-02)