diff --git a/.changeset/sweet-pets-breathe.md b/.changeset/sweet-pets-breathe.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d0d10243081
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/sweet-pets-breathe.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@primer/react": minor
+---
+
+feat(SkeletonBox): add customizable delay
diff --git a/packages/react/src/Skeleton/SkeletonBox.docs.json b/packages/react/src/Skeleton/SkeletonBox.docs.json
index 95859a9f549..8e7e4b9e30e 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/Skeleton/SkeletonBox.docs.json
+++ b/packages/react/src/Skeleton/SkeletonBox.docs.json
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@
   ],
   "importPath": "@primer/react",
   "props": [
+    {
+      "name": "delay",
+      "type": "'short' | 'long' | number",
+      "description": "Controls whether and how long to delay rendering the SkeletonBox. Set to 'short' to delay by 300ms, 'long' to delay by 1000ms, or provide a custom number of milliseconds.",
+      "defaultValue": "false"
+    },
     {
       "name": "width",
       "type": "string",
@@ -35,4 +41,4 @@
     }
   ],
   "subcomponents": []
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/packages/react/src/Skeleton/SkeletonBox.features.stories.tsx b/packages/react/src/Skeleton/SkeletonBox.features.stories.tsx
index 06a38043726..49f640a114d 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/Skeleton/SkeletonBox.features.stories.tsx
+++ b/packages/react/src/Skeleton/SkeletonBox.features.stories.tsx
@@ -10,3 +10,5 @@ export default {
 export const CustomHeight = () => <SkeletonBox height="4rem" />
 
 export const CustomWidth = () => <SkeletonBox width="300px" />
+
+export const WithDelay = () => <SkeletonBox delay="long" />
diff --git a/packages/react/src/Skeleton/SkeletonBox.tsx b/packages/react/src/Skeleton/SkeletonBox.tsx
index eb52dc7800b..110a2489e8d 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/Skeleton/SkeletonBox.tsx
+++ b/packages/react/src/Skeleton/SkeletonBox.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React from 'react'
+import React, {useEffect, useState} from 'react'
 import {type CSSProperties, type HTMLProps} from 'react'
 import {clsx} from 'clsx'
 import classes from './SkeletonBox.module.css'
@@ -10,12 +10,33 @@ export type SkeletonBoxProps = {
   width?: CSSProperties['width']
   /** The className of the skeleton box */
   className?: string
+  /** Controls whether and how long to delay rendering the SkeletonBox. Set to 'short' to delay by 300ms, 'long' to delay by 1000ms, or provide a custom number of milliseconds.*/
+  delay?: 'short' | 'long' | number
 } & HTMLProps<HTMLElement>
 
 export const SkeletonBox = React.forwardRef<HTMLElement, SkeletonBoxProps>(function SkeletonBox(
-  {height, width, className, style, ...props},
+  {height, width, className, style, delay = false, ...props},
   ref,
 ) {
+  const [isVisible, setIsVisible] = useState(!delay)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (delay) {
+      const timeoutId = setTimeout(
+        () => {
+          setIsVisible(true)
+        },
+        typeof delay === 'number' ? delay : delay === 'short' ? 300 : 1000,
+      )
+
+      return () => clearTimeout(timeoutId)
+    }
+  }, [delay])
+
+  if (!isVisible) {
+    return null
+  }
+
   return (
     <div
       ref={ref as React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement>}
diff --git a/packages/react/src/Skeleton/__tests__/SkeletonBox.test.tsx b/packages/react/src/Skeleton/__tests__/SkeletonBox.test.tsx
index 541b26fb973..a60cba6c2fa 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/Skeleton/__tests__/SkeletonBox.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/react/src/Skeleton/__tests__/SkeletonBox.test.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import {render} from '@testing-library/react'
-import {describe, expect, it} from 'vitest'
+import {beforeEach, afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi} from 'vitest'
 import {SkeletonBox} from '../SkeletonBox'
 import classes from '../SkeletonBox.module.css'
 import {implementsClassName} from '../../utils/testing'
+import {act} from 'react'
 
