Blue Tailed Skink Lifespan

Blue tailed skink lifespan in the wild tops out at about 6 years. Most individuals never reach that age. The name refers to the juvenile stage of several native Plestiodon species, most often the five lined skink.

The bright blue tail that gives them their nickname fades within the first few years of life as the lizard matures.

Blue Tailed Skink Lifespan in the Wild

Animal Diversity Web reports that five lined skinks reach sexual maturity within 2 to 3 years of hatching. They can live up to 6 years in the wild. That maximum is a ceiling, not a typical outcome.

The same source notes that most individuals die before they ever reach breeding age. A wild population skews heavily toward juveniles and young adults rather than older lizards. Few skinks live to see their full potential lifespan play out.

This pattern is common among small, ground dwelling lizards that sit low on the food chain. A juvenile with a blue tail is a favorite target for birds, snakes, and mammals. The riskiest window for a young skink is its first year or two of life.

A five lined skink that survives to adulthood has already cleared the hardest part of its life cycle. Securing a stable territory with good cover improves its odds further. From that point on, survival depends mostly on avoiding predators and disease.

Captive Lifespan and What Is Actually Known

Blue tailed skink lifespan in captivity is a harder question to answer than the wild figures above. No published captive longevity record specific to Plestiodon fasciatus turned up in the authoritative sources reviewed for this guide. The best evidence comes from its larger relative, the broadhead skink.

Animal Diversity Web reports one broadhead skink that was captured at roughly 4 years of age and then lived another 4 years in captivity, for a total of at least 8 years. The same account gives five lined skinks an average wild lifespan of about 4 years and notes that broadhead skink lifespans are thought to be comparable. Taken together, a well kept blue tailed skink living past the 6 year wild ceiling is realistic, though not documented for the species itself.

A similar pattern shows up in other small native lizards. The eastern collared lizard, a similarly sized species native to the central and eastern United States, averages 4 to 5 years in the wild. In captivity it can reach 10 to 15 years, according to Animal Diversity Web.

A skink that avoids predators, road traffic, and unpredictable food supply has fewer ways to die young. That is why captive individuals of many small lizard species tend to outlive their wild counterparts. Whether that pattern holds for blue tailed skinks specifically has not been confirmed by a published record.

When Does the Blue Tail Fade

The juvenile blue tail is not permanent. As five lined skinks approach adult size, males develop a widened head and reddish orange coloring across the snout and jaws. That coloring intensifies during the spring breeding season, while the tail shifts to gray.

Females tend to keep some of the blue or colored tail longer than males do. Tail color alone is not a reliable way to sex an adult skink. Head shape and breeding season snout color are better indicators.

The color change tracks growth and maturity rather than a fixed birthday. The exact age at which the blue fades varies with diet, temperature, and individual growth rate. A skink that reaches adult body length faster tends to lose the blue tail sooner than a slower growing littermate.

For a full breakdown of male and female traits, see male versus female blue tailed skinks.

Tail Loss and Its Effect on Lifespan

A blue tailed skink’s tail is built to break. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the tail detaches easily when a predator grabs it. Very little blood is lost in the process.

A new tail eventually regrows. The replacement is shorter and a drab gray rather than the original bright blue. Function returns before full color and length do.

The detached tail keeps wriggling on its own after separation. That motion can trick a predator into attacking the discarded piece while the skink escapes. This defense is called autotomy.

Autotomy almost certainly extends lifespan on balance. Regrowing a tail costs the lizard energy it would otherwise spend on growth or reproduction. A skink that loses its tail once and survives has traded a body part for another chance at life.

Predators and the Biggest Threats to Survival

Wildlife agencies that track five lined skinks list a long roster of natural predators. These include hawks, snakes, opossums, armadillos, skunks, moles, shrews, and larger lizards. Domestic and feral cats are a documented threat as well.

North Carolina’s state wildlife agency notes that house cats kill large numbers of these lizards. In areas with high cat density, cats alone can eliminate entire local populations. That threat is largely avoidable with basic outdoor cat management.

Pesticide exposure is another risk flagged by state agencies. The insects and grubs skinks eat can carry residues from lawn and garden chemicals. Habitat loss compounds the danger, since skinks that lose rotting logs and leaf litter have fewer places to hide.

Life Stage and Lifespan Milestones

The table below breaks down blue tailed skink lifespan and growth by stage, from egg to sexual maturity.

