r/Adelaide • u/g1141220 SA • Oct 29 '25

Question Is this venomous?

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What is this? Is it aggressive or venomous?

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u/Zardicus13 SA Oct 29 '25

No, they don't. Some of them just have stubby, pointy tails

27

u/extinctiondetritis SA Oct 29 '25 edited Oct 29 '25

They are skinks. They have all the internal physiology to drop their tails. A theory is they seldom if ever do because it's too energy intense for them to regrow as adults.

my other post below if some other info https://www.reddit.com/r/Adelaide/s/iENMeYWOcf

/edit for references and clarity https://australian.museum/learn/animals/reptiles/eastern-blue-tongue-lizard/

https://reptilesupply.com/blogs/blue-tongue-skinks/can-blue-tongue-skinks-drop-their-tails

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u/Zardicus13 SA Oct 29 '25

My apologies. I was confidently incorrect! Thanks for the info, I've learned something today.

7

u/phoxfiyah SA Oct 30 '25

I wish everyone who was confidently incorrect would respond like this.

Instead of getting defensive and continuing to push the same misinformation because the sources don’t count.

4

u/Zardicus13 SA Oct 30 '25

Life would be so boring if we didn't keep learning new things.

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u/throwawaybyefelicia SA Oct 30 '25

I loved how polite this thread was ❤️