Housing

Vivarium for an adult should be 6’ x 3’ x 6’ LxDxH

Vivarium for a juvenile Vivarium AX48

Lighting

For the AX48 The Komodo Black Dome 21cm and Zoo Med Clamp Lamp Safety Cover 20cm

PT-21897 Repto Glo Compact new 26watt (UV Bulb)

Heating

For AX48 PT-2046 ceramic heat emitter 100watt.

The Komodo Black Dome 14cm and Zoo Med Clamp Lamp Safety Cover 14cm

Habistat Pulse Proportional Thermostat. With day night setting

PT- 2472 Digital Thermometer

PT- 2477 Digital Hygrometer

Décor

For AX48 Strong branches well secured and vines PT-3080-PT-3082. Plenty of plants select from our range PT-3000 to PT- 3053.

A large water bowl needs to be kept in the vivarium and the water changed daily as they defecate in the water. Something like a strong cat litter tray half filled, this also helps keep the humidity up.

Substrate: moss and or Orchid bark

Care

Species, Range and Description

P. cocincinus. Eastern and south-eastern Thailand, eastern Indochina, southern China.

P. lesueurii. Eastern/south-eastern Australia (Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria)

Water dragons are native to the Southeast Asian mainland and Indo-Australian archipelago. Most imports arrive from Thailand or southern China.

Males typically reach 3 feet; females are somewhat smaller. Males develop larger heads, jowls and crest on the back of the neck, and their femoral pores are somewhat larger than on the female.

Always have new animals checked by a vet for internal and external parasites (take a fresh faecal sample if you can – or get one to the vet at the soonest opportunity), hydration, nutritional status and overall health.

Captive Environment

You will need a large vivarium, one larger than most people think will be needed by a lizard of this size. The reason most are missing much of their faces, rubbed off from the snout back past the front teeth, is that water dragons will literally rub their flesh off and break their jaw bones trying to get out of a too small enclosure. They need space at least 2 x their total length – so you are talking min 6 ft long (side to side), at least 2-3 feet deep and 4-6 feet high to do it correctly.

Water dragons can be kept together, with one to three males in a room-sized enclosure. Some females can be domineering and may not want any other females around…others can co-habit with 3-4 females. You must monitor them all the time to assure all are feeding and basking properly throughout the year. If any are not, you are most likely seeing the results of intimidation and will need to increase the number of basking and feeding areas and/or increase vivarium size or separate them.

Water dragons are semi-arboreal but also need enough water to submerge and swim comfortably in, as well as branches for climbing, and plenty of ground area for roosting and feeding. They also need the appropriate thermal gradients, photoperiods, and a UVB light.

Substrate

Mixture of 2/3 peat soil + 1/3 clean sand with areas of bark. They can also be kept keep on fake Astroturf. They have very active digestive systems so lots of messy poop if they do not go in their water.

Branches

Placed on the diagonal for climbing, horizontal for roosting.

Plants

Suggestions for suitable live plants include dragon plants (Dracaena), Pothos (Scindapsus aureus), Ficus benjamina trees, Monstera deliciosa (philodendron) and Staghorn ferns. Plants will need to be replaced or rotated as they are shredded by claws or even eaten.

Temperature

Day time: 84-88° F with drop to 75-80° F at night. Must have a basking area going up to 90° F during day at one side of vivarium. Use thermometers! No hot rocks – use overhead basking lights and an under-tank heat pad or one under the indoor/outdoor carpeting substrate.

UVB Lighting

Must have direct sun or a suitable UVB-producing lights.

Water

Must be available at all times for full body immersions up to at least 1/2 their height. Must be cleaned and disinfected daily…two days okay if they do not defecate in it! If they dive into their water from a shelf or branch, you need to make the tub deeper so they do not injure themselves.

Feeding

Hatchlings and Juveniles:

2-3 week old crickets and or small locusts which have been previously gut-loaded (e.g., not straight from the pet store!) Also offer finely chopped vegetables and fruits (see iguana salad ingredients for a healthy salad). As the dragons grow, offer only slightly bigger crickets, Locusts and add in some mealworms and baby (pink) mice, and occasionally a waxworm for a treat. Smaller food items are more nutritious and more efficiently digested than fewer bigger items. Feed every 2 days – or more often if they look hungry.

Adults:

Small mice, 4 week old crickets, winged Locusts, Morio (giant mealworms) as well as plant matter. Feed every 2-3 days – or more often if they look hungry. Also feed plant matter, such as greens and fruits (see iguana salad for recipe).

