Help me decide on which Dragon(s) to get.

[DaNReD]

OK. I'm going to be getting some (probably 3) lizards sometime soon, although i don't know much about each kind i'm looking at.
With the help of a friend i have managed to narrow my choices aaaaaaalllll the way down to 5 different dragons
It would be good to get some advice from someone who has kept some of these types to help me decide
as i dont know much at all about their different temperaments, habitat, availability, license required (i have basic), cost (dont mind paying around
200 if they are that much)
Do their care requirements differ much from bearded dragons as they all seem fairly similar?
Anyway based primarily on uniqueness here is the top 5. (sorry for the lack of googling for scientific names)

Tawny Dragon
Crested Dragon
Netted Dragon (central?)
Red Barred Dragon
Peninsula Dragon

if you can also say why you like/dont like any
Also if anyone knows any breeders /pet stores who have them let me know?
a friend recommended rick walker so i sent him an email but have heard nothing back yet.
Will be keeping them in a 6ft tank and probably building a larger enclosure when they get bigger to fit in some extra 'play equipment'
Also is there any chance that any of these species can be kept together as i know you can with some (a friend has blueys, stumpy tails, and beardys together)
Cheeeeeers
-Dan

 

[KaotikJezta]

My son has central netted dragons and they are awesome little dragons to keep. Very entertaining and not too skittish. Care is similar to central bearded dragons, they like a really hot basking spot but unlike beardies, they like to soak in their water bowl from time to time. Ther first 2 pics are Obelix and the last 2 are Asterix

 

[DaNReD]

Very cute, netted's snub noses always make them look adorable. is one male and one female?
Do you remember how much they were when you got them?
cheers

View attachment 212454
For everyones reference

 

[KaotikJezta]

I think Asterix is male and Obelix female but not too sure yet. Bigi on here had a bit of a competition where you could win a pair and my son way one of three kids (teenagers) that one a pair but he sells them for $100 each. Asterix was a lot younger in that picture, the Obelix ones are just the other day.

 

[DaNReD]

Are they both fully grown? They seem alot smaller(slimmer) than beardys for example.

 

[KaotikJezta]

No, not full grown yet, about 1/2 maybe. They are a fair bit smaller than beardies.

 

[richoman_3]

netted dragons as mentioned
awesome active dragons with so much personality... They are a smaller growing dragon, females reaching 18cm and males reaching 24cm.
The hot spot should be around 38C and the cool spot should be 25 – 30C. At no point should the temperature rise over 43C or go under 21C. i use a 75w infared heat lamp 20cm away from my dragons which is 37C, and a 10.00UV globe, on for 12 hours a day, have a rock or log under the lamp. Also have a hide in the enclosure aswell
have about 20cm of sand as they love to dig, (i chose not to give mine this though, but i will when mine are old enough to breed) if you do give them deeper sand make sure all logs and rocks you place in with them are buried to the bottom as when they burrow the may dig underneath it and it will collapse ontop of them. also provide logs for them to climb on they love it
as most lizards they feed on crickets,mealworms and woodies, and they like to eat greens aswell, espicially bok choy.
have a waterbowl in the cool end as they will bathe in it sometimes, also mist them every couple of days espicially when they are shedding.
you can keep pair in a 3 foot tank, so with a 6foot you could get a colony of 5-8 id say (1 male as they fight),
like i said they have great personalities and scratch on the glass when they see me - most of the time for crickets

this setup has changed heaps now, will get some updated pics soon

 

[DaNReD]

Whoa thanks for all the info!
I probably wont use sand as ive read alot of bad things about impaction. Probably when theyre a year old which is recommended.
Know anything about keeping them with other kinds of dragons?

 

[KaotikJezta]

We have had ours on desert sand since we got them, i don't think the food has a chance to get sand on it with these guys, they eat to fast.
Ours will be changing enclosures in the next week or two so I will post up some pics of their home then.

 

[mad_at_arms]

Netteds seem pretty commonly available, how about the others??
Red barred and crested in particular.

