Fire skinks have the typical skink shape with a long square body, sturdy legs. While most Lizards give birth to live young ones, the African Fire skink reproduces in a different manner. Expert Tip: Never use coconut bark. 5 cool facts about skinks - Parks Blog They are good during the growth process of hatchlings. Females display tails that begin to taper away past their hips. This makes them a great choice for owners who want to build a strong bond and have their pet for quite a while! You can also check on small breeding programs. The heat gradient should create three temperature zones across the tank. into their habitat. I would consider them an easy to care for lizard, the handling process- feeding and caring for them, can be a walk in the park. How do you determine the Gender of an African fire skink? Fire Skinks are tropical lizards and they require heat lamps to maintain their body temperature between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit with a basking spot of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The female and the male African fire skink may actually have a small difference in color. What Reptiles Can Live Together? - ReptileProfy Different species of fire skink normally have different behaviors even in terms of aggressiveness. In addition, Blue tailed skinks are smaller, not small enough that they could be preyed upon, but small enough so that when bullying does happen, it will be the Leo bullying the Skink (s) for . Even anoles with different reptile species! Your email address will not be published. Though they are generally hardy reptiles, fire skinks can be susceptible to a few health concerns, particularly when kept in groups. Can Fire Skinks Live Together? A Comprehensive Guide The best suggestion to keep for the skink is the captive-bred type of skink. Although you can at first keep them together you may be required to separate them as they grow. How to Care for a Skink: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow The sun is an important part especially because lizards are cold-blooded. Captive-bred fire skinks are becoming more common. So, whether you are just starting out with Fire Skinks or have been keeping them for years, this guide has something for everyone. One of the most common problems is respiratory infections. The middle zone should be around 8486F and should make up the biggest section in the tank. This color change is usually due to mood or environment, and is typically nothing to worry about. Their mellow temperament and gorgeous coloring makes them a popular choice for reptile enthusiasts. If you see any fighting, remove the aggressor and try again with another lizard or two. Its also better for this species if the enclosure has more horizontal space than vertical space. Also, ensure the food has sufficient nutrients like calcium. Being consistent about addressing the points above will help you have an enjoyable and long-lasting relationship with your pet! Based on behavior male are usually more aggressive. Some lizards are normally very aggressive and will try to attack anyone who comes too close. African Fire Skinks can grow up to 15 inches in length but start out as two-inch babies when they emerge from their eggs. During this season ensure no fights are witnessed. This is also another type of defensive mechanism. Reptiles that do not get enough UVA exposure may develop metabolic bone disease. However, its important to consider gentleness when handling the African fire skink. Just as other lizards react grabbing the fire skink by the tail might break off. If your fire skinks get too cold they will get sick and eventually die. There are different substrate recommendations and they may seem to work well. The behavior can also be something to observe. By understanding their breeding behavior, it is possible to successfully keep multiple fire skinks together. As such, it is important to provide fire skinks with a spacious enclosure and to offer them a varied diet. Do not house more than two together, and do not house two males or two females in the same enclosure. To encourage breeding, you should keep the tank at 80F and increase the daylight hours to longer than 12 hours. UVB light may be beneficial to your fire skink. Two males will fight and stress each other out. While drooling Can Bearded Dragons Eat Slugs? The other method is to check on the size and weight of their heads. In the spring and summer months, your skink will benefit from 10 to 12 hours of daylight. The smallest tank size for a fire skink is a 20-gallon tank, but a 40-gallon tank is better. Its always recommended to put the eggs in an incubator for the forty to fifty days. When the fire skink is comfortable in their closure they will be very active and easy to handle. The great thing about this is that it gives you a lot of control when it comes to keeping them healthy. Remember to keep the tank clean and the humidity high enough. You can also give them a vitamin supplement once or twice per week. The process of hatching and mating is not difficult as long as the required conditions are met. Live food items like crickets, waxworms, butterworms and mealworms are great options. and our Its not common, but fire skinks will bite if provoked. Your fire skink may hide in the substrate during this time and not eat for a day or two. Water is very essential for all animals. Jen discusses care and basic husbandry for some of the baby captive bred Fire Skinks at our Menifee store. Like many other reptiles, fire skinks are not fond of handling. How To Breed Fire Skinks? The Ultimate Guide Be careful whenever you handle the African fire skink in your hand as it could easily escape. Some suitable options include cocos palms, cycads, and ferns. When choosing vegetables for your fire skink, it is important to select items that are high in vitamin A, such as dark leafy greens, carrots, and sweet potatoes. The substrate should also be part of the