maintained in an enclosure with minimum dimensions of 60cm x 45cm x 45cm , however they are quite active in larger tanks measuring 80cm x 45cm x 45cm .
Due to the thermal needs of dragons ( refer the Heating and Lighting section ) melamine or wooden enclosures are recommended to maximise heating efficiency . With that said , commercially available glass vivariums are still a reliable option , particularly for those with reptile rooms that maintain consistent temperatures , or when used in conjunction with mercury vapour bulbs that are high wattage and generally incompatible with thermostats . Either way , it is important to offer adequate ventilation to prevent overheating .
Substrate , Enrichment and Decoration .
In the captive environment Ctenophorus , Diporiphora , Rankinia , Gowidion and Amphibolurus dragons all excel when housed on sand or sand / organic matter mixes . Commercially available red desert sand or play sand can make an aesthetically pleasing tank for arid species , while still serving a practical role in behavioural enrichment . For animals that originate from non -arid regions , substrate mixes of organic topsoil , peat moss , coir mulch , leaf litter and sand can be used to create a bioactive media that contains detritivores or will
Left : keepers may be drawn to the vivid colouration of small agamids like this Central Netted Dragon . Right : a pair of Tommy Roundheads . Images by Tyson Keen . grow live plants . Most small dragons are not destructive in nature ; Mountain Dragons ( Rankinia diemensis ) and Lophosaurus species in particular make excellent specimens for bioactive tanks with live plants and invertebrate cleaning crews .
Whilst predominantly terrestrial , species such as the Central Netted Dragon will regularly use perching opportunities when provided , and having an enclosure with a height of 60cm or more enables owners to increase the availability of branches , rocks and other enrichment opportunities . Perching options serve as important tools for both enrichment and thermoregulation for terrestrial and arboreal dragon species . If you decide to keep a rock-dwelling species like the Tawny Dragon or Ornate Dragon it is important to provide them with rock crevices as retreats ; similarly , sand dragons should be provided with access to tunnelling mediums to produce burrows .
Rock dragon retreats can easily be made using ethically sourced rock or tile stacks ( though the latter doesn ’ t look very attractive ). Commercial foam rocks make a great addition to rock dragon tanks as they are lightweight , easily cleaned and can have hides carved into them . Burrows for sand dragons can be simply manufactured using piping buried in the sand with an opening for entrance and escape . More invested keepers can use a moistened 50:50 mix of play or red desert sand and builder ’ s sand which is piled into a corner to allow the dragons to construct their own tunnel systems . This mix is pliable when wet , however it sets hard , minimising the possibility of tunnel collapse on your pet . The trade-off that exists between the pipe and sand tunnel options is that piping doesn ’ t look as attractive , but is easier to check . Sand burrows must be collapsed to perform health checks on inhabitants .
Backgrounds ( home-made , foam or latex ) are excellent additions to small dragon tanks , not only because they make the enclosure more attractive , but also because they increase the surface area used by the inhabitant . They also act as great friction points when positioning climbing perches ( as compared to glass or melamine walls ). Whenever decorating any cage it is absolutely essential to make sure that heavy objects that could pin the dragon are placed on the bottom of the enclosure . Dragons love to dig and will quickly undermine rocks and branches , which could accidentally collapse on them . Similarly , backgrounds should be adequately secured and sealed to prevent lizards or feeder insects getting behind them .
Enrichment is often of little concern for reptile keepers , however growing evidence suggests it