Prehensile-Tailed Skink (Corucia zebrata) Care and Husbandry

Care and Husbandry of the Prehensile-Tailed Skink (Corucia zebrata)
Contributed by Angie Stidham, Capital University

Natural History

Known as a Prehensile-Tailed Skink, Monkey-Tailed Skink, and Solomon Islands Skink, Corucia zebrata is a fascinating reptile. Native to the Solomon Islands of Indonesia, C. zebrata is currently listed by CITES as an endangered species due to destruction of their natural habitat and therefore, importation of these lizards is illegal. Most individuals available in the pet trade are either young and captive bred or older and imported before the CITES sanctions were put into place

Distinct features of C. zebrata include a flat, triangular shaped head, long, slender body, fan-shaped, serrated scales, short, strong legs, and small round eyes Their tails are prehensile, meaning that they can curl the tail around objects such as branches and hold onto them for balance. This skink is predominantly crepuscular, being active during the early morning and early evening.

The scales on the underside of the lizard are generally light yellow to medium green. Dorsal scales are generally dark green to light brown with some light speckling or stripes across the dorsal surface that are deep green to black. Scales are fan-shaped and serrated on the edges. Shedding occurs every couple of months and should come off in large sections. Shedding may have to be facilitated by a warm bath and loose shed being pulled off manually. Care should be taken to make sure shed is removed from around toenails completely to prevent buildup.

Toes on both front and back legs are clawed. Claws are thick and strongly curved. Teeth are small, barely noticeable, but jaw pressure is relatively strong, giving the lizard a surprisingly strong bite. Eyes are small with circular pupils and may be bright yellow to dark brown. C. zebrata is an excellent climber but moves slowly both on flat ground and in trees. These lizards are strictly herbivorous and eat a variety of leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits.

Fig. 1 - Prehensile Tailed Skink.

Species is ovoviviparous, meaning that they do not lay their eggs, but hatch them within their body and give birth to live young. C. zebrata have only 1 (rarely 2) offspring every other year and newborn skinks are carried on their mother's back for about the first six months of it's life. Males remain with female and offspring for added protection.

A wellness checkup by a qualified veterinarian is highly recommended for new arrivals and a deworming regimen followed since many infections may go unnoticed for several weeks.

Recommended Enclosures

Being excellent climbers, C. zebrata requires a tall enclosure. one adult lizard may be housed in an enclosure that is at least 4ftW x 2ftD x 4ftH with larger enclosures always recommended. Lizards should be housed separately or in family/breeding groups only. Lid or doors can be screened to allow for air changes and release of excess heat. Lid or doors should be secure, even able to be locked, since these lizards can easily lift or pop open any opening that is not securely latched.

Substrate can vary. Newspaper, recycled paper liners, and reptile carpet are acceptable but do not easily maintain humidity. Leaf-litter or reptile bark (dry mulch) substrates are suitable and maintain humidity well. Substrate should be sifted a few times each week to remove loose fecal material and changed completely at least every three months. Wet substrate, especially wood varieties, should be removed in a timely manner to prevent mold or fungus growth.

Fig. 2 - The prehensile tail of the PTS.

C. zebrata can be highly elusive and prefers to hide during the daylight hours. Therefore a properly sized hide should be provided to allow shelter from heat and environmental stress. Hide can be cork bark, half-log real wood, or any type of opaque plastic tub that is large enough (turned upside down with one side cut out).

A large water dish at least 1-2 inches deep but even deep enough for the skink to soak it's entire body, should be provided and water changed daily. Artificial plants can be added to vivarium for appearance and shelter.

Live plants should be avoided since they may be ingested or trampled by climbing. Rocks a various sizes are also acceptable and provide both hiding spaces and basking locations. Large rocks should be placed in cage securely to prevent rolling or slipping. Logs and branches can also be added for climbing as long as they are properly secured and disinfected.

To maintain proper humidity levels, at least 50-60% during nonshedding times and 80% during shedding process, misting the enclosure several times a day and placing a large water dish beneath the heat lamp are helpful. Many digital thermometers have built-in hygrometers so monitoring humidity and temperature is accomplished easily with one device. Also recommended are the ultrasonic humidifiers available for human use. PVC piping and rubber/silicon tubing may be used to help "pipe" the mist into the enclosure from the humidifier. Electrical appliances should not be placed in the enclosure.

Lighting and Heating

Fig. 3 - Prehensile Tailed Skink.

A heat lamp with a simple 60-watt bulb can be sat on top of the enclosure (as long as the top is screened and heat resistant - metal screening is the best) to help heat the cage. A broad-spectrum reptile bulb can be used in place of a regular incandescent and UVA/UVB lighting should be used in conjunction with it. Light should be provided for approximately 12 hours each day with 12 hours of dark. Cycles may be changed to match natural daylight cycles but a consistent day/night cycle is recommended. If necessary at night, a blue, black, or infrared reptile 'night' light can be used to supplement heat. Since C. zebrata is native to warm, humid rainforests, the temperature of the enclosure should be between 78-85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and about 5-10 degrees less at night. Under tank heatpads are also available for heating but do not heat a tall enclosure well enough to be used alone and lighting should still be provided for proper maintenance of circadian rhythms. There are a variety of different cage thermometers available and regulating and monitoring the temperature in any enclosure is a good idea. Digital thermometers are best for accurate monitoring and are fairly inexpensive.

Feeding

C. zebrata is entirely herbivorous and should not be offered any type of animal/insect protein. They should be offered fresh, leafy greens such as collard, dandelion, turnip, kale, and carrot tops as 75-80% of their diet. Other fruits and vegetables should make up the rest of the diet. Acceptable items include (but do not exclude): apples, sweet potatoes, pears, peaches, grapes, watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, kiwi, papaya, mango, and cantaloupe. Other food items that can be offered sparingly are spinach, tomatoes, and oranges. In place of fresh fruit, fruit baby food can also be offered. Boiled eggs can also be offered once a month but should not be offered more often because of the high amounts of protein and skinks may begin to eat preferentially and refuse other foods. All food should be shredded or chopped into bite-size pieces and dusted weekly with a calcium powder.

This article Copyright Angie Stidham ©2005
Figs. 1, 2 & 3 Copyright Angie Stidham ©2005
Reproduced with permission.