cleaning process. While your fire skink may be timid at first, it may become active in the day if the tank is well set up. The sides have a sliver line covered with red and black bars. The hatchlings could be at risk of being eaten by one of their tank mates. Understanding the Causes and Solutions, link to Can Bearded Dragons Eat Slugs? A good habitat setup, nutritious diet, and careful handling go a long way. One of the popular ones is the African fire skink. One of the most common problems is respiratory infections. Expert Tip: Like all reptiles, they can get metabolic bone disease from a lack of proper nutrition or UVA/UVB lighting. One such concern is the risk of injuries from fighting. It is not regarded to be dangerous. Fire skinks will use all the space they have, and a pair will need the larger tank. They do not have a way to store their own heat. Unlike other skinks, fire skinks are oviparous, which means they lay eggs after mating. We go over habitat setup, diet, lifespan, and much more! These types of feeds are regarded to be more nutritious to the Fire skink. If possible avoid any possibility of being bitten. By taking these precautions, you can help keep your fire skinks healthy and happy. Fire skinks may live between 1520 years in captivity. This can result in serious injuries, including broken bones and puncture wounds. Also, ensure you have additional equipment such as lamps. Another common health concern in fire skink communities is parasites. The African fire skink may turn out to be a meal for the cat. Fire skinks are omnivorous and will eat a variety of different things including crickets, mealworms, wax worms, fruit, vegetables, and small amounts of dog food or cat food. Our main objective is to help people take care of these pets. These can be caused by a number of factors, including poor ventilation, dusty substrates, and overcrowding. In fact, the fire skinks can survive well without the UVB. If youre a beginner hobbyist, you should find a captive-bred skink, as it will be easier to care for. If the juvenile fire skinks nip at each others tails, they need more food. Captive-bred young African fire skinks can easily be found especially in the late summers. During shedding, fire skinks need plenty of moisture and will burrow into the substrate. What You Need to Know, What Should I Do? You can use a heat lamp and keep it on one side of the tank, or you can use an under-tank heater (UTH). In terms of the benefits of UVB exposure, there is no much conclusive benefit. This means male and male or female and female cannot stay in one enclosure. Fire skinks are susceptible to ticks, mites and bacterial infections. Its advisable to feed them with insects that are available on commercial as opposed to wild insects. They share food and shelter and work together to ward off predators. This is approximately 29C. Making sure that you keep them in the correct tank size will go a long way towards ensuring the health and happiness of your fire skink. These lizards like to burrow and hide, so providing habitat enhancers like logs, driftwood pieces, plants and reptile hides is very important. So long as the requirements we have listed below are met then there is no reason why Fire Skinks can not be housed together. The rest of the body of the fire skink is black with white flecking, stripes, and bars across the sides, underbelly, and legs. Children may be bitten if they wrongly handle the African fire skink. You can house your fire skink in a glass or acrylic tank with enough space for it to move around in. 5. Fire Skink: Care Guide & Species Profile - Everything Reptiles Whenever you show their palm they will be able to jump on. Everything Reptilian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. Use any lizard habitat product that will make the enclosure friendlier to the African fire skink. They will also occasionally eat some vegetation. Fire Skinks like to climb and will do best in a tank with plenty of branches and hiding places. A female African fire skink normally lays five to nine eggs. Even the male and female African fire skink can stay together. Mike's website provides detailed information on how to care for these animals, including what to feed them, what type of housing they need, and how to maintain their health. If not treated promptly, respiratory infections can lead to serious health problems and even death. A 4-foot long terrarium (at least 120 gallons) is a good size for two adult bearded dragons. Copyright 2021 EverythingReptiles.com. Never pick up your African fire skink by the tail, and always supervise children when theyre around your pet (you never know what kids will do). Mike's website provides detailed information on how to care for these animals, including what to feed them, what type of housing they need, and how to maintain their health. Since it is quick and slippery, Fire Skinks may be hard to get a hold of, especially new pets. If you are looking for an exciting and rewarding pet, consider breeding fire skinks. The most important thing is to ensure the African fire skink space is clean enough. Its important to know the fire skinks may be poisonous when eaten. The fire skinks may experience respiratory infections, poor sheds or ingestion. . You should actually look into creating a habitat long before purchasing the African fire skink. This is among their best way to wait for their prey. You must handle fire skinks with care as theyre fast and can get hurt if theyre dropped. In terms of the years, you will know based on their weight. The fire skink is a vibrant lizard from western Africa. You can house a pair of fire skinks in a 40-gallon tank as long as it is a male and female pair. African fire skinks will normally be spotted climbing up. Just to correct a few things wrong with this post. Gendering fire skinks can be difficult. Reptile Direct is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. It will be much easier getting a captive