Pink-tongued Skink
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Cyclodomorphus gerrardii or the Pink-tongued Skink
Members of this species are born with a blue tongue, but its colour changes to pink within the first year or so. The tail is long and prehensile, and can be used to grip things (such as branches when the lizard is climbing). Both arboreal (tree climbing) and terrestrial (living on the ground), pink tongues shelter in tree hollows, hollow logs and crevices, and under fallen timber and leaves.
The pink-tongued skink is crepuscular, meaning it is active at dawn and dusk. They can often be found after light rain, out and about in search of their favourite food: snails.
Mating takes place in spring, and anywhere from 8 to 65 young are born in summer. Juveniles are very conspicuously coloured with striking black and cream bands. The colour pattern of the adults varies. The body is usually grey to fawn or brown with a series of dark brown of black bands. In some individuals these are absent or may be reduced to bands of spots.
The pink-tongued skink lives in close association with people in cities and cleared areas, as well as in bushland. In the Brisbane region, the pink-tongued skink is common and widespread. It is not unusual for them to be found in gardens and dwellings in inner Brisbane.
Did you know...
- The pink-tongued skink is born with a blue tongue, but its colour changes to pink within the first year or so.
- The tail is long and prehensile, and can be used to grip things (such as branches when the lizard is climbing).
- Juveniles are very conspicuously coloured with striking black and cream bands.
- Pink-tongued skink is both arboreal (tree-climbing) and terrestrial (living on the ground). They also shelter in tree hollows, hollow logs and crevices, and under fallen timber and leaves.
- Pink-tongues are live-bearers, producing a litter of between 20 and 65 young in Spring or Summer.
- Although pink-tongued skink can be harmless, they do have strong jaws and a bite from a large lizard is very painful.
- Pink-tongued skinks are mainly active during dusk and dawn and can often be found after light rain, out and about in search of their favourite food: slugs and snails. What better way to keep the snails off your prized crop of lettuce than to have your own resident pink-tongue skink?!
Where Pink-tongued Skink can be found in Australia:
