Skinks

Metabolic bone disease

SignsSoft jaw, deformed limbs or spine, crawling instead of walking, tremors, cannot bite prey, bent tail base

PreventionDust feeder insects with calcium every feeding and provide UVB lighting. Replace the bulb every 6 months

Internal parasites

SignsCommon in wild-caught animals. Diarrhea or undigested feces, weight loss despite eating, bloated belly, white worms or mucus in feces

PreventionGet a fecal exam after capture or purchase. Remove feces daily; do not leave uneaten insects in the cage

Retained shed (dysecdysis)

SignsRings of old skin on toes or tail tip that turn black and thin, skin left around the eyes, eyelids that will not open

PreventionKeep a moist sphagnum-moss humid hide at all times. Mist morning and evening in dry seasons. Check toes after each shed

Hibernation wasting

SignsEnters hibernation in autumn without eating, becomes thin and still in winter, fails to wake in spring, sunken eyes

PreventionDo not hibernate thin, juvenile or sick animals; keep them warm. Feed well in autumn and record body weight

Egg binding (dystocia)

SignsFemale loses appetite in breeding season, belly stays swollen for days, digs substrate but cannot lay, lethargy

PreventionProvide a deep, moist-soil laying site in breeding season. Ample calcium and UVB. Watch thin females closely

Respiratory / mouth infection

SignsOpen-mouth breathing, bubbles or mucus from nose or mouth, swollen lip edges with yellow cheesy matter, loss of appetite

PreventionAvoid cold, stuffy, humid conditions; ensure ventilation. Keep a temperature gradient; prevent the snout striking hard walls or food dishes

Tail autotomy

PreventionNever grab the tail or body. Only let it sit on your hand; scoop from below to pick up. Do not house together

First aidDo not touch the stump; switch to clean substrate and keep quiet. Press bleeding gently with clean gauze. See a vet for pus or swelling

Crush fracture

PreventionAn adult must always supervise so children do not squeeze it. The body is tiny with fine bones; never pinch between fingers

First aidDo not touch the injury; move to a low container, keep warm and quiet. Deformed limbs, inability to move or bleeding from the mouth: vet the same day

Thermal burns

PreventionKeep heat bulbs and hot rocks out of direct contact by distance and design. Control temperature with a thermostat

First aidCool the burn with room-temperature water for 5 minutes; no ointment; cover with dry clean paper. Blisters or peeling skin: vet the same day

Feeder-insect bites

PreventionDo not leave crickets loose; always remove uneaten insects. Never leave insects in the cage of a weak animal

First aidRinse wounds under running water and remove all remaining insects. Eye or toe wounds, or swelling: vet within a few days

Salmonellosis

RouteOral infection from feces, skin surface or cage items

PreventionWash hands with soap after handling. Never wash the cage in the kitchen. Young children and the elderly should limit contact

Tick-borne diseases

RouteTicks on wild-caught animals bite people

PreventionCheck between the scales of wild-caught animals. Do not crush ticks bare-handed; have them removed at the vet. See a doctor if you develop fever

Bacterial wound infection

RouteBacteria entering through bites or scratches

PreventionRinse and disinfect wounds. Spreading swelling, warmth or redness: see a doctor

Campylobacteriosis

RouteOral infection from hands or tools contaminated by feces

PreventionWash hands after cleaning. Do not do cage care where food is handled. Keep dishes and washing areas separate

Food

• Live insects such as crickets, dubia roaches and woodlice. Juveniles daily, adults every 2–3 days
• Insects no larger than half the width of the mouth, as much as is eaten in 5–10 minutes
• Calcium powder every feeding, a multivitamin once a week. Mealworms only in small amounts

Water

• Keep a shallow, low-rimmed water dish at all times and change daily. Shallow enough not to drown
• For animals that do not drink from a dish, mist morning and evening so they lick droplets off leaves and walls

Toys & play

• Soil and leaf litter deep enough to burrow, for exploring and digging
• Move insects with tweezers so it chases them, for exercise and appetite
• Gaps and ledges built from rocks and driftwood for climbing and basking

Nest, bed & hideout

• One hide that fully covers the body on the warm side and one on the cool side
• A moist sphagnum-moss humid hide at all times; deep soil during the laying season

