The African fire skink is used to the forest environment and will meet its needs from the environment and prey. Perhaps the biggest limiting factor is that their body length, which can go up to 15 inches (37cm), including the tail, which might be too much for some. You may at times be required to provide feeder insects such as King Worms, crickets, wax worms and mealworms. Although you can at first keep them together you may be required to separate them as they grow. However, if youre not planning on breeding your fire skinks, then its really up to your personal preference as to which gender you prefer. Fire skinks require humidity levels of 60-70% in the substrate. If you are adding a new Fire Skink to an existing tank, it is important to do so slowly. After a few days, your fire skink will appear with its bright colors back to normal. They get most of the water they need from their prey or from the water droplets formed during misting. Fire skinks can be just as handleable but they do need extra work put in. The fire skinks may experience respiratory infections, poor sheds or ingestion. The lifespan of a fire skink will depend on the level of care it receives and its living conditions. In terms of sexual dimorphism, it might be hard to identify the sex of the fire skink by looking. Recommended fruits include; strawberries, blueberries, and dandelion greens. This family of lizards is famous for their beautiful colors and ability to change hue. Live plants may not survive, as fire skinks burrow and tunnel in the substrate. Based on behavior male are usually more aggressive. Although the African Fire skink lays eggs the process of feeding the young ones is not much different. Make sure that you put several thermometers in different areas of the tank. Another common health concern for fire skinks is stress. You should clean up waste daily with a full substrate change every three or four months. If the juvenile fire skinks nip at each others tails, they need more food. Pinkie mice are also a good choice. In the cooler months, they prefer 8 to 10 hours of daylight. There are different substrate recommendations and they may seem to work well. The behavior can also be something to observe. You shouldnt use coconut husk as a substrate because it will cause digestion problems if your fire skink eats it. When you choose to pick it up do it gently. While fire skinks are quite active when theyre tamed, they may hide if they feel threatened. [26] Which Skink Is The Best Pet? Since there are so many different species, they can range from deserts to grasslands to mountains. Some lizards are normally very aggressive and will try to attack anyone who comes too close. The most important of all is to know how to meet its basic maintenance needs, to keep it nourished and learn its behavioral patterns. After 30 days, the female fire skink will lay between three and six eggs per clutch. He has been a reptile hobbyist since childhood and after years in herpetoculture he has cared for many Geckos and Frogs. Males and females can both be great companions for each other, but sometimes its best to keep them separate. These interesting-looking lizards are not only fun to observe, but easy to care for as well! This is a great time to watch them bask, burrow or just hang out! If you have more than one, provide plenty of hiding places. A thermostat can be very useful but may at times be faulty. The African fire skinks normally live in forests, vegetated areas and woodlands. Your African fire skink is also going to need a healthy, nutritious diet and proper handling. Colors may at times not give the right gender. Your fire skink should stay healthy as long as you keep the tank clean with the correct light and food sources. There is also a special exception, especially during breeding. This is approximately 29C. This stocky build really adds to their overall appeal! Distribution of the Skink. Live food items like crickets, waxworms, butterworms and mealworms are great options. Just make sure that they all have similar needs and that there is plenty of space for each one. 2 Supplement your skink's diet with fruits and vegetables. When it comes to keeping multiple fire skinks together, there are a few health concerns that you need to be aware of. Fire skink care is pretty easy compared to other pet lizards. In captivity, fire skinks will burrow deep into the substrate to feel safe. African fire skinks can be kept together as a pair. Even the male and female African fire skink can stay together. Different surroundings may have different handling methods. The African fire skink can be found in western countries in Africa. Expert Tip: Like all reptiles, they can get metabolic bone disease from a lack of proper nutrition or UVA/UVB lighting. African Fire Skinks make excellent pets for a variety of reasons. In addition to space, fire skinks need hiding places where they can retreat when they feel threatened. I've heard several sources say they're aggressive and need to be kept separate, while other sources say that they can live in pairs if their enclosure is big enough . Although they seem calmer this may not be the case at all times. Fire skinks are not known to be overly delicate pets, but they are prone to a few health issues that you should be aware of. Ensure they wont feel cramped. This is also a key condition for the African Fire Skink. As they say, Water is life. Its important to have the diet varying from time to time. This will provide the skinks with plenty of places to hide, and will also help to create a more naturalistic environment. As long as you create the correct setup and keep your tank clean, you wont have a problem with looking after fire skinks. We recommend using a glass 40-50 gallon tank. To provide your fire skink with the right nutrients, dust the food with