Corucia Housing

Leeway Corucia Research Center (LCRC)


From: Oceanic Giant Skinks

Housing

In warmer climates such as Southern Florida, wooden framed hardware cloth enclosures work ideally for Corucia. The SFCRC at location one (Wellington, Florida) used this format very successsfully. The advatages were increased surface area (wire sides) for climbing. Proper air flow (no stagnant air), accessibilty of natural rain showers, natural photoperiod,easy of attachment of artifical plants, etc. At the Southern Florida Corucia Research Center, hardware cloth enclosures were housed within a screened walkin enclosure outdoors. A rainforest like canopy of plants and trees overhung the screened enclosure several feet above and surrounding the area. In this setting, Corucia were kept outdoors outdoors all but the coldest part of the year (indoors 2 months of the year).

In cooler climates such as at SFCRC location two (Blenheim, South Carolina), solid wooden enclosures with a screen front door (plastic or metal hardware cloth)worked better under winter conditions with Corucia kept primarily indoors. Winter heating invariably creates room relative humidities in the 20-30% range which is way low for long term health of Corucia. Unless one is adroit and has the means to humidify the entire building or room, an open screened enclosure is very difficult to keep humid under such conditions. Others have kept Corucia successfully with melamine enclosures as well in indoor environments. UV in these indoor environments can be utilized and certainly can due no harm. The Corucia may experience some form of enrichment of a natural source from their former environment as filtered as it may be. If one does not choose to use UV in their enclosures, there does not appear any evidence that harm will occur with their Corucia.

If one is in heated indoor facilities in a Northern climate, another option touch upon above with screened enclosures is to close-off the room and humidify it rather than using separate humidifiers and heat sources installed in each solid sided enclosure. This would solve much of the humidity issue with using the hardware cloth type enclosure. A room divider can be installed with a wood frame adjusted to fit snug against the walls (Without nails or screws for easy disassembly for the summer months). Thick plastic tarp can be stapled to the framework. A door frame can be constructed with vertical slits cut several inches apart (similar to what is used in walk-in coolers). A large room humifier with a space heater can be utilized to achieve the optimum weather conditions. Humidity should be 70-80% with occasions of brief humidities near 100% (misting and natural rainshowers) Temperatures should be 68 degress F.at night and no higher than 85 degrees F. during the day.

Corucia require a large vertical component to their enclosure. 54 inches high, 36 inches wide, and 24 inches deep seems ideal for these skinks. The largest enclosure ever used (at the LCRC-Leeway Corucia Research Center) measured 72 inches high, 58 inches wide, and 18 inches deep.

Natural plant material (if non toxic-of course) can be used but one must consider the plants being torn up and eaten. It can be very costly and tiring to keep replacing plants. Artifical plants remain attactive and as such, a more careful monitoring of the Corucian diet can be achieved. Corucia live in old growth forests so hanging epiphtic vines are essential to 'feeling at home'. Upper platforms should be utilized and hides must be provided. The hides and platforms can be natural wood but artifical, realistic looking items are available and should be considered. The reason for this is that nooks and crannies in natural wood may invite mite infestation. Also, the high humidities that Corucia require may generate molds and fungus. Otherwise, at the 70+% humidity for Corucuia, these natural structures need to be monitored for fungal growth. There should be at least a couple of stone bridges, hollow stumps, rock caves, or other form of retreat utilized. Be careful of holes that may strangle an animal or hides so small that a Corucia cannot back out or turn around. This has happened! A pool for soaking and drinking is essential for this species.

Flooring for outdoor setups can be hardware cloth. Indoor setups can be solid bottoms with inexpensive, removable carpeting provided. Inexpensive cloth mats work well too. Linoleum makes an attractive and easily clean floor as well.

