Weasel Skink: Museum Victoria

Weasel Skink Saproscincus mustelina

Lizards of Victoria series

Identification

The Weasel Skink, Saproscincus mustelinus, is a coppery brown with darker flecks on the back. The under surface is cream. It has a prominent white spot below and immediately behind the eye. The tail colour is similar to the back, but with a short, paler, dark edged streak starting immediately in front of the hind limb and continuing onto the upper section of the tail. It has a snout vent length of up to 45 mm.

Photo of Weasel Skink, Saproscincus mustelinus

Weasel Skink
Photographer: Peter Robertson / Source: Wildlife Profiles Pty. Ltd.

Distribution and habitat

Occurs in Gippsland and north east Victoria, through the Melbourne area to the Otway Ranges. Usually found in or under fallen timber, or rotting vegetation.

Biology

This species feeds on small invertebrates. Females lay up to four eggs per clutch in a communal nest, which contain the eggs of numerous females.

Comments (9)

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We just found a weasel skink in our bathroom (Blackheath, Blue Mountains, NSW). We identified it using Burnham Burnham's" Wild Things". We haven't seen one here before. It was quite lay back, staying on our hands and not trying to get away. Now it's out in the garden.

I found this skink (identified on the web. not in my small Australian Lisards by Davey)in my house in suburban Brighton Vic. It was very quick but I captured it under a dish, and then let it go in my garden. Never seen one before, and I am very plesased that some wildlife still exists among all the development. Thanks museum.

I have been finding quite a few of these lizards running around in the backyard of my Keysborough home. They seem friendly although, they do not seem comfortable sitting in hands. Thanks for the easy find museum.

I found one in my garage on the weekend, I live in the Sutherland Shire of Sydney, 1st time I have seen one. Identified using Stephen Swanson Field Guide to Aus reptiles, and confirmed it using google images. Very calm and unaffraid, so much so, he seemed sick. Observed him overnight, fed him some small crickets and let him on his way.

we have many weasle skinks in our backyard,thanks for the identifaction of them, the kids now know what they are.They are doing well here at woori-yallock

We have had them in our Bundoora property for the last few years. Each summer a few take up residence in the compost bin, I guess plenty of insects to feed on. The way I identified them as weasil skinks was to take a close up photo and blow it up on a computer screen. The white mark behind the eye showed up clearly. This white mark is very difficult to pick up with the naked eye. There are a lot of young ones so they are obviously breeding well.

Just found one in the backyard in Belgrave. I filmed it- may put it on youtube

About once a year I find one of these fellows in the garage. I'm in quite inner Melbourne so I'm always happy to see them!

One came into our house in Clifton Hill (Vic). We tried to feed it slaters but perhaps they were too big. It was very calm and sat on my hand. I loved it and we let it go.

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Weasel Skink Saproscincus mustelina

Lizards of Victoria series

Identification

Distribution and habitat

Biology

Further Reading

Comments (9)

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