Peters' banded skink (Scincopus fasciatus)

Short answers

Peters' banded skink: How big does the enclosure need to be?

~90×45×45 cm for one animal.

Peters' banded skink: What temperature does it need?

Daytime warm side ~28–32 °C, cool side ~22–25 °C, basking spot warm floor hide / local spot ~32–36 °C (nocturnal → provide warmth through warm substrate rather than a bright basking lamp), at night ~18–22 °C (heating off at night).

Peters' banded skink: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Nocturnal, so a low UVB requirement (Ferguson zone 1, UV index 0–1); weak UVB is still recommended to be safe.

Peters' banded skink: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: uncertain and not documented – no reliable source gives dependable figures (conservatively marked as unknown).

Peters' banded skink: Is it suitable for beginners?

No – better suited to experienced keepers (difficulty: Expert).

Climate

Daytime temperature

warm side ~28–32 °C, cool side ~22–25 °C

Night temperature

~18–22 °C (heating off at night)

Basking spot

warm floor hide / local spot ~32–36 °C (nocturnal → provide warmth through warm substrate rather than a bright basking lamp)

Humidity

~30–50 % (dry), but with a humid hide (microclimate ~70 %) on the cool side

UVB

Nocturnal, so a low UVB requirement (Ferguson zone 1, UV index 0–1); weak UVB is still recommended to be safe

Enclosure

Minimum size

~90×45×45 cm for one animal

Substrate

Sand or a sand-loam mix they can dig in, at least 10 cm, better 12–15 cm; partly damp and partly dry

Feeding

Food

Insects (crickets, roaches, black soldier fly larvae, worms), plus some plant food and fruit

Feeding interval

adults every 2–3 days; juveniles daily

Key facts

Adult size

~13–18 cm total length (with the tail)

Life expectancy

uncertain and not documented – no reliable source gives dependable figures (conservatively marked as unknown)

Origin

The Sahel and parts of the southern Sahara; Mauritania to Sudan and Niger, with isolated populations on the northern edge of the Sahara (Algeria, Libya, Tunisia)

Protection status

Not listed under CITES; IUCN "Least Concern"; not specially protected in Germany, no registration duty. As they are almost always wild-caught: check legality, origin and health (endoparasites!) when buying

Brumation

None documented or required; at most a slight seasonal drop is optional

Cohabitation

Keep them singly (conservative and documented) – it is considered non-social, and keeping several together is not recommended; never keep males together under any circumstances

Notes

Nocturnal, and buried by day – quiet matters. Wild-caught animals only, with no established captive breeding and thin data → "expert". Common mistakes: a heat mat without a thermostat (overheating is lethal), UVB blocked by glass, and no damp hide → shedding problems. Wild-caught animals are often dehydrated and parasitised → a veterinary entry examination plus a faecal sample. One outlier care sheet ("diurnal / beginner / 15–20 years") was rejected as inconsistent with the taxonomy.

Do you keep this species?

Add your animal to Reptoria – Reptoria reminds you about feeding and shedding. Add your animal for free →

Look for Peters' banded skink (Scincopus fasciatus) in the marketplace →

Related species

• 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
• Blue-tongued water skink (Tropidophorus cocincinensis) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Bouton's snake-eyed skink (Cryptoblepharus boutonii) – Beginner with some knowledge

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Peters' banded skink (Scincopus fasciatus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (~90×45×45 cm for one animal), substrate (Sand or a sand-loam mix they can dig in, at least 10 cm, better 12–15 cm; partly damp and partly dry), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.