Thick, full-bodied skinks that reach an adult length of around 13 inches, Schneider's skinks are a lesser-known species that make excellent pets. This is a great time to watch them bask, burrow or just hang out! Male fire skink head is flatter while the jaws are much wider. [10] Can You Keep Crocodile Skinks Together? What Can Live With Green Anoles? (Tank Compatibility) . You will also notice male African fire skink have brighter color as compared to females. Even the African firs skink when wrongly handled it could turn aggressive. In essence, any lizard can act calm when handled in the right manner. - In the wild, they share food and shelter and work together to ward off predators. They are comfortable in temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit with a basking spot of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. A dual light bulb fixture allows you to provide both UVA and UVB sources for your fire skink. Our main objective is to help people take care of these pets. Privacy Policy. These interesting-looking lizards are not only fun to observe, but easy to care for as well! Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The wrong or dry substrate could lead to serious health issues. Feed your fire skink three to five insects at each mealtime. Humidity helps in hydration and shedding purpose. Adding dense plants to your tank will create a more secure space for your fire skink. Are they friendly or nippy? Mature African fire skinks can be differentiated based on their sizes. Your fire skink, like all reptiles, is not able to internally regulate its body temperature. These come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be easily placed in the terrarium. A fluorescent bulb designed for reptiles should be used to provide your skinks with the necessary light and heat. We go over habitat setup, diet, lifespan, and much more! One of the most common problems is respiratory infections. Its advisable to do the cleaning every day. Another great suggestion is the use of heaters. . The fire skink will also jump to your hand. They are among the best rated in terms of conservation purposes. However, even the most beginner-friendly reptile needs certain conditions in order to thrive. What Can Live With Green Anoles? (Tank mates, Mixing, Sharing) Fire skinks can be just as handleable but they do need extra work put in. However, ensure you do not collect the feces with your bare hands. As long as all skinks sizes living together are similar, all of them will be able to eat, exercise and have enough space to mark as their territory. Do not house more than two together, and do not house two males or two females in the same enclosure. However, in case you only have a single African fire skink the size should help you. Two females or a male and two females can be placed together, but they will each need their own areas within the enclosure. You can feed your fire skink crickets, snails, dubia or discoid roaches, and worms. Their mellow temperament and gorgeous coloring makes them a popular choice for reptile enthusiasts. This is a question that has been asked for centuries, and the answer is not a simple one. Now that you have moved them to an enclosure you may have to provide food. The temperature at the basking spot should range from 92 to 96 F. While taking care of the fire skink you will realize they do not normally go out to bask. If you suspect that your fire skinks have parasites, take them to a reptile vet for treatment. When keeping multiple fire skinks together, it is important to provide them with a diet that is rich in nutrients and variety. Fire skinks survive in the wild by outrunning predators and blending into the environment. It will be much easy to handle and care for captive breed African fire skink. However, you should ensure they are peaceful and not bullying each other. Wipe down dirty areas, scoop up messes from the substrate, and replace the substrate often to prevent mold and mildew build-up. The other option could be the use of a lamp thermostat. They have keen senses of sight and smell, and can move very quickly, which helps them catch their prey. Pinkie mice can be offered as an occasional treat, (no more than once per month). What does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean? Fire skinks are popular pets to keep due to their calm temperament. Fire Skinks have very distinctive colorations and love to burrow and dig. However, the fire skink is more of a secretive kind. Also, ensure the food has sufficient nutrients like calcium. [Answered]. Reptiles and amphibians can make excellent pets, but they require special care to stay healthy and happy. However, after feeding they may want to bask. The sides have a sliver line covered with red and black bars. Some suitable options include cocos palms, cycads, and ferns. You will occasionally be bitten whenever you wrongly handle them. What Do Baby Skinks Eat? - Reptile Link Fire skinks have bright red and orange bodies with golden-bronze backs. The African fire skinks are just like any other lizards. This does not mean the African fire skink will lay its eggs on the nestling box. The process of swindling acts as a protective measure as it distracts the predators. Distribution of the Skink. You should add plenty of fake plants to create enough hiding places for your fire skink. A thermostat is very useful as it is able to control the level of temperature. The temperature is very critical and having an excess of minimum temperature could cause the death of lizard. In case you only have one skink you may be required to measure their length. Since it is quick and slippery, Fire Skinks may