Blue-tailed skinks, encompassing several species, are reptiles known for their vibrant coloration. These lizards inhabit diverse environments, thriving in forests, grasslands, and even urbanized areas across the southeastern United States, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, New Guinea, and various Pacific Islands. While their diet is varied, these skinks are largely insectivorous, consuming a wide range of invertebrates, with some occasional plant matter. This opportunistic feeding strategy allows them to adapt to available food sources within their specific habitats.
Natural Foraging and Prey
In their natural habitats, blue-tailed skinks primarily consume invertebrates. Their diet largely consists of insects such as crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, flies, and ants. Beyond insects, they also prey on other invertebrates including spiders, earthworms, slugs, and snails. These skinks are opportunistic feeders, consuming available prey.
While insects and other invertebrates are their main food source, blue-tailed skinks may occasionally supplement their meals with plant matter. This includes ripe fruits like berries, melon, or mango, along with various leaves, roots, or petals. Younger skinks, or juveniles, focus almost entirely on smaller insects for protein and rapid growth. The specific composition of their natural diet can vary significantly based on seasonal availability and the particular microhabitat they occupy.
Dietary Adaptations and Feeding Behavior
Blue-tailed skinks are diurnal, active during the daytime. Their hunting success relies on keen eyesight and agile movements to pursue and capture prey. They navigate various terrains, foraging across the forest floor, rocks, and climbing vegetation in search of food.
Their predatory behavior involves a preference for live, moving prey, triggering their hunting instincts. Skinks also use their tongues to sense their surroundings, aiding in food detection. As skinks mature, their diet broadens; adults may consume larger insects and incorporate more plant material.
Providing a Balanced Diet
For blue-tailed skinks kept in controlled environments, providing a varied diet that closely mimics their natural intake is important for their well-being. A diet composed primarily of feeder insects such as crickets, mealworms, waxworms, Dubia roaches, earthworms, and fruit flies is recommended. It is beneficial to “gut-load” these feeder insects by providing them with nutritious foods like vegetables and fruits for at least 24 hours before offering them to the skink. This practice ensures the skink receives a wider range of nutrients.
Supplementation is also important; dusting feeder insects with a calcium and vitamin D3 powder two to three times per week helps prevent common nutritional deficiencies. Occasional additions of small, bite-sized pieces of fruit, such as berries, melon, or mango, and leafy greens like kale or collard greens, can further enhance their diet. However, certain foods should be avoided, including citrus fruits and high-oxalate vegetables like spinach.
It is also crucial to avoid feeding wild-caught insects, as they may carry pesticides or parasites that could harm the skink. Juveniles typically require daily feedings, while adult skinks can be fed every other day, with portion sizes adjusted to what they can consume within about five minutes. Any uneaten food should be removed promptly to maintain a clean environment.