Some rather attractive door handles have appeared on the market. The SFCRC used a prehensile tailed lizard handle made by Belwith. They were available in seafoam green and pewter. Obviously, the seafoam green color was selected. The design first appeared in 2000. The 3" lizard pull if from the Belwith collection CMV419 (nature animals and insects) The item number is: Bel - PA 1522 -VG. Height is 1 5/8" (42mm). Width is 4 1/4" (107mm). Projection 1 1/16" (28mm). Mounting hardware 8/32" thread with a 1" long screw. Hole spacing is a 3" (76mm) length.
A good hand misting system, especially with a number of enclosures and individuals, is a sprayer such as a 2 gallon Ortho heavy duty sprayer (model # 190082). Everything and everyone can be misted with a good projection at one load. Houseplants or Pothos used as Corucia food, can be addressed at the same time. The problem with handheld plant type sprayers is that they don't last - especially the handles. In addition, one's hand gets sore from all the constant pumping. Also, the time and inconvience of the constant refills should be considered.

The LCRC has found that instead of castors which frequently loosen and/or break off, wooden automotive dollys or better yet...bakery carts are ideal to set the Corucia enclosures on. This facilitates ease in moving the enclosures. This is especially important if the enclosures are moved in and outdoors to take advantage of natural climate conditions.

Brian L. Schnirel
LCRC

This is great information Brian! After talking to Sherri today, this is helpful to have in print to reference! Thanks, Karen

Typo Corrections made: my apologies, Brian


Housing

In warmer climates such as Southern Florida, wooden framed hardware cloth enclosures work ideally for Corucia. The SFCRC at location one (Wellington, Florida) used this format very successsfully. The advantages were increased surface area (wire sides) for climbing. Proper air flow (no stagnant air), accessibilty of natural rain showers, natural photoperiod,easy of attachment of artifical plants, etc. At the Southern Florida Corucia Research Center, hardware cloth enclosures were housed within a screened walkin enclosure outdoors. A rainforest like canopy of plants and trees overhung the screened enclosure several feet above and surrounding the area. In this setting, Corucia were kept outdoors outdoors all but the coldest part of the year (indoors 2 months of the year).

In cooler climates such as at SFCRC location two (Blenheim, South Carolina), solid wooden enclosures with a screen front door (plastic or metal hardware cloth) worked better under winter conditions with Corucia kept primarily indoors. Winter heating invariably creates room relative humidities in the 20-30% range which is way low for long term health of Corucia. Unless one is adroit and has the means to humidify the entire building or room, an open screened enclosure is very difficult to keep humid under such conditions. Others have kept Corucia successfully with melamine enclosures as well in indoor environments. UV in these indoor environments can be utilized and certainly can due no harm. The Corucia may experience some form of enrichment of a natural source from their former environment as filtered as it may be. If one does not choose to use UV in their enclosures, there does not appear any evidence that harm will occur with their Corucia.

If one is in heated indoor facilities in a Northern climate, another option touch upon above with screened enclosures is to close-off the room and humidify it rather than using separate humidifiers and heat sources installed in each solid sided enclosure. This would solve much of the humidity issue with using the hardware cloth type enclosure. A room divider can be installed with a wood frame adjusted to fit snug against the walls (Without nails or screws for easy dissembly for the summer months). Thick plastic tarp can be stapled to the framework. A door frame can be constructed with vertical slits cut several inches apart (similar to what is used in walk-in coolers). A large room humidifier with a space heater can be utilized to achieve the optimum weather conditions. Humidity should be 70-80% with occasions of brief humidities near 100% (misting and natural rainshowers) Temperatures should be 68 degrees F.at night and no higher than 85 degrees F. during the day.

Corucia require a large vertical component to their enclosure. 54 inches high, 36 inches wide, and 24 inches deep seems ideal for these skinks. The largest enclosure ever used (at the LCRC-Leeway Corucia Research Center) measured 72 inches high, 58 inches wide, and 18 inches deep.

