Author : Robert Lee
Latest Petsmania - A dragon in your Living Room.The latest "popular pet" being found in pet shops is the "Bearded Dragon" or Inland Bearded Dragon as it is correctly termed.Originating in the deserts of Western Australia these fascinating reptiles have some specific dietary and housing requirement which if catered for make them easy pets to keep and enjoy.Bearded Dragons get their name from their ability to "puff out" a throat pouch that has prominent spikes formed from modified scales. This "beard" can also change colour, becoming jet black and even more impressive. Beards are not limited to males; the females will show off their beards as well, in a very interactive communication.The Bearded Dragon is native to many different habitats and regions of Australia.
They thrive in deserts, grasslands and woodlands many people who have come across Beardies in the wild reported that that they could walk right up to one and possibly even pick it up with little or no fuss being raised by the animal. Their temperament is extremely docile and trusting, therefore making it an excellent pet - even for children and beginners.Adults can reach up to approximately 2ft in length, with the average being 18 - 20 inches. Hatchlings are approximately 3 to 4 inches in length (head to tail) and reaching 5-6 inches at the end of their first month.Beardies as they are known become very team and seem to enjoy handling. They are very alert and intelligent and quickly become used to being around their owners. Many owners allow their dragons the run of the house. Obviously care must be exercised if you have other pets; a dragon running across the carpet is irresistible to most dogs and cats!Housing requirements are basic. A Glass Fronted Vivarium or Aquarium with two light fitting, one a heat resistant ceramic fitting should hold an infra red heat bulb of around 100 watts to provide sufficient heat for your dragon.The other should be fitted with a UV bulb or tube to simulate the suns rays.A Smooth Rock or Tree branch should be provided to allow the dragon to bask together with a bowl of water and a food container.The bottom of the vivarium may be covered with a layer of substrate (crushed tree bark), crushed shells or clean washed sand purchased from a children's store.Several writers advise against using sand claiming that ingestion of sand with food can cause impacted gut and other digestive problems. We attempt to replicate the dragons' habitat. They are desert dwellers used to sand and variations of temperature and light.The use of heat and light often leads to confusion but if you consider the dragons' normal habitat it is easy. The UV light should be switched on first thing n the morning (artificial sunrise) and turned off in the evening (sunset). The heat lam should be on 24 hours a day but turned down to around 80 F at night. simulating sunset and the cooling of the desert day.Feeding Dragons is the issue many people have problems with. The reality is Dragons are predators and prefer live prey such as Locusts, Crickets Mealworms or Wax worms. They may be bought at any good pet store. The amount to feed is depended upon the size of the dragon but in general feed your pet as much as he will eat in five minutes.In addition to live prey Dragons enjoy fresh salad such as Red Lettuce and Tomatoes together with apples, grapes and other crisp vegetables.Most dragons enjoy a water spray once a day and will climb up onto their basking rock and the warm "rain"!Rob is the owner of Petsmania, a great source of advice and information for anyone suffering from Petsmania! He has a 18 month old Bearded Dragon called Gucci and border terrier pup.
Category : Home-and-Family:Pets
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