Skink Identity? Please advise!

[Azaria]

Hello all! A gf of mine is going into rehab tomorrow, so I took home her little skink for the meantime. I told her I was going to revamp her setup because the poor little thing could be much happier. She didn't know how to take care of him and I promised I'd fix up the tank and help her with the cost of some proper substrate.

We don't know exactly what it is, and I'm hoping some of you can give me a hand. I took a bunch of pictures with my blackberries, so they aren't the greatest but I'm hoping someone here can help me identify him.

His name is Lazer.

The album is ====> here.

She initially rescued him from a roommate who was going to throw him outside to fend for himself when they all had to move. She took pictures to the pet store and they told her that he's a skink, but I'd like to know more specifically what kind so I can make sure he is in the best condition possible when I give him back.

He has a pretty short tail. I'm not sure if that's because it had fallen off at some time. He is about six inches long.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can tell me what he really is!

[Azaria]

He had tinfoil in the tank before and it was very stinky and gross, so I stripped the tank, scrubbed everything down, and gave him fir mulch. I think it should suit him!

[wilomn]

Your skink looks more like an alligator lizard than a skink. They are very similar in shape and conformation but skinks are always smooth.

The care is the same. The mulch should be fine. A few hiding places, water bowl and some crickets and she'll be fine. Oh, and a heat pad on one end of the tank.

They make great pets.

[Azaria]

Oh my god! Thank you SO MUCH! I looked it up and found a great little page about them and that's EXACTLY what he is!

You ROCK!

[Krista]

That lizard is native to BC, making it illegal to keep.
That would explain why the roommate was trying to release it...

[llovelace]

It looks to be maybe an olive tree skink