Miscellaneous Care Issues

Claw tips may be clipped.

Water dragons, like sailfin lizards, can be held but they do not like to be clasped. Hold gently with your hand held loosely cupped around them.

Common Ailments in Captivity – caused by captive environment

Abscesses – infections due to injuries or stress

Internal Parasites (filthy import and pet trade conditions) (see below)

Metabolic Bone Disease (Calcium Deficiency due to- poor diet, inadequate UVB and/or heat

Rostral/Snout Damage – too small an enclosure

Stomatitis (Mouth rot) – snout damage, systemic infection due to improper environment or stress

Swollen/Infected Limbs – fractures due to MBD or getting caught in inappropriate tank setups.

Articular/Periarticular/Pseudo Gout – improper foods and insufficient hydration

Respiratory Infection – inadequate heat; stress

Gastroenteritis – protozoan, bacterial or worm infections (see below)

Diet-related Parasitic and Protozoan Infections

Gastrointestinal parasites may inhabit the mouth, coming from infected prey or from regurgitated prey that brings up parasites from lower down in the intestinal tract. The parasites live out parts of their life cycle within the intermediate or primary host, taking up residence in and migrating through different organs and systems. Many such parasites come from fish and amphibians that are used by the parasite as intermediate hosts during their life cycle. Some of these parasites, such as Rhabdias spp. may cause abscesses within the mouth or may migrate to the lungs. These are commonly found in garter snakes (Thamnophis spp.), grass snakes (Natrix spp.), and water snakes (Nerodia spp.), and other reptile species fed primarily on fish. The reptiles themselves may be treated with levamisole at 10 mg/kg sq. Feeder fish may also be treated, left to swim for 24 hours in a gallon of water mixed with 250 mg of levamisole.

A protozoan infection due to amoeba is a problem world-wide and can cause serious health complications and mortality, including in captive reptiles. The cysts are ingested either through eating an infected reptile’s faeces or that of some other infected animal, such as wastes from feeder animals. Once in the gastrointestinal tract, the amoeba becomes active (trophozoites), and start reproducing by binary fusion. They start invading the mucosal lining of the GI tract, get into the blood, and spread through out the body through tissues and organs. Some trophozoitesr are transformed into cysts which are then excreted in the faeces, waiting to be ingested by another host. Faecal smears are required to visualize cysts and trophozoites; cysts can be found using faecal flotation, with faecal samples containing mucous or blood being the most likely to contain the cysts.

An interesting note… The most common – and pathogenic – amoeba in reptiles is Endamoeba invadens. Some reptiles (crocodiles, box turtles, garter snake, Northern black racer) may serve as a reservoir for this protozoan, carrying it and spreading cysts through their faeces but not themselves showing any signs of illness. Certain reptile families seem to be particularly susceptible to dysentery from E. invadens infections (boids, crotalids, elapids, viperids, varanids), with giant tortoises as water snakes being most susceptible. This can be a problem in captive collections where enclosures are set up to house aquatic or terrestrial turtles and semi-aquatic or terrestrial lizards, such as sliders and water dragons. Accurate amoeba identification is essential as other amoebas are not pathogenic in reptiles. If a faecal sample is not available, a colonic wash may be used to acquire a specimen for testing.

Post-mortem exams of reptiles killed by E. invadens and other pathogenic amoebae reveal inflammation, ulceration, or necrosis of the gastrointestinal tract or colon. The intestinal wall may be thickened with necrotic membranes. The bowel may be so involved that it is apparent that ingests was not passed through in some time, which would be consistent with antemortem wasting, anorexia, and bloating. If spread through the blood stream, the liver, kidneys and other organs may contain abscesses, necrotic areas, and evidence general inflammation.

Amoebic infections are treatable once they are identified as such and the infection is detected and treatment started before tissue and organ damage is advanced. Maintaining proper environmental temperatures, exercising proper hygiene and quarantine procedures, and ensuring the infected reptiles are adequately hydrated will help increase survival rates.

John

What causes High readings of pH, nitrite and nitrate in the water?

The pH can be affected by many factors but mostly excess waste in the aquarium from over feeding (the most common) too many fish in the tank producing excess waste products or new tank syndrome when the Aquarium is going through The Nitrogen Cycle.

Another cause is the tap water the ph will vary depending on where you live and can be anywhere from pH 6 – 10 and the majority of community fish are happy in the pH 6.5 – 7.5 range.

