A colony of prehensile-tailed skinks has been maintained for the last 18 years at the Philadelphia Zoological Garden. A total of 47 births, including 5 second generation births have occured. Behaviors of the female suggest some parental care. Average longevity in this colony is 7.5 years with longest-lived individual approaching 18 years.
Housing is best in large tall enclosures.
Hollow logs are used for retreats and appear to stimulate reproduction. The diet consists of mixed fresh fruits and vegetables with a small amount of minced horsemeat and supplimented with multi-viamins, bone meal, and oyster shell flour. The young are raised with the adults. The optimal group size appears to be 1 male with 2 females and their young to reduce aggression.