CARING FOR YOUR WATER DRAGON

CARING FOR YOUR WATER DRAGON

The water dragon is a diurnal, semi-aquatic, arboreal, tropical lizard of Asia and Australia. If you're considering buying a water dragon, here are some facts about this lizard.

Appearance

The Asian water dragon is mainly green, with darker areas on the head and joints. The chin and throat are white to light yellow, and the underside is white to pale green. Water dragons do not have a dewlap, but possess large skin folds. A prominent dorsal crest runs from the neck to the tail. Juveniles are typically diagonally banded with 3 to 5 light stripes, usually pale blue to green in color, that disappear with age.

The eastern water dragon, from Australia, resembles the Asian water dragon in size and shape but is brown, with a gray to gray-brown underside. Broad black and narrow white crossbars run through the back and the tail of the animal.
A prominent dark horizontal stripe may be visible on each side of the head, starting from the eye toward the neck. Like the Asian species, a dorsal crest runs from the head to the tail.

Size and Longevity

Most adults usually reach 16 inches in length – the tail counting for half to two-thirds of the length - but some can reach up to a meter in length. They can live up to 11 years.

Behavior

Water dragons are less aggressive and more placid than green iguanas, although they are prone to intense spurts of speed. They also are smaller and more manageable than green iguanas, but like most diurnal lizards they require a spacious vivarium with high quality lighting and heating. All lizards can excrete salmonella, so it's important to be careful about personal hygiene and supervise children around these creatures.

This species is active but usually timid. They may attempt to flee when disturbed. Water dragons can sometimes be intolerant to other animals, so it's recommended to keep either a pair (male and female) or a maximum of a male and two females, together in a single vivarium.

Housing and Environment

In the wild, water dragons live in humid, sub-tropical to tropical forests, wooded streams and rocky littoral.

One to two water dragons can be kept in a 5 1/2-foot by 3-foot by 3-foot vivarium, but larger enclosures permit landscaping, a bigger water pool and overall better aesthetics of the setup. The vivarium should be high enough to install branches so the lizard can bask under a heat lamp or spotlight during the day.

These lizards are semi-aquatic and need a large water area in their enclosure, covering preferably at least a third of the floor. The water should be maintained at 77 degrees Fahrenheit. In most cases general vivarium heating will be sufficient, but an aquarium heater or a heat mat placed under the water container, can be used. The pool of water also will provide high humidity, which is essential for these lizards.

For hygienic reasons, line the floor with newspaper, granulated bark, artificial turf or alfalfa pellets. Replace the floor covering daily or weekly, depending on contamination. In addition to the branches, provide boxes, pieces of bark or hollow tree parts for hideouts.

Water dragons will try to escape from an unsuitable environment or evade dominant cage-mates. They do not seem to perceive glass, screen, or other clear material as a barrier and might hurt their nose by attempting to escape through these surfaces. Creating a visual barrier – putting tape across the glass – might help them see these obstacles and avoid injury.

Diet

Water dragons are mainly carnivorous, feeding on a variety of invertebrates, small mammals, birds, lizards, frogs, and on rare occasions, fruits and plant matter. In captivity they should be fed insects – crickets, locusts and wax worms – and the occasional pinky mice.

All insects should be nutrient "gut loaded" by feeding a commercial insect food or a mix of crushed fish pellets and calcium supplement, with a slice of potato for moisture. In addition, insects should be thoroughly dusted with a high calcium supplement immediately prior to feeding. It is wise to vary the food items to avoid potential nutrient excesses or deficiencies and multivitamins can be added to the dusting formula once or twice a week.

Juveniles should be fed the same diet as the adults, making sure smaller food items are used. As they grow they may accept some fruits, as well as pink mice. Juveniles should be fed every day, while adults can be fed every other day or two to three times a week.

Temperature and Humidity

Heat should be provided by a background heater (tubular heater, infrared through heaters, heat mats, etc.) and a radiant daytime heater (infrared ceramic bulbs, incandescent spotlights). These should be screened in order to prevent any contact burns with the water dragon.

The diurnal temperature variation is vital for proper digestion and assimilation of food and general health. A daytime temperature gradient of 77 to 86 F, with a basking area of 90 to 95 F, should be lowered to 72 to 77 F at night. Use a digital in/out thermometer with maximum/minimum memory to record the day and night thermal gradients within the vivarium.

