Fire Skink Care Sheet
Lizard
8 - 12 inches long
10 - 15 years
Insectivore
Diet & Nutrition
Fire Skinks are strict insectivores. Offer a variety of live insects including crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and cockroach nymphs.
Feeding Schedule
Feed babies daily. Adults could also eat daily, although they will likely eat less than a baby. Dust food with calcium powder daily & a multivitamin once a week.
Feed them the amount they will eat in 10 minutes.
Housing & Habitat
Fire Skinks are from Guinea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola and Uganda. They are ground dwellers and love to hide. Provide plenty of hiding places along with flat basking surfaces. Some keepers provide a humidity box to aid in shedding. Fire Skinks may be kept alone or in pairs. If housed together Fire
Skinks should be of similar size to avoid injury. Never house two males together in the same tank. Two females generally get along well. A male and female will likely breed if housed together.
Enclosure Size
An adult must have a minimum cage size of 30" Long x 12" Deep x 12" High, although many keepers prefer a larger cage.
Substrate
Fire Skinks love to dig and burrow. To accommodate this behavior, an absorbent loose substrate is desired. Peat moss or coconut fiber are preferred.
Provide 3-6 inches of substrate.
Temperature & Lighting
Temperature
A Fire Skink's basking spot should be 90°- 95°F. The cool end of the tank can be as cool as 70°F.
Lighting
Since this is a diurnal species, it requires two light bulbs. One is the heat lamp which also emits UVA. The second is a UVB lamp. The UVB lamp will specifically say UVB on the box. If the box doesn't say UVB, it's not UVB.
Plant and Fish bulbs are not UVB bulbs.
Humidity & Watering
Humidity
Mist the enclosure once daily to help with humidity. Humidity levels should be between 40% - 60% if the soil remains humid.
Watering
Provide a bowl of fresh drinking water at all times.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What do Fire Skinks eat?
Fire Skinks are strict insectivores. Offer a variety of live insects including crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and cockroach nymphs.
What size enclosure does a Fire Skink need?
Fire Skinks are from Guinea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola and Uganda. They are ground dwellers and love to hide. Provide plenty of hiding places along with flat basking surfaces. Some keepers provide a humidity box to aid in shedding. Fire Skinks may be kept alone or in pairs. If housed together Fire Skinks should be of similar size to avoid injury. Never house two males together in the same tank. Two females generally get along well. A male and female will likely breed if housed ...
What temperature and lighting does a Fire Skink need?
A Fire Skink's basking spot should be 90°- 95°F. The cool end of the tank can be as cool as 70°F. Since this is a diurnal species, it requires two light bulbs. One is the heat lamp which also emits UVA. The second is a UVB lamp. The UVB lamp will specifically say UVB on the box. If the box doesn't say UVB, it's not UVB. Plant and Fish bulbs are not UVB bulbs. Humidity: Mist the enclosure once daily to help with humidity. Humidity levels should be between 40% - 60% if the soil remains humid.