Origin
The Mountain Dragon (acanthosaura armata) belongs to a species of lizard that inhabits tropical forest regions with dense vegetation in Southern Asia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, China and Thailand.
The Mountain Dragon belongs to the order Squamata and the family Agamidae.
It is also known as the mountain Agama.
Feeding the Mountain Dragon
Its food consists mainly of insects, especially crickets and insect larvae. They also occasionally eat Bream, spiders, small amphibians and fish.
Features Mountain Dragon
This reptile is especially distinguished by spines on the back and neck, as well as above the eyes. In some specimens the crest on the head is made up of spines much larger than those on the back. An adult specimen has a body covered with scales and can reach a length of 24-30 cm.
In general, males are larger than females, reaching a maximum of 30 cm, and females only at a maximum of 27 cm. Depending on the intensity of the light, the Mountain Dragon can change its color to different shades of brownish or greenish.
The temperament of this lizard is calm and docile, it prefers to stay hidden in rock crevices or under rocks in mountain forests, at altitudes up to 750m.
When he feels in danger he tries to run into the thick bushes, if he fails to do so and has no way of escape then he inflates his neck sac – as a means of intimidating the enemy.
Mountain Dragon breeding
During the breeding season, in the rainy season, the female lays a number of 9-19 eggs in a nest made of plant materials on the ground, which she incubates for more than a month.
In order to be bred in captivity, it must be provided with a living space-a terrarium – whose minimum dimensions should be: 1 m long, 0.6 m wide and 1.20 m high. Of course, if the terrarium will be larger it is even better for the comfort of the reptile.
Humidity in the terrarium should be 70-80%, and the temperature of 25-27grc. For humidity, a fog generator or a water sprayer can be used, and for temperature regulation (it should never exceed 30grc) a thermostat is used.
It is very important to keep in mind that this lizard is a great water lover, so it is also known as the water dragon. Dehydration can be a real problem.
That is why it would be ideal if a basin with running water (an artificial fountain or other water mechanism) was used, because the mountain agama does not prefer standing water.
In the terrarium you can put thick branches with many leaves, natural or artificial, to achieve a necessary decoration for this species and a pleasant appearance terrarium. Its food consists of crickets, worms, grasshoppers, bream – which can be bought at fish shops.
