Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello everyone.
I have a pair of fire skinks and i wish i actually would get to see them more...since right now it's pretty much a cage of dirt with some crickets running aorund lol.
So i was wondering if next time i change their substrate...if it would work to put less in so it wasn't as deep....and give them hide spots instead?
so that way they wouldn't really be able to burrow.....but would still have hideing spots....
would that be acceptable or could it cause problems?
Do they need to burrow in the damn substrate to keep the proper humidity? will they have health problems if i do this? will it stress them out?

thanks for any info on the subject.

-Matt-
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1:0 Bearded Dragon (Jimmy)
1:0 Collared Lizard (Timmy)
1:1 Fire Skink (Chad, Tad)
1:1 Yellow Nigerian/Saharan Uromastyx (Tommy, Raven)
1:0 Leopard Gecko (Mofo)

n/p
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Edward
Carpe diem

You could try getting clear tubes, or 1/2 pvc pipes, or those hamster tubes that break in half, and burying them with one side up to the glass. Then if you're lucky you can see them sleep.
I'm having a similar 'problem' with my crocodile skinks, but as a sand boa owner I'm pretty well used to it.
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Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

They are fossorial by nature and need the deep substrate to satisfy that. They get very stressed when they are unable to dive under the soil when they get nervous. I believe, as you mentioned, that another reason is to seek out the humidity. This is why it's so important to maintain a moisture gradient in their substrate.

I sometimes get lucky and they dig a tunnel or excavate a sleeping chamber next to the glass. This provides an oppotunity to observe some of their more secretive behaviours. The clear tubing idea might work as I find mine use any tubing or pipe I provide for them.

E
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That's it, screw you guys!
I'm goin' home

-Eric Cartman