Humidity of 80 to 100 percent is required for at least part of the day. If the large water area does not create enough humidity in the vivarium, regular spraying can help. Never reduce ventilation to increase humidity.

Lighting

The recommended photoperiod is 12 to 14 hours of light and 10 to 12 hours of darkness. Ideally, provide access to unfiltered sunlight, but if this is not possible, provide a full spectrum light source, which must be placed within 12 inches of the basking sites and replaced every six months for juveniles or 12 months for adults.

Sexing

Males are larger than the females, and their dorsal crest is more developed. Although both sexes possess pre-femoral pores, they are much more developed in the mature male. A hemipenal bulge also can be seen at the base of the tail in mature males.

Breeding

Sexual maturitycan be reached at one year of age. Breeding usually occurs during the winter and early spring. Males in breeding condition will become brightly colored from golden-yellow to deep orange on the chin, chest and side of the head. The female water dragon can lay up to five clutches of eggs in one season, each clutch containing 10 to 15 eggs.

An egg-laying container should be placed in a remote area of the vivarium for egg laying. The eggs are best incubated on damp vermiculite at 82 to 86 F and the babies should hatch between 60 and 101 days. Neonates measure around 6 inches in length at birth. Their care is similar to the adults. They should be raised in groups and fed on insects dusted with mineral supplements and given access to unfiltered sunlight or broad-spectrum, artificial lighting.

Visit The Reptile King for all your water dragon supplies!

Panther Chameleons

Chameleons
Chameleons are amazing creatures, but sometimes are not the best choice as pets. They are not for the beginner and their requirements are quite specific, and they are easily stressed. They do not like to be handled so pass this reptile by if you want to be able to handle your reptile.

True (also known as old world) chameleons are most well known for their ability to change color. Young chameleons are usually a dull gray/brown color and can change shades a bit, but at around 5 months of age the adult color and the ability to change colors develops and a range of colors including green, blue green, turquoise and black can be seen. Changing colors provides camouflage, temperature regulation and a means of communicating with other chameleons. Colors change in response to excitement, stress, temperature, lighting conditions, the presence of another chameleon, and other influences. Generally, a dark brown to black chameleon is stressed, with the brighter colors reflecting a happier mood. Also, different colors can be seen due to color mutations and other color phases.

Other features that make chameleons unique include their tongue, which is used to catch prey. The tongue can be up to 1.5 times the length of the body, allowing chameleons to effectively catch insects from a distance. They live in trees, and their feet have three toes pointing one way and two the other, giving them a good grip. Many species also have a prehensile tail, meaning it is also used to grip branches. They have globular eyes which rotate like turrets and move independently, allowing a chameleon to scan a wide radius around them for both hunting and protection. They are largely insectivorous, although some species eat some vegetation and some small invertebrates such as slugs.

When selecting a chameleon, it is without question best to find a captive bred one. Wild caught specimens are usually extremely stressed, carry a heavy parasite load, and difficult to acclimate to captive conditions. Chameleons are not the hardiest nor easiest reptile to keep and starting with a stressed pet will only make matters worse. In addition, the capture and shipping of chameleons (which fortunately is being more tightly regulated) results in the death of many animals due to stress, dehydration or starvation - many more die in transit than make it to the pet store. (The same can be said for many exotic pet species.) Observe the chameleon - it should be bright and active, able to change colors, and have a well fleshed body. Some experienced chameleon keepers recommend a male, especially for the beginner, as their nutritional needs are somewhat simpler and they seem a little more hardy. Being territorial and solitary animals, chameleons should be kept singly. In any case, two males should never be kept together as they will be very aggressive with each other.

There are several species kept as pets, the most common being the veiled, Jackson's, and panther chameleons. Veiled chameleons are large (up to 2 feet long) and need a suitably large enclosure, but are fairly hardy. Jackson's chameleons are smaller (need less space), and the males look like little triceratops with three horns on the head, but they are not as hardy. Panther chameleons are also quite large (males are much larger than females), and exhibit some striking colors.

