Blue-tongued skink: what a study on prey capture changes about how it eats
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · how our guides are written
A feeding blue-tongued skink sometimes flicks its tongue and sometimes simply bites, and the switch can look almost random. A study by Smith, Kardong and Bels, published in 1999 in the journal Journal of Herpetology, filmed blue-tongued skinks (Tiliqua scincoides) in slow motion as they captured mealworms and then crickets, comparing the capture mechanics for each prey type (see the study). Find all our notes in the food section.
Contents · 5 sections
Two techniques depending on the prey
Facing mealworms, skinks sometimes captured the prey with the tip of the tongue, a move similar to what is seen in some iguanian lizards. Facing crickets, on the other hand, capture was exclusively by jaw, with no tongue involvement at all. The same animal therefore switches technique depending on what is in front of it, rather than applying one fixed move to every prey item.
A mechanic sitting between two lineages
This finding interests researchers because the blue-tongued skink occupies an unusual position among lizards: some lineages capture mainly with the tongue, others mainly with the jaws, and this species shows both behaviours in the same individual depending on context. It offers a useful comparison point for understanding how these two capture strategies may have evolved from one another.
What this changes about everyday feeding
For an owner, this finding is reassuring about a detail often noticed but rarely understood: seeing a skink sometimes lick and sometimes bite its food is not unusual, it is a normal repertoire that shifts with the texture and mobility of the prey. It also justifies offering soft or slippery food (fruit pieces, wet food) in a smooth dish rather than on the substrate: tongue capture on loose substrate picks up more particles than jaw capture, with a risk of substrate ingestion as a result.
What this does not change about diet
This capture mechanic changes nothing about the dietary balance this omnivorous species needs: roughly half protein, half vegetables, calcium dusted on every meal. It simply explains why some foods produce a slower, more visible motion than others, without that being a sign of hesitation or discomfort.
- Main finding: sometimes tongue-based capture on mealworms, always jaw-based capture on crickets, in the same individual.
- Scientific significance: the blue-tongued skink combines two capture strategies usually kept separate among lizards.
- Practical implication: favour a smooth dish for soft food captured by tongue, which is more exposed to substrate particles.
- What it does not change: the half-protein, half-vegetable balance and calcium dusting remain the basis of the diet.
This capture mechanic complements our guide to feeding an omnivorous blue-tongue skink, and connects with our notes on taming a blue-tongue skink, particularly during hand-feeding.
FAQ
Is a skink that licks its food instead of biting it sick?
No, this study shows it is normal behaviour with certain prey, unrelated to any health or appetite problem.
Should feeding directly on the substrate be avoided?
For soft foods captured by tongue, a smooth dish limits the risk of accidental substrate ingestion; live prey bitten by the jaws poses less of this problem.
Does this study only cover Tiliqua scincoides?
Yes, it covers this specific species; other blue-tongued skinks likely share a similar repertoire, though that was not measured directly.
An accessory from our shop for this use: Ventilated clear box for feeder insects, transport and quarantine, 19 cm (€17.90) · the whole shop
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Reptiles universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.