Nitrite will become high as the aquarium goes through the Nitrogen Cycle (New Tank Syndrome)

Nitrate as the Nitrite but other causes are overfeeding and overcrowding. The bacteria cannot cope with the excess waste and rotting food. 

So ValueAquatics have the answer the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. It comes with everything you need to test for pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and nitrate. You should get over 800 tests with this kit making it very economical and cheaper than buying individual tests.

What you get in the Kit is High range pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate testing solutions, Computer-calibrated laminated colour cards, 4 glass tubes, a holding tray for the test tubes,. There is an easy to follow none technical instruction booklet with added information on how to correct unsafe water conditions.

The API Freshwater Testing Kit comes in a durable, unique transparent dome allowing a clear view of the contents. 

Highly accurate and economical

Over 800 tests

Compact

Easy to use

None technical and informative booklet

John

The filter works by the water entering the Ecopower filter through the graduated hosetail into the UV chamber and is exposed to the UV light as it passes through. This causes the algae to clump up it then passes through a venturi where it is aerated. The water now goes through the biomedia in the bottom of the filter and then goes up and through the foam filters and exits the filter as glean water healthy water.

If the pond water is very green it may take a few weeks to catch up but an improvement should be noticed in a fortnight.

John

Lighting/Heating

For the VX36 2 x Arcadia ADCH Reptile ceramic lamp holders & bracket. With PT-2133 Sun Glo basking spot lamp 100watt and PT-2189 Repto Glo 10.0 compact new 26watt.

The UV bulb should be no more than 10” above your Rankins; you can place a branch under the bulb where it can climb onto, to reach the UVA-B rays. Change the light every year as the light quality breaks down dramatically after nine months, reducing the benefit to your Rankins.

You will need a Dimming thermostat. Use the thermostat for the heating/basking lamp PT-2133. This should be put on a timer or only turned on during daylight hours 10-12, hours a day.

We recommend two thermometers PT-2465 place one at each end to show the cool temperature and hot end temperatures to indicate that there is a heat gradient effect.

Substrate

For baby Rankins we recommend kitchen paper, wallpaper backing paper or newspaper for the first year. As they can get compaction of the gut by ingesting substrates, like Calci sand, Desert sand, peat, beach chips etc. After a year old the best substrates are peat and playpen sand 1:1, Calci sand, beach chippings.

Décor

Use a PT-2803 Exo Terra Water Dish Large. Most Rankins will drink and play in the water bowl and should also be sprayed twice a day (keep the spray away from the bulbs. The water bowl should be kept at the cool end to avoid excessive humidity. Use a PT-2813 Exo Terra Feeding Dish X Large for more than one Rankins and a PT-2811 Exo Terra Feeding Dish Medium for one. Use the bowl to feed their greens and vegetables. Use a large piece of Cork bark tube as a hide out or a PT-2852 hideout cave for a baby Rankins to sleep in. Make sure it is large enough for them. Branches (Bog wood etc.)Branches need to be strong and sturdy. Fruit tree branches are good but not cherry as it is poisonous as are conifer branches. Scrub them clean with hot soapy water, rinse and allow to dry. Bog wood and drift wood are good. Large basking rocks. A large piece of sandstone placed under the basking spot light is a good addition. This holds the heat and helps them to digest the food properly. Place a thermometer on the rock or branch that is to be used for basking and adjust the thermostat until it reads about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Artificial plants. PT-3000-3052 these are just for decoration and make the vivarium looks more natural. Choose a selection of plants and vines to give your Vivarium that finished look!

CARE

Rankins originate from Australia; as juveniles, they are semi-arboreal. As adults, they are more terrestrial, but will climb to bask and search for prey. Rankins can occupy a large range of habitats from the desert to dry forest and scrubland. Rankins Grow to 10” males and 12” inches from nose to tail.

Rankins are amongst the tamest of all lizards, and their outgoing personalities, activity level, appetites and interesting social behaviors make them a very captivating lizard to observe.

Vitamins

T-268 Tetra Fauna Reptocal or Nutrobal Many reptiles require a diet based on live or fresh foods, due to their specific feeding habits. These are readily available, but in themselves do not offer a balanced supply of nutrients. To ensure your pet receives a properly balanced diet, it is important to increase the nutrient content of these foods with a nutrient supplement.

Rankins Dragons are a dwarf species of Pogona originating from inland Northeast Australia. They normally only grow to about 10 inches long from head to tail.

