Physignathus lesueurrii
BUT AREN'T THEY JUST DIFFERENT COLORED CHINESE WATERDRAGONS?
No.
After owning an asian for a short period of time and
aussies to date, I can honestly say the only similarities
are basic diet, cage size, set up requirements
(arboreal) and love of water.
Aside from the obvious differences in appearence, there is a
definate difference in personality, hardiness, endoparasitic
resistance and tolerance in environmental changes.
The truth is, chinese waterdragons (CWD) are very difficult to
keep alive and healthy. Most people who do everything very well can expect a few years...very very few hobbyist a bit longer===a large percentage much less.
They require proper and almost perfect
humidity, temps, lighting
...and even then it might not be enough. So many heartbroken
owners write in to lists and forums asking what they did wrong.."she
looked fine" or "I did everything" and still the animal dies. Go to
these lists/forums. Take a mental note on how many posts you see
from aussie owners and how many from asian owners. The results might
suprise you. So far I have seen one out of hundreds.
99.9 percent of CWDs are wild caught. The subject of
wild caught importation cruelty will be kept for another topic heading,
but it might suprise some readers to understand that all
the australian waterdragons people see for sale online and in
stores are 100% captive bred.
How do I know for sure?
Simple.
Australia does not legally allow exportation of animals.
All have been captive bred here in the states and 90% can
be traced back to Agama International.
The Langerwerf's have a page on their website (agamainternational.com) with excellent info
on keeping aussie dragons and comparisons to asians
(they have bred both).
1. CARE OF HATCHLINGS
One hatchling AuWD can start off in a 10 gallon tank with a
reptisun/iguana light 10.0 lamp across the top and a nocturnal basking
lamp (from 50-75 watts) on one end. If needed, one can also utilize
an
UTH as well. You can set the basking light and
UTH on a thermostat
to avoid problems, or you can buy a temp gun and regulate it yourself.
Ambient cage temp in coolest area should not fall below 75 and basking
sites should go from 80 - 100. Give the dragon a choice even with basking temps.
Utilizing branches, platforms and rocks at different levels
starting from 5" from the top ...down to the bottom where you can place
a slate rock--will let the animal decide how much heat it requires.
The wattage of the basking light will depend on the season and ambient
temp of the house.
Temp gradients are important with awd's as with all reptiles.
The more choices the better. Better to go with a lower wattage
heat lamp and provide different levels of basking then to go very
high and give the animal no choice but to bake or hide.
I recommend tube lights rather then MV bulbs for a 10 gallon
tank because the mildest MVB lamp will be
way too strong for that size cage (or even your average 20 gallon).
By the time the tube begins to wear out (sooner then you think) the
dragon would have long since outgrown the cage anyway.
Some people believe you should go large immediately with enclosures..
...and monetarily this is a good idea. For aussies it may be wiser,
if you have the resources, to have the cage grow with the animal.
For taming purposes this is the best method.
If however, you are looking for a pure terrarium animal that you plan
to observe more than cuddle, then go as large as you wish immediately.
Just be sure the dragon can find it's food and water
I strongly suggest, making the switch from tubes to mv (mercury vapor) lamps for
larger cages for many reasons. In the properly
sized and stocked cage, these bulbs are wonderful for color, health and longevity. I happily suggest reptileuv.com to anyone who has duirnal lizards.
They mimic the sun better then any other indoor source and
are well worth the extra money.
For day/night cycles get a 24 hour timer or even better:
a day/night powercenter timer by ESU, this timer does it all on one strip.
For new babies set the timer for an hour or two
before you wake or an hour or two after the house goes to sleep. This
will give the dragon time to explore it's new surroundings with no
outside stimuli.
A day cycle is about 12 -14 hours depending on the season.
Nightime temps can go down a bit but for new arrivals
keep the cage on the warm side for a couple of weeks.
If you get your dragon in the summer verses the winter every
thing is relative so use good judgement.
Email with any questions and I will do my best to answer them, or direct
you to a person who can.
Be sure and include hidecave/box for security. It's important for AuWD's
to feel secure and safe within their home.
At first they will hide alot. They all do this and it's no need for
concern. For taming please see the file entitled TAMING LIZARDS.
For hatchling food, use a clear plastic sandwitch container (with the sides lined in clear packing tape to prevent bugs from escaping), that
you can buy at any supermarket. Count out the properly sized crickets
or worms and make sure the dragon has another container right next to it
with water. I put a log or rock in between so the animal can get in and
out. For hatchlings, these containers are ideal for many reasons.
For one: since the container is clear the movement of the food can be
seen at any angle. If the dragon is high it can see from above---but it
can also see from ground level as well.
For another: The items are inexpensive and easy to clean
3: They work
If leaving live prey items in the cage overnight, also leave some sort
of food item for moisture, like an apple slice or vegetable matter piece.
This will encourage the insects to stay in the pan.
As the animal gets a bit larger a paint roller pan or cat litter pan
is ideal.
Water should be changed once a day when utilizing a non filtered source
of water.
I like to use bottled water for all hatchlings, but this is a personal
choice. Water quality varies from place to place and for babies I want
to be sure. They are always stressed out enough upon arrival.
If you are waiting to see your new aussie dragon eat you are in for a
long game of cat and mouse. They are shy eaters and they have made more
then one new owner panic because "My dragon isn't eating!". Your dragon
will eat when you leave it alone and stop watching it
I sware, it's like these lizards can sense a pair of eyeballs on the back
of their heads.
