Island Gnomes

 

The Prehensile Tailed Skinks

 

by Bonnie Keller

 

 

Once upon a time on a tropical island realm far away, there lived a colony of gnomes. These gnomes were especially arboreal, and loved to swing from tree to tree. With time, these little gnomes adapted more and more to their lives in the trees. The grew long tails to be able to hold onto the tree limbs better. They grew sharp claws to be able to grip the bark better, and they grew scales to be able to better deal with the constant drip of the rain forest. They became what we know today as Prehensile Tailed Skinks, or Monkey-tailed skinks, and they haven't lost their little gnome-like faces that hint of mischief. (Well, look at them and see if they don't look like gnomes - it sounded like a good possibility to me, anyway!)

 

Native to the Solomon Islands, the Prehensile Tailed Skink is one of the group of "Giant Skinks." They can reach well over 2.5', with about half that being their long, strong tail which gives them their name. This tail is able to wrap tightly around a tree branch, enabling the animal to hang at odd angles in order to get the choicest bits of vines and leaves - their primary diet. They are, in fact, completely vegetarian, one of the few skinks to have made this dietary adaptation. Feeding them a variety of dark, leafy greens such as collard greens, dandelions, hibiscus and grape leaves, and similar far is recommended. They also love fruits, though these should be offered in moderation.

 

Care of PT skinks is a bit more involved than some reptiles. They require a fairly large cage (at least 2'x4'x4'), with plenty of climbing branches and hiding areas. This size cage would be sufficient for one or two skinks. Larger colonies require larger cages, with many more hiding areas. Both males and females can be territorial, so introducing new skinks into the cage may be difficult and risky. PT skinks often kill newcomers that don't "fit" into the cliques these lizards form.

 

In addition to the large size of the cage, it must be very humid (70% or higher) most of the time. They are nocturnal animals, and therefore, are not good for being sources of daytime entertainment. A large water area needs to be offered, as they enjoy soaking. The water dish often becomes a place for defecation, and it should be changed anytime that happens. Because these lizards are nocturnal, it is doubtful that they require UVB, though supplying a source of UVB would probably not do any harm.

 

As little as 10 years ago, PT skinks were mostly wild-caught imports. Few people were breeding them in captivity, and those that were couldn't possibly keep up with pet-trade demand for them. However, in the early 2000’s, trade in these exotic charmers was severely limited, and prices skyrocketed. As a result, they are extremely hard to find, and rather expensive.

 

These animals are live-bearers, and breed only every other year, or less often. One of the other gnome-like traits they possess is that these skinks are one of the few reptiles which has actually been shown to care for their young after birth. Baby skinks are fairly large - up to 8" long at birth; the 7 to 8 month long gestation period is also quite unusual. This slow reproductive rate, combined with their being collected for the pet trade, and their habitat being destroyed, is quickly leading to these charming creatures' demise in the wild. Captive breeding programs are vital, but are not considered good fiscal bets, unfortunately. It would be wise to do it, anyway, as it may be the only way for these wizened gnomic lizards to avoid extinction.

 

Solomon Island, Monkey-tailed, or Prehensile-tailed skinks are darling lizards which make worthwhile additions to your home. Provide them with ample space, greens, and hiding areas, and they do very well in captivity. If you want one, though, time may be running out; consider finding a captive bred one, if at all possible.