Burning of the forest floor alters the structural components that constitute the organic substrate. Many small animal species inhabit this layer, which typically consists of leaf litter from surrounding trees. The availability of a species' preferred substrate can be a factor in the rate of recolonization following a fire. Using pair-wise choice trials within a controlled environment, preference of substrate typically available after a burn by Scincella lateralis was determined. These skinks primarily select hardwood leaf litter and secondarily choose pine needle litter and pine bark slough. Bare ground was usually avoided. These findings indicate that S. lateralis may not be able to completely recolonize a site until after the first seasonal leaf fall following a fire. © 2009 Texas Academy of Science.