Desert dragon Care Sheet

Scientific Name

laudakia stelio

Size

8 - 10 inches

Lifespan

average in captivity 8 - 10 years

Natural Distribution

Africa

Collard lizards like to eat crickets. In the wild they regularly feed on these insects.

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Ensure your Chuckwallas home reaches the right temperatures with a Wooden Vivarium.

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Your Desert dragons needs UVB lighting as it is essential for them to grow with stong bones.

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Give your Desert dragons a piece of wood for somehwere to bask on.
They will love it!

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We advise using wooden vivariums rather than glass as they retain heat more efficiently keeping your pet nice and warm. As Desert dragons are a medium sized lizard we would recommend a vivarium of at least 90x45x45cm (36"x18"x18") for youngsters and if keeping a group a vivarium of 120x60x60cm (48"x24"x24"). This will ensure your Desert dragons has enough room to explore and run around.

Beech woodchip is a good substrate as the desert dragons generally do not swallow it. Sands, such as calci sands can be ingested easily, building up inside the animal potentially causing health problems and distress to your pet. Desert dragons are not shy and will be out basking during the day. Wood, rocks and artificial plants should be used to create a basking area as well as areas to climb and lounge around.

During the day two spot bulbs are used to raise the temperature to about 38 - 44 C (100 - 110oF). These should be at the same end of the vivarium to create a hot end and a cooler end. The spot bulb will also provide a day and night cycle. All lights must be turned off at night and the vivarium can be allowed to drop as low as 12 C (55oF). Temperatures should always be checked by a reliable thermometer.

Desert dragons require U.V.B lighting weather it be a U.V.B. tube, compact U.V.B lamp or a mercury vapour lamp. U.V.B is essential for your Desert dragons bone growth and general health. If this lighting is not available it could be extremely detrimental to the animals health, resulting in weak or deformed bones and ultimately death. These lights need to be on for between 10 and 12 hours a day. It is essential lights are turned off at night so the animal gets a day/night photo period.

Desert dragons mainly feed on insects, commercially produced livefoods including brown crickets, locusts, mealworms and wax-worms. Crickets and locust should be the main livefood offered whilst mealworm and wax-worm can be offered for variety.All insects fed to your Desert dragon should be gut loaded with the appropriate food and a suitable vitamin powder like Nutrobal should be used 3 times a week.

Desert dragons are very quick as youngsters. They should be treated gently, with love and care. They soon become used to being handled.

Males do not get on with each other as adults and will fight so only keep one per enclosure. Males can be kept with a harem of females providing the vivarium is large enough to accommodate them. Females are ok to be kept as a colony.

Regular spot cleaning of the vivarium should be performed to keep it hygienic for both the animal and the keeper. Dead live foods and the desert dragons faeces should be removed when noticed. Change the substrate once a month or as required and clean the vivarium with a reptile disinfectant.

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