Sexually mature

[xxmonitorlizardxx]

Within the next 2-3 years I will start forming a breeding colony of meraukes. What I want to know is, how can you tell when a skink is sexually mature. Is it when they hit a certain size like leopard geckos? Or is it when they hit a certain age? Or is it something else.

[Jeff]

It is believed to be pretty much 100% based on size. There have not been enough meraukes bred in captivity to really have a definite size that is the minimum for breeding, but northerns can breed without trouble at 14-15". Of course the skink needs to be in good health and be an appropriate weight as well.

I believe it is best to wait until a skinks 3rd year to breed them, and by that time they are almost gauranteed to be big enough. They can be big enough at less than a year, but that doesn't mean it is a good idea to breed them that young.

[James Wilson]

At one time, people thought age, and they were saying 2 to 3 years of age. But, just as Jeff has said, it has since been proven time and time again that it is all about size. I had a male that produced seminal plugs at 2 months of age. I do not cool my babies in their first year, but he still went off food on his own, and got very restless at the approach of the breeding season. So at 6 months of age, I let him breed, and he produced some nice babies. That being said, I agree with Jeff in that while this is not really such a concern with a male (as long as the female he is being bred to is receptive and not agressive), I would not recommend doing the same with a young female. I would suggest waiting at least until her 2nd season (1.5 years of age), or possibly even her 3rd season (2.5 years of age) depending on how big she is at the time.