The Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink is a rare and exotic reptile that is becoming more popular.
The lizards are located throughout New Guinea and Indonesia. They are well-known by the red-eye ring and scaling that resemble armor (similar to the Gecko with a Crested Gecko)!
Eight varieties from Crocodile Skink , with the Tribolonotus gracis (i.e. the Red-Eyed) being the most popular species that is kept in the wild.
This reptile was found just in the 1990s, and so there isn’t much information about them.
If you’re looking to introduce a brand-new beautiful reptile into your property, or recently adopted the species and are looking to learn how to take care of them then look no further than this guide!
What is a red-eyed crocodile Skink?
The species of Crocodile Skinks exist Eight kinds that make up Crocodile Skinks which are located in the forests in New Guinea, Indonesia, Maus, New Britain, Bougainville along with in the Solomon islands.
Red-Eyed Crocodile Skinks are known to spend the majority of their time in the moist soil in bushes, or under logs.
Adults have a gray-black color, with a solid eye ring of red and orange. They are unique skinks due to their ability to speak! The majority of lizards, with the exception of Geckos cannot perform this.
Many owners love them due to their red eyes and the ability to speak.
They aren’t too difficult to handle. But, since they’re relatively new to the pet trade and are not accustomed to the pet trade, it could take someone with more experience to know how to keep them healthy and happy. Their environment should be warm and humid and they should have access to UVB sunlight throughout the day, 12 hours per day.
It is believed that the Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink is relatively tiny. They are tiny they are compared to the species of captive Geckos and because of this, they’re happy to consume tiny insects (e.g. crickets or other insects) each day for 48 hours.
They don’t like being handled by human beings. If a Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink is afraid they can choose to drop their tails and then freeze. They’ll remain numb and then fall down and appear to be being dead.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Common Names | Spiny Skink |
| Scientific Name | Tiliqua scincoides |
| Adult Size | 1.5 10-inch between 36 and 45g |
| Lifespan | 5-12 years old |
| Diet | Insects |
| Tank Size | 10 gallons (for 2 skinks) |
| Humidity and Temperature | 75-78degF, with an 82degF Basking spot. The humidity should be maintained between 70-90%. |
| Popular Alternatives | Blue Tongued Skink |
Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink Care Tips
Red-Eyed Skink
The wild Red-Eyed Skinks can be found on the floor of the rainforest in caves, beneath logs or rocks. The forests they reside in are humid and hot. They love their place!
If they are found in the wild, it’s normal for them to be close to the water’s edge (this aids in reducing the humidity).
Tank and enclosure
To recreate their natural habitat In order to replicate their natural habitat, the cage should contain some logs and rocks to allow your Red-Eyed Crocodile skink to hide beneath. They are happy to spend a lot hours in cool and humid spots.
A red-eyed Crocodile Skink can be found in glass enclosures which is at least 10 gallons by size. A cage of this size would fit two skinks. If you intend to keep four or more tanks, the tank must be at least 20-gallons.
Heating and Lighting
Lighting is vital to the health of your Skink due to the fact that UV B radiation encourages the production of vitamin D3 which is made from pre-vitamin D3.
While vitamin D3 may be added as a supplement to the diet of your pet, they should be exposed at least 12 hours UVB light each day. This can be accomplished with natural light or using a UVB bulb:
- Natural lighting is a good option if that you have regular and regular exposure
- Many owners find it simpler to utilize an UVB bulb to ensure an even 12-hour lighting. An enclosure top which lets airflow is the best option as they permit UVB transmission
In addition to UVB light, a Red-Eyed Crocodile skink must also be equipped with an energy source to make an area for basking. The basking area should be between 80 and 82.
Certain owners also find that using an under-tank heater (to ensure the enclosure is kept at the right temperature) helps to attain the 75-78 degree temperature required.
Thermometers must be maintained in both areas to guarantee proper heat cycles in the tank. The tank must be misted every day for a period of 2 hours to ensure that humidity levels remain between 70-90 90%.
