Okada's five-lined skink (Plestiodon latiscutatus)

Short answers

Okada's five-lined skink: How big does the enclosure need to be?

100×50×50 cm for a group.

Okada's five-lined skink: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 24–30 °C, basking spot Basking spot 35–40 °C, at night 16–20 °C.

Okada's five-lined skink: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Recommended (UVB 5.0–10.0).

Okada's five-lined skink: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 6–12 years.

Okada's five-lined skink: Is it suitable for beginners?

Partly – manageable with some prior knowledge (difficulty: Beginner with some knowledge).

Climate

Daytime temperature

24–30 °C

Night temperature

16–20 °C

Basking spot

Basking spot 35–40 °C

Humidity

50–70 %

UVB

Recommended (UVB 5.0–10.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

100×50×50 cm for a group

Substrate

A forest-floor and sand mix they can dig in, with leaf litter, bark and flat stones

Feeding

Food

Crickets, house crickets, roaches, earthworms and wax moths, dusted regularly with calcium and vitamins

Feeding interval

adults 3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

15–22 cm

Life expectancy

6–12 years

Origin

The Izu Islands, Japan

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

A winter rest of 10–14 weeks at 6–12 °C — these species come from regions with a real winter

Cohabitation

Keeping them singly is the least stressful option. One male with one or two females is also possible if every animal gets its own heat spot and hide, and animals of different sizes are fed separately. Males of this species show no pronounced territoriality, but practical experience with group housing is limited.

Notes

An island form, to be kept a little warmer than its mainland counterpart.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Mountain skink (Plestiodon callicephalus) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Okada's five-lined skink (Plestiodon laticeps) – Beginner
• Chinese skink (Plestiodon chinensis) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Elegant five-lined skink (Plestiodon elegans) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Common five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) – Intermediate
• Gilbert's skink (Plestiodon gilberti) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Japanese five-lined skink (Plestiodon japonicus) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Coal skink (Plestiodon anthracinus) – Beginner with some knowledge

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Okada's five-lined skink (Plestiodon latiscutatus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (100×50×50 cm for a group), substrate (A forest-floor and sand mix they can dig in, with leaf litter, bark and flat stones), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.