 

[DaNReD]

i think red barred arent too hard to get. i have no idea about crested or peninsula either, although there's a threads on here of peoploe who have them

 

[goaty777]

Hi, i know rick walkers email is down for a few weeks. He will be back online in a fortnight. His dragons are sensational and have heaps of colour and are well patterned. You will probably have to pay a little more than $200 for the really good ones.

 

[DaNReD]

a little more than 200 for netted's you mean? or for all of them?

 

[Laghairt]

Just remember that red bearded aren't always red. This is my yearling 'red' from Rick Walker that he said was the reddest out of all the hold backs. I haven't seen him go really red yet, hopefully he will colour up as he grows.

 

[dixilizards]

Gday,

All these Dragons that you have mentioned;

Tawny Dragon
Crested Dragon
Netted Dragon (central?)
Red Barred Dragon
Peninsula Dragon

All grow on average half to a third of the size of a Bearded Dragon.

They also differ very much in personality to Beardies, Netted's would have to be the most similar but the others are tending to be very flighty (of course there are exceptions for some individuals) and just don't generally like being held, so they are more of a look and don't touch reptile.

As for husbandry and keeping multiple species together, each dragon species mentioned does differ in both categories. Perhaps purchasing the Keeping and Breeding Australian Lizards book might be a good place to start off.

As mentioned, your going to be looking at more than $200 for what your looking at, freight alone from Rick would be about $60 and then add to that the animal cost.

Cheers,
John

 

[DaNReD]

Rondo, i think you have red phase bearded mixed up with red barred

cheers for the info dixilizards.
i had no idea they were so small! it will be as though they are babies forever which i guess is a good thing.
When you say others are fighty, is that just in general or only when being handled? is this also their natural temprement or can they be tamed down a bit with extra handling?

if getting netteds would you also recommend 1 male and 2 female?
Are there any other netted's breeders you can recommend that are near melbourne? can they be found in most reptile shops? i dont recall seeing any, although i havent specifically looked for netted's. and would the other species be around that same price from rick?

 

[dixilizards]

Rondo, i think you have red phase bearded mixed up with red barred

cheers for the info dixilizards.
i had no idea they were so small! it will be as though they are babies forever which i guess is a good thing.
When you say others are fighty, is that just in general or only when being handled? is this also their natural temprement or can they be tamed down a bit with extra handling?

There normal instinct is to run from anything bigger than they are, being so small they are easy prey. As I mentioned, some individuals can be well handled but these are the exceptions.

if getting netteds would you also recommend 1 male and 2 female?

Any mix that doesn't involve more than 1 male will be fine, however sexing Netted's can be very difficult and so you may find trial and error the only way.

Are there any other netted's breeders you can recommend that are near melbourne? can they be found in most reptile shops? i dont recall seeing any, although i havent specifically looked for netted's. and would the other species be around that same price from rick?

Bigi on this site bred some last season, also Shannon Plummer breeds them regularly. With regards to price perhaps search APS for previous for sale ads to get an idea of price but for the dragons you have mentioned, most are scarcely bred and some very rarely for sale. Rick has the ability of living in there natural environment so just sets them up in pits outdoors, he would well have all the species your looking for but whether he has any available is another question.

see response in red

 

[Laghairt]

Yes mate you're right, was reading on taptalk and not paying attention.

Rondo, i think you have red phase bearded mixed up with red barred

cheers for the info dixilizards.
i had no idea they were so small! it will be as though they are babies forever which i guess is a good thing.
When you say others are fighty, is that just in general or only when being handled? is this also their natural temprement or can they be tamed down a bit with extra handling?

if getting netteds would you also recommend 1 male and 2 female?
Are there any other netted's breeders you can recommend that are near melbourne? can they be found in most reptile shops? i dont recall seeing any, although i havent specifically looked for netted's. and would the other species be around that same price from rick?

 

[DaNReD]

cheers mate.
ive contacted bigi. seems as though he has some left judging from his last thread.

 

[Tassie97]

mountain dragons????