They are softer looking than the Bearded Dragon with less acute angles and relatively small beards.

Rankins are friendly and sociable and can be kept in groups.

Housing

A 36″ x 18″ x 24″ is big enough to house a pair of Rankins. The more you keep then obviously the bigger the tank needs to be. They like to climb so make sure to put some logs or branches in the tank and some rocks for them to bask on. They also love to dig so a substrate like Calci sand is ideal.

Several basking sites should be provided under the hot spot and the UV lighting. Rankins Dragons need to bask and they need high temperatures to help with the digestive process. Basking area should be about 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit with an ambient temperature of 75F and then dropping to about 65F at night time.

Rankins Dragons need to have UV running along the top of the vivarium. In the wild they bask in the sun to absorb the vitamins from their food. Obviously in a tank they won’t receive much sun so a UV will act as the sun. Rankins Dragons need to tell the difference between night and day, to do this you need to have your UV bulb on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours. The UV must be within 12″ of the dragon to enable it to get the full benefit of the UV bulb. Your UV bulb will need to be changed once a year as it loses its efficiency. You will need a ceramic heating bulb and a pulse thermostat to control the temperature of the tank. You will also need a thermometer inside the tank so that you can check they are being kept at the right temperature. Some people use 2 thermometers, one at the cooler end and one at the hotter end to monitor the temperature range. If you use only one thermometer then place it in the middle of the tank towards the bottom.

Never use hot rocks, as they are widely known to cause belly burns.

Feeding

Rankins Dragons like fruit and vegetables as well as meat. They like a large variety of live insects, which include black and brown crickets, locusts, mealworms and wax worms. A good measure of the size of live insects to feed is that they must not be bigger than the size of the dragon’s head. Do not feed mealworms to baby dragons as they contain chitin which is hard to digest. Do not feed them insects from your garden, as you do not know if they have been sprayed with anything that can be harmful to your dragon. Fresh fruit and vegetables must be offered daily and remember that they like variety. Try to avoid spinach and kale as they are calcium binders and affect the dragon’s bones. Another thing to avoid is iceberg lettuce, as this has no nutritional value to the dragon. Make sure to chop the food into small bite size pieces to avoid choking.

Rankins Dragons require extra calcium for their bones to remain strong and to develop at the normal rates. They also need extra Vitamin D3; this vitamin is needed just as much as calcium. This vitamin is needed for your dragon’s body to absorb the calcium.

All you need to do to maintain your Rankins Dragon is to dust your live food every other day with a vitamin and mineral supplement like Nutrobal.

Some Rankins love water so offer fresh water daily in a shallow bowl. If they do not drink from the bowl then offer them a spray of water on the end of their nose until they finish drinking. Also give the cage a mist spray once a day.

If you had seen some of the horrors that I have seen because the owner did not provide a guard on the vivarium light, you would never leave a viv bulb unprotected.

Royal Pythons seem to be more prone to wrapping themselves round a heat source and getting severely burnt (graphic picture).

This is probably due to their thermal receptors picking up the heat signature. Reptiles do not appear to feel the thermal burn until it is too late and the burn is severe and deep. So for the sake of a few pounds now will save you a lot in veterinary bills later on and peace of mind.

So what should be guarded?

Any Infra red heating, incandescent, spots and especially ceramic heat emitters. In fact any heat source or glass bulbs or tubes.

The fluorescent tube and the new compacts do not get hot enough to cause problems with burns, and I use them without any problems but if you are extremely safety conscious there is a slight possibility of a snake wrapping around one and smashing the tube or bulb.

ValueAquatics now offer Ceramic and Lamp safety Guards, these are easily screw fitted into position over the bulb and fitting providing a safe environment for your reptile. These covers are well made and very sturdy. They are available in two sizes 23.5 x 12 x 12cm and 16 x 11 x 11 cm in black.

If you have a reptile that has been burnt in any way you must get it to a qualified veterinary surgeon ASAP as it will require antibiotics and maybe specialist care.

If you cannot get to a veterinary surgeon take the animal out of its cage and keep it on kitchen paper or newspaper. Get some Pure Aloe Vera gel from a chemists make sure it has no added perfumes etc., Put some on the palms of your hands and let the snake run through them getting well coated and do this two or three times a day. If a lizard then rub the gel into the affected area carefully.

Make sure everything is spotlessly clean as infections are very common with burns. Always get veterinary help as burns are very dangerous left untreated.