Mine will slowly turn around to face me as if we were in
some B horror movie and then lock eyes with mine.
Either that or a quick glare to let me know they feel my presence.
Very intuitive creatures.
This lizard does well if handling is put off
for 2 weeks as they get accustomed to your presence
and home.
2. FOOD/SUPPLEMENTS FOR HATCHLING Au DRAGONS
Buy a quality supplement like bearded dragon dust by Trex. Dust
food as follows:
*Dusted Crickets (1/2 inch max)
*Young Dusted Mealworms
*Waxworms (weekly treat)
*Silks & butters
Fruits/vegetables can be attempted but do not be suprised if your
dragon is like most and does not show an interest.
D3 supplementation should not be attempted by anything other then an
advanced herper with many years of experience and veterinary imput. It
is very easy to overdose the animal and it is not required with a quality
uvb lamp.
Ph to Ca ratios should be considered, and PH-free is recommended.
Many people feed cat food to their reptiles. This should be done
in small quantities as the D3 content in most canned petfoods is high,
therefore unsuitable
as anything except an occasional treat.
3. HUMIDITY FOR HATCHLING Au DRAGONS
Humidity should be kept at a higher percentage with babies and new
additions, but happily it is still not the priority it is with Asian
dragons. For the first 2 weeks with healthy specimens, a 60-70%
humidity will be fine. With enough water to soak, your dragon will
regulate themselves after that.
I use a reptarium (screened cage)for my adults, and a 50 gallon,
filtered pool. Ambient humidty is never a factor in successful sheds
or overall health. The AuWD's will soak when they need more moisture.
I have never seen a difficult shed once.
Too much moisture however, can contribute to several forms of skin
rot and/or bacterial problems. It's is much better to let this animal
care and decide for itself.
An AsianWD faced with low humidity and temps might suffer from bad
sheds and URI which kill some animals.
This same scenario in an
AuWD cage would produce dragons who soaked/swam alot to keep up
moisture and if temps lower substancially the animal would brumate.
4. SUBSTRATE FOR HATCHLINGS
Reptile Supply Stores/Homedepot/nursuries
*Reptilawn
*Bed a Beast
*indoor outdoor carpeting (turfless)
*newspaper
*Peat moss
5. SUBADULTS AND JUVIES
rectangular tray. This is so the dragon can get in and eat
and still see movement from all angles.
You can begin feeding mouse pinks and larger insects.
cases if the dragon is a large child, you can start day old quail.
You can put the dragon in a 65-75 gallon cage.
newspaper or papertowels. As with most reptiles, a female without
6. ADULT AuDRAGONS
Sexing AuDrgns is easy most of the time. Males get a dark
salmon to red chest and belly; a strong, high crest; larger
thicker heads and bodies; starker coloration, more black and
white (females have a more blurred grey pattern) and whiter
lips. The femoral pores are much more apparent on the males
as with asian dragons.
I have two males that share a cage with no problems, in fact
they appear to like eachother. If your dragons will be raised
together from hatchling size, are the same size, two hides
are provided, you follow the guidelines below, there are only
2 to a cage, and you do not plan on hibernating them for
breeding, you will have no problems.
If more then one adult will be sharing the same quarters, you
will need multiple basking sites and at least 2 feeding trays
On opposite ends of the cage.
A larger filtered pool can be utilized.
Adult AuWD's can eat day old quail (being tree dwellers I bet
the access to baby birds is more abundant then access to rodents),
hoppers, larger fish, and rat pinks.
As an occasional treat (pick one or two days a month) you can
feed chicken hearts (found in the gizzards of supermarket chicken)
dusted with Ca, and a teaspoon of ground turkey dusted with vitamins.
I have heard reports about these animals relishing cubbed fish like
snapper, and chunks of chicken breast.
Be moderate in any food that is not whole prey and be sure to
make it count with some sort of supplement.
Nice natural Ca supplements are bone meal, cuttlebone
and ground egg shells.
Adults will sleep on branches under
CHE's or nightlights, I took
the caves out at this point to provide more climbing area.
You can go into a 260 reptarium for 2 adults max. Either caver 3
sides with softrays or make sure the cage is in no way in the middle
of a heavy draft in the winter (like near a front or back door).
An inexpensive way to create a larger indoor cage is to put 2 260
gallons together and to use ties to keep the cages together. If you
use black ties (available from a local dollar store) you will not
even notice them.
With a 260 (alone or in pairs) lying flat or tall, you will need a
heater for the bottom. Anything from an
UTH to a heat mat will do.
I use a Kane's heat mat for the WD cage. It can get wet and is thick
and heavy. You can put your carpeting/substrate right on top with no
problems.
BEHAVIOR THROUGH THE STAGES
As babies they will hide and take off at the second you approach the
cage. As juvies they will stay but still have their guard up.
As young adults they will watch as you put the food in the cage
and in some cases become extremely tame. This depends on how much
time you put into them and what type of pet you want.
It also varies with individual personalities.
They are dinosaur like in appearance as adults. Very much gluttons
if you allow it. Keep treats as treats and not staples and you will
have a healthy pet for many years to come.
If you become restless, feeling tied to the cage, you can allow
hibernation to occur each fall and be "petless" until the spring.
Enjoy your waterdragon, you have made an excellent captive choice.
Yours,
NiCoLE RuSSeLL
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