Monkey Tailed Skinks- anyone?

[Longhorns1187]

I know www.undergroundreptiles.com sells some cheap ones. I think $850 for a CB baby. I heard they keep their animals really dry. I’m visiting their store when I go to Florida in February. I heard monkey tailed skinks are very social animals. The babies hang on their mother’s back and eats her fecal pellets. They are one of the few reptiles that stay as a family. Live young, too. The reptile store near me does not carry them, but does special orders. They say the monkey tails are the best pet reptile. I have no experience with them so I can not say. They have been open for 40 years, so I trust what they say. Everyone who has monkey tails, do you agree with my reptile shop?
-Mickey

They are definitely a social reptile, as they can be found living in a circulus in the wild. We are still undecided about getting her a potential mate, as pairing with the opposite sex is not a 100% guarantee. She had really bonded with me, as we have the time each day to dedicate to her. If she were more of a look at pet or we were a busy family with a busy schedule, I'd lean more toward getting her a potential mate.

We keep Penelope at about 60-80% humidity in her enclosure, by having a Mistking go off every 2 and a half hours. Higher humidity is especially important when it comes to shedding. The average humidity in the Solomon Islands, where Corucia zebrata come from, is 79%.

I'm not sure I would call them the best pet reptile, but they are one of the coolest ones. They do have specific requirements that need to be met to raise healthy specimens (large arboreal oriented enclosure, copious amounts of pothos leaves, UVB lighting, cork bark tubes, etc.).

 

[wccmog10]

I have heard they can bite. The ones i got to hold at the reptile show were babies but calm enough to let us hold them. we tried to hold them in a way that was not restrictive. They are really cool. i don't have enough space to ever have one, but i can live vicariously thru others!

Yes they can bite, and when they do you will know it. It hurts! But in my experience they are usually docile and don’t bite. I would always wear some sort of glove though when I handled them though, not because of bites, but from their claws. Just from trying to hang onto my arm I would get really scratched up.

 

[TortoiseRacket]

Yes they can bite, and when they do you will know it. It hurts! But in my experience they are usually docile and don’t bite. I would always wear some sort of glove though when I handled them though, not because of bites, but from their claws. Just from trying to hang onto my arm I would get really scratched up.

I was going to get a monkey tailed skink, but I fell in love with a special needs crested gecko instead.

 

[Longhorns1187]

Yes they can bite, and when they do you will know it. It hurts! But in my experience they are usually docile and don’t bite. I would always wear some sort of glove though when I handled them though, not because of bites, but from their claws. Just from trying to hang onto my arm I would get really scratched up.

Oh yeah. They have some serious claws. You can tell when they get a little nervous or are a little unsure of their footing, because they really start to grip a little tighter, which in turn, digs their claws in a little deeper. Penelope climbs on me pretty much daily and the only really painful times are on the back of my neck...lol. She does give me some decent goosebumps when she gets near my ears and I can sense her tongue smelling the air. That's about the time I say "don't do it". Lol.

Here are a couple of photos of the monkey tailed skinks at our zoo.

 

[Tom]

They say the monkey tails are the best pet reptile.

They are cool lizards, and this is certainly subjective, but no, I would not call them the best pet reptile. I don't think I'd even put them in the top 10. Don't get me wrong. I like them a lot, but they aren't the best when all factors are considered.

I wouldn't buy anything from underground. Do a search in the vendor review section here. No thank you.

 

[KarenSoCal]

I like them a lot, but they aren't the best when all factors are considered.

Which begs the question...which is the best?

Then, the best for a new owner?

 

[ColleenT]

Which begs the question...which is the best?

Then, the best for a new owner?

i think there are a few who's needs are easier, and therefore a beginner could really enjoy them. Ball pythons for the snake lover, and maybe Crested Geckos for the gecko lover.

 

[Tom]

Which begs the question...which is the best?

Then, the best for a new owner?

There would need to be an agreed upon list of criteria, and each person's criteria might be different. I'll make a list of criteria that seems reasonable to me, and then list a few choices based on that. Your milage may vary...

"Best" reptile criteria:
1. Ease of keeping.
2. Cost and ease of initial set up.
3. Housing size requirements.
4. Attractiveness of the animal. This is both physical appearance and personality, in my view.
5. Hardiness and adaptability of animal.
6. Size of animal. (This one is very subjective. Some people like large, or small, animals. If you live in Tuscon and have a large yard, a giant tortoise is easy. If you live in Minnesota in an apartment, then a sulcata would not be an easy keeper for you...)
7. Handleability of animal. Meaning: Is it likely to bite the crap out of you...
8. Difficulty in providing the necessary diet for this animal.

