How to Breed Five-Lined Skinks

Five-lined skinks are one of the most common lizards kept as pets. These 5- to 8-inch lizards are easily recognizable by their dark-colored bodies with five white or yellow stripes. With a smooth, streamlined body, they give the appearance of a snake with short legs. Though they predominately live in the southeastern United States, they can be found living all over the United States and up into Ontario, Canada. If you enjoy five-lined skinks, breeding these cute lizards is an option. However, breeding pets is a big responsibility and understanding the five-lined skink's breeding habits is key to producing successful and healthy lizards

Things You'll Need

  • 45-gallon aquarium tank
  • 15-gallon aquarium tank
  • Reptile bark
  • Basking rock
  • Rocks
  • Reptile sand
  • Plants (artificial or real)
  • Heat lamps
  • Thermometer
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Instructions

  1. Set up the tanks

    • 1

      Line the bottom of the 45-gallon tank with 4-5 inches of reptile sand. Over the top of the sand, add a layer of reptile bark. The sand provides an area for the lizard to burrow, while the bark helps to retain moisture. Five-lined skinks, like all lizards, need a varied environment. Place the rocks and plants wherever you like, but place the basking stone in the area where you will hang the heat lamp.

    • 2

      Attach the heat lamp to the top of the tank, above the mesh cover. Depending on which lamp you purchase, this can be done by using the clamps provided to attach it directly to the tank. If it is a table lamp style, place it on a raised surface such as a telephone book so the bulb is right above the basking rock.

    • 3

      Add the thermometer to the tank and ensure that the temperature between 75 and 85 degrees. This is the optimal normal temperature for skinks.

    • 4

      Set up the 15-gallon tank in the same manner. The heat lamp does not need to be attached until the new babies are hatched.

    Breeding five-lined skinks

    • 5

      Lower the temperature of the tank so the skinks think it is becoming winter. Five-lined skinks breed in the spring. In order to get them ready, the temperature of their environment must be lowered. It is important that this is not done quickly, otherwise the skinks may become sick or even die. Gradually lower the temperature of the tank by 15 to 25 degrees over a period of three to four months. This can be accomplished by using lower-wattage light bulbs or raising the lamp higher above the tank.

    • 6

      Raise the temperature back up to between 75 and 85 degrees after a few months. Keep an eye on the skinks and observe their increased activity. Don't worry if you didn't see them often while the temperature was lowered. They burrow when it is cold.

    • 7

      Watch your skinks for changes. The males develop reddish-orange heads for breeding season and the females dig nests under the rocks and plants. The females will lay eggs in these nests, usually between five and 20. They will guard the eggs until they hatch. It can take anywhere from 25 to 55 days for the eggs to hatch, depending on the temperature.

    • 8

      Look for new baby skinks. The babies will be about 2 inches long.

    • 9

      Transfer the new babies into the 15-gallon tank. They require the same care as adults: controlled temperature, tank misting, a small water bowl and crickets, mealworms, and small bits of fruit. They will be sexually mature in two to three years, and then the breeding process can be started again.