Lyla Lindsey
Australia is home to a variety of unique animals, including the blue-tongued lizard, a member of the skink family. This lizard is characterised by its large blue tongue, which contrasts with its bright pink mouth. When threatened, the blue-tongued lizard displays its vividly coloured tongue to ward off predators. This defensive behaviour, combined with its wide mouth and large head, can often intimidate potential threats. Blue-tongued lizards are commonly found in suburban gardens and farms, where they aid in pest control by feeding on snails, insects, and even dog food! While they are generally shy and slow-moving, these lizards are known to bite when feeling threatened or handled roughly. With their strong jaws and ability to regenerate lost tails, blue-tongued lizards are well-adapted to survive in their environment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common name | Blue-tongued lizards, blue-tongues, blueys |
| Genus name | Tiliqua |
| Species | Tiliqua nigrolutea, Tiliqua gigas, Tiliqua scincoides, Tiliqua adelaidensis, Tiliqua rugosa |
| Diet | Omnivorous, including snails, plants, flowers, fruit, beetles, caterpillars, crickets, and other small insects |
| Habitat | Suburban gardens, farms, lawns, open country with lots of ground cover, tussocky grasses, leaf litter, coastal areas, less arid climates |
| Behaviour | Slow-moving, shy, not agile, solitary, diurnal, ground-foraging |
| Size | 17 inches long on average, up to 600 mm in total length |
| Lifespan | Several captive animals have lived for 20 years |
| Reproduction | Ovoviviparous, litter size ranges from 1-24 depending on the species |
| Defence Mechanism | Displaying blue tongue when threatened, biting |
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What You'll Learn
Blue-tongued lizards are part of the skink family
Blue-tongued lizards are the largest members of the skink family. They have a long body, a large head, and short legs and toes. The tail is shorter than the body and tapers to a point. Male blue-tongues have larger heads and stockier bodies than females, but females are slightly bigger overall. They have strong jaw muscles that allow them to crush snail shells and beetles.
Blue-tongued lizards are found throughout NSW in Australia, particularly in suburban gardens and farms. They aid in pest removal, making them welcome visitors in Australian gardens. They are also found in suburban areas of Australia, where they help farmers by eating pests. They can squeeze through small holes in and under fences, so they may come into contact with chemicals used by neighbours.
Blue-tongued lizards are long-lived, with some captive animals living for 20 years or more. They live alone for most of the year, but between September and November, males pursue females and mating occurs. Mating can be rough, leaving females with scrape marks from the male's teeth. Females give birth between three and five months after mating, usually between December and April.
There are several species of blue-tongued lizards, including the Eastern Blue-tongue, the Blotched Blue-tongue, the Shingleback, and the Pygmy Blue-tongue Skink. The Eastern Blue-tongue is silvery-grey with dark brown or black bands across its back and tail. It can grow to almost 600 mm in total length. The Blotched Blue-tongue is dark chocolate brown to black with large pink, cream, or yellow blotches on its back and a tail banded in the same colours.
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They are commonly found in suburban Australian gardens
Blue-tongued lizards, or skinks, are commonly found in suburban Australian gardens. They are the largest members of the skink family, with overlapping scales that are usually smooth and contain small plates of bone. The Eastern Blue-tongue, found throughout NSW, is silvery-grey with broad dark brown or black bands across its back and tail. Individuals on the coast usually have a black stripe between the eye and ear, which may extend along the side of the neck. The Blotched Blue-tongue, on the other hand, is dark chocolate brown to black with large pink, cream, or yellow blotches on its back and a tail banded in the same colours. This species is mainly found at high altitudes and in the far south of NSW.
Blue-tongues are long-lived, with a lifespan of over 20 years in captivity. They live alone for most of the year, but between September and November, males pursue females and mating occurs. Blue-tongues are ovoviviparous, with litter sizes ranging from 1-4 in the pygmy blue-tongue and shingleback to 5-24 in the Eastern and Northern Blue-tongues. Young blue-tongues are vulnerable to suburban dogs and cats, as well as predatory birds like kookaburras. Most young blue-tongues in suburban gardens do not reach adulthood.
Blue-tongues are not very agile, and their diet consists mostly of slow-moving animals and plants, including snails, beetles, caterpillars, crickets, and even other small lizards. They have strong jaw muscles that allow them to crush snail shells and beetles. Blue-tongues are welcome pest controllers in Australian gardens, but they are also very vulnerable to snail baits and insecticides. When threatened, blue-tongues turn towards the threat, open their mouths wide, and stick out their blue tongues to warn off predators.
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Blue-tongues are slow-moving and eat snails and other slow-moving insects
Blue-tongues are large lizards native to Australia. They are characterised by their blue tongues and pink mouths, which they display to ward off potential threats. They are slow-moving and spend their time foraging for food during the warmer parts of the day. They are ground-foraging omnivores, feeding on a variety of insects, snails, plants, flowers, and fruits.