 describe('SkeletonBox', () => {
   implementsClassName(SkeletonBox, classes.SkeletonBox)
@@ -12,4 +13,138 @@ describe('SkeletonBox', () => {
     expect(container.firstChild).toHaveStyle('height: 100px')
     expect(container.firstChild).toHaveStyle('width: 200px')
   })
+
+  describe('delay behavior', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      vi.useFakeTimers()
+    })
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      vi.restoreAllMocks()
+      vi.useRealTimers()
+    })
+
+    it('should render immediately when no delay is provided', () => {
+      const {container} = render(<SkeletonBox />)
+      expect(container.querySelector('div')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    })
+
+    it('should not render immediately when delay is "short"', () => {
+      const {container} = render(<SkeletonBox delay="short" />)
+      expect(container.querySelector('div')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+    })
+
+    it('should render after 300ms when delay is "short"', () => {
+      const {container} = render(<SkeletonBox delay="short" />)
+
+      // Not visible initially
+      expect(container.querySelector('div')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+
+      // Advance timers by less than 300ms
+      act(() => {
+        vi.advanceTimersByTime(250)
+      })
+
+      // Still not visible
+      expect(container.querySelector('div')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+
+      // Advance timers to complete the short delay (300ms)
+      act(() => {
+        vi.advanceTimersByTime(50)
+      })
+
+      // Now it should be visible
+      expect(container.querySelector('div')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    })
+
+    it('should not render immediately when delay is "long"', () => {
+      const {container} = render(<SkeletonBox delay="long" />)
+      expect(container.querySelector('div')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+    })
+
+    it('should render after 1000ms when delay is "long"', () => {
+      const {container} = render(<SkeletonBox delay="long" />)
+
+      // Not visible initially
+      expect(container.querySelector('div')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+
+      // Advance timers by less than 1000ms
+      act(() => {
+        vi.advanceTimersByTime(800)
+      })
+
+      // Still not visible
+      expect(container.querySelector('div')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+
+      // Advance timers to complete the long delay (1000ms)
+      act(() => {
+        vi.advanceTimersByTime(200)
+      })
+
+      // Now it should be visible
+      expect(container.querySelector('div')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    })
+
+    it('should cleanup timeout on unmount when delay is "short"', () => {
+      const {unmount} = render(<SkeletonBox delay="short" />)
+
+      // Unmount before the delay completes
+      unmount()
+
+      // Advance timers to see if there are any side effects
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(300)
+
+      // No errors should occur
+      expect(true).toBe(true)
+    })
+
+    it('should cleanup timeout on unmount when delay is "long"', () => {
+      const {unmount} = render(<SkeletonBox delay="long" />)
+
+      // Unmount before the delay completes
+      unmount()
+
+      // Advance timers to see if there are any side effects
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(1000)
+
+      // No errors should occur
+      expect(true).toBe(true)
+    })
+
+    it('should render after custom delay when delay is a number', () => {
+      const {container} = render(<SkeletonBox delay={500} />)
+
+      // Not visible initially
+      expect(container.querySelector('div')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+
+      // Advance timers by less than the custom delay (500ms)
+      act(() => {
+        vi.advanceTimersByTime(400)
+      })
+
+      // Still not visible
+      expect(container.querySelector('div')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+
+      // Advance timers to complete the custom delay
+      act(() => {
+        vi.advanceTimersByTime(100)
+      })
+
+      // Now it should be visible
+      expect(container.querySelector('div')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    })
+
+    it('should cleanup timeout on unmount when delay is a number', () => {
+      const {unmount} = render(<SkeletonBox delay={500} />)
+
+      // Unmount before the delay completes
+      unmount()
+
+      // Advance timers to see if there are any side effects
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(500)
+
+      // No errors should occur
+      expect(true).toBe(true)
+    })
+  })
 })