Fiveline Skink

Well, found this guy in my room ( I have no idea how it got there ), and I had an empty 20 gal long terrarium, so I did some research and decided to keep him. Here are some pics:

 

And heres the setup, one end is for "sunbathing" and the other is a cooler climate. Theres the typical incandescent bulb, a tanning rock, some water, and a little half log thing.

 

Nice, does he eat chewing gum?

 

Ugh forgot to move that, lol, but speaking of eating, he ate half of a large nightcrawler aready.

 

I have not done a lot of research on these creatures, but my instincts tell me they do not in fact eat chewing gum
I believe crickets and meal worms would be more likely

great looking vivarium som3 reef3r

 

The diet of these guys is actually VERY interesting. It can be anything from ants, to small mice (when they are adults) and other skinks.

I just realized that technically it is a vivarium, any other ideas for plants in this type of environment? temp ranging from 76 on the cool end to 88 on the hot end.

 

Some of the dwarf Hosta varieties may be OK at the shaded end IMO

They like partial to full shade, and can take high temps and humidity
a trip to the garden centre, where they will have pot plants and often cards indicating the comditions the plants require
anything that likes shade and humidity will be fine IMO

Steve

 

I also have to mist once or twice a day, I'm guessing an incadescent bulb can't grow much as far as plants?

 

Plenty of house plants survive under incadescent light bulbs IME

You have to find the right types same deal as with coral really
check the tags on the plants, and if they like full shade (like some Hostas do for example)
then they may well be fine in the vivarium, not directly under the incadescent or your will burn them and they dry out , but at the shaded end, with ambient daylight from the room

Steve

 

Interesting with the hostas, I have some in the back yard, and I find alot of skinks around them.

Thanks for the help Steve.