John

Use an AX24 Vivarium these come in Beech, Oak and Walnut. The extra height is required as this snake is mostly arboreal and needs lots of climbing branches and vines. As this vivarium needs to handle high humidity it is best to coat the inside with two or three coats of yacht varnish. When it is dry and no longer smells of varnish seal the inside joints with aquarium silicon sealant.

Lighting

Is for viewing so a PT-2110 Sun Glo Neodymium Lamp A19/60Watt. Spot lamp Guard . The bulb needs a ceramic lamp holder such as the Komodo Ceramic Fitting.

Heating

Use either an Infra Red Bulb 75w and a Habistat dimmer thermostat or a ceramic heat emitter 60w and a Habistat pulse proportional thermostat. Use an appropriate safety guard with the bulb or ceramic heat emitter.

Use a PT-2465 Exo-Terra Dial Thermometer or a PT-2472 We recommend two thermometers PT-2465 place one at each end to show the cool temperature and hot end temperatures to indicate that there is a heat gradient effect.

 Substrate

Aspen or beach chippings are recommended.

Décor

A water bowl will be required a Bark effect Water Bowl medium would be a good choice, use lots of plastic plants PT-3000-PT-3052 branches these will add to the decor and prevent the snake from becoming stressed, A few vines PT-3081-3082 will also help. Finally add three or four good stout branches making sure they are well fixed and cannot fall.

Further Information for an Amazon Tree Boa

 CARE

Amazon Tree Boas are also known as Garden Tree Boas, Garden Boas and Common Tree Boas. They are an arboreal (live in trees) species and can be found throughout South America. Their basic colours can be anything from black, brown or grey to any shade of red, orange, yellow or any colour in between. Some are devoid of pattern whilst others may be speckled, banded or have a chevron shape pattern. The combinations with patterns and colours are endless.

Housing

The vivarium for an Amazon must be able to handle humidity. Vivariums that have too much ventilation will allow the humidity to dry up too quickly. Vivariums without enough ventilation may develop fungal and bacterial growth and the snake may become ill. When spraying the vivarium make sure you do not spray any bulbs especially ceramic heat emitters. It is also important to have some type of perches/branches. Amazons like the bigger chunks of driftwood as they like to lie in a nook or on a flat or broad section of wood. They seem to be more comfortable when several points of their body are in contact with some sort of surface. It is not uncommon for captive bred Amazons to spend a portion of their time coiled up on the vivarium floor. Temperatures for Amazons should be kept at 80 to 82 degrees during the day time with a drop to about upper 70´s for night time. To maintain the humidity it is advisable to spray the cage twice a day perhaps morning and afternoon then this will allow the cage to dry out overnight. The humidity will rise immediately following a spray and will reach 80 – 90% but will then fall until the next spray. Making sure that the animal is misted on daily basis will assist with the shedding process.

Feeding

On the whole Amazons are normally problem free as far as feeding goes; however, there are sometimes the picky eaters. Warmed prey is very rarely refused. It is advisable to feed the snake out of the cage, as it will then, not associate your hand going into the cage as food. Do not feed prey that is too large for the snake as regurgitation may occur. Try to keep the prey size to the diameter of the thickest part of the snake’s body. As most snakes, they will go off their food when they are due to shed.

General Information

They are a lovely snake to own. Being arboreal they are a brilliant display snake in that they can normally be seen during the day coiled up on a branch and at night they are out and about searching for prey or just hanging still from a branch waiting for something nice to eat to walk by. Handle them little and often and be very careful as they have a habit of unwinding backwards and can be very fast.

 John G
www.valueaquatics.co.uk

The Stainless Steel Mushrooms are the latest addition to the range and available in three different sizes (small, medium and large) and with a combination of two coloured lighting effects clear white light and blue. They also come with a no light option.

The Stainless Steel Mushroom water features include the pump, tubing, hose tail to the bottom of the light. No base plate.

The no light option is just a plain welded pipe. The top of the light feature is recessed for the light.

When you buy a Stowasis item from ValueAquatics it is the genuine article and a Stowasis quality item, not a cheaper alternative. 

The lights are 12 LED units.

John

Lighting

For the VX48 & EX55. PT-2054 reflector and the UV Bulb PT-2189 Repto Glo compact new 26watt,
The UV tube should be no more than 10” above your Bearded Dragon, you can place a branch under the UV where it can climb onto to reach the UVA-B rays. Change the bulb year as the light quality breaks down dramatically, reducing the benefit to your Bearded Dragon.