Blue-tongues are not agile hunters due to their short legs, so they mostly eat slow-moving prey. They have strong jaw muscles that enable them to crush snail shells and beetles. They also eat other insects like caterpillars, crickets, and even small lizards. Blue-tongues play a vital role in suburban gardens by aiding farmers in pest removal, making them welcome guests.
The Eastern Blue-tongue Lizard is one of the larger species of Australian skinks and can be found throughout most of New South Wales (NSW). It has a stout silver-grey body with blackish stripes and a wide, flattened head. Eastern Blue-tongues can grow to almost 600 mm in total length, with the head and body accounting for about 360 mm.
The Blotched Blue-tongue Lizard (Tiliqua nigrolutea) is another species found in NSW, mainly at high altitudes and in the far south. It is dark brown with light-coloured blotches across its back. This species is the only one present in Tasmania. The Pygmy Blue-tongue Skink (Tiliqua adelaidensis), on the other hand, is a smaller species confined to a small area north of Adelaide and listed as endangered.
Blue-tongues are long-lived and can live for 20 years or more in captivity. They are solitary for most of the year, but mating occurs between September and November. During this time, males may fight aggressively for access to females. Blue-tongues give birth between December and April, with a litter size of up to 19, although the typical range is between 1 and 24, depending on the species.
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They are long-lived and can live for over 20 years
The Australian blue-tongued lizard is a long-lived animal, with a lifespan of over 20 years in some cases. Several captive blue-tongues have lived for two decades, and they may even surpass this in the wild. This longevity is a notable characteristic of these lizards, which are native to Australia and can be found in many parts of the country, including New South Wales and suburban gardens.
Blue-tongued lizards, also known as blue-tongues or blueys, are large skinks with a distinctive blue tongue inside a bright pink mouth. They are slow-moving and feed on plants and small animals, including snails, beetles, caterpillars, crickets, and even dog food. Their strong jaw muscles allow them to crush snail shells and beetles, but they are not agile hunters due to their short legs.
These lizards are shy and gentle-natured and can be found basking in the sun in the mornings or during cooler days. They require a body temperature of 30 to 35 degrees Celsius to be active, and they seek shelter on cold days. Blue-tongues usually live alone and are not considered social animals. However, during the mating season from August to November, males pursue females, and mating can be aggressive.
The young blue-tongues are vulnerable, often falling prey to suburban dogs, cats, and predatory birds. Most young lizards in suburban gardens do not survive to adulthood. Adults, however, are better protected due to their thick, bony scales, which shield them from many animal bites.
Overall, the Australian blue-tongued lizard is a long-lived species, with some individuals exceeding 20 years of age. They play a vital role in pest removal in suburban gardens and have a unique appearance and behaviour that makes them well-adapted to their environment.
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The Eastern Blue-tongue is the largest of the blue-tongued lizards
The Eastern Blue-tongue lizard is one of the largest members of the skink family. They are commonly found in south-eastern Australia, especially in New South Wales. They are also spotted in the coastal plain and the lower Blue Mountains in the Sydney region. They are usually grey with dark brown stripes across their back and tail. They have a stout silver-grey body with blackish stripes and a blue tongue, which is their most unique distinguishing feature.
Eastern Blue-tongues are long-lived and several captive animals have lived for 20 years. They may live much longer. They live alone for most of the year, but between September and November, males pursue females and mating occurs. The female blue-tongue gives birth to live young three to five months after mating, which is very unusual in lizards as they normally lay eggs. They have between one and 19 babies, usually about 10, who are able to look after themselves just four days after birth.
Eastern Blue-tongues are not very agile and the animals they eat are mostly slow-moving. They eat a wide variety of plants and animals, including snails, slugs, beetles, caterpillars, crickets, and other small lizards. They have large teeth and strong jaw muscles so they can crush snail shells and beetles. They are also known to eat plants, flowers, fruits, and berries.
Blue-tongues are shy in comparison to other lizards and are also significantly slower due to their shorter legs. They are ground-foraging omnivores and are usually active during the day, making them easy to spot. They like to bask on warm surfaces and emerge in the morning to bask in sunny areas before foraging for food during the warmer parts of the day. They are found in open country with lots of ground cover such as tussocky grasses or leaf litter.
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Frequently asked questions
The blue-tongued lizard, also known as the Eastern Blue-tongue lizard, is an animal native to Australia that has a blue tongue.
Blue-tongued lizards are omnivores and eat a wide variety of plants and animals. They are not very agile, so they mostly eat slow-moving animals such as snails, slugs, beetles, caterpillars, crickets, and even other small lizards. They also eat flowers, fruits, and berries.
Blue-tongued lizards are large, with a long body, a wide, flattened head, and short legs and toes. Their tails are shorter than their bodies and generally taper to a point. They have smooth, overlapping scales that are usually silvery-grey with dark brown or black stripes.
