Water dragon | Facts & Information

Origin

They are native to China, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Burma. they are also known as Chinese Water Dragon, Asian Water Dragon, Thai Water Dragon or Green water Dragon (Eastern or Australian Water Dragon).

Water Dragon feed

The main food is insects (crickets) or larvae of some beetles (superworms, kingworms, mealworms, waxworms), or other insects specially bred for reptile food.

Insects caught from nature are not recommended because they may be carriers of diseases or insecticides, pesticides to which they have acquired immunity, but to which lizards can be severely affected.

Before feeding the worms are powdered with mineral supplements (especially Ca) and vitamins.

Towards maturity can be fed, if you accept, with the following vegetables: peas, green beans (thawed at room temperature or fresh), broccoli, endive, carrots (max. once a week), parsley leaves(in small quantities), tomatoes, dandelion leaves, rose petals, rosehip flowers, apples, berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries) (thawed or fresh), melon and red, grapes (max. once a week), pears, kiwi, mango,papaya, Opuntia fruits, strawberries, cherries, apricots, peaches (without skin).

Vegetables finely chop so as not to drown with them.

Features Water Dragon

They can live for 10-20 years if properly cared for. Air humidity must be maintained at 70-80%, being necessary and the presence of a basin with water large enough to accommodate the whole. The depth of water in the basin will be 10-15 cm.

They can stay underwater for up to 25 minutes. Predominantly insectivorous, towards maturity they also accept mice(maximum one per week or every two weeks), small fish( very rarely) or certain fruits and vegetables (in the proportion of 10-15% of the total food).

They generally accept only live food, being attracted by the movement of prey. In specialty stores there are several varieties of insects or their larvae as well as frozen mice, of different sizes.

They are easily tamed, for this reason they are very appreciated by the enthusiasts of this hobby. Two males will not be kept in the same terrarium because they will fight each other, seriously injuring themselves. They can be kept in pairs or several females with a single male, but it is good that the animals in the same terrarium are close in size so as not to risk accidents.

Males grow to about 90 cm, females up to 60-70 cm in total length. The tail is about 70% of the total length.

Terrarium

They are tropical forest lizards, the environment in the terrarium should be warm and humid. During the day the average temperature in the terrarium should be between 28-30 grC, with a place of "sunbathing" (under the heating bulb) where the temperature can reach up to 35 grC. At night the temperature can drop to 24-26 grC, the heat being provided by a heater type "heatpad".

Humidity should be kept within 70-80 %. An artificial waterfall and/or fog generator (fogger, mist maker) can be used to keep humidity within these limits. Humidity below 60% or above 85% can adversely affect lizards.

Recommended terrarium: H 180 cm x L 120 cm x l 100 cm.

The terrarium will have branches up to the top because these lizards love to stay high, will contain a light bulb for heating and a fluorescent tube UVB 5.0 to ensure the need for ultraviolet rays.

Ultraviolet rays help animals synthesize vitamin D3 without which calcium is not fixed in the bones, leading to serious diseases (MBD – Metabolic Bone Disease). Attention, the distance at which UVB rays retain their effectiveness is maximum 30 cm from the tube, being necessary to place a branch at the right distance.

Also the terrarium must contain a container of water with a large enough surface so that the lizard can fit completely in it, and 10-15 cm deep.The water will change daily or as often as needed because they are used to defecating in the pool.

For night heating, a rainforest heatpad (EXO-Terra) is used. The right substrate is coconut humus, moistened, because it is quite soft and does not cause injuries to lizards that are used to jumping from the top of the branches, directly into the pool with

Water or soil and does not mold in humid environment like other types of substrate. If the mold changes as quickly as possible, the existing mold can seriously sicken the reptiles. Usually if there is proper ventilation the substrate will not mold. Do not use under any form coniferous substrate (pine, cedar, etc.) because it gives off toxic substances for reptiles.

SEXUAL DIMORPHISM

In puppies sex determination is impossible, but as they grow they can be distinguished easily enough.

The male has a more prominent occipital crest, larger head, larger back spines, larger femoral pores and reddish-yellow coloration. It also has goiter colored in pink, orange, blue or yellow and grows larger than the female. Females usually have green goiter with black dots, small and uncolored femoral pores and the occipital crest and spines on the back are smaller than in males.

MORE COMMON PROBLEMS

Because they are used to jumping from a height and cannot even perceive "transparency", they can injure their snout quite badly by jumping from branches directly into the glass of the terrarium. The bottom of the terrarium is better not to be transparent (you can cover the glass with paper or other material, on a height of 15 cm) because if they see through the glass they will try to get past it and will get hurt.

And it would be better that the terrarium is not built of glass, it can be made of chipboard then you can insulate inside with ecological varnish or aquarium silicone diluted in acetone until you can stretch with brush.

Water Dragon breeding

The pairing lasts between 2 and 20 minutes.

The female accepts several males for mating. After 60-75 days she releases oviviparous chicks.

The number of eggs laid varies depending on the age of the mother between 8 and 15. An adult female will lay several eggs.

The eggs will be placed in a nest dug by the female and then covered with loose soil or sand.

In captivity the optimal incubation is done at 28.5-31grc, and the incubation time depends on the temperature (constant), which gives the sex of the little ones.

Chickens have an "egg dinde" that helps them to emerge from the egg. It will fall off on its own after 1-2 days.

They are 12-18cm long and resemble adults.

They can live for 10-20 years if properly cared for.