Heating.
Use a PT-2138 Sun Glo Tight beam Basking spot lamp S20/100Watt. This gives the Bearded Dragon a hot spot that it requires so that it can digest its food.
Use a PT2054 Glo Light 21 cm. The Exo Terra Glow Light gives you the versatility of placing heat and/or light sources in your Vivarium where needed.
You will need a Dimming thermostat. Use the thermostat for the heating/basking lamp PT2138. This should be put on a timer or only turned on during daylight hours 10-12, hours a day.
(If the room is cold at night less than 35f) Use an Algarde Heat Mat 23×11” for either of the Vivariums. Place under the basking area and leave running 24/7. This gives some background heating for the night time. I would put the heat mat on a thermostat as well as an insurance against overheating.

Lighting/Heating Mercury vapour lamp Exo Terra solar Glo then use with PT2056 Glow Light 10” clamp lamp and a guard. With this you do not need a thermostat.

Substrate

For baby dragons we recommend wallpaper, backing paper or newspaper for the first year. As they can get compaction of the gut by ingesting substrates, like Calci sand, sand, peat, corn cob, beach chips etc.

After a year old the best substrates are peat and playpen sand 1:1, Calci sand, beach chippings.

 Decor

Use a PT-2803 Exo Terra Water Dish Large for adults and a PT-2802 Exo Terra Water Dish Medium for younger Dragons. Most Dragons do not drink from a bowl and should be sprayed twice a day, but a few do so a water bowl is recommended and should be used and the water changed daily. The water bowl should be kept at the cool end to avoid excessive humidity
Use a PT-2813 Exo Terra Feeding Dish X Large for adults and a PT-2811 Exo Terra Feeding Dish Medium for Youngsters. Use the bowl to feed their greens and vegetables.
Use a large piece of Cork bark tube of a PT-2852 hide cave for a baby dragon to sleep in. Make sure it is large enough for them.
Branches (Bog wood etc.)Branches need to be strong and sturdy. Fruit tree branches are good but not cherry as it is poisonous as are conifer branches. Scrub them clean with hot soapy water, rinse and allow to dry. Bog wood and drift wood are good.
Large basking rocks. A large piece of sandstone placed under the basking spot light is a good                         addition. This holds the heat and helps them to digest the food properly. Place a thermometer on the rock or branch that is to be used for basking and adjust the thermostat until it reads about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Artificial plants. PT-3000-3052 these are just for decoration and make the vivarium look more natural. I would say three plastic plants and a vine PT-3082

 Vitamins T-268 Tetra Fauna Reptocal or Nutrobal + a Calcium powder. Many reptiles require a diet based on live or fresh foods, due to their specific feeding habits. These are readily available, but in themselves do not offer a balanced supply of nutrients. To ensure your pet receives a properly balanced diet, it is important to increase the nutrient content of these foods with a nutrient supplement. 

CARE

Bearded dragons originate from Australia; as juveniles they are semi-arboreal. As adults, they are more terrestrial, but will climb to bask and search for prey. Bearded Dragons can occupy a large range of habitats from the desert to dry forest and scrubland.

Dragons are not either the smallest or the largest of the lizard family and are known to grow on average 18-24 inches from nose to tail.

Bearded dragons are amongst the tamest of all lizards, and their outgoing personalities, activity level, appetites and interesting social behaviours make them a very captivating lizard to observe. They have a very rapid growth rate, so the 4″ hatchlings can grow to their adult size within a year.

Most bearded dragons adapt easily to handling and are calm enough to perch on their owner’s shoulder, or be placed on a countertop, or enjoy the view from a windowsill.

Housing

The minimum size vivarium for up to 2 adult dragons should be 48″ x 24″ x 24″ but I would recommend something bigger. A basking site should be provided under the hot spot and include UV lighting. Bearded Dragons need to bask and they need high temperatures to help with the digestive process. A basking area should be about 100 degrees Fahrenheit with an ambient temperature of 75F and then dropping to about 65F at night-time.

Bearded Dragons need to have UV running for 10-14 hours a day. In the wild they bask in the sun to help with the digestion and the production of vitamin D. Obviously in a Vivarium they will not receive that much UV so a UV source is essential. Bearded Dragons need a photoperiod (to tell the difference between night and day), to do this you need to have your UV bulb on for 10-14 hours. The UV must be within 10″ of the bearded Dragon to enable the dragon to get the full benefit of the UV tube. The UV source will need to be changed once a year as it loses its efficiency. A ceramic heat emitter or a spot Basking bulb and a Pulse Proportional thermostat for the ceramic or Dimming for the basking bulb, to control the temperature of the vivarium. A thermometer inside the vivarium is a good idea so that you can check they are being kept at the right temperature. Some people use 2 thermometers, one at the cooler end and one at the hotter end to monitor the temperature range. If you use only one thermometer then place it in the middle of the tank towards the bottom.

