Up to four months:
Setup: Sifted Sand substrate with flat rock for basking.
Small branches for climbing.
Tank should have a minimum base of 48” X 18”
Care: Mist two to three times a day.
Feed small dusted crickets twice a day as much as they will consume
Mixing in small wax and meal worms
Lighting: Basking light with 95 to 100 degrees on the rock on for 12 to 14 hours.
14 to 16 hours of UVB light required for proper development.
Lights need to be on timers to ensure proper development.
(night time heat lamps may be necessary if temp falls below 70 Degrees)
Four to eight months:
Setup: Introduce pieces of drift wood or grapevine root for them to climb on
Angled upward so your dragon can bask in a vertical position.
A small cave or other hiding place where they can cool down.
Care: Mist once or twice a day.
Cut feeding back to once a day alternating crickets with wax/meal worms.
Introduce greens and vegetables.
Lighting: Decrease basking time to 12 hours and UVB to 12 to 14 hours.
Eight months to one year:
Care: Mist once or twice a day.
Move up to medium size crickets continuing to feed once a day alternating.
Adult:
Setup: You may add plants or other decorative items to the tank.
(use caution with live plants they may be toxic, plastic recommended)
Care: Mist in the morning before heat lamp comes on.
Move up to large crickets if desired.
Lighting: You may increase the basking spot temperature to 110 degrees maximum.
Acceptable Greens, Fruits and Vegetables:
Dandelion Greens and flowers Squash
Turnip Greens Green Beans
Grapes Parsnips
Mulberry leaves Sweet Potato
Snow Peas Prickly Pear
Apple In moderation:
Banana Carrots, Tofu, Beet Greens
Figs Kale and Parsley
Always:
Use timers on your lights
Peal the fruits and vegetables
(unless organically grown)
Dust your crickets and worms
Use UVB light AND Heat lamp
Maintain a cool area in the tank
Mist your Dragon
NEVER:
Use Heat rocks or under cage heating pads.
Use Calci-Sand or Silica Sand.
Feed too large of crickets, Dragons bind up easily.
Feed your Dragon Lettuce, Spinach, or Broccoli.
Feed Commercial “Corn” or “Alfalfa” based food products.
Feed food products containing Lactic Acid, Lactose, sugar, dextrose,
Sucrose or Glucose
Use “Solar” or “UVB” Drops (the D3 is not absorbed and may poison)
Note:
Use a screen lid if desired to keep your Dragon in or other animals out. Never use a solid lid as your Dragon will either cook or suffocate.
Water bowls are not necessary, your animal will get it’s water from misting and the greens you feed it. It can promote bacteria and fungal growth.
Live plants are a nice touch but many of them are toxic and your Dragon will try to eat them at some point. They are most likely to be trampled and destroyed wasting your time and money.
Females require a moist area to lay their eggs. A shoe box size plastic container filled with peat moss works great, otherwise keep the corner where she is digging moist for her.
UVB bulbs only last for about six months. UVB output is severally diminished after this even though it continues to put out light. Replacing them is the only way to ensure your Dragon gets the UVB it needs.
Hibernation is a controversial issue in captive reptiles. The fact is that many reptiles develop irreversible disfigurations during extended slumbers. It is also not necessary to induce breeding seasons either.