Prehensile tailed skinks, Corucia zebrata, are known to be the world's largest skink. They are found exclusively on the Solomon Islands. In recent years wild populations have come under increasing pressure primarily due to habitat destruction (intensive logging) and collection for the pet trade. Adult females produce only one (rarely two) very large offspring after an 8 to 9 month gestation. With such low reproductive rates wild populations cannot easily recover from such pressures.
Here at Signal Herpetoculture we have been working with this species for many years. Several offspring have been born under our care. Captive breeding is rarely a justifiable means of preserving a species! For this reason we encourage anyone interested in this species to not purchase wild caught animals as pets. We would also support the elevation of this species protected status from CITES II to I.
Female ID # 93004
Male ID # 94003
The female below was produced by the above pair on 16 September 1999.
She is for sale and priced at $550.00
Male ID # 98031
Female ID # 98032
Female ID # 98033
Female ID # 98034
This female (pictured on the right) was acquired in 1998. She was previously in an institutional collection and is a very long term captive! The male (pictured left) was acquired as an import in December of 1999. His color is very unusual. He has an overall golden yellow cast and we've only seen one other skink like him. The baby was produced by this pair on 7 December 2002.
Group price $2,200.00
This pair was acquired and placed together in 2003. Both are WC imports that have been treated for parasites and acclimated. This is a very nice pair and it's possible that the female may be gravid.
Pair price $1,200.00