A UV and Heat source that is becoming more popular is the Mercury vapour lamps like the Exo Terra Sun Glo. These bulbs do not work with a thermostat so to get the correct basking temperature you simply raise or lower the lamp.

A substrate is known as the material to line the bottom of the tank and these can range from newspaper, bark, and sand for reptiles.

Feeding

Their stomachs are large enough to accommodate large quantities of food. Young Bearded Dragons do not eat as much vegetation as their adult counterparts. As a Bearded Dragon ages it may be persuaded to eat less animal matter and more plants, maybe levelling off at around an 80% plant and 20% insect diet.

Popular feeder insects include crickets, cockroaches, locusts, silkworms, and Locusts. The mealworms have a fairly hard chitin (exoskeleton) and is generally low in the “meat to chitin” ratio, as well as having a poor calcium/phosphorus ratio, making it far less nutritious than other feeder insects. Chitin is hard enough that large amounts of it can cause impaction in the Bearded Dragons digestion system, and can lead to death, especially in younger and smaller animals. But as given As A treat are not a problem Waxworms and Morio worms can be given as a treat also, but sparingly as in most cases as they are extremely fatty, and in some cases very addictive. Although they can be useful in building-up an undernourished individual. The rule of thumb on feeder insects is that the food fed to the animal must not be larger than the space between the eyes; feeding something larger could make it hard for the animal to swallow the food and can lead to the aforementioned fatal impaction.

A significant portion of the Bearded Dragons diet may consist of leafy greens. Dragons enjoy many types of readily available greens, including Water cress, Kale, spring greens (occasionally), escarole, dandelion greens, & flowers, parsley, and carrot tops. It is also recommended that this portion of the dragon’s diet be supplemented with a variety of finely diced fruits and vegetables. Feeding a mixture of these plants ensures a wider variety of nutrients, and variations in texture to aid digestion.

Calcium should be added (a light sprinkling) to the food every day and added vitamins every two or three days. This is to boost the calcium for good bones and to add to top up the missing vitamins that is lacking in their diet.

Light & Heat

Bearded Dragons bask most of the day, absorbing the heat they need to digest their food. It is important that there are at least one or two good basking spots in the Dragons habitat. Rocks are preferable to logs as they hold heat better, though logs can also provide stimulation for the animal as they will climb up and down it any item taken from the outside must first be boiled or baked, however, to remove contaminants. A habitat should also include something the Dragon can hide under.

Bearded Dragons also need correct lighting. A UVB light is needed, with two options being available, Fluorescent strip bulbs, bulbs or mercury vapour lamps. These bulbs have variable ranges of UVB output; owners must ensure proper distance from bulb to the basking spot so the lizard can properly absorb the rays. Bulbs are typically replaced every 6 months. Without adequate UVB the Dragon will develop Metabolic Bone Disease and not eat as much. A Dragon needs between 12 and 14 hours of daylight; much less or more causes problems with their circadian rhythms and makes them lethargic and sick.

For heating, Bearded Dragons need bright white light during the day. Some owners use a red Infra red light at night for heating; this provides heat and you will be able to see it. It is unknown if this red light is visible to bearded dragons. Another option for maintaining temperatures at night is a Ceramic heat emitter or heat mat.

Temperature is one of the most important health factors. A bearded dragon needs the correct temperature to digest, so a good thermometer is essential. Analogue, Round, stick-on, and other non-digital thermometers do not measure basking temperature properly as they do not measure the actual basking spot, just the temperature of the air or glass. A digital thermometer with a probe or a Dial thermometer. Temps need to be 40C-43C (105F-110F) [basking spot] during day and 15C-26C (60F-80F) at night (the higher end of this range for babies, the lower portion of the range for adult Dragons). If the dragons do not receive the proper heat they will become lethargic, and they will eat less. Eventually the lack of proper heating will become fatal.