be hard to get a hold of, especially new pets. Fire Skinks are one of the most beautiful and fun lizards to own as pets and can be housed together with other Fire Skinks. Skinks and geckos are good together as they eat a wide range of insects. Although the UVB exposure is not that necessary it can really come in handy especially during summer and spring season. The fire skink is one of the most beautiful skinks with its vivid colors. Lastly, fire skinks are susceptible to MBD, or metabolic bone disease. Setting Up The Habitat There is no steadfast rule about what to put in your pink-tongued skink's enclosure. The female and the male African fire skink may actually have a small difference in color. Skinks will forage spiders and other ground insects, but geckos often will not bother. Its not common, but fire skinks will bite if provoked. Yes, it is possible to have African fire Skinks live together however there are reservations. Beginner and experienced hobbyists alike will enjoy the fire skink as this lizard is hardy and easy to care for. Mike has been keeping reptiles and amphibians as pets for over 20 years and has extensive knowledge of their care. A close look at this little guy and you will be able to notice its bright and vivid colors. This feature is across all types of skink. Although you may have the options of different materials consider the conditions needed. In general, it is best to house fire skinks separately, as they can be quite aggressive towards one another. Its not even known for being confrontational. There is a variety of substrate mixes that could apply but you need to be sure about the performance. Never put the lights directly into the tank. Recommended fruits include; strawberries, blueberries, and dandelion greens. He currently resides in the United Kindom with his wife and two children. In terms of sexual dimorphism, it might be hard to identify the sex of the fire skink by looking. When you are handling the African fire skink ensure you do this gently. Your fire skink may hide in the substrate during this time and not eat for a day or two. The pet trade impact is also not known. How do you determine the Gender of an African fire skink? -Cohab? It is not as easy to locate fire skinks though they are said to inhabit in forests and woodlands. One reason why fire skink care is so simple (making them great pet reptiles for beginners), is that they dont have a lot of fussy food requirements. Your health is important and so are the skinks. Fire skinks are difficult to find but are growing in popularity. Pinkie mice can be given on occasion too (although its not necessary). The African fire skink may turn out to be a meal for the cat. A thermostat can be very useful but may at times be faulty. It's alright to put two females together in the same enclosure, but they will need to have plenty of space. You shouldnt use coconut husk as a substrate because it will cause digestion problems if your fire skink eats it. They're rather colorful skinks, with a lighter underside and darker top side that's covered in splotches of yellow and orange. The fire skink is a vibrant lizard from western Africa. When breeding the African fire skink ensure you also consider the season. Do they tolerate or enjoy handling well? Just as other lizards react grabbing the fire skink by the tail might break off. You should create a similar habitat by filling the tank with plants and misting often. One of the popular ones is the African fire skink. To provide your fire skink with the right nutrients, dust the food with calcium and multivitamins. Water is very essential for all animals. Very young children may have great difficulty handling these quick lizards. 88 Hollow Pine Dr Debary Florida(FL) 32713, 2023 Arew - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP, One of the popular ones is the African fire skink. The calcium supplement should be dusted daily on the young African fire skink. They are good during the growth process of hatchlings. Fire skinks are active during the day. In terms of the years, you will know based on their weight. The main important thing is ensuring the skink gets the required humidity and temperature levels. These supplements enable their bones to remain strong. Fire skinks benefit from a varied diet and are opportunistic feeders on live reptile food. Before venturing into this practice its always important to consider every aspect. Its not easy to identify the gender by just a simple look. The most important of all is to know how to meet its basic maintenance needs, to keep it nourished and learn its behavioral patterns. For the health and happiness of your pet, the enclosure needs to be immaculately clean as well. Remove any leftover or dead feed. -How handleable are they? [6] At the enclosure, it might be hard to get water although the fire skink may try. Blue Tongue skinks can't live together in a tank that's 40 gallons or smaller. The breeding process is quite easy as long as you have the right environment and suitable conditions. You should only breed skinks if you are an experienced hobbyist. - If you have a large enough tank, you can try keeping several fire skinks together. When kept in groups, these animals may become stressed due to the increased competition for food and shelter. The food-grade weigh can help do this as it measures in grams. Fire skinks are cold-blooded and require heat from the sun. Expert Tip: Always use an accurate and reliable hygrometer to check the humidity levels within the tank. Mike's website is a valuable resource for keeping your pet healthy and happy, whether youre considering adding a reptile or amphibian to your family or