Figures are drawn from the Animal Diversity Web accounts of Plestiodon fasciatus and Plestiodon laticeps. See the five lined skink guide for more on this species.

Law and Welfare: Collecting and Keeping a Wild Blue Tailed Skink

A blue tailed skink is a native wild animal, not a captive bred pet species. The rules for collecting or keeping one vary considerably by state. North Carolina classifies the five lined skink as a nongame species with no open season, and state law limits how many reptiles a person may take or possess without a collection license.

Virginia takes a stricter approach. Its general rule for native reptiles caps private possession at a single individual of any non listed species, and it is not permitted for sale, scientific work, or educational display. Any wild caught reptile later released in Virginia must go back within 30 days at the exact spot where it was captured.

Missouri requires a Wildlife Collector’s Permit before anyone removes a reptile, egg, or even a tissue sample from the wild. These three states show the range you will find nationally. It runs from a handful of permitted reptiles down to strict single animal limits or full permit requirements.

Before collecting or keeping any wild blue tailed skink, check the current rules with your own state wildlife agency. Do not rely on a neighboring state’s law or an older source. This guide describes the general shape of these rules, and it is not legal advice or a way around them.

From a welfare standpoint, a wild blue tailed skink is almost always better off left where it was found. It already has cover, a known food supply, and a temperature range suited to its needs. None of that is simple to replicate indoors.

If you want to keep a skink long term, look into captive bred stock or species already established in the reptile trade. That is a better option than removing a wild juvenile from its habitat. Readers who already keep a legally acquired skink can find setup guidance in these related guides:

• Blue tailed skink care guide
• Blue tailed skink enclosure setup
• Blue tailed skink diet guide

How to Support a Longer Life in a Legally Kept Skink

Protecting blue tailed skink lifespan in a legally kept animal comes down to a few basics. The main levers are consistent temperature, a varied insect diet, and stress reduction. A cool, damp hide alongside a warmer basking area lets the animal thermoregulate the way it would outdoors.

A lid that seals well prevents escapes and injuries that can cut a lifespan short.

Handling stress and repeated tail grabs both work against longevity. A skink that loses its tail under human handling pays the same energy cost as one that loses it to a predator. Keep handling brief and infrequent, especially for young or newly acquired animals.

Watch for signs of illness early, including weight loss, lethargy, or a stuck shed. Consult a general lizard health guide or a reptile veterinarian if anything looks off. Early treatment usually costs less and works better than waiting.

For background on how blue tailed skink longevity compares with other lizards, see this lizard lifespan overview. Sex differences relevant to breeding age are covered in the male versus female blue tailed skink guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do blue tailed skinks live in the wild?

Up to about 6 years is the documented maximum for five lined skinks in the wild, though most individuals die well before that age. Predation, pesticide exposure, and habitat loss are the main reasons so few reach the upper end of that range.

Do blue tailed skinks live longer in captivity?

No published captive longevity record exists specifically for this species, so a firm number cannot be given. The closely related broadhead skink has lived at least 8 years, a wild caught adult that survived 4 more years in captivity, and small lizards such as the eastern collared lizard roughly double or triple their wild lifespan when kept, so a captive blue tailed skink outliving the 6 year wild ceiling is plausible.

At what age does a blue tailed skink’s tail stop being blue?

There is no fixed age; the color change tracks body growth rather than a calendar date. Males typically lose the blue first and develop gray tails alongside a reddish snout as they enter the breeding season, while females often keep some color into adulthood.

Does losing its tail shorten a blue tailed skink’s lifespan?

The immediate act of losing a tail is not usually fatal, since very little blood is lost and the tail regrows over time. The energy spent regenerating tissue can slow growth or delay breeding for that season, but the ability to drop a tail and escape a predator almost certainly helps more skinks survive than it harms.

What kills most blue tailed skinks before they reach adulthood?

Predators account for most juvenile deaths, with hawks, snakes, and small to mid sized mammals such as opossums and skunks among the documented threats. Domestic and feral cats are also a significant and well documented cause of local population decline.

Is it legal to keep a blue tailed skink found in the wild?

It depends entirely on your state; some states allow possessing a small number of native reptiles without a permit, while others cap possession at a single animal or require a collector’s permit before you can take one from the wild at all. Contact your state wildlife agency directly before collecting or keeping one, and default to leaving the animal in its habitat if you are unsure.