Based on the above listed criteria, here are some that I think qualify. Not necessarily in order, and certainly not my favorite species to work with.
1. Ball python.
2. Corn snake.
3. King snake. To include the milk snakes too.
4. Leopard gecko.
5. Crested Gecko.
6. Blue tongue skink.
7. Bearded dragon.
8. Any of the main Testudo tortoises. Greeks, hermanni, or Russians.
9. Schneider skinks.
10. Fire skinks.
11. Fat tailed gecko.
12. Skunk gecko.
13. Ackie monitor lizards.
14. Box turtles.

Lists like this can be argued forever, but this is a sampling of my opinion on the matter.

 

[wccmog10]

Which begs the question...which is the best?

Then, the best for a new owner?

I would say that depends on the person and what they are looking for. There is no “one size fits all” for “best pet reptile” in my opinion. What is best for a 10 year old is not the same as an expierenced reptile keeper who wants to have a more advanced species. I would argue that something like a leopard or redfoot tortoise is a great reptile- provided you live in a warm enough environment. You can raise them inside for the first few years- which gives you time to bond with it (you bond with the tortoise, the tortoise doesn’t really care about you so much in most cases) and learn its personality. Then when it gets big enough you can put them outside in most any yard without to much expense and you don’t need an expensive indoor setup for the life of the tortoise. Unlike a mammal they do not have to eat every day (or multiple times per day), so I can go on vacation for a week and the tortoise will be fine on its own. And while a lot of people are afraid of snakes (which could fit the bill of “best pet reptile”), most people love turtles

 

[KarenSoCal]

There would need to be an agreed upon list of criteria, and each person's criteria might be different. I'll make a list of criteria that seems reasonable to me, and then list a few choices based on that. Your milage may vary...

"Best" reptile criteria:
1. Ease of keeping.
2. Cost and ease of initial set up.
3. Housing size requirements.
4. Attractiveness of the animal. This is both physical appearance and personality, in my view.
5. Hardiness and adaptability of animal.
6. Size of animal. (This one is very subjective. Some people like large, or small, animals. If you live in Tuscon and have a large yard, a giant tortoise is easy. If you live in Minnesota in an apartment, then a sulcata would not be an easy keeper for you...)
7. Handleability of animal. Meaning: Is it likely to bite the crap out of you...
8. Difficulty in providing the necessary diet for this animal.

Based on the above listed criteria, here are some that I think qualify. Not necessarily in order, and certainly not my favorite species to work with.
1. Ball python.
2. Corn snake.
3. King snake. To include the milk snakes too.
4. Leopard gecko.
5. Crested Gecko.
6. Blue tongue skink.
7. Bearded dragon.
8. Any of the main Testudo tortoises. Greeks, hermanni, or Russians.
9. Schneider skinks.
10. Fire skinks.
11. Fat tailed gecko.
12. Skunk gecko.
13. Ackie monitor lizards.
14. Box turtles.

Lists like this can be argued forever, but this is a sampling of my opinion on the matter.

There would need to be an agreed upon list of criteria, and each person's criteria might be different.

@Tom, this list should be published somewhere for every prospective pet seeker to see!

And certainly each person's criteria is different. For instance, I will not keep anything I need to feed with mice (alive or frozen), or your dear roaches! Probably why I've never seriously had a reptile before my sweet Chug (who BTW is snug in his fridge).

You listed a few critters I've never heard of before...will have to look them up.

Thanks for the great response!

 

[KarenSoCal]

I would say that depends on the person and what they are looking for. There is no “one size fits all” for “best pet reptile” in my opinion. What is best for a 10 year old is not the same as an expierenced reptile keeper who wants to have a more advanced species. I would argue that something like a leopard or redfoot tortoise is a great reptile- provided you live in a warm enough environment. You can raise them inside for the first few years- which gives you time to bond with it (you bond with the tortoise, the tortoise doesn’t really care about you so much in most cases) and learn its personality. Then when it gets big enough you can put them outside in most any yard without to much expense and you don’t need an expensive indoor setup for the life of the tortoise. Unlike a mammal they do not have to eat every day (or multiple times per day), so I can go on vacation for a week and the tortoise will be fine on its own. And while a lot of people are afraid of snakes (which could fit the bill of “best pet reptile”), most people love turtles

You are certainly correct that different animals suit certain people better.

Until I made my acquaintance with Chug, my approx 12 yr old DT, I never really considered a reptile. Part of that, I admit, is that I'm picky about what I will feed a pet...no mice, roaches, or other large bugs. [emoji57]

 

[Tom]

@Tom, this list should be published somewhere for every prospective pet seeker to see!

And certainly each person's criteria is different. For instance, I will not keep anything I need to feed with mice (alive or frozen), or your dear roaches! Probably why I've never seriously had a reptile before my sweet Chug (who BTW is snug in his fridge).

You listed a few critters I've never heard of before...will have to look them up.

Thanks for the great response!

If you are interested in reptiles, look into blue tongue skinks. They get to be about 24", but half of that is tail. They are smart, inquisitive, friendly and docile. The best diet for them is canned dog food and defrosted mixes veggies. They are easy to house and don't need huge enclosures. If I had to pick a best pet reptile, based on the above discussed criteria, including your feeding proclivities, this would be it.