Substrate
The skinks don’t care about their food source in captivity.
The paper towels can be described as a kind of material that is able to be cleaned quickly. Because the environment has to remain humid and moist the likelihood of bacteria to flourish is higher. expand and the paper towels facilitate faster and more efficient cleanup.
Rich soil is another kind of substrate that can mimic the natural environment of a rainforest. However this type of substrate could be more difficult to wash. It can also be difficult to detect whether there is an excessive amount of bacterial growth within the soil.
| Tank Tips | |
|---|---|
| Tank Type | Glass 10 gallon |
| Lighting | Lighting for the Basking and twelve hours of UVB light |
| The Best Substrate | Paper towels |
What Food Should I Do To Feed The Crocodile Skink?
In their natural habitats, Red-Eyed Crocodile Skinks are active at dawn and dusk for a meal twice every throughout the day. This is common for numerous species of lizards since dawn and dusk are the times that they are the most active.
A good nutrition suitable for this kind of lizard includes small-insects, as well as other insects, like silkworms, crickets as well as red worms. The diet of this lizard requires live prey that can be purchased in a reptile store or pet-supplies shop:
- Adults should get fed approximately three crickets every two hour period (sticking to the dusk-dawn-feeding routine)
- Juveniles will consume two crickets daily instead
In order to care of the Red-Eyed Crocodile skinks, the owners are advised to clean their food items using calcium or Vitamin D3 to boost their diet. If they don’t eat the entire amount of food they consume then it must be cleaned up after you have clean the tank.
As with all Lizard, they must be able to drink fresh water. A shallow water bowl will be ideal to prevent them from falling over it.
| Diet Summary | |
|---|---|
| Insects | Every two or three days, there are 3 invertebrates (adults) |
| Fruits | 0% |
| Vegetables | 0% |
| Supplements are required | Calcium and Vitamin D3 |
How To Maintain Their Health
The Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink isn’t confident during handling.
Always clean your hands prior to and after touching your Red-Eyed Crocodile skink. This will ensure proper hygiene for you as well as your pet, keeping you both in good health.
Red-Eyed Crocodile Skinks need to be handled only occasionally because handling can increase the stress levels. If you decide to handle them, do it using a flat palm and ensure they are close to the ground in the event that they decide to leap.
A healthy and happy Skink can live between 5 and 12 years.
Like all lizards, they may suffer from metabolic bone disorders resulting from an insufficient calcium intake and that’s why it’s crucial to boost their diet. The signs are an unsteady walk.
They may also lose their tails if they are afraid. This is called tail autotomy however, the tail can grow back but it’s susceptible to infections caused by bacteria that can be prevented by regularly cleaning the tank and not putting them through this point at all.
Red-eyed Crocodile Skinks will shed easily and bathing them will most likely just make them more stressed because of the handling.
Due to the fact that high levels of moisture that are needed to maintain humidity levels between 70 and 90 percent, could easily cause bacterial growth, the tank must be properly cleaned and cleaned each week.
| Health Signs That They Are | The symptoms of sickness |
|---|---|
| It’s great to relax and enjoy the sun. | Vocalizing distress |
| Consuming food at dusk or dawn | Freezing |
| Hiding under logs | Tail loss |
| Eyes are clear and alert. | Wobbly walking |
Eyes Red Crocodile Skink Behavior
These Skinks are among the few species that tolerate living in small groups; so you you can have more!
When in the wild the Red-Eyed Crocodile Skinks will spend much of their time in the shade of damp rocks or logs. They emerge at dawn and dusk to feast on insects. It is a typical behavior routine for them, and they also enjoy their time spent in the sun.
If they are afraid they’ll let out an erupting squawk, chirp, or bark. This is a characteristic which is usually reserved for geckos. They are among the only lizards aside from geckos with the ability to sing.
If they don’t vocalize their displeasure, and it doesn’t repel a predator the animal will throw up and then shed all their tails (i.e. the autotomize function becomes )!
