Corucia zebrata, Solomon Islands Skink, prehensile-tailed skink, monkey-tailed skink, giant skink, zebra skink, monkey skink.

Life in the Trees...

 

 

Housing
As they are large arboreal tropical animals, skinks requires a large arboreal enclosureIn captivity skinks need as much room as  can be provided. with plenty of climbing branched, logs, and pothos plants.

In a previous house I had a atrium room with large skylights, and waterproof walls and floors with a drain making misting, watering of plants and washing of the floors easy. A sunroom addition to the house also accomodated them. Now they are in a outdoor greenhouse structure. There are two family groups so the greenhouse is divided into two 10'x6' sections.

With a in room enclosure use solid plexiglass or glass walls with plenty of cork logs and branches for climbing. If using any wire mesh only use plastic coated wire.  They are large heavy lizards and the skin at the base their nails can be damaged when they climb.

Temperature
I use infared radient heat panels above and also red poly heat mats from KANE.
I do not suggest using the red rock heaters. Skink stomack skin is very delicate, especially when damp or after shedding, and they can be badly burned.

Do not use heat lamps in skink areas.

Use lamps only outside the cage or enclosure area. Skinks can reach and climb anything seemingly unreachable area using a combination of their powerful legs and tail and be severely burned.

 

Spray the pothos plant leaves with water, the skinks will immediately start licking the dripping water and are encourged to munch some leaves. Humidity needs to be kept as close to 70-80% as possible, by hand misting or misting systems. Maintaining proper humid conditions will lessen shedding and toe problems.

Cork logs are perfect for skinks. They are large, stong, easy on the toes and provide both basking and hiding spots. Try and use mesh sparingly in the enclosure, it is mush better for them to climb on logs, trees and plants.

many hiding places...

large infared heat pad overhead

places to sleep...

 

House them with places to climb...

 

Contact me at: linda@lsnye.com

All photos and videos, © 2014-2021 Linda S. Nye