Small Lizard, BIG Personality!
A Beginner’s Guide to the Fascinating World of
Keeping Smaller Dragons.
Mitchell Hodgson maintains an extensive collection of small dragons (amongst other reptiles), and
also works in the reptile department at Kellyville Pets. In his spare time he is undertaking a PhD
focussed on the thermal physiology and behaviour of Jacky Dragons!
Small dragons (or agamids, as
reptile nerds call them) are some of
the most naturally colourful and
hardy species in the captive hobby.
Many are practical to maintain and
their personalities provide hours of
entertainment - so the question
presents itself, why aren’t there
more around? Lack of information,
availability and the need for
dedicated care for this colourful
group of critters seems to scare so
many keepers away from the
enjoyable experience of keeping
them. Hopefully after reading this
article you’ll feel both informed and
inspired about keeping small
agamids and decide to take the
plunge in maintaining an attractive,
energetic and rewarding pet.
and Amphibolurus. Some
Tympanocryptis, Lophognathus and
Moloch dragons are held in a small
number of private collections, but
due to the restricted ownership of
these last three genera I will not
discuss them in depth. These
dragons are incredibly diverse;
Ctenophorus having over thirty
recognised species and Diporiphora
having more than twenty (with
undoubtedly more yet to be
described!). Most are arid and semi
-arid dwellers inhabiting the
complex mosaic of habitats the
Australian outback has to offer,
however there are a number of
tropical and temperate species too.
Like any reptile, it’s important to
research the natural history of the
species you plan to keep and
The most widespread genera of
ensure you’re replicating its
small agamids in the captive hobby natural environment the best you
today are Ctenophorus,
can. With that in mind, please be
Lophosaurus (formerly Hypsilurus), aware that the care information
Diporiphora, Rankinia, Gowidion
provided later in this article is
generalised to small dragons as a
whole. Species-specific information
should be sought from the breeder
or seller as well as reputable
sources such as accomplished
keepers or books.
Deciding on a species will be both
the easiest and hardest part of the
small dragon experience, as each
has their own pros and cons. Some
keepers may be drawn to the vivid
breeding colouration of male Red-
barred Dragons (Ctenophorus
vadnappa), Crested Dragons
(C. cristatus) or Western Netted
Dragons (C. reticulatus). Others
may find allure in the dorso-
ventrally flattened Ornate Dragon
(C. ornatus) that looks like an
attractively adorned agamid
pancake, the prehistoric-looking
Boyd’s Forest Dragon (Lophosaurus
boydii) or the strikingly patterned
and quirky Goldfields Ring-tailed
Dragon (C. infans). The key thing to
keep in mind is that most species
can be maintained in captivity
provided their basic husbandry
needs are met, and given an
invested keeper.
Housing.
Most small dragons don’t require
large amounts of space relative to
their size, but care must be taken in
choosing an enclosure that reflects
the natural history and habitat use
of the species in the wild. Terres-
trial sand and rock dragon species,
such as the Central Netted Dragon
(C. nuchalis) and Tawny Dragon
(C. decresii) require a modest floor
space and an 80cm x 45cm x 45cm
enclosure (all dimensions are
quoted as length x width x height)
would be a suitable recommenda-
tion for adults; personally, I elect to
keep my animals in 90cm x 60cm x
50cm enclosures. Most male
Ctenophorus dragons are territorial
in nature and so subsequently
patrol their territories in captivity,
making them very active pets when
given space. Diporiphora species
such as the Nobbi Dragon
(D. nobbi) and Tommy Roundhead
(D. australis) require even less
space, and can be housed in tanks
measuring 60cm x 45cm x 60cm.
Larger arboreal species such as
those from Amphibolurus,
Lophosaurus and Gowidion thrive in
enclosures measuring 60cm x
45cm x 90cm (larger Lophosaurus
may require 90cm x 45cm x 90cm).
Rankinia dragons can be