youre already a pet parent. In terms of eating fruits, only the adults are allowed to. While the female develops the eggs, keep the basking temperature at 96F. Fire skinks are social lizards that enjoy living in groups. African Fire Skink: Facts, Info & Care Guide (with Pictures) - Pet Keen Most Fire Skinks will settle down quite nicely in due time. African fire skinks are not hard to handle and will usually act tolerable. In case they do you might have to separate them. We are passionate about these wonderful creatures and that is why we built this website. When you choose to pick it up do it gently. All Rights Reserved. Can Blue Tongue Skinks Live Together? (2022 Safety Guide) - IN PET CARE 9 Friendly Pet Snakes For Beginners (and Choosing the Right One), Mediterranean House Gecko Species Information and Facts, Baby Chameleon: 7 Care Tips & Facts You Need to Know, Roughneck Monitor Care Guide And Species Profile, How Long Do Leopard Geckos Live? Can My Reptiles Live Together? | Backwater Reptiles Blog Buying your reptiles from trustworthy and knowledgeable sellers will increase the chance of you owning a big and healthy fire skink. Live food items like crickets, waxworms, butterworms and mealworms are great options. The main factors that can impact their size are care, genetics, and the manner in which they were bred. This will help to ensure that the plants are able to thrive in the same conditions as the skink. They are also used in the wild environment. This can result in serious injuries, including broken bones and puncture wounds. Both the hatchlings and adult African fire skink require the same conditions in the enclosure. As such, it is important to provide each skink with plenty of hiding places and to closely monitor them for signs of aggression. This type of appearance equals all other species of the fire skinks. So long as the requirements we have listed below are met then there is no reason why Fire Skinks can not be housed together. Most people are not sure whether they are poisonous or not. Fire skinks that have exposure to UVA light will be healthier and will have brighter colors. 4. The eggs will hatch after approximately two months, at which point the young lizards will be on their own. Its advisable to feed them with insects that are available on commercial as opposed to wild insects. Though they don't like to be held often, they are mellow enough to allow it. The recommended bulbs are the 40- 60 watt. The fire skinks may experience respiratory infections, poor sheds or ingestion. Normally you will identify their sex based on how bulky they are. In most cases, supplementing with UVB lighting is optional because fire skinks will usually get what they need from their dusted food. Pink-Tongued Skink 101: The Complete Care Guide - Reptile Direct Fire Skink: Care Guide & Species Profile - Everything Reptiles 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. For purposes of confirming the humidity levels, you can use a hygrometer. While most Lizards give birth to live young ones, the African Fire skink reproduces in a different manner. The most important thing is to ensure the African fire skink feels secure in its environment. They will normally eat on any type of insect or worms they come across. The first few times may require you to pick it up. Gradient heating is basically when you create an area for basking where it will be warmer and a cooler area for relaxing and bringing down the body temperature. Ensure they wont feel cramped. Be sure to secure any hides or plants that could potentially be toppled over. Captive-bred fire skinks will behave differently than ones caught in the wild. 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. 5. The African fire skink is used to getting water from its habitat. Most of the health issues you may encounter have to do with nutrition or an unclean enclosure. The terrarium should also have plenty of hiding places and different levels so the lizards can climb and explore. How to Get Rid of Skinks Naturally (Ultimate Guide) | BugWiz The African fire skink is used to getting water from its habitat. In such an incidence it may bite you as a defensive measure. Children may be bitten if they wrongly handle the African fire skink. 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. Yes They can but we don't suggest it, Newts and Frogs can live along in harmony although both can eat each others' tadpoles and even each in a wild and captive environment. Two females or a male and two females can be placed together, but they will each need their own areas within the enclosure. 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. Its also possible to house a pair of African fire skinks in one enclosure. There are conditions that must be met when you decide to take care of Fire skinks. The best-recommended substrate mixture will comprise of Sphagnum moss, cypress Zoo Med mulch, Exo Terra Coconut husk, and soil. The main aim of this is to ensure the lizards get the same benefits as ones in the wild. Use calcium powder on their food once per week as well as vitamins once or twice per month. For adult fire skink you can do it once in a while. You can pick the fire skink gently and hold it loosely on your palm. If youre going to commit to caring for one of these beauties, then youll have to make sure that their enclosure has proper temperature, lighting and humidity levels. These types of bulbs are easily able to meet the required gradient levels. Just to correct a few things wrong with this post. You can give your fire skink a once-per-month treat of pinkie mice or fruit. Guide to Proper African Fire Skink Safekeeping | Reptiles' Cove