Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, guys can you help me again?Id like to know whether MTS do eat boiled eggs like some sites state.I would like also to know which diseases MTS are more prone to have.For instance, for igs the main problems are MBD and Kidney failure.For Beardies, yellow fungus.And for MTS?

Thanks again!

SOUTHERN FLORIDA CORUCIA RESEARCH CENTER(SFCRC)

Location: LEE/1.

Hi Flavia,

Corucia's are primary Herbivorous. Eggs are good to provide to Tiliqua but I do not recommend to Monkey Skinks. There is, however evidence of a Gastropodivorous ancestry and perhaps currently. I wrote a paper: Corucia zebrata: Gastropodivorous past or present? (2002) in which I discussed how the Strong quadrate ligamentous sheet and the weakly developed quadratojugal ligament (A design for very hard biting-certainly not for soft Pothos leaves) may link to a land snail-eating ancestor (The Pink-Tongue Skink -Hemisphaeridon gerrardi- a snail eater- is Corucia's closest living relative). Indeed, Corucia's may occasionally take a land snail in the rainforest canopy. I did an experiment with a disinfected Viviparous shell (To avoid contageon to such a valuable species)on a string pulled in front of SFCRC LEE/1 Corucia's. 8 out of 10 took the bait. I next used a wooden block. 2 out od 10 took the bate. It had been noted that Corucia zebrata seems hard-wired to strike at slow movement when searching for food. This could be a real possibility.

Corucias are prown to mouth infections, necrosis of the digits due to restricted circulation by unshed skin, Moon Crater Syndrome (Schnirel,2001) A pot-marked condition on the skin due to psuedomonas infection of the skin-also associated by a decay odor. The cause is stagnant high levels of humidity. a problem associated with solid sided enclosures. in addition to various worm, bacterial, viral, and fungal infections common to many reptiles.

Hope this helps!

Sincerely,
Brian
SFCRC

Thanks again!
While im writing this Leonardo is resting on the back of my chair!This boy(?) is a gift from Gods for any iguana person! We, iguana people, try for months, years in a row to tame our igs, most of the time without any significant result, and it was a marvelous surprise for me to discover how tamable MTS are!I dont understand why MTS owners dont try to tame their babies!

I can explain why I personally am not striving for a tame PTS. I keep them because I am like this species and I am actively trying to create the best environment for breeding and health (humidity, nutrition, space, heat, low stress ect.) I didn't really get them because I wanted a 'pet' to hang out with- I have my dogs and parrots for this. I personally think that in MOST, but not all reptiles- handling=stress and I keep it to a minimum. A PTS that is handled on a regular basis can probably become accustomed to it- the first one I ever met was at a reptile show table (a student org that offered reptile care info) it was very healthy looking and was quite comfortable with being petted. I just don't think it is for every animal, and especially not for one that is in a breeding group- as most PTS are (I know yours is not at this time).
Diseases I have seen in PTS- stomatitis (mouth rot), problems from low humidity (lip curl and shedding difficulty), toe stricture (usually shedding related), dry gangrene of toes or tail tip, bite wounds/infection/abscess, overgrown nails, dystocia (birthing problem- Dan's PTS), GI parasites. Haven't seen MBD.
Jess b

Id like to know why MTS are not prone to have MBD.Even torts have that!Because they are crepuscular? But i read in a INTERNET site that even Croc Skinks that are crepuscular too may have MBD!

About having a reptile to hang out with? Oh yes, i do love that!

Im trying for years to completely tame my 6 igs but although they are fairly tame they are too big and strong to hang out with without having my arm's skin destroyed!lol!

SOUTHERN FLORIDA CORUCIA RESEARCH CENTER (SFCRC)

Location: LEE/1

Ditto to what Jess said. This is an endangered species and We try to minimize stress to a minimum and create as natural conditions as possible conducive for breeding. In the rare instances that they do have to be handled, I personally find them delightful to hold-especially the babies.

Jessica,
What kind of parrots do you have? I personally have a Goffin Cockatoo and a Mexican Redhead Amazon.

Sincerely,
Brian
SFCRC