Description
- Common Name: Wedge-Snouted Skink
- Scientific Name: Sphenops sepsoides (also referred to as Chalcides sepsoides)
- Locality/Morph: Wild Type
- Sex: Mixed
- Age: Mixed
- Source: Wild Caught
- Native Range: North Africa and the Middle East (including Egypt, Libya, Israel, and surrounding regions)
- Natural Habitat: Arid and semi-arid environments; typically found in sandy deserts and scrublands, often burrowing beneath loose sand
- Diet: Insectivorous—small invertebrates such as insects, larvae, and other arthropods
- Basking Temperature: 32–36°C
- Ambient Temperature: 26–30°C (night drop to 20–24°C)
- Average Adult Size: ~10–15 cm total length
The Wedge-snouted Skink (Sphenops sepsoides / Chalcides sepsoides) is a small, elongated, sand-adapted lizard specialized for a fossorial lifestyle. It has a streamlined, cylindrical body with reduced limbs and a pointed, wedge-shaped snout that allows it to “swim” through loose sand. Its coloration is typically pale beige to light brown with subtle striping, providing excellent camouflage in desert environments.
This species is primarily diurnal but spends much of its time beneath the surface, emerging briefly to forage or thermoregulate. Its movement through sand is smooth and rapid, making it well adapted to avoid predators and extreme surface temperatures.
In captivity, a horizontally oriented enclosure with a deep sand-based substrate is essential to allow natural burrowing behaviour. Fine, loose sand or a sand/soil mix should be provided at sufficient depth. Minimal clutter is needed, but some surface cover such as flat stones or bark can be included.
Humidity should be kept low (20–40%), with excellent ventilation to replicate its arid habitat. A small water dish should be available, although this species often derives moisture from its food.
Temperature should include a strong basking area and a thermal gradient, allowing the skink to regulate its body temperature effectively. Overhead heating is recommended to mimic natural desert conditions.
Feeding consists of small live insects such as crickets, mealworms, and other invertebrates. Feeding should occur regularly, with appropriately sized prey. Calcium and vitamin supplementation is recommended to support long-term health.
Livestock Delivery:
Livestock is delivered in our own heated reptile courier vans. Delivery time from ordering will depend on your location and when we next have a van in your area, this will usually be a maximum of 2 weeks. You will receive a date and time slot by phone or email, so please ensure you enter these correctly at checkout. Delivery fee for livestock depends on location, prices start at £45. Livestock orders over £500 (+VAT) are delivered free of charge.
Livestock Sale Terms:
If multiple animals are in stock then not all will be pictured, so the photo above may not be exact animal available.
All prices are per individual unless otherwise stated. All livestock is subject to availability, whilst we try to keep the website as up to date as possible errors may happen, in this situation you will be contacted to arrange a refund/alternative.
Errors can happen with sexing and morph identification. Should this be discovered before leaving us you are entitled to a refund. After the animal leaves us it is the customers responsibility to inform us within 48 hours of the animals arrival. Failing to do so may lose the customers eligibility for a refund.
It is the customers responsibility to have the correct setup available and ready for the animal, if you need any advice please do get in touch. We have the right to request proof of setup at any time, failure to provide an image of an appropriate setup or any image at all, may result in a full order cancellation and refund.
Guarantee for all inverts & amphibians is 24 hours. All other livestock is 48 hours. If issues/concerns are notified upon delivery, then this may be extended. All health related queries will be subject to a full investigation should an issue arise. Failing to provide us with the information we request may void any form of guarantee. If we find reason from the information that its injury or death was caused by negligence or incorrect husbandry then the guarantee may be void. Should death or abnormalities occur then you must inform us as soon as possible. In the unlikely event that an animal passes away please photograph the dead body and freeze until you have heard from us. If death or illness occurs after 7 days, and no health issues were reported, then Ridgeway will not be held responsible.
We have the right to refuse any sale, refund or guarantee at any time if we feel it is necessary.
Livestock sales are for customers aged 18+, if under this age you must have prior parent permission. If we have any reason to suspect this is not the case we will contact you before the animal is released.
When purchasing an animal from us you automatically agree to these terms of sale.