I made a thread on them a while back:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-blue-tongue-skink.30188/

 

[Longhorns1187]

You are certainly correct that different animals suit certain people better.

Until I made my acquaintance with Chug, my approx 12 yr old DT, I never really considered a reptile. Part of that, I admit, is that I'm picky about what I will feed a pet...no mice, roaches, or other large bugs. [emoji57]

Thanks funny. That's initially how we recently (2 years ago) got into reptiles, besides the fly river turtle we've had for 19 years now. I was adamant about not having a reptile that needed to be fed exclusively live bugs. So, that led us to our 3 crested geckos, 2 leachianus geckos, a gargoyle gecko, a blue tongue skink, a pink tongue skink, a Egyptian tortoise, and a monkey tailed skink. Once we opened up the idea of having dubia roaches in the house, a bearded dragon, a Cuban false chameleon, and a pictus gecko followed. And, we'll be picking up 3 gidgee skinks in March at Tinley..lol.

 

[TechnoCheese]

If you are interested in reptiles, look into blue tongue skinks. They get to be about 24", but half of that is tail. They are smart, inquisitive, friendly and docile. The best diet for them is canned dog food and defrosted mixes veggies. They are easy to house and don't need huge enclosures. If I had to pick a best pet reptile, based on the above discussed criteria, including your feeding proclivities, this would be it.

I made a thread on them a while back:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-blue-tongue-skink.30188/

I would love to have a blue tongue eventually. Just gotta convince my parents I need more pets, lol

 

[Longhorns1187]

I would love to have a blue tongue eventually. Just gotta convince my parents I need more pets, lol

Blue tongue skinks are awesome, especially Northerns.

 

[KarenSoCal]

If you are interested in reptiles, look into blue tongue skinks. They get to be about 24", but half of that is tail. They are smart, inquisitive, friendly and docile. The best diet for them is canned dog food and defrosted mixes veggies. They are easy to house and don't need huge enclosures. If I had to pick a best pet reptile, based on the above discussed criteria, including your feeding proclivities, this would be it.

I made a thread on them a while back:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-blue-tongue-skink.30188/

At our CTTC meeting a few months back, one of the members brought in his pregnant blue tongue skink. She was gorgeous, and allowed us to pet her. Only reason I didn't actually hold her was her owner was concerned that if she got startled and fell on the floor, it could cause damage.

Maybe some day when I have fewer pets, I'll look into one. I really liked her.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Thanks funny. That's initially how we recently (2 years ago) got into reptiles, besides the fly river turtle we've had for 19 years now. I was adamant about not having a reptile that needed to be fed exclusively live bugs. So, that led us to our 3 crested geckos, 2 leachianus geckos, a gargoyle gecko, a blue tongue skink, a pink tongue skink, a Egyptian tortoise, and a monkey tailed skink. Once we opened up the idea of having dubia roaches in the house, a bearded dragon, a Cuban false chameleon, and a pictus gecko followed. And, we'll be picking up 3 gidgee skinks in March at Tinley..lol.

I loved this...until the roaches! LOL! I REALLY don't think I will ever "open up" to that!

How many reptiles do you actually have?

 

[Longhorns1187]

I loved this...until the roaches! LOL! I REALLY don't think I will ever "open up" to that!

How many reptiles do you actually have?

14 in total currently, which will change to 17 in March with the addition of the gidgee skink trio. We've got a pretty diverse representation that is easily managed, which is most important to us.

Our juvenile Cuban false chameleon, Wilson.

 

[Tom]

Thanks funny. That's initially how we recently (2 years ago) got into reptiles, besides the fly river turtle we've had for 19 years now. I was adamant about not having a reptile that needed to be fed exclusively live bugs. So, that led us to our 3 crested geckos, 2 leachianus geckos, a gargoyle gecko, a blue tongue skink, a pink tongue skink, a Egyptian tortoise, and a monkey tailed skink. Once we opened up the idea of having dubia roaches in the house, a bearded dragon, a Cuban false chameleon, and a pictus gecko followed. And, we'll be picking up 3 gidgee skinks in March at Tinley..lol.

Ok. Your whole collection sounds amazing, but may I request a thread on your pink tongue skink??? Please. Pretty please...

I've always been interested in them and I've done what "research" I can do, but so few people know them or have any experience with them. I'd love to know all about yours and the housing, care and feeding.

 

[Jennifer M]

If you are interested in reptiles, look into blue tongue skinks. They get to be about 24", but half of that is tail. They are smart, inquisitive, friendly and docile. The best diet for them is canned dog food and defrosted mixes veggies. They are easy to house and don't need huge enclosures. If I had to pick a best pet reptile, based on the above discussed criteria, including your feeding proclivities, this would be it.

I made a thread on them a while back:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-blue-tongue-skink.30188/

Agree completely! We have a Northern Blue Tongue Skink and she is the best pet!