Blue-Tailed Skinks

[wdfifteen]

I'm told these are not true blue-tailed skinks, but the babies have blue tails.
Anyhow, they are cute little buggers and scurry around our deck and porch. We seldom saw them until this year, now we see several every morning and they are getting too close to the door. I like to watch them outside, but I don't want any lizards in my house. Also, if I leave my muddy boots outside over night I have to shake the skinks out of them in the morning. I won't tell you about how I learned I needed to do this.
I don't know what to do about limiting the population and especially keeping them out of the house. Anybody else have skink issues?

[mgatepi]

I have never seen these in Ohio

[masraum]

Cool. I've always liked skinks, cool lizards. No ideas on how to keep them out. Do you have firewood stacked up near the house.

When I was younger and me and a buddy used to go looking for lizards and snakes, we usually found them under old wood.

[RWebb]

dang - they're all over - I always thought they were just a Louisiana thing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plestiodon_fasciatus

[IROC]

We have a lot of them here, but I've never seen one in the house. Doesn't seem to be an issue.

[RWebb]

they eat bugs - pack your attic full of them

[p911dad]

We had a bumper crop of these little critters this spring, aome have different color tails. The neighbor's cat has made a dent in the population and now only have a few left. They keep to the front of the house, never a problem anywhere else.

[JackDidley]

I have black ones with a blue stripe. More this year than ever. They move fast. Never had them get in the house or even in the way. They usually disapear when they see me.

[Tobra]

Why do you care if they are in the house? All they will do is eat bugs and not leave any mess.

[cabmandone]

I'd go ballistic! Nope... no way... not in my boots! Had a mouse in my boot once. Declared war!

[GH85Carrera]

We have lots of them in our back yard.

The adults looks that blue tail color. The young ones have almost neon bulb bright blue tails. They will drop them off if the dogs get too close.

[Nostril Cheese]

We had tons of skinks and lizards around growing up. How are they a nuisance? They eat insects that ruin your garden..

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

How are they a nuisance?

I don't want wild critters in my house. No rats, no mice, no snakes, no bugs, no lizards.

[stevej37]

I don't think we have any skinks here in MI ...but we have lots of these. Especially near the turtle pond.

[Tobra]

You have bugs and mice in your house right now. Why not have some lizards to eat the bugs?

[flatbutt]

I used to have a skank problem, but they didn't have blue tails.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I don't want wild critters in my house. No rats, no mice, no snakes, no bugs, no lizards.

What about dogs or children?

[Bill Douglas]

I went to a place called Lizard Island. They were everywhere! Big small, someone else's meal, huge.

[Heel n Toe]

[Bill Douglas]

Skinks are the cool guys. I always rescue them from the cat.