Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anybody have experience breeding Scincus scincus? I've read that they were live-bearers and I've also read that they lay eggs. Any incubating info available?

Saw this in their enclosure yesterday morning:

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Diego

Diego & Tiffany's Zoo:
SNAKES
0.1.0 Boa Constrictor
1.2.0 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.1.0 Hypo Everglades Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Trans-Pecos Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Salt and Pepper Bull Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Pacific Gopher Snake
2.1.0 Sonoran Gopher Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Sonoran Gopher Snake
1.1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnakes
1.0.0 Gray Banded Kingsnake
0.1.1 California Kingsnake
1.1.0 Thayeri Kingsnake
3.2.0 Rosy Boas (Mexican, Temecula, & Mid Baja)
1.1.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
0.1.0 Indonesian Dwarf Pacific Boa
1.1.0 Cape York Spotted Pythons
1.0.0 Ball Python
1.1.0 Western Hognoses
0.0.1 Lyre Snake
0.0.1 Glossy Snake

LIZARDS
2.0.0 Bearded Dragons
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
1.0.0 African Fat-Tail Gecko
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
1.4.0 Leopard Geckos
1.0.1 Yellow Niger Uromastyx
1.1.0 Chuckwalla
1.4.0 Banded Gecko
0.0.1 Gold Dust Day Gecko
0.0.5 Sandfish

AMPHIBIANS
1.0.1 Green Tree Frogs
1.0.0 Bubbling Kassina
0.0.1 White's Tree Frog
0.0.2 Gold Frogs
1.0.0 Fire Salamander

Hi Diego,

The last article we saw on these small wonders was "Reptiles" magazine - issue 12/02.

There, it was stated that they are ovoviviparous, but it is not unusual to find several egg shells in the deep sand of the tank - along with the offspring.

In case of egg laying, I would think that they would lay them in in the sand while they were buried (as if they were in the wild). Since they live in one of the hottest and driest areas on Earth, the sand is quite warm, but deep down it is never as hot as on the surface. Some say if you dig down 12" it will only be 78F.

If you are keeping their tank basking temps around 100F during the day and the ambient temp around 75-80F at night, with the deepest layer of sand being moist for their water needs - I would would think the female will find the right spot to put her eggs - or give birth.

The only thing is - I would place the female in her own tank until after the babies appear. If you are housing several skinks - it might happen that the Scincus scincus will kill offspring from others.

We raise the smaller ocellated skinks and that has proved to be a danger. We remove the gravid females until after birthing - then keep the babies separate from the adults.

If you DO find eggs (and remove them), I would think temps of 80F to 84F would be appropriate (similiar to other egg layers in hot areas).

Good luck with your adventure!!
~Morgana

Hi Morgana. Thanks for addressing my all of my unasked questions! I was considering separation, but now I'll do it for sure. I will look up that Reptiles article.

Any idea on how to sex these guys visually? I obviously have one pair, but am not sure about the other 3.
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Diego

Diego & Tiffany's Zoo:
SNAKES
0.1.0 Boa Constrictor
1.2.0 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.1.0 Hypo Everglades Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Trans-Pecos Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Salt and Pepper Bull Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Pacific Gopher Snake
2.1.0 Sonoran Gopher Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Sonoran Gopher Snake
1.1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnakes
1.0.0 Gray Banded Kingsnake
0.1.1 California Kingsnake
1.1.0 Thayeri Kingsnake
3.2.0 Rosy Boas (Mexican, Temecula, & Mid Baja)
1.1.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
0.1.0 Indonesian Dwarf Pacific Boa
1.1.0 Cape York Spotted Pythons
1.0.0 Ball Python
1.1.0 Western Hognoses
0.0.1 Lyre Snake
0.0.1 Glossy Snake

LIZARDS
2.0.0 Bearded Dragons
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
1.0.0 African Fat-Tail Gecko
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
1.4.0 Leopard Geckos
1.0.1 Yellow Niger Uromastyx
1.1.0 Chuckwalla
1.4.0 Banded Gecko
0.0.1 Gold Dust Day Gecko
1.1.3 Sandfish

AMPHIBIANS
1.0.1 Green Tree Frogs
1.0.0 Bubbling Kassina
0.0.1 White's Tree Frog
0.0.2 Gold Frogs
1.0.0 Fire Salamander

Diego,
According to that article, it seems they are quite dificult to sex. The easiest way is to see them mating - of course, so consider yourself lucky in that respect. Other than that, they recommend probing by a professional.

Let me know if you can't find the article.
~Morgana

Again, thank you Morgana. I found the article. I have most back issues in a box.

Maybe I will probe them myself. I am pretty competent with my set when it comes to snakes. I assume the same general principles apply to lizards, skinks in particular?
-----
Diego

Diego & Tiffany's Zoo:
SNAKES
0.1.0 Boa Constrictor
1.2.0 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.1.0 Hypo Everglades Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Trans-Pecos Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Salt and Pepper Bull Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Pacific Gopher Snake
2.1.0 Sonoran Gopher Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Sonoran Gopher Snake
1.1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnakes
1.0.0 Gray Banded Kingsnake
0.1.1 California Kingsnake
1.1.0 Thayeri Kingsnake
3.2.0 Rosy Boas (Mexican, Temecula, & Mid Baja)
1.1.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
0.1.0 Indonesian Dwarf Pacific Boa
1.1.0 Cape York Spotted Pythons
1.0.0 Ball Python
1.1.0 Western Hognoses
0.0.1 Lyre Snake
0.0.1 Glossy Snake

LIZARDS
2.0.0 Bearded Dragons
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
1.0.0 African Fat-Tail Gecko
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
1.4.0 Leopard Geckos
1.0.1 Yellow Niger Uromastyx
1.1.0 Chuckwalla
1.4.0 Banded Gecko
0.0.1 Gold Dust Day Gecko
1.1.3 Sandfish

AMPHIBIANS
1.0.1 Green Tree Frogs
1.0.0 Bubbling Kassina
0.0.1 White's Tree Frog
0.0.2 Gold Frogs
1.0.0 Fire Salamander

Diego....
You're a better man than I am... I wouldn't even consider it.

I have our vet do any sex determinations that I can't figure out in other ways - including dna testing for our blueys.

Let us know when you have babies!!!
Best of luck,
~Morgana