calcium and multivitamins. Black specks and white stripes can be found intermingled with the fiery, red scales. The tank should have more width than height to give the fire skink more space to move. A thermostat is very useful as it is able to control the level of temperature. In the spring and summer months, your skink will benefit from 10 to 12 hours of daylight. If you have more than one skink in a tank, it is important to have a large enough tank so your skinks can have their own space. African fire skinks are easy to accommodate in any space provided. You can adjust the enclosure by adding logs, hides, and plants. This will allow them to receive the necessary nutrients without overeating. Based on reports and findings African fire skinks bites are not venomous. When the fire skink is comfortable in their closure they will be very active and easy to handle. This will mostly happen when it is a matter of food. Its not easy to identify the gender by just a simple look. The other method is to check on the size and weight of their heads. Most of the times this may not seem effective as the fire skink rarely drinks the water. The other bad method is gripping their tail. The design of the enclosure should cater both for horizontal and vertical needs. When you notice the female has lost weight, you should look for the eggs. The main aim of this is to ensure the lizards get the same benefits as ones in the wild. It is not advisable to grip the skink tightly as it tends to frighten them. Its important to think everything through before you start putting together the habitat setup for your fire skink. This will help to ensure that the temperature inside the enclosure is always within acceptable limits. When theyre born, fire skinks are roughly two inches long. Be sure to secure any hides or plants that could potentially be toppled over. Ensure the female and male have been fed well before starting the breeding process. During shedding, fire skinks need plenty of moisture and will burrow into the substrate. Yes, Blue tailed skinks due require more humidity and they are diurnal so do require a good quality UV. When doing this be careful and avoid gripping the African fire skink tightly. This is also a defensive measure to keep the predator distracted. In case the substrate humidity meets the required level you can lower the surface humidity to 40%. I would consider them an easy to. You should create a similar habitat by filling the tank with plants and misting often. Cork bark or hollow logs make excellent hiding spots, and you should provide at least one hiding spot for every two skinks. This isnt something youll have to worry much about, but its worth pointing out that it is a possibility. This will help to ensure that the plants are able to thrive in the same conditions as the skink. They are most commonly found in trees but can also be seen on the ground or in bushes. The most important thing is ensuring the enclosure feels the same as the lizards wild environment. UVA exposure will also reduce the chance of metabolic bone disease. Glass has also been suggested as a good material. They are mellow creatures and have gorgeous colors that make them a favorite among reptile owners everywhere. Debunking the Myth and Understanding the Truth. The size should at least meet 30 12 12 in dimensions. Humidity helps in hydration and shedding purpose. Normally you will be required to use lamps with a thermostat. This is including mealworms, crickets, and earthworms. Its not common, but fire skinks will bite if provoked. In general, it is best to house fire skinks separately, as they can be quite aggressive towards one another. Schneider's Skink. Skinks live in a variety of habitats. While others eat from tongs others eat from a dish. There is also the risk of getting bitten. Its always recommended to put the eggs in an incubator for the forty to fifty days. The other option could be the use of a lamp thermostat. A hygrometer placed inside the tank will help you keep track of the humidity levels. Temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal for fire skinks, with a basking spot of 90 degrees. Very young children may have great difficulty handling these quick lizards. However, its advisable to manually check the temperature with a thermometer. You should get more information when purchasing a captive bred specimen. They may try to escape through any small holes, so make sure that the lid is secure and there are no gaps around it where they could get out (this includes fans or lights). King worms and mealworms are appropriate to feed to your skink on occasion. They can become very aggressive and will often fight to the death. Misting the enclosure two times each day will ensure that the humidity level remains in this range. Captive-bred skinks are regarded to be less temperament. When you are handling the African fire skink ensure you do this gently. Fire skinks come from high-humidity areas, so your tank must stay humid. Ultimately, its really up to you as to which gender of fire skink you prefer as a companion. The fire skink (Lepidothyris fernandi) is mostly found in West Africa, but is also found in Angola and Guinea. The best-recommended substrate mixture will comprise of Sphagnum moss, cypress Zoo Med mulch, Exo Terra Coconut husk, and soil. Among the suggested way is by using a thermometer. Another common health concern in fire skink communities is parasites. The fire skink will also shed its tail to avoid capture if grabbed by a predator. By following these simple guidelines, you can create a happy and healthy home for your fire skinks. 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. The incubator should be functional so as to maintain a temperature of 85f for a period of 40 to 50 days.
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