In the wild-
Berber Skinks, also known as the Schneider's skink, is a member of the Scincidae family found in Northern Africa, as well as Central and Western Asia. A desert-dwelling species, they are at home in arid conditions, found among the rocks, which offer warmth and safety, or burrowed beneath the sandy substrate. They are a reasonably common species, and have no particular threats to their wild population, although they are collected for the pet trade, often from Egypt. Berber Skinks are bred in captivity, so when purchasing your skink, be certain that you are aware of the source! The species can be quite long lived, with a typical wild lifespan of around 10 to 15 years, which can increase to 20 in captivity with the best care.
What do they look like?
Usually growing between a foot and 16 inches in length (30-40cm) including their long tails, this species is an attractive an entertaining pet species. They have a grey brown back peppered with orange and yellow spots, which fades down their sides into a yellowish streak, continuing right under the abdomen. They are capable of losing their tails when threatened, and this will show even following regrowth, as it is unlikely the new colours and patterning will be a direct match.
Suitability-
Easy to keep and with basic requirements, Berber Skinks are an ideal introduction to the world of reptiles. They are a good size and are quite hardy, so can be easily handled. Many keepers note their ease of handling, docile nature, and good temperament, even in wild caught individuals.
Housing and the environment-
The environment is a vital part of animal husbandry, and there are so many products readily available to us which allow us to put our reptiles first. However, before you start to worry about what you need to get for your skink’s environment, you need to get the basics.
Berber Skinks are often kept in pairs, either two females or a male and female, but they can be kept singularly too. They are primarily terrestrial (but will climb clumsily if given the opportunity!) so floor space is an important consideration; a wooden vivarium of at least 30 inches in length and 12 inches deep is recommended. This provides plenty of space for burrowing and to create the temperature gradient, whilst helping to keep valuable heat in the enclosure due to wood’s insulating abilities. If keeping several skinks in the same enclosure, the size will have to increase appropriately.
Metabolic Bone Disease- commonly referred to as MBD- is a common condition in reptiles, often attributed to the lack of the correct heating and lighting in their enclosures. UVB lighting is a type of UV which helps reptiles to convert Vitamin D from their diet into Vitamin D3, which is needed to help calcium enter the body. As these skinks are from an arid environment, they will often be exposed to quite high levels. A full spectrum 10% UV lighting kit positioned at the top of the vivarium will provide the levels required. It is important to remember that UV bulbs do become less effective over time and will require replacement according to manufacturer’s instructions, usually every 6 to 12 months.
Heating is required by reptiles not only to prevent MBD, but also to allow them to thermoregulate- to regulate and maintain their body temperature. Unlike mammals, reptiles are unable to do this without an external source of heat and will otherwise begin to shut down. There are several types of heat bulb available, however the use of halogen heat bulbs is thought to be best as they supply all the required heat types. It is important to have all heating elements controlled via a thermostat to prevent overheating, yet it is still important to regularly check temperatures using a digital thermometer to notice any changes. The temperature range within the vivarium should be 25 to 35 degrees Celsius (80 to 100F) with a basking spot of 40 degrees Celsius (105F). Heat rocks should not be used as they can lead to superheating and burns.
Both light-emitting heat sources and UVB are often controlled using a plug-in timer on a 12 hours on/12 hours off cycle, however seasonal changes to this schedule can be made and are especially helpful in triggering natural cycles such as breeding.
When you have mastered environmental parameters, you can begin with creating your setup. I am a huge advocate of naturalistic and bioactive enclosures, using natural materials in wild-like ways to create my own slice of North Africa. Free-flowing substrate is necessary for Berber Skinks as they are brilliant burrowers, and this should be as thick as possible. 3- or 4-inches worth of substrate is ideal. In the UK, ProRep do a particularly good range of suitable substrates, and these tend to be my go-to.
For hides, use plenty of rock and cork bark rounds. Rock is also ideal for placing around the heat source as it can hold heat well, allowing efficient basking. Any heavy items in the vivarium must be placed on the floor without substrate beneath it. This ensures that if a skink is to try to burrow beneath it, it will not be able to collapse in and injure the animal. Artificial hides can also be used; however, I have a personal preference for using natural objects, which can often prove cheaper (reptile keepers will quickly learn to become great scavengers for enclosure décor!). There should be a minimum of one hide on each side of the enclosure, in both the cool end and the hot end, although more should be offered when housing multiple animals.
Humidity-
As they are usually found in the arid environments of Africa and Asia, maintaining a specific humidity is not too important, as long as it is not allowed to get too high. 20-50% with some fluctuation is ideal, and I will often mist a few times a week in the morning to achieve this.
Diet and feeding-
Reptile diets are another area of husbandry which is seeing huge advancement. Berber Skinks are considered omnivorous, meaning they will eat both plant and animal matter, yet in my experiences I have seen a strong preference for live invertebrates.
Gut-loaded live foods coated with a light dusting of calcium and multivitamin supplement should make up most of their diets, and can include locusts, crickets, mealworms, morio worms, roaches, and snails. They can also be given other foods for variety too and will take both frozen-thawed pinkie mice and wax worms. These each have quite a high fat content, so should be fed sparingly and considered a ‘treat’ food to prevent obesity. Live foods can be scattered across the enclosure for the animals to find and hunt, although I would recommend using an escape-proof bowl (or tong feeding) when offering worms. I offer food 3 times a week and will remove any uneaten live food within 24 hours to prevent injury to the skink.
Besides live food, Berber Skinks can also be provided with vegetables and ‘complete diets’ such as Repashy.
Finally, it is important to offer constant access to fresh water, which should be checked and replaced at least daily. This should be placed at the end farthest from the heat source to reduce evaporation.
Cleaning-
Cleaning your setup is important for the health of the skinks and can help to reduce the chance of illness. A spot clean daily is a great way to keep on top of cleaning duties, where you can change the water, along with removing any faeces, urates and shed skin. If you do not have a bioactive setup, you will also need to consider when to do a full clean. Many substrate brands will recommend when to do a full clean, but I suggest using your judgement and replacing all the substrate when you believe it needs it. As long as I keep up with spot cleaning, I usually only full clean my skink vivarium every couple of months. At this time, I will remove everything from the setup, disinfect all the hard surfaces using a reptile safe product and replace all the substrate.
Sourcing your skinks-
Berber Skinks are quite easy to find both in pet shops and as rehomes in the UK. Currently, a single skink is approximately £60, making them an affordable reptile, but it is important to consider the additional costs, such as the setup and utilities, as well as unexpected vet bills. Where possible, either rehome from someone unable to keep their skink, or opt for captive bred specimens, even if others seen cheaper or easier to find. Wild caught animals may be unhealthy and be carriers of disease and the process can also lead to the decline of wild populations.
At the Menagerie-
These skinks are an important species to me as ‘the ones that started it all.’ Back in 2015, Berber Skinks were my first exotic pet, and I have never looked back. I began with a pair, named Spot and Alex, however Spot sadly passed away after a short illness in 2023. Alex is still with us and is a healthy individual, and a constant reminder of where the obsession for all creatures weird and wonderful began. You can follow us on Instagram @alis_menagerie for updates on our Berber Skink, Alex!
Thank you for reading my Berber Skink care sheet and I hope you found it helpful and informative. Good luck with your new reptile!
This care sheet has been written through the combination of my own experiences (I will only write about species I have worked with) and the knowledge, experience, and recommendations of other keepers in the exotic-keeping community.