Tiliqua scincoides scincoides (Eastern Blue-tongue)

Body colour varies from silvery-grey to tan-brown with a broad dark band from the eye to the ear with a series of dark cross bands along the body. A blue tongue is displayed when threatened.

Snout-vent length: 30-32 cm. Total length: 40-50 cm

The Eastern Blue-tongue is found in a range of habitats but is commonly encountered in urban environments. In many towns and suburbs, the Blue-tongues will occupy overlapping home ranges that span several gardens, but each lizard usually confines its activities to a core area with a few favourite shelter-sites. Males usually have larger home ranges than females and pregnant females spend a lot more time in one location making them susceptible to being killed by pets. Having a blue-tongue lizard in the garden is beneficial, as they help control snails and other pests (they have been known to eat mice, including sniffing out nests and consuming entire litters). They use their powerful jaws to crack open snails, discarding the shell using their fleshy tongue. Avoid using snail baits or rodent poison and ensure pet cats are kept indoors to reduce injury or harm to blue-tongues and other lizards.