In terms of interaction and interacting with fellow Crocodile Skinks, they are more social than reptiles of other species. They live in peace and are even able to be found in small groups within tanks, provided that there is only one male can be in the tank at any one time.
Handling
The Red-Eyed Crocodile Skinks aren’t hostile. But, they must be handled sparingly since handling can scare them.
The reptiles they are considered a show reptiles, not being a companion or handling reptile. The handling of them can cause them to become icy or loose their tails.
If they have to be handledby you, then do it with a straight, free hand, and let them slide into the hand. Keep them near the ground in the event that they want to jump and don’t put them within your palm.
Appearance
It is distinguished by their distinctive spine scales and the red-eyed Crocodile Skink’s scales have a pointed tip and function as a protective armor.
The pinose scales of their species resemble tiny crocodiles. That’s why they get their nickname “Crocodile Skink”. But, they’re not actually a Crocodile (Alligator vs Crocodile).
There are some noticeable gender differences between males and women:
- Males tend to be larger and taller
- Males have pores that are large on the surface of their palms on their hind feet.
- Males have larger, brown-colored scales around their umbilical scars
Females and males alike exhibit a acoustic dimorphism their voices, suggesting their larynxes could be different physically (however it’s not been proven at this time).
Size
Its Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink will grow from 2.5 inches at birth until the maximum of 10 inches and weighs between 36 and 45 grams (depending on the species).
From their initial dimensions (of 2.5 inches) and until they are fully grown adults can require between 3 and 4 years.
Colors
Juvenile Red-Eyed Crocodile Skinks be light colored as well. Their heads become darker when they get older.
A mature person will be gray, brown , and black in appearance, with an enveloping ring of orange-red scales that surround their eyes..
How to Sex A Crocodile Skink
If a female Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink is crossed, the incubation period is about 60 days. only one egg is laid in each clutch (unique only to the Skink).
Another characteristic that adds to the uniqueness of Crocodile Skinks unique is that females are extremely protective of their babies.
Incubating eggs it will wrap her body around the egg in a protective manner. She can also strike at predators by opening her mouth when they pose a threat to the egg (this is not just humans)!
When babies with Red-Eyed Crocodile skinks are born, the babies are likely to remain near to the mother. If someone touched an infant the mother is likely to become upset. The father will not exhibit any aggression when the hatchlings are upset, however, he will be around the young reptiles time.
What’s the price of a red-eyed Crocodile Skink Price?
They can range between $130-$280 USD depending on which seller or breeder that you buy from.
Crocodile skinks are getting more sought-after in the trade, however there isn’t much information about them due to their being just identified in the late 1990s.
They are subject to varying levels of legal protection within their various countries of the country of their origin. New Guinea, for example does not permit exports, while other countries allow it.
Due to this, there is a good chance for skinks from these species to become an issue in the illegal pet trade. The majority of Skinks brought into in the United States are wild-caught as opposed to captive-bred.
Care Guide Summary
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Unique voice and distinctive colors (especially their eye scales that are red and orange) | It is easy to become stressed when handling |
| Simple routine of feeding (three insects every 24 hours) | There isn’t much information about them in relation to other reptiles used for pet care. |
| Lighting is simple to control (12 minutes of UVB lighting and a massive light) |
The exact details and requirements of the Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink are not fully understood The best way to enjoy them is with the help of a person who understands exactly the way a healthy and happy reptile appears like.
If you’re wanting a Red-Eyed-Crocodile Skink, you are now ready to become the proud owner of a special Lizard!
The voices they have are exclusive just to this kind of skink. Their vibrant red-eye rings really pop against their black and shiny scales.
It is known that they are easy to take care of since they don’t eat too often and require only an unimportant cage and lighting and heating.
Although they aren’t fond of handling, they are distinct in their ability to tolerate group living, meaning that you could even own several! They are, in general, unique species of lizards, which can make an exotic pet in any household.
