What does the Garden Skink look like?
Garden Skinks (Lampropholis guichenoti)) are small brown or grey lizards. They can have different markings or stripes depending on the species. Garden Skinks grow to around 8 to 10 cm in length.
Where does the Garden Skink live?
The Garden Skink is found in suburban backyards across Australia. They may be shy and quick to hide when you approach, but garden skinks are some of the most common and well known buddies in Australian backyards.
Fast facts:
- Skinks can have more than one tail. This happens when a tail is damaged but not lost, and a new tail starts to sprout from the wound – resulting in a fork-tailed skink. Skinks can have as many as five tails as a result of multiple injuries.
- Male skinks are highly territorial and aggressively attack other males during spring. You might even find several skinks locked together in a big jumble, all holding on to each other. Odd to see, but this is thought to be a kind of territorial behaviour.
Garden Skink – the full story
The Garden Skink (Lampropholis guichenoti)) is found in suburban backyards across Australia. They may be shy and quick to hide when you approach, but garden skinks are some of the most common and well known buddies in Australian backyards.
Garden Skinks also sometimes known as Penny Lizards are small brown or grey lizards. They can have different markings or stripes depending on the species. Garden Skinks grow to around 8 to 10 cm in length.
Male skinks are highly territorial and aggressively attack other males during spring. You might even find several skinks locked together in a big jumble, all holding on to each other. Odd to see, but this is thought to be a kind of territorial behaviour.
Skinks are great backyard buddies as their sleek bodies and quick reflexes make them excellent hunters of insects. Having skinks around will help control crickets, moths and cockroaches. You can encourage skinks around your place by providing rocks, wood such as logs and sticks, and by leaving leaf litter around for them to hide amongst.
All kinds of skinks love to sunbathe on rocks, pavers and logs in the garden.
Skinks have a clever defence mechanism. If a bird or other predator is about to attack, a skink can drop its tail, which continues to wriggle wildly. The predator usually goes after the tail, leaving the skink free to escape to safety. This is really a last resort for the skink, as it costs it a lot of energy to regrow its tail, and it may take many months.
Did you know?
Skinks can have more than one tail. This happens when a tail is damaged but not lost, and a new tail starts to sprout from the wound – resulting in a fork-tailed skink. Skinks can have as many as five tails as a result of multiple injuries.
Tip
Avoid using insecticide or pesticide around your place, as you will be reducing the prey for little buddies like skinks. You could also have an adverse affect on other creatures you don’t intend to target with your sprays.