Natural plant material (if non toxic-of course) can be used but one must consider the plants being torn up and eaten. It can be very costly and tiring to keep replacing plants. Artifical plants remain attactive and as such, a more careful monitoring of the Corucian diet can be achieved. Corucia live in old growth forests so hanging epiphtic vines are essential to 'feeling at home'. Upper platforms should be utilized and hides must be provided. The hides and platforms can be natural wood but artifical, realistic looking items are available and should be considered. The reason for this is that nooks and crannies in natural wood may invite mite infestation. Also, the high humidities that Corucia require may generate molds and fungus. Otherwise, at the 70+% humidity for Corucia, these natural structures need to be monitored for fungal growth. There should be at least a couple of stone bridges, hollow stumps, rock caves, or other form of retreat utilized. Be careful of holes that may strangle an animal or hides so small that a Corucia cannot back out or turn around. This has happened! A pool for soaking and drinking is essential for this species.

Flooring for outdoor setups can be hardware cloth. Indoor setups can be solid bottoms with inexpensive, removable carpeting provided. Inexpensive cloth mats work well too. Linoleum makes an attractive and easily clean floor as well.

Some rather attractive door handles have appeared on the market. The SFCRC used a prehensile tailed lizard handle made by Belwith. They were available in seafoam green and pewter. Obviously, the seafoam green color was selected. The design first appeared in 2000. The 3" lizard pull if from the Belwith collection CMV419 (nature animals and insects) The item number is: Bel - PA 1522 -VG. Height is 1 5/8" (42mm). Width is 4 1/4" (107mm). Projection 1 1/16" (28mm). Mounting hardware 8/32" thread with a 1" long screw. Hole spacing is a 3" (76mm) length. Cost is about $6.98. A
A good hand misting system, especially with a number of enclosures and individuals, is a sprayer such as a 2 gallon Ortho heavy duty sprayer (model # 190082). Everything and everyone can be misted with a good projection at one load. Houseplants or Pothos used as Corucia food, can be addressed at the same time. The problem with handheld plant type sprayers is that they don't last - especially the handles. In addition, one's hand gets sore from all the constant pumping. Also, the time and inconvience of the constant refills should be considered.

The LCRC has found that instead of castors which frequently loosen and/or break off, wooden automotive dollys or better yet...bakery carts are ideal to set the Corucia enclosures on. This facilitates ease in moving the enclosures. This is especially important if the enclosures are moved in and outdoors to take advantage of natural climate conditions.

Housing of mine has been in reptariums in a heated room with UV flo tubes above or mounted at the top inside of the cages. They can make holes in these enclosures but it takes a long time and they can be closed with twist ties. Advantages include good ventilation and lots of climbing spaces. Hideboxes are attached to the top of the cages, and rope is used to approximate vines, along with some branches to climb on. There are also some hiding boxes and a water dish at the bottom. The do not seem to be UV dependent in all the years I have been keeping them.

Serraticauda

(Sorry - I meant to add this on to the previous response)

I keep mine in groups of 1:1 to 1:3, but have found that breeding is more consistent with individuals from different groups. I was considering making the entire room a large cage, and allowing different groups to meet each other. They have lost their territorial aggression to each other, I suspect because they have all gotten used to each other's scent marking in the room and consider themselves one big colony (another advantage of screen cages).
Any experiences with keeping bigger groups together, or is this a recipe for an ugly fight.

Serraticauda

Hello,

The number of females can very but a Corucia Circulus generally will tolerate only one male (One exception: LCRC/Czz/36-Male, LCRC/Czz/9 -Male, LCRC/Czz/8 - Female, LCRC/Czz/44, Year old youngster. LCRC/Czz/36 was a youngster approaching age 5-sexual maturity. He was believed to be female until one day he was observed mating with LCRC/Czz/8. LCRC/Czz/9 was tolerant of this. However, shortly thereafter, LCRC/czz/36 started to act aggressive to LCRC/CZZ/9.) If under 5, larger groups can be housed or introduced into an existing Circulus. If one had an extremely large size enclosure and I mean large, in theory, territories could be established with separate Circulus districts. One Enclosure at the LEEWAY CORUCIA RESEARCH CENTER has an alfredschmidti Circulus of 3 females to one male. In general, we do not keep more than this in the number of females to one Circulus. 1:2 is preferred.

Brian
LCRC