Description:
Scientific name: Cyclodomorphus gerrardii
Life span: 10 – 15 years
It has a long, slender, slightly prehensile tail that is around the same length as its body. It also has a slim body. The limbs have extended digits and pointed claws, and they are well developed. The head is comparatively broad, wider in men than in women, and the neck is clearly defined. The tongue is pink in adulthood. The dorsal ground color of C. gerrardii is slate-gray to fawn, with transverse bands that are dark gray to brown or black. Males have more pronounced bands than females, who have less distinct bands.
Native Region/Habitat
Australia is the sole home of C. gerrardii. It extends from Springwood, New South Wales, to the Cairns Region, Queensland, and along the eastern coastal plain and eastern ranges.
Behavior:
Wet sclerophyll forests, rainforests, and damp regions in woodlands are all home to C. gerrardii. It finds cover under piles of leaves, inside hollow logs, and in cracks in rocks and trees. Its slim body and limbs are a survival strategy for navigating dense foliage. On smooth surfaces, C. gerrardii glides with lateral undulations, but while moving through grass or climbing on branches using only the forelimbs, it holds its hind limbs close to the body and moves its tail in a side-winding manner. Snails and slugs make up its primary diet, and it forages for them both during the day and at night in the summer as well as during the day in the cooler months. C. gerrardii uses its broad, flattened teeth in the back of the upper and lower jaw to crush snail shells. Although only partially arboreal, C. gerrardii is a skilled climber, using its semi-prehensile tail as a supporting aid and climbing trees to eat when necessary. In order to avoid predators, juveniles appear to climb vegetation more frequently. When confronted, C. gerrardii elevates its body off the ground to appear larger and exhibits fast tongue flicking or vibrating, which is a snake-like behavior.
Care As a pet/In captivity:
Enclosure: We advise a minimum enclosure size of 24 by 18 by 18 inches. A larger enclosure is preferable if you have the space and resources. Actually, as long as the enclosure satisfies the suggested minimum dimensions, you can build it in any size you wish.
Temperature: You must designate one end of the enclosure as the warm end and the other as the cool-down side in order to generate a temperature gradient. This may seem difficult, but it’s really fairly easy.
Your pink-tongue skink will sunbathe towards the warm end of the enclosure. Set up your basking lamp on this end and add some branches and logs. 80 degrees Fahrenheit should always be maintained in this heated area. The tank’s cooler side should continue to be at 75 degrees Fahrenheit. It can be as cold as the low 70s at night. You will want a heat source at night if the temperature falls any lower.
Humidity: Pink-tongued skink enclosure humidity needs to be between 70 and 80 percent. For your pet’s overall health and comfort, keeping this in good condition is crucial, therefore you should take it carefully.
Food: They will consume a nice variety of meals, including canned cat food, snails, wax worms, mealworms and crickets. Fruit like bananas, blueberries, mangoes, or raspberries are also good options.
Every other day or so, give juvenile pink-tongue skinks food. Adults, however, can often only be fed three times each week. Put their food in a little bowl and then take it away once they are finished.
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