The natural habits of chameleons make them tricky to care for - they are arboreal, living exclusively in trees. They are solitary, and easily stressed. As a result, they need a cage with ample foliage for climbing and privacy. The enclosure must be quite large - for the larger chameleons a minimum of 3 feet by 3 feet by 4 feet tall should be provided - but the more space the better. Ample ventilation is required, and a cage screened on three sides is best, with poly mesh or vinyl coated wire preferred to prevent injury due to toes becoming caught. Lots of branches of various diameters need to be provided for climbing and the bulk of the cage space should be filled with branches or live foliage. Ensure that the plants are not toxic, as the chameleon may sample the foliage. Some enthusiasts recommend avoiding ficus plants as well. Substrate made up of small particles (gravel, sand, bark, moss) should be avoided to prevent the chameleon from accidentally eating it while catching prey. Several basking areas of various temperatures must also be provided, ranging from the upper limit of the species temperature preference to the loser end of the range, to allow the chameleons to thermo regulate. Jackson's chameleons do well at lower temperatures, but panther and veiled chameleons prefer warmer temperatures.

Chameleons do best with access to natural sunlight, but this is not feasible as a sole source of UV radiation for most owners. Incandescent and full spectrum (UV) fluorescent lighting is necessary. In addition, allowing some exposure to natural sunlight through an open window (glass filters out nearly all of the necessary UV radiation) will help keep chameleons happy and healthy (or placing the chameleon outdoors if the weather is appropriate, providing adequate shade to prevent overheating).

Chameleons get their water from droplets on leaves - as a rule they will not take water from a dish. Adequate water intake must be provided either through a drip system or by misting the enclosure at least twice daily. Drip systems can be purchased or fashioned from a water container with a pinhole placed on top of the cage, or even by placing ice cubes on top of the cage to melt slowly and drip into the cage. If a drip system is used, keep the watering location consistent so the chameleon knows where to find water. Misting will also help keep the humidity levels up. If a drip system is used, the excess water should be collected and removed though, to prevent the humidity from getting to high.

Chameleons seem to do best on a variety of insect foods. Try to feed as many types of insects as possible. Crickets, meal worms, super worms, wax worms, wax moths, non infesting roaches are all good items to feed. Prey food should be gut loaded with nutritious foods (leafy greens, vegetables, fruit) prior to feeding, and should be dusted with a calcium and vitamin D supplement. Chameleons may be susceptible to overdosing with vitamin A (hypervitaminosis A) so supplements must be balanced carefully. Again, the care sheets below cover details of supplementation. Keep in mind that egg laying females will need extra calcium supplies. Also, some nutritious leafy green (avoid spinach, lettuce, and cabbage) and other vegetables and fruits can be offered in small amounts as chameleons will occasionally sample these.

Chameleons are easily stressed, so cages should be placed in low traffic areas (a quiet room is ideal), and barriers (e.g. lots of foliage in the cage) between the chameleon and household activity should be provided. Avoid handling the chameleon and when observing the chameleon move slowly. They are fascinating and amazing, but need some special considerations to keep them stress free and healthy.

Thanks for reading our Blog, be sure to check out our Facebook Fan Page Here!

Captive bred Vs. Wild Caught Reptiles

Wild Collared Lizard Shown

Question: Should I get a Wild Caught or Captive Bred Reptile? Answer: In short, captive bred is best, so if at all possible get a captive bred reptile as a pet. It is true that some species of reptile do not readily reproduce in captivity so for these you may need to get a wild caught reptile. However, for many commonly kept species, captive bred animals are quite readily available. If you can find a captive bred reptile this is the best option for a number of reasons:

• Captive bred reptiles are generally healthier than wild caught. The stress of capture and transport and adjustment to captive conditions is extremely stressful and leaves reptiles susceptible to illness. Wild caught reptiles also tend to carry very heavy parasite loads.

• Captive bred reptiles are generally less skittish and easier to handle than wild caught.

• Captive bred snakes accept pre killed prey more readily than wild caught snakes (especially true for ball pythons).

• Buying a captive bred reptile helps to maintain wild populations. For every wild caught reptile that makes it to a pet store and into a home, many more die from stress, injury, and/or illness related to capture, transport, overcrowding, etc.

Unfortunately it is often less expensive to buy a wild caught reptile over a captive bred one. However, when you consider the rates of illness and parasitism in wild caught reptiles as well as the rates of mortality, it is often much less expensive over the long run to purchase captive bred than to treat or replace a sick wild caught reptile.

Chime in on this topic in our forum, www.TheReptileKing.net