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Water Dragon Care Sheet |
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~diurnal, arboreal,
omnivorous~
Size:
Average adult size is
36 inches, and 40 inches is the max.
Life Span:
10 to 20 years.
Housing:
A 36" x 48" x 24"
vivarium fitted with a Ceramic heater and thermostat is
ideal housing for a trio of water dragons. The ceramic
heater should be left on day and night but the thermostat
should be turned down by the appropriate temperature at
night and back up again in the morning.
UV lighting is absolutely essential for these lizards and
should be on for 12-14 hours per day and then switched off
at night.
Reptiles are "cold blooded" and "thermoregulators" ie they
need external heat sources to maintain their body
temperature. This means they need a thermal gradient ie a
warm and a cool area to be able to choose the correct
temperature they need.
Suitable substrates (material that is on the bottom of the
vivarium) include Reptile bark, Aspen shavings. Or kitchen
roll. Cedar/pine shavings are unacceptable as they can cause
respiratory problems in reptiles.
Furniture must include a hide (preferably one at the warm
end and one at the cool end) and a large water bowl suitable
containing fresh water at all times. Climbing branches are
essential.
Diet:
Crickets/locusts of
the appropriate size dusted with calcium/vitamin powder
should be the main insect diet of your lizard. Other food
items which should be offered occasionally include waxworms,
mealworms and pinkie mice. As babies they should be fed
every 1-2 days and as adults twice per week. Vitamins should
be dusted on the food with each feed whilst they are babies
and once every week when adult. Care should be taken with
mealworms as they may be difficult for your lizard to digest
and waxworms should only be fed occasionally due to their
high fat content. Approximately 6 crickets should be offered
with each meal, if they are eaten straight away then try a
few more. Recommended vitamin supplements include: Nutrobal
powder, T-Rex 2:0 Calcium powder
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