Skink Banman, by Steve Banman

What is a skink?

"Skinks look roughly like true lizards, but most species have no pronounced neck and relatively small legs. Several genera have no limbs at all, others, such as Neoseps, have only reduced limbs. Often, their way of moving resembles that of snakes more than that of other lizards. Skinks usually have long, tapering tails that can be shed and regenerated. Most skinks are medium sized with a maximum length from the snout to the vent of some 12 cm, although there are a few that grow to larger sizes, such as the Corucia, which can reach 35 cm from snout to vent. Skinks are found in a variety of habitats worldwide. Some species are endangered. Many species are good burrowers. There are more terrestrial or fossorial (burying) species than arboreal (tree-climbing) or aquatic species. Some are "sand swimmers", especially the desert species, such as the Mole skink in Florida. Most skinks are diurnal, so they are active during the day. They like to crawl out on rocks or logs to bask (soak up heat from the sun) during the day. Skinks are generally carnivorous and largely eat insects, including crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars. They also eat spiders, earthworms, snails, slugs, isopods, other lizards, and small rodents. Some species, particularly those favored as home pets, have a more varied diet and can be maintained on a regimen of roughly 60% vegetables/leaves/fruit and 40% meat and meat products (cat or dog food)."

Now Jake is familiar with skinks because in May of 2006 after Allison's graduation, he took the remains of one home with him. We have had a "family" of skinks living near our front porch under the sidewalk. They come out from time to time and even scare people (Allison screamed as one that came past her).

In early May I was tilling the soil in the area that they live forgetting they would be there. I guess one came up for a look and in an instant there was a skink tail flopping on the sidewalk without the rest of the body! It flopped for about 5-10 minutes and was then still. About 15 minutes later the rest of the skink was on top of the soil, maybe looking for his tail. He went under the dirt and we didn't see him again till we took this photo two weeks later. Not sure where the snake lives when not near our porch, but he had a good lunch. He wrapped his body around the skink a couple of times and was chomping down on the head. The poor skink was flinching with each bite. The snake had to have been about 5 feet in length. The skink that got eaten left behind a family or at least his partner. We see it running around the same area.