Sandfish Care Sheet
Lizard
6 inches long
10 - 15 years
Insectivore
Diet & Nutrition
Sandfish Skinks are insectivores. Offer a variety of live insects including crickets, mealworms, wax worms, and cockroach nymphs.
Baby Sandfish Skinks should be fed daily. Adults can be fed every other day. Dust food with calcium powder daily & a multivitamin once a week. Feed them the amount they will eat in 10 minutes.
Housing & Habitat
The Sandfish Skink's native habitat includes North Africa and the Middle
East. They are a ground dweller that prefer multiple hiding spots. Small groups of
Sandfish Skinks can be housed in larger enclosures. If housed together Sandfish
Skinks should be of similar size to avoid injury. Provide many hiding and basking areas to avoid territorial disputes. It is best to keep only one male Sandfish Skink per enclosure when females are present.
Enclosure Size
Single Sandfish Skinks can be housed in specialty reptile terrariums or 10-gallon aquariums with full screen tops, add 5 gallons for each additional
Sandfish Skink. An enclosure with floor dimensions of 10 inches by 20 inches is large enough for an adult, although it's always a good idea to provide as much room as possible. Sandfish Skinks are terrestrial and prefer floor space over climbing area.
Substrate
Acceptable substrates are ground walnut shell or sand. The main concern with walnut shell and sand is the possibility of impaction. If the Sandfish
Skink consumes large amounts of the substrate, it could cause intestinal blockage. Ground Walnut is the preferred substrate at The Tye-Dyed Iguana.
Temperature & Lighting
Temperature
Sandfish Skinks need a basking spot of 95°F with an ambient temperature between 78° F - 82° F. At night the temperature can drop as low as 75° F on the basking side and 70° F on the cool side.
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
Humidity levels should be kept below 30%.
Watering
Clean water should always be accessible in a small water dish. Be sure the water bowl cannot be tipped over.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What do Sandfishs eat?
Sandfish Skinks are insectivores. Offer a variety of live insects including crickets, mealworms, wax worms, and cockroach nymphs. Baby Sandfish Skinks should be fed daily. Adults can be fed every other day. Dust food with calcium powder daily & a multivitamin once a week. Feed them the amount they will eat in 10 minutes.
What size enclosure does a Sandfish need?
The Sandfish Skink's native habitat includes North Africa and the Middle East. They are a ground dweller that prefer multiple hiding spots. Small groups of Sandfish Skinks can be housed in larger enclosures. If housed together Sandfish Skinks should be of similar size to avoid injury. Provide many hiding and basking areas to avoid territorial disputes. It is best to keep only one male Sandfish Skink per enclosure when females are present. Single Sandfish Skinks can be housed in specialty rept...
What temperature and lighting does a Sandfish need?
Sandfish Skinks need a basking spot of 95°F with an ambient temperature between 78° F - 82° F. At night the temperature can drop as low as 75° F on the basking side and 70° F on the cool side. 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: Humidity levels should be kept...