Frilled Dragons –
Frilled Dragons are big eaters! They eat mainly insects but don’t mind the odd bit of fruit and vegetables. Hatchlings should be fed twice a day. You can feed these lizards anything from Crickets to Silkworms, including Butter worms and super worms. Vegetables should come in wide varieties for example, sweet potatoes, split peas, carrots, different green veg, and green beans. Wax worms and meal worms can be offered as a treat. Dusting the food with a calcium/multi-vitamin supplement will keep your lizards happy and healthy. You should do this everyday for hatchlings and juveniles and every other day for adults. Water should be available all the time and changed everyday.
The heat must range between 75F and 85F-90F with a basking spot up to 100F. Thermostats will help maintain this. Night time temperatures should be around 70-75F, don’t let it drop below 65F. The humidity in their enclosure should remain at around 55% to 65%, don’t let it get to 75% at all as this could cause respiratory problems for your pet.
Broad spectrum heat bulbs and a fluorescent or other bulb with UVB are recommended. Direct sunlight (not through glass) is good for getting natural vitamins to your lizard.
Substrates such as newspaper, paper towel or even reptile carpets are ideal for young lizards. Using sand may be harmful to your pet if digested. For adult dragons you can continue using newspaper and paper towels, or a fully digestible substrate. These Dragons would need a rather large enclosure as they are very active. Lots of items for your dragon to climb and bask on are important. For hatchlings and youngsters a 30-55 gallon tank is recommended but they will need the larger Vivarium rather quickly as they grow very fast. A 4ft by 3ft Vivarium is fine for a single adult, but larger is recommended.
These interesting lizards can live up to 15 years and they originate from Australia and New Guinea. They can grow up to 30” and their frill (when extended) 12”. They’re known scientifically as Chlamydosaurus Kingii. Please ring Appleton Exotics petshop for any more information.
