Bearded Dragons - Lizards from Oz Quiz

Answer: Pogona vitticeps

Eublepharis macularius is the leopard gecko, another popular pet and the Sauromalus obesus is a chuck walla lizard. The Dipsosaurus dorsalis is a desert iguana. Pogona vitticeps is the name for the species found in Central Australia and Pogona barbata is the Eastern or common bearded dragon.

Answer: False

Actually some female beardies show this characteristic of puffing up the spikes on their throats. It is quite impressive. Some of the beards actually change to a black color when displayed. The beard serves to frighten off predators and beardies show them when threatened. The male bearded dragon's beard changes color during courtship and mating.

Answer: Brumation

Brumation is the term used by many specialists to describe the lethargic state that is not quite hibernation but winter dormancy. If you wish to avoid this you must ensure that the lighting in the habitat is regulated. Our lizard George has gone through his first brumation and didn't even eat his crickets when they were put into his habitat.

When the temperature was increased with a better heating pad, he sparked up and began eating like a dragon again and moving around animatedly. There are many websites devoted to the care of bearded dragons and the whole brumation thing occupies many a site's forums! If in doubt, consult a vet who knows about reptiles though.

In general the signs that the animal is in this phase is that he or she barely eats, barely moves but is not asleep all the time. "Brume" means fog or misty fog in French and the word comes from this word. Hibernation comes from the French word 'hiver' or winter.

Answer: head bobbing

Bearded dragons bob their heads with humans as well as with their own kind. Males tend to bob their heads more animatedly whereas females bob them more slowly. Head bobbing is a form of communication between lizards and even with other creatures like their human caretakers.

It's also a 'who's the boss here' behavior and way of determining this. The answer to the head bobbing is arm waving during which the other lizard waves its arms to concede the other one is the biggest lizard in the tank. It looks a bit like a paddling motion on one side.

Answer: Never feed a bearded dragon anything bigger than the space between its eyes.

This rule of thumb is easier than measuring the size of the mouth and leaves little margin for error. When you purchase crickets, you must not get them too big for the size of the dragon.

Answer: True

Bearded dragons require a special permit in some Australian states and are illegal in others. Most of the dragons available in America are descendants of breeding stock created a long time ago. They breed relatively well in captivity. Some experts claim that the laws against keeping beardies in Australia does not prevent them from becoming extinct as much as it prevents serious reptile specialists from learning from them. The founding breeding stock for most of the dragons in the US probably came from Australia to Europe then to the US.

Answer: A firefly

Adult beardies will eat 'pinkies' or small mice (not fingers). Bearded dragons apparently love cockroaches ( I have seen our house gecko in Hawaii catch them and he loved them too). But a North American firefly (photinos ignites) has lucibufagin chemicals that are toxic to the dragon's system or in fact, to most reptiles.

The chemical is a self defense mechanism, not what makes it glow. The bearded dragon does not appear to have an aversion to the tastes of these insects. Zoos have lost reptiles in places where fireflies are common. Pet stores sell cactus treats for lizards but it would be preferable for the beardie not to approach a cactus in your home!

Answer: Digging digging digging

Like other animals, the female digs a safe place for her clutch of eggs.

Answer: True

Beardies require a varied diet as they are set up that way to survive in nature when insects cannot be found. They are true omnivores. They eat little salads made of greens, carrots, and fruit chopped up into bits. So advice columnists on bearded dragon sites have lots of lists and advice on how to get your bearded dragon to eat its veggies! George, our resident beardie, eats strawberries, carrots, salad and occasionally, cactus treats.

He prefers crickets and mealworms though. I have seen him down twenty crickets in one setting!

Answer: To avoid getting salmonella bacteria

Bearded dragons moult in spectacular chunks that are so big they remind you of the 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'. You must let this happen though. They don't give you warts but they might transmit salmonella bacteria to you if you aren't careful and they carry it. Dragons also require a bit of misting to help them moult. Most people have a little mister bottle they shower their animal with each day.