Schneider's Skink (Eumeces schneideri)

[kupo969]

Hey I ordered an adult today but have been doing some research. I got info mainly from care sheets (we all know they can only take you so far). Has anyone kept one of these guys? I read that you have to feed them fruits 3 times a week, but they only eat 3 times a week (and are omnivores)?

Do I have to feed it twice a day?

 

[Beardo]

I've kept them before....pretty easy husbandry. I kept mie in a 20 long with shredded aspen for substrate with a basking spot that reached around 95F down to about 75 on the cool end. Small water dish....fed 3x a week on various insects (dusted with calcium/vitamin powder of course on at least one feeding)....mine never would eat plant matter, it only wanted bugs lol.

 

[kupo969]

thanks for the quick reply. So you would feed them 3 times a week once a day? Any UVB?

 

[dovii88]

I kept my pair in a 30long..sand, bark to hid in..they love to dig..so a deep bed like 4 inches would be prime..keep it warm..and give them fat crickets..adn yes feed 3x a week..but yyou should love these guys very nice temperment

 

[Jmugleston]

I kept mine so far the same as everyone else. Each animal will be different. The 3X a week is to provide adequate nutrition without getting an obese animal. If you set up the tank properly, they will forage, burrow, etc and stay active. This will cause them to require more food. Mine ate more than 3X a week and only a few would accept any plant matter. You may have success with more sweet/odorous fruits like strawberries, bananas, grapes, berries, etc. Pouring some peach or apricot baby food on the fruit plate can help entice them too. The 3X a week is a good starting point. Just watch the lizards and go from there.

 

[kupo969]

What about UVB lighting? Anyone use it?

Thank you all so far for all of the replies.

 

[JohnEDove]

Yes, UVB is required and should be on a timer to provide a 12 hour day period.

 

[kupo969]

Just got the little one today. Bought it as a WC adult (yes, I know the consequences of WC) but it seems to look juvie to me. No where near 16" (according to care sheets). I don't have a UVB bulb yet, gonna have to wait a week until the order comes in. Seems to be very mellow for a WC too.

Also, how would I go about sexing these spp?

 

[Jmugleston]

I never used UV lights of any sort for mine.

Sexing is usually done by looking for secondary sexual characteristics which usually requires more than one animal for comparison. Males have larger heads. Sometimes the tail base appears more swollen where the hemipenes are in males.

 

[kupo969]

You never used UVB? Hmmm, how long did you have it for and what happened to it? Also, how many times a week would you dust with calcium?

 

[Jmugleston]

Here we go again.

I don't know the exact time that I have kept them. It was over a decade ago. I can tell you that my blue tongue skinks have never had uv bulbs and some of them are over 10 years old now. My monitors don't have UV either. They are dropping clutches every 30-40 days. My chameleons do. For a study actually exists that shows female panther chameleons show a positive effect from UV lights.