Substrate

 This is another very important factor in keeping a healthy Dragon. Babies and juveniles are particularly at risk of impaction and are often kept on paper towels or newspaper, as they are easy to dispose of and clean up after, and there is no risk of the baby ingesting substrate. Tile is another popular choice, as is reptile carpet and also non adhesive shelf liner. As the Dragon gets older (about 8-12 months) it can be put on finely sifted playpen sand. Calcium sand is often used, but is also reported to be a cause of impaction due to ´clumping´ in the gut if ingested, while play sand will pass straight through a well fed individual. Rabbit food pellets, made of alfalfa also Bran are both recommended choices by most breeders as they are indigestible and also easy to clean. Walnut Shells should never be used; though they are natural they cannot be digested and are highly likely to cause impaction. Wood chips, and anything else of that sort are never to be used. They are large, with sharp edges, and can be swallowed. They are not digestible, however, and will swell and clog the gut, causing a very painful and potentially fatal impaction.

Also places for shade might be useful.

General Information

Natural sunlight is very beneficial and should be provided if possible. Bearded dragons should never be placed outside in a glass enclosure. The animal could easily overheat and die.

Bearded Dragons live for an average of 4-10 years depending on their quality of lives, if they have had good lighting and temperatures maintained as well as a good balanced diet then you could expect your dragon to live longer than a dragon that has not. But if you have a female that has been repeatedly bred then her life span can be expected to be quite short.

Bearded Dragons will keep you amused for a long time. Just observing and interacting with them is fascinating. There are 2 things that the Beardy does; one is to nod its head (which is a sign of dominance) and the other is the arm waving (this is a sign of submissive behaviour). When they sit with open mouths this is their way of cooling down their body temperature

It is not advisable to keep two males together as they will fight; more so if a female is present. If you would like to keep more than one Beardy then make sure that there is only one male in the cage.

Do not mix other reptiles with Bearded Dragons, as it is an accident/fatality waiting to happen.

www.valueaquatics.co.uk
John

Heating: Algard Heat Mat 6 x 11”  Place under half the cage. Make sure it does not get too hot.

Substrate:  Orchid Bark

Décor: Bark Cave small. Keep some damp moss in this.

Housing: Fer-Plast H43 Geo Flat Plasti Tank

Heating: Algard Heat Mat 6 x 11”  Place under half the age. Make sure it does not get too hot.

Substrate:  Orchid Bark

Décor: Bark Cave small Keep some damp moss in this.

Emperor Scorpion
(Pandinus imperator)

The Emperor Scorpion is a very large, impressive, and hardy scorpion from tropical Africa. Wild-caught specimens are usually collected in Togo and Ghana. It is also the one of the only species of scorpion that is known to be handled, yet this is not recommended. These scorpions are popular animals in scary movies, because they are big, black, and they can have close contact with actors. The venom is used infrequently, and is generally not harmful to humans. Emperor Scorpions have been traditionally kept in groups of three or more, as long as they are provided with enough food, but it is suggested to keep them in separate tanks. If there are a group of scorpions in a tank, many times fights break out for the same cricket, even if there are other crickets still left in the tank! As with most arachnids, it is important to keep your scorpion away from direct UV light. This species is especially sensitive to UV light, and such exposure will cause stress and ultimately death. Emperor Scorpions are a marvel of the “bug”-keeping world, and continue to impress collectors with their size and beauty. If you are choosing a scorpion, the Emperor Scorpion won´t let you down.

Other Names Imperial Scorpion.

Range Tropical rainforests of West Africa.

Type Terrestrial, but will burrow to some extent.

Diet Babies eat pinhead crickets, and other small insects. Adults eat crickets, mealworms, other large insects, and an occasional pinkie mouse.

Full Grown Size4.5 to 6 inches.

Growth Medium speed.

Temperature75 to 82° F.

Humidity75 to 80%. Adults may drink from a shallow, wide water dish.

Temperament Docile and calm.

Researchers from the University of Grenada and Barcelona started a study nine years ago of the reptiles in the Doñana ecological corridor. They found that the reptile there were “ very impoverished”, and that despite a clean up of the area the natural refuges and could only find one of the thirteen reptile species present there, the European common Gecko (Tarentola mauritanica).

The university teams created some artificial refuges some 120 groups of tree trunks on a 24 hectare site. They monitored the site and compared it with another site that was left alone for comparison.

The test area was found to recuperate from the one gecko species in 20000-20001, to six species in 2006.  

“The results suggest that landscape rehabilitation programmes shouldn’t overlook the availability of refuges for wildlife, a vital resource for Mediterranean reptiles, and something that can be put into place using an system as inexpensive as waste tree trunks,” concludes the biologist         

John