Bedding & litter

• Coconut fiber or leaf mold at least 5–10 cm deep so it can burrow
• Avoid fine sand or gravel (easily swallowed). Dry top layer, moist lower layer
• Remove feces daily; replace all substrate monthly. Never bring in outdoor soil or leaves

Cage / housing material

Glass or acrylic front-opening enclosure with a gap-free lid. A plastic tub works for small species

Size & space

Japanese skink: at least 45 × 30 cm; large species: 90 cm wide or more

Layout

• Basking light on one side, the other side cool, to create a temperature gradient
• Hides and water dish on the cool side; UVB reaching the spot just outside the hide
• Do not set rocks or driftwood on top of substrate; bury and fix them so a burrowing animal cannot be crushed

Placement notes

• Avoid windowsills in direct sun; they reach lethal temperatures in summer
• Avoid vibration and foot traffic; place out of reach of dogs and cats

Exercise, free-roam & walks

• No free roaming as a rule; it darts into gaps instantly. The cage gives enough room to move
• Handle a few times a week, for a few minutes, just resting on the hand. Never grip or chase it
• Sunbathe in a mesh-lidded cage out of direct sun, always with shade and water, and never leave it unattended

Temperature & humidity

TemperatureBasking 30–32°C, cool side 22–26°C, night 18–22°C. Whole-cage temperatures above 30°C are dangerous

Humidity50–70%. Humidity-loving species such as crocodile skinks: 70–80%. Dryness causes retained shed and dehydration

Summer & winter

• Summer: air-condition the room to 28°C or below so the whole cage never exceeds 30°C
• Winter: heat the cage, or hibernate healthy animals only at 5–10°C. In a power outage, wrap a hand warmer in cloth against the side

Nail trimming

No nail trimming needed; rocks and driftwood wear them down. Ask the vet if claws are so sharp they snag

Brushing, skin & coat care

No brushing. During shedding, raise humidity with misting and a humid hide, and check for retained skin on toes and tail tip

Other care

Check weekly for mites between scales, in the armpits and ear openings. Watch daily for dirt or swelling at the mouth and how the eyes open

Protection from predators

• Dogs, cats and ferrets see small lizards as prey. Never open the lid in the same room
• Outdoors, crows, cats and snakes target it. Always stay with it
• Outdoor soil and leaves bring in mites and centipedes. Always use commercial substrate

Foreign-body ingestion

Easily swallows sand or pebbles with insects. Avoid fine substrate; a bloated belly or no feces for 2–3 days: vet the same day

Being stepped on

Burrows out of sight. Check its location before cleaning or moving rocks. It is small and light; being stepped on is immediately life-threatening

Getting pinched

Tails and toes get caught in lids and front doors, causing autotomy or fractures. Visually confirm its position before closing; see a vet if pinched

Falls

Jumps from the hand, causing fractures and internal injury. Handle sitting on the floor at low height. After a fall, check movement and bleeding and see a vet the same day

Escape

Small and fast; slips through gaps of a few mm. Always lock the lid. If it escapes, shut the room and search under furniture and behind warm appliances

Safe release procedure

1. Stay still and calm. Most let go on their own within seconds
2. Support the lizard's body from below with your other hand; never leave it dangling
3. Setting its body on the cage substrate makes it release more easily
4. If a large species will not let go, trickle lukewarm water onto its mouth

After the release

Rinse and disinfect the wound. Deep wounds or swelling from a large species: see a doctor. Check the lizard's mouth and teeth too

What to tell the vet & what to bring

Cage temperature, humidity, substrate, food and feeding frequency, collection site or seller, body weight, dates of last shed and feces. Bring a fecal sample

Checking consciousness, breathing & heartbeat

• Check whether it moves or flicks its tongue when prodded. In the cold it can look dead (torpor)
• Check breathing by movement of the throat and flanks. At rest, roughly 10–30 breaths per minute
• A heartbeat is hard to confirm in small species. Judge by response and breathing and go to the vet at once

Stopping bleeding

• Press gently with clean gauze or tissue for 3–5 minutes. Do not press hard
• For a tail stump or toe, apply a little styptic powder or cornstarch
• If it does not stop, or the amount is large for its body size, keep pressing and go to the vet at once

Transport

• Place in a small plastic tub lined with paper towel, kept dark and quiet
• Wrap a hand warmer in a towel against the outside of the container. In summer, beware of heat inside the car