Bearded Dragons are indigenous to Australia. The Inland Bearded Dragon, Pogona vitticeps, formerly known as Amphibolurus vitticeps, is the most common species in the pet industry.
The Inland Bearded Dragon is also known as the Central or Yellow-headed Bearded Dragon. Other Pogona genus members include and in this article we will discuss some bearded dragons facts.
The Natural World
The Inland Bearded Dragon is found in central Australia’s arid woodlands and deserts. It spends most of its waking hours in bushes and trees, but it can also be found basking on rocks.
The bearded dragon will burrow underground when it is boiling. The bearded dragon is a diurnal and omnivorous creature.
During the day, it forages for food such as insects, small lizards and mammals, fruit, flowers, and other plant material.
Characteristics Physical
The Bearded Dragon ranges in color from tan to yellow. When threatened or territorial, the dragon’s skin in the throat region flares out, giving it the nickname “bearded.“
Its body has a flattened appearance, which is accentuated when the dragon is alarmed. Spines can be found on the throat, the sides of the head, and the sides of the body.
The Bearded Dragon’s head is wedge-shaped, and its tail is almost as long as its body. Males and females are difficult to distinguish among hatchlings and juveniles.
Sexual differences become more apparent as they grow older. For example, males have larger heads and darker beards than females.
Males can also be distinguished from females by their femoral pores.Followings are the further about the bearded dragons facts.
Environment
Cages should be secure, with tight-fitting lids. To avoid nose abrasions, the sides should be smooth. Wire cages do not keep heat in and can cause foot and nose trauma.
Injury can be reduced by using a proper substrate in the cell. Sexual differences become more apparent as they grow older.
To allow cleaning and disinfection, wooden cells must be sealed with polyurethane or a similar waterproofing agent, and joints must be caulked.
Toxicology may occur if new polyurethane is not allowed to dry for several days and the cage is not thoroughly aired out before placing a reptile in it.
Substrate:The substrate is the material that lines the bottom of the cage. A suitable substrate is cheap, aesthetically pleasing, easy to clean, absorbent, and digestible if swallowed.
Flat newspaper, sheets of brown wrapping paper (the kind that comes in rolls), AstroTurf, or indoor/outdoor carpet can all be used as the substrate.
Using cedar shavings, gravel, crushed corn cob, kitty litter, wood shavings, or potting soil containing vermiculite, pesticides, fertilizer, or wetting agents is not recommended.
Landscaping and ‘furniture’:
Secure branches for climbing and basking under the secondary heat source. These branches should be of varying sizes and should not ooze pitch or have a sticky sap; oak works well.
The units should be as wide as the Bearded Dragon itself can also make climbing posts from boards covered in indoor/outdoor carpets.
Flat-bottomed, smooth rocks are an excellent addition to the habitat and can help wear down the toenails, which must frequently clip in captivity.
Reptiles enjoy having a place to hide. This could be an empty cardboard box, a tube of cardboard, or flower pot.
The hiding place should be high in the enclosure and snugly fit. If your Bearded Dragon does not use its hiding spot, try a different one or relocate it.
The temperature
Bearded Dragons are cold-blooded animals that live in arid woodland and desert environments and require additional heat for digestion.
They prefer temperatures ranging from 78 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 70 degrees Fahrenheit at night.
When a reptile is cold, it cannot digest its food properly and is more likely to become ill. Lizards prefer a temperature gradient so that if they get out, they can move to a warmer part of the cage and vice versa.
Install a good quality thermometer in the cell at the level where the Bearded Dragon spends the majority of its time so you can keep an eye on the temperature.
Reprography
Between the ages of 8 and 18 months, Bearded Dragons reach sexual maturity and begin to breed. In most cases, the female will lay 20 eggs in a clutch.
If the eggs are fertile, they will hatch in 55-75 days. Unmated females can lay eggs as well.