The African Fire Skink is a species of lizard that is native to the tropical forests of Western and Central Africa.
These skinks are sometimes referred to as the ‘True Fire Skinks’ or the ‘Togo Fire Skinks’ as well as a number of other local names.
These lizards are starting to become more and more popular in captivity due to their unique appearance and great characteristics.
African Fire Skink Taxonomy
The African Fire Skink belongs to a family of lizard called Skinks. This is a large family of lizards with over 100 different genera and more than 1,500 different species.
These lizards can be found in a wide range of habitats throughout much of the world excluding places such as the arctic and sub-arctic regions.
The most characteristic feature of most skinks is their small stubby legs in comparison to their much longer and broader body.
The genus that the African Fire Skink belongs to is called Mochlus. The lizards in this genus are native to Africa.
There are currently 19 recognised species in this genus including the Guinean Forest Skink and the Common Writhing Skink.
The scientific name for the African Fire Skink is Mochlus fernandi.
African Fire Skink Description
The African Fire Skink can grow to over one foot in length, including the tail. They are a stunning species of skink with vibrant coloration.
They typically have a brown or golden base color running along its back while the sides have red and black stripes with white or silver speckles.
It is these red stripes that contrast with the black that give this skink its common name, the African Fire Skink.
The intensity of the red along the skink’s sides can vary. In some cases, the red is so prominent that there are only speckles of black scales along the lizards’ sides.
Males are typically bulkier than females and are known to have s flatter head. However, it can still be very difficult to accurately distinguish between the two.
They have a characteristic ‘Skink-Like’ appearance with their small stubby legs in comparison to their much longer and broader body.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The African Fire Skink can be found in the humid forests of Western and Central Africa. They are not found in the dry arid regions of the continent.
In the Western Africa, these skinks can be found in countries such as Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria.
Their range extends towards central Africa through countries such as Cameroon towards the Democratic Republic of Congo.
They share some of their range with species such as the Savannah Monitor, the Sulcata Tortoise, the African Sideneck Turtle and the Egg Eater Snake.
African Fire Skink as Pets
The African Fire Skink is becoming more popular in the reptile hobby due to their stunning appearance and great characteristics.
These lizards are actually relatively easy to take care of once you meet their basic requirements such as temperature, lighting, humidity and Diet.
Housing
As the African Fire Skink grows to around 15 inches in length including their tail, you will need to provide an enclosure that is large enough for them to comfortably live in.
These lizards require an enclosure that is at least 36″x18″x18″ which is a 3-foot-long enclosure. An even larger tank will be appreciated by your lizard.
If you are housing more than one skink in an enclosure, you will need to increase the size to ensure they have enough space.
However, never house two males in the same enclosure. They will become aggressive towards each other and can fight. This is even known to result in death.
You will need to include a number of hides which will help your lizard feel secure. You can go for commercial reptile hides or something more natural such as branches plants and drift wood.
Substrate
The African Fire Skink lives in a humid environment and they also like to burrow. The substrate you choose is important as it needs to promote both of these things.
Coco Fibre, loose soil, Cypress Mulch and a layer of Sphagnum Moss are all great options to promote burrowing and hold humidity.
You can also add a layer of leaf litter to the top of the substrate. As these lizards live in forest, this will help to mimic their natural environment.
Light and Heat
You will need to provide your African Fire Skink with a thermal gradient inside their enclosure so that they can regulate their body temperature.
Overhead heat or an under-tank heat pad can be used to provide the heat in the warm side of the enclosure.
You should aim for a hot spot at the top of the enclosure of around 95F. The temperature will decrease as the lizard moves away from the source of the heat.
The cool end of the enclosure should be around 85F. This will allow the lizard to efficiently regulate its body temperature.
It is often debated whether an African Fire Skink needs supplemental UV lighting. While they will survive without it, it is often debated that providing this type of lighting will have health benefits for your lizard.
As a result, it is best to be on the safe side and offer your lizard a low wattage UBA/UVB bulb.
Whether you use UV or not, these lizards should be subjected to an adequate day/night cycle. As they live close to the equator, aim for 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness each day.
Water and Humidity
A very shallow dish of fresh water is all you need to offer your African Fire Skink. In fact, you will rarely see them drinking from it.
That is because these lizards will get most of their moisture requirements from their food and by drinking droplets off the cage furnishings after you mist the enclosure.
You will need to maintain humidity levels of 60-70% in your lizard’s enclosure. This can be achieved by misting the enclosure once or twice a day.
African Fire Skink Diet
An African Fire Skink can be fed a diet consisting of insects. It is important to offer a varied diet to ensure your lizard gets as much nutrients as possible.
You can feed them things like Crickets, Mealworms, Super Worms, Roaches, Locusts, Snails and a variety of other insects.
It is important to dust the prey with a vitamin and calcium supplement before feeding them to your lizard to increase the nutritional value of the food.
While mealworms are perfectly fine as part of a varied diet, avoid the bulk of their food coming from them as these insects have a very low nutritional value.
You should feed juveniles daily but it is recommended to only feed adults around 5 insects every 3 days or so.
You can adjust this feeding schedule to suit your reptile. Monitoring their body mass will help you to judge how much they need to be fed.