Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got some Ground Skinks (Scincella lateralis)from a guy in Louisiana. These were frozen not live and I plan on using them for my Easterns this season. Just about every one of my NJ's was a pain in the arse to get to eat. I used Ground Skinks once a few years ago with success but I have not been able to locate anymore until now. Anybody else use G.Skinks to kick start their hatchlings ?

Regards,

Keith
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You bet.They can be gold for sure Keith. I will use them or baby 5 lined sometimes. Also anoles, geckos, blind snakes, whatever!lol! Most times just the scent from a broken tail of a skink rubbed on just about anything will work. Remember, I have dealt with scarlet kings for years, so I have used the whole gamut of food items. Good luck with the babies this year. I may need more too since I'm refocusing on mole kings more than the scarlets this year.
:Mark

Sure. Ive used them on alot of the picky eaters..Syspila, Amaura, Thayeri, Rhinocheilus etc. etc. To add to what crimsonking said, tails work wonders. I'll uassualy only have to feed one or two 'reptilian' meals since most switch right on to scented live to finaly f/t by scenting with a thawed out tail. I also will ask local stores to save all those broken off pinkie legs to give to the smaller ssp. Ive never kept easterns, and was surprised to hear that they can be fussy. Hmmm...new challenges. Good luck this year!-Smokey

I dont think Easterns in general are picky (like Alterna or any small N.A. Milk) but the ones I produce are LOL. I will say they are more picky than Cals or Floridana though.

Regads,

Keith

>>Sure. Ive used them on alot of the picky eaters..Syspila, Amaura, Thayeri, Rhinocheilus etc. etc. To add to what crimsonking said, tails work wonders. I'll uassualy only have to feed one or two 'reptilian' meals since most switch right on to scented live to finaly f/t by scenting with a thawed out tail. I also will ask local stores to save all those broken off pinkie legs to give to the smaller ssp. Ive never kept easterns, and was surprised to hear that they can be fussy. Hmmm...new challenges. Good luck this year!-Smokey
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Keith "The Violator" Hillson,

Yeah, I used to catch skinks and anoles all the time when I lived in NE Louisiana going to school - in fact two of my snakes that are now going on 5 fed on those little things as long as I could do it. I lived next to the Ouachita River and caught them by the buttload on a regular basis - I even froze some for winter use.

All of my kings loved them (g.getula and g.floridana) and they worked really well with the Gray-Banded King I had at the time.

One warning though Keith...don't take a skink into the john with you or you might pull at the wrong thing while taking a leak! LOL

Kings LOVE other snakes and baby garters provide a better,healthier meal than skinks,Jeff

i have an abundance of them here in houston usally year'round,though i have found just scenting pinkies or pinkie parts w/the fresh blood & or fecal matter from these skinks works great! so i uasally keep them for their tails and then release them, but i also have around 1 in 10 hatchlings that will not take anything except live skinks,movement def.has a factor in getting a feeding response kinda like a bass and good lure and these guys work great,,,,thomas