Is This Black & Yellow Lizard With a Blue Tail Poisonous?

Most lizards are long, slender reptiles with scales, long tails and four legs with claws on their toes. Most have a dry texture similar to snakes. They are commonly kept as pets in many countries throughout the globe, often due to their spectacular coloration. The Blue-Tailed Skink is a type of lizard that is well known for its distinctive black and yellow body and blue tail.

  1. Poisonous

    • It is a myth that the blue-tailed skink is poisonous. No part of the body of the blue-tailed skink has the potential to administer poisonous venom.

    Distribution

    • The blue-tailed Skink lizard is found in Eastern Indonesia, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Micronesia, Vanuatu and Fiji.

    Appearance

    • The main body of the blue-tailed skink lizard is black with the color gradually turning to blue towards the tail. The length of the lizard is patterned with yellow strips which usually run from head to tail. According to Reptile Channel, the appearance is intended to direct the eye of the predator towards the bright tail, thereby deflecting an attack away from the vulnerable body.

    Tail

    • The blue tail can become detached from the lizard when gripped by a predator as it enables the lizard to move more quickly. The lizard can then regrow the tail over a period of 3 to 4 months. However, when kept as pets, this can be a undesirable characteristic as the tail grows back in a much less spectacular form. This can be avoided be limiting the amount of contact that the lizard receives.