Five-Lined Skink Lizard Care

A five-lined skink is an active predatory lizard. They are relatively easy pets to care for and are entertaining to watch. Though constant effort is not needed for the domestic five-lined skink, the reptile does require a specific environment and diet. By maintaining a proper habitat with the right temperatures and food, you will have a happy and healthy pet.

  1. Habitat

    • The five-lined skink requires 12 to 14 hours of full-spectrum light every day. UV lighting is recommended, as it is closest to its natural environment. There should be several logs and rocks for your skink to bask on. There should be several hiding places for your skink. In nature, skinks spend most of their time under rocks and logs. The substrate can be whatever works best for you, but some suggestions are orchard bark, newspaper and a layer of river pebbles covered with soil or dirt. A 10-gallon tank is sufficient for smaller skinks, but a 20- or 30-gallon tank is ideal.

    Temperature

    • Under the basking light should be around 110 degrees Fahrenheit, while the rest of the hot side of the tank should be around 80 F. The cool side of the tank should be around 73 F. You can provide a reptile heat mat to keep the floor or your skink's tank heated 24 hours a day. Humidity in the tank is okay if you keep live leafy plants in the tank. If you notice fog on the glass, the humidity is too high.

    Diet

    • Skinks are carnivores. They require a diet of crickets, mealworms, wax worms or small locusts. A variety of these will provide the most nutrition for your skink. A vitamin supplement is recommended. Feed skinks until they are full, every two days. Skinks will learn to drink from a water bowl, but it may take some time. When choosing the right water bowl, consider that you skink should be able to soak in the bowl and also be able to easily climb out of the bowl. Mist your skink with water every other day until you see it use the bowl. After that you can mist it every four to five days. Always keep your skink's water bowl clean.

    Miscellaneous Care

    • Five-lined skinks are very active and difficult to handle. The can learn to eat from a pair of tongs or your fingertips, but generally these pets are for observing, not handling. Like many lizards, if your skink becomes anxious, it will drop its tail. The tail will grow back, but not nearly as attractive as its original tail. Five-lined skinks are active mostly during the daylight hours.