Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i just ordered an orange-sided skink for my girlfriend. trouble is, i don't really know what it is (i know, not the best way to go about things). i tried searching for info about them, and found that there are two things known as orange-sided skinks; one is an african semi-desert skink that grows to 10 ", the other is a smaller australian rainforest species. obviously these would require two very different tank setups. so which one am i most likely getting? it is no doubt whichever is more common, but nobody at the distributor knows. has anyone ever encountered an orange-sided skink in the trade? which one?

I have seen around here red sided skinks for sale all the African type . Kept drier than fire skink but the same as far as soil type substrate ,etc.
If you have a 10 inch big one you have a big male African red sided skink . They tend to stay smaller than fire skinks and not nearly as colorful but neat anyway.
If you go to sites these r the types that are sold . I imagine the Australian could be to but I have only seen the African type.
This is the skink you DO NOT have since yours allready is way to big this is the Australian type-
http://www.treknature.com/gallery/Oceania/Australia/West/Northern_Territory/Berry_Springs/photo4046.htm

it came in, and it is definitely far too big to be the australian type. it is however, not a red sided skink as you mentioned. we have a red-sided, and this looks quite different. it is primarily a bluish gray, with orange flecks on the sides.
i'll try to get a picture posted. we've set him up in a sort of semi-desert enclosure. he looks to be be pick enough to take pinkies, so we'll try that.