water dragons in winter

[TristanS]

I have a 3x1x2' enclosure for reptiles and if I do get a water dragon I will build something like a 6'(w)x4'(d)x4'(h) outside (or even bigger). Can Gippsland water dragons survive outside in Adelaide during winter or would they be temporarily housed in that smaller tank for 2-3 months a year with overhead/undertank heating (I will let it have the daily free roam for 30mins or so). I have heard people say gippsland water dragons are very cold tolerant and have been seen basking at 18c. is this true and can I keep gippsland water dragons outside in winter.
[doublepost=1578563292,1578563149][/doublepost]and I can probably have them have a daily bath in warm water even if outside

 

[dragonlover1]

Gippsland water dragons are natural in Victoria so there is no reason why you can't keep them outside all year round down south. I'd offer warm hide boxes maybe but part from that should be good.
Disclaimer: I don't keep water dragons but I do keep my Lace monitors outdoors all year round because they are natural in my area.
My Lacies sleep in parrot boxes with straw bedding

 

[TristanS]

okay, thanks
[doublepost=1582439657,1578657648][/doublepost]and invasive water dragons thrive in my area lol

 

[nuttylizardguy]

okay, thanks
[doublepost=1582439657,1578657648][/doublepost]and invasive water dragons thrive in my area lol

Invasive ?

You do realize eastern water dragons are endemic to all the eastern states.
https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/reptiles/water-dragon/
http://www.arod.com.au/arod/reptilia/Squamata/Agamidae/Intellagama/lesueurii
Virtually found from tip of Cape York ( I've been there in a 4x4 fishing camping trip and frequently saw them near rivers , creeks and billabongs up there ) and as far south as Melbourne and Geelong and the Murray wetlands.

 

[Sdaji]

Invasive ?

You do realize eastern water dragons are endemic to all the eastern states.
https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/reptiles/water-dragon/
http://www.arod.com.au/arod/reptilia/Squamata/Agamidae/Intellagama/lesueurii
Virtually found from tip of Cape York ( I've been there in a 4x4 fishing camping trip and frequently saw them near rivers and creeks and billabongs north and west of Mossman ) , and as far south as Melbourne and Geelong and the Murray wetlands.

They're not naturally occuring in all of those areas, such as Melbourne and Geelong. They are invasive in those (and other) areas. It's only very recently that Water Dragons established themselves in Melbourne. I was born in Melbourne before the first Water Dragon hatched in Melbourne. They're probably not serious pests and very likely at some point in the last few hundred thousand years they did exist in the areas which are now Melbourne and Geelong, so anything they could have wiped out would probably already have been wiped out. For similar reasons, plus having more primitive fauna, anything native to the Australian mainland is much less likely to cause problems when translocated within that island than things from outside that landmass, but still, those populations are not naturally occurring.