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This agame is probably one of the easiest species in captivity and very familiar.
It is quite suitable for novice terrariophites.
Distribution / biotope : Australia, areas bordering the great central desert. The presence of an isolated population, made up of individuals smaller than normal, was however discovered at the heart of the latter. Arid or semi-arid areas.
Temperature, Hot spot / Cold spot :
Day: 40 “C / 28’C
Night: 22 ‘C
Humidity : Low, around 40%, but don’t forget the water bowl: some specimens like an occasional bath.
Lighting : Intense, by UV tube or UV lamp
Difficulty : Very easy
Adult size : 40 to 60 cm
Description and biology
The Bearded Agama is a medium-sized, fairly massive lizard with a large triangular head and a row of thorny scales along the flanks and, above all, under the neck. In case of danger, it deploys this thorny beard while opening its mouth wide to impress predators. This is not just a bluff: the thorny scales of this lizard can cause great damage inside the esophagus of a possible predator. The typical coloration is grayish or brown, with a gray-white ventral surface and darker spots on the back. There are more colorful phases, selected by breeders, red, yellow, or even golden. An albino phase has also recently appeared. In principle diurnal (except period of heat wave), the bearded agamum leads a terrestrial and semi-arboreal existence. It lives in hierarchical colonies and it is relatively inactive, hunting rather on the lookout. Adapted to its particularly harsh environment, where food is sometimes scarce, it has an omnivorous diet. It is an opportunistic predator, which consumes all types of living prey within its reach, as well as a significant proportion of various plants.
Red bearded dragon in its terrarium
Terrarium and maintenance
120 x 50 x 50 cm, desert type, with a substrate of fine sand or wood chips, hiding places on the ground and many perches (branches, cork oak bark, artificial walls).
Omnivorous diet: insects (crickets, locusts, cockroaches, butterflies, moths, etc.), arachnids, mice, plants (dandelion, clover, alfalfa, pieces of mango and papaya, cabbage, hibiscus), specific granules. Foods of plant origin (pellets and plants themselves) must represent at least half of the total ration (risk of hepatic disorders). There are very marked individual differences in the choice of food. It is important to permanently leave small fragments of cuttlefish bone (very rich in calcium) in the terrarium.
Precautions for juveniles:
– in the event of maintenance of a group, it is necessary to distribute the meals in sufficient quantity and if possible twice a day, otherwise the young lizards attack the legs and the tails of their congeners, which results in severe mutilations . It is also necessary to ensure that each lizard feeds properly and not to hesitate to isolate the weakest individuals;
– pay attention to the size of the prey! It should not exceed the size of the head of young lizards (the ingestion of too large prey causes disorders ranging from simple regurgitation of the prey to paralysis of the hind legs, even death).
Reproduction
Easy in captivity. Recommended two-month rest period (daytime temperature 24 to 27 ° C, nighttime around 16 ° C). Oviparous species, The spawns include a dozen eggs on average, deposited in a slightly damp loose substrate (install the ad hoc spawning box). Incubation time: 2 to 3 months at 28-30 ° C. The young measure around 8 cm when they hatch. Their growth is extremely fast (between 1 and 2.5 cm per week in good conditions). A good quality diet, with unlimited calcium as well as UV rays, is absolutely essential.
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