Emerald Tree Skink baby- Captive Bred

Application to Purchase Required - live animal purchases require a review of your setup. After placing your order, a Customer Care Specialist will reach out to review your husbandry and habitat. Approval for purchase is NOT guaranteed and if denied, the order may be cancelled. Upon approval, you will receive a link to set up a shipping date for your live animal. All animals ship via Fed Ex overnight.

Species Overview

Common Name: Emerald Tree Skink
Scientific Name: Lamprolepis smaragdina
Size: Dependent on the individual animal listed
Adult size: 8-10 inches (20-25 cm) snout to tail length

Size when shipped:

• Baby: 4"-5"  
  

Lineage: These Emerald Tree Skinks are F2 captive bred offspring, produced from F1 parents originating from an established wild phenotype founding pair. These animals represent a well-established captive lineage and have been raised in a long-term breeding program focused on healthy, thriving animals.

In-house testing/treatment:

• Healthy body score 
• Clean fecal 
• No missing toes 

Defining traits:

• Brilliant emerald green coloration with sleek, streamlined bodies
• Highly intelligent and interactive lizard species known for curiosity and confidence around keepers
• Excellent climbers with strong adhesive toe pads and impressive jumping ability
• Diurnal and highly active throughout the day
• Naturally social species that often thrive in compatible groups when given proper space
• Famous for willingly interacting with humans and often choosing to perch directly on their keepers
• Alert, fast-moving, and incredibly aware of their surroundings

Care at a Glance

This species can be considered as an intermediate level lizard. While Emerald Tree Skinks are generally hardy and personable, they are extremely active and require a large, well-planted arboreal enclosure with plenty of usable climbing space. Their speed and agility can make handling difficult for inexperienced keepers, but their outgoing personalities often make them one of the most rewarding reptile species to work with.

These skinks do exceptionally well in properly structured social groups, provided there is adequate space, visual barriers, and multiple basking and feeding areas. They are highly intelligent and benefit greatly from enriched habitats with abundant climbing opportunities and live plants.

Size:

• 8–12 inches total length as adults
• Slender-bodied with long tails and lightweight athletic builds

Biological niche: 

• Insectivorous omnivore with occasional nectar treat
• Diurnal 
• Highly arboreal and active throughout all levels of the enclosure
• Exceptional climbers and jumpers that utilize branches, cork bark, and broad-leaved plants
• Social, inquisitive, and often interactive with keepers
• Can display dominance behaviors within groups if overcrowded or improperly structured

Native range:

• Oceania and surrounding island regions including the Solomon Islands and Indonesia

Group vs. Non-group housing:

• Emerald Tree Skinks are one of the few commonly kept lizards that can do exceptionally well in properly managed social groups when provided with sufficient space and environmental complexity. They are commonly kept as pairs or small colonies consisting of one male and multiple females.
• Multiple males are generally not recommended unless housed in extremely large, heavily structured habitats with established social dynamics and visual barriers.
• Fun Fact: Emerald Tree Skinks are widely known for voluntarily interacting with humans and are one of the few reptiles that may actively seek out keeper interaction once established and comfortable.

Terrestrial vs. Arboreal:

• Strongly arboreal. This species utilizes vertical space constantly and benefits from large amounts of climbing structure, elevated basking zones, and dense foliage coverage. The more usable climbing area provided, the more natural behaviors you will observe.

Vivarium Size

• Minimum: 18” x 18” x 24” for a lone gecko. For a pair, a 24"x24"x36" is the minimum size. If you are going with a troop, a minimum of a 4'x2'x6' is recommended. They require lots of space. 
  
• Babies should not be housed in anything smaller than a 12" x 12" x 18" enclosure initially, though rapid growth means upgrades are needed quickly.

Temperature:

• Daytime ambient: 75–82°F
• Basking area: 90–95°F
• Night drop: 72–76°F

Humidity:

• 70–90% humidity preferred
• Daily misting recommended alongside strong ventilation
• Mist king systems go a long way with this species, they LOVE misting systems! 

Diet:

• Appropriately sized live insects (crickets, roaches, black soldier fly larvae)
• Insects should be gut-loaded and dusted with calcium and multivitamin supplements
• Occasional fruit-based gecko diet may be offered as enrichment

Recommended Terrarium Supplies:

• Bio Dude's Terra Firma substrate
• Leaf litter and sphagnum moss
• Vertical cork bark tubes, ghostwood branches, and elevated climbing structures
• Dense live plants with sturdy foliage and broad leaves
• Bromeliads and other tropical terrarium plants for hydration opportunities and cover
• Shallow water dish
• LED plant light
• Low-wattage basking heat source
• UVB lighting — we utilize Arcadia 6% UVB in-house
• Digital thermometer and hygrometer
• Quality misting system recommended
• Above-ground feeding dish like The Bio Dude's Lizard Ledge

Important Policies (Please Read Before Purchasing)

After purchasing, upload your habitat for approval here.

After approval, we will email you the animal purchase contract found here.

Read our Live Arrival Guarantee prior to purchasing here.

Scheduling:

We care about long-term success. All live animals require a scheduled shipping date set after the approval process.  To book your shipping day, click here.

Conservation & Additional Resources

Emerald Tree Skink Caresheet

View Emerald Tree Skinks on the IUCN List