Date of Submission
7-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Environmental Science
Department
Biology and Environmental Sciences
Advisor
Sharon N. Kahara, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Christian W. Conroy, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Tyson Facto
Keywords
Animal Enrichment, Prehensile Tailed Skink, Olfactory Enrichment, Orange Scent, Mystic Aquarium, Herptile Behavior
LCSH
: Environmental enrichment (Animal culture), Prehensile-tailed skink, Olfactory sensors, Essences and essential oils, Reptiles--Behavior
Abstract
Enrichment practices can come in many forms such as forage, tactical, structural, visual, soc and olfactory. Most animal enrichment studies focus on birds and mammals with less than 3% of studies on herptiles. For this study, I tested the effect of an orange scent addition to prehensile tailed skink enrichment items to determine whether olfactory inducements increase the intensity and frequency of interaction with an enrichment item. Essential oils are very dynamic and render a unique sense of novelty to enrichment sessions that allow for repeatability, in mammal studies. These results will be quantified using an engagement scale to gauge the level of interaction per treatment made specifically for this study. The study took place at Mystic Aquarium following the methods of the Fish and Inverts husbandry team, and the olfactory enrichment practices that are already in place to ensure the health and wellbeing of the individuals in this study. By understanding the physiology of prehensile tailed skinks, I predicted that there would likely be an increase of engagement when a novel scent is added to their enrichment items. Since Prehensile tailed skinks are the only strictly herbivorous skink, orange scent was determined to be the best fit for this study. It was found that the most engaged with the enrichment item was the orange scented high saturated green balls while the unscented low saturated purple ball received the least on average. However, it was independently the color and the scent of the enrichment item that brought about these results. This study is expected to have broader implications for successful long-term survival of prehensile tailed skinks under professional care and possibly similar herpetofauna.
Recommended Citation
Gaboury, Anna, "Efficacy of Olfactory Enrichment on Corucia Zebrata under Professional Care" (2026). Master's Theses. 296.
https://digitalcommons.newhaven.edu/masterstheses/296