Common sandfish skink (Scincus scincus)

Short answers

Common sandfish skink: How big does the enclosure need to be?

A single animal ~80×40×40 cm; a pair from 100–120×50–60 cm; a harem group from 150×70×60 cm.

Common sandfish skink: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–33 °C (cooler side ~24–26 °C), basking spot 40–45 °C local basking spot; air temperature not above ~38 °C, at night 15–18 °C.

Common sandfish skink: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB needed (a desert basker, Ferguson zone 3–4, UV index 3–6).

Common sandfish skink: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 5–10 years.

Common sandfish skink: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–33 °C (cooler side ~24–26 °C)

Night temperature

15–18 °C

Basking spot

40–45 °C local basking spot; air temperature not above ~38 °C

Humidity

dry, below 30–40 %; offer a slightly damp corner or a spot under a stone

UVB

UVB needed (a desert basker, Ferguson zone 3–4, UV index 3–6)

Enclosure

Minimum size

a single animal ~80×40×40 cm; a pair from 100–120×50–60 cm; a harem group from 150×70×60 cm

Substrate

Fine, digestible sand (ideally calcium carbonate sand); at least 15–20 cm deep (it digs and "swims" deep)

Feeding

Food

Insects and arachnids: crickets, house crickets, locusts, roaches, earthworms, superworms; a small share of seeds or plant food is possible

Feeding interval

adults every 2nd day (3–4×/week), each time as much as is eaten in 5–10 minutes; juveniles daily

Key facts

Adult size

~20 cm total length (SVL up to ~10 cm, the tail ~half)

Life expectancy

5–10 years

Origin

The Sahara of North Africa plus the Arabian Peninsula (sand dunes, arid habitats)

Protection status

Not listed under CITES; IUCN "Least Concern"; not specially protected in Germany, no registration duty. Often wild-caught → check the origin and health

Brumation

A cooler winter rest is recommended, especially for breeding, but not essential: usually 4–8 weeks (the literature gives anything from 4 weeks to 4 months). Heat lamp off, room temperature around 20–22 °C by day, down to about 15 °C at night; the UVB may stay on. Stop feeding one week before, always offer water. A cold rest below 10 °C is not needed.

Cohabitation

The standard is keeping them singly; German specialist sources say a pair or harem (one male plus several females) is possible given enough floor area and retreats. Never keep males together

Notes

A sand swimmer, very shy, and not an animal for handling. Common mistakes: sand that is too shallow (it cannot submerge → stress), sand that is too coarse or indigestible (impaction), missing UVB → inactivity, and obesity from overfeeding. The sand depth is set conservatively at 15–20 cm (rather than the 10 cm sometimes given).

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Eastern sandfish skink (Scincus mitranus) – Intermediate
• White-banded sandfish skink (Scincus albifasciatus) – Intermediate
• African five-lined skink (Trachylepis quinquetaeniata) – Intermediate
• Algerian skink (Eumeces algeriensis) – Intermediate
• Berber skink (Eumeces schneideri) – Beginner to intermediate
• Berdmore's water skink (Tropidophorus berdmorei) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Mountain skink (Plestiodon callicephalus) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Pacific blue-tailed skink (Emoia caeruleocauda) – Beginner with some knowledge

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Common sandfish skink (Scincus scincus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (a single animal ~80×40×40 cm; a pair from 100–120×50–60 cm; a harem group from 150×70×60 cm), substrate (Fine, digestible sand (ideally calcium carbonate sand); at least 15–20 cm deep (it digs and "swims" deep)), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.