bred fire skink. can fire skinks live together - lifeagape.net The Mixed Species Dilemma - Keeping Reptiles and Amphibians Together With hundreds of educational care guides covering the health, habitat, husbandry and behaviour of lizards, snakes, turtles, and more;we are here to provide anyone keeping or studying reptiles and amphibians with expert guidance. African Fire Skink: Facts, Info & Care Guide (with Pictures) - Pet Keen While others eat from tongs others eat from a dish. Normally you will identify their sex based on how bulky they are. Sometimes you may notice dead or leftover crickets. In general, it is best to provide a variety of both real and fake plants in order to create a habitat that is both visually appealing and functional for your fire skink. Your fire skink will provide a beautiful display of colors for you to enjoy. The male fire skink is actually larger as compared to females. This comprehensive guide will answer that question and more! Sometimes, they can bite pretty hard and surprise you. The material comes in handy especially in terms of meeting the required temperatures. In fact, its always recommended to have the proper reading of the temperatures on the enclosure from time to time. You can adjust the enclosure by adding logs, hides, and plants. I also have Google Ads displayed on this website for which I receive commissions. How Big Can Skinks Grow? - Reptile Link They make excellent first-time lizard owners due to their docile nature and ease of handling. African fire skinks can be kept together as a pair. Skinks will forage spiders and other ground insects, but geckos often will not bother. Its always important to manually check on the temperature and humidity levels. However, as with any pet, ensuring they are fed a healthy and balanced diet is crucial to My family and I have been reptile keepers for all of our lives. Your fire skink, like all reptiles, is not able to internally regulate its body temperature. Fire skinks are omnivores, but often feed on insects. There are also skinks with much bigger body size. No matter what you give your African fire skink, make sure to dust it with a calcium and vitamin powder prior to feeding time. Most of the health issues you may encounter have to do with nutrition or an unclean enclosure. This can be provided through a fluorescent tube, mercury vapor bulb, or LED panel. This Gecko was first found in America in 1915 and has since become an invasive species. In the wild, they can often be seen basking in the sun together on a log or rock. Although it is regarded as shy it has its own defensive mechanisms. They are small with gray, Read More , Chameleons are some of the most iconic reptiles in the world. This stunning reptile can be found in the forest and woodland areas of West African countries such as Ghana, Togo and Benin. Clean your lizards food and water bowls every day with a reptile-safe disinfectant. Baby and juvenile fire skinks can be housed in a 20 gallon long (glass terrarium with a screen lid). A thermostat can be very useful but may at times be faulty. A skink is picky about its habitat and will vary on the species. The fire skink will also jump to your hand. As such, it is important to provide each skink with plenty of hiding places and to closely monitor them for signs of aggression. How to Get Rid of Skinks Naturally (Ultimate Guide) | BugWiz Male African fire skink normally has larger and heavier heads. There are a variety of choices for a substrate. You should never grab a fire skink by its tail. The Fire skink (Riopa fernandi) is native to the western border of Africa. However different animals and species have different methods of doing things. A habitat without these will lead to your fire skink feeling unsafe and vulnerable. So far the impact that you can have in their capture is unknown. He has been a reptile hobbyist since childhood and after years in herpetoculture he has cared for many Geckos and Frogs. In addition to space, fire skinks need hiding places where they can retreat when they feel threatened. r/skinks on Reddit: Schneider's vs. African Fire Skink Fire skinks are particularly fond of crickets, mealworms, and waxworms. Most fire skinks are imported from the wild, but breeding them is slowly becoming more popular in the pet trade. Especially in the enclosure you choose. They can become very aggressive and will often fight to the death. Most times whenever you approach the enclosure they will tend to hide. Fire Skinks are one of the most beautiful and fun lizards to own as pets and can be housed together with other Fire Skinks. The dry substrate can cause respiratory infections, and your fire skink may have a poor shed. Fruits can also be offered as an occasional treat, but should not make up more than 10% of the overall diet. Very young children may have great difficulty handling these quick lizards. Allow the skink to crawl over your hand so that it feels comfortable and understands there is no threat. Schneider's skinks will be near impossible to find captive bred as very few people have had success. Substrate In this enclosure, they might lack an ideal shade spot. The incubator should be functional so as to maintain a temperature of 85f for a period of 40 to 50 days. The method of feeding the skinks also varies. Its good to feed your fire skink a varied diet. Fire skinks enjoy climbing on branches and driftwood, so a bit of height is a good idea. This is a question that has been asked for centuries, and the answer is not a simple one. When handling ensure the location is safe as the African fire skink might try to escape. These are all issues that can stem from an unclean enclosure or introducing a contaminated item (food, decorations, etc.) In case they do you might have to separate them. Although they can tolerate your handling they are very fast. Now that you have moved them to an enclosure you may have to provide food. Leopard Gecko Lifespan, What Do Tadpoles Eat?