The standard diet of red eye skinks consists of grubs, crickets, and most worms such as earth, wax, and meal.

Animals in captivity are typically fed vitamin D3 to help maintain their scales and health, however overconsumption can lead to lethargy and illness.

A study was conducted after a number of skinks who were shipped overseas to be sold as pets all perished along the boat due to unknown illness.

The study concluded that Aeromonas hydrophila was present in these specimens and was likely to be spreading to more animals in the Indonesian region thanks to the aquatic environment that the skinks typically habitat being the ideal breeding ground for the bacterium.

Skinks owned as pets are less likely to suffer from this ailment depending on which breeder they were acquired from however they are commonly susceptible to metabolic bone disease and respiratory infection.