I bought an adult male (Larry) 22cm Netted Dragon 6 months ago and decided he was lonely, so bought 3 hatchies hoping to get a female companion. Can anyone tell me how big the my little female has to be before she can be introduced to Larry. I also have read that the lizards should not be allowed to close to the uv light. My little ones like to sleep at the top of the enclosure which puts them only a few cms from the light, is this a problem?
Help with Central Netted Dragons
- Thread starter Devomum
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Dragon-Nut
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Hi Devomum,
With CND's, until they are at least 6 months old, it's difficult to tell whether they're a boy or a girl so don't be too certain that the 3 hatchies you bought are all females. There could be males in there. Most females, if fed properly, should be ready to start breeding after 12 - 15 months. I would advise you to only put the females in with the adult male if a) you are certain they are females, b) wait until they are at least 1 yr old and c) make sure the females are healthy and a good size. My CND girls tend get quite round and chunky, as is my male of course. Make sure you dust your insects with calcium or calcium + multivitamin powder at least twice a week. They'll need it for strong bones during growth and they'll need the calcium for making eggs once they are old enough t breed.
Once they're old enough and when you feel they are ready, take the females and put them into the male's enclousre, not the other way around. In the wild, the females go into the male's territory when they are looking for a mate. The male can easily handle 2 - 3 females together so you can put all your females in at the same time if you like. (He'll be a busy boy!) The other benefit of having multiple females is that they don't get harrased all the time by the male because he's got 3 girls to distract him.
Finally, regarding your question on UVB, yes, try not to let your dragons get directly under the UVB light. Are you using a UVB tube or compact bulb? When you say they are only a cm form the light, are they directly underneath? Or are they to the side? How does your dragons get up to the top of the enclosure anyway to get that close to the light? If you can post a picture of your enclosure, that would be good. It's a bit hard to give you suggestions without seeing what you've done already.
Cheers, hope that helps.
E.
With CND's, until they are at least 6 months old, it's difficult to tell whether they're a boy or a girl so don't be too certain that the 3 hatchies you bought are all females. There could be males in there. Most females, if fed properly, should be ready to start breeding after 12 - 15 months. I would advise you to only put the females in with the adult male if a) you are certain they are females, b) wait until they are at least 1 yr old and c) make sure the females are healthy and a good size. My CND girls tend get quite round and chunky, as is my male of course. Make sure you dust your insects with calcium or calcium + multivitamin powder at least twice a week. They'll need it for strong bones during growth and they'll need the calcium for making eggs once they are old enough t breed.
Once they're old enough and when you feel they are ready, take the females and put them into the male's enclousre, not the other way around. In the wild, the females go into the male's territory when they are looking for a mate. The male can easily handle 2 - 3 females together so you can put all your females in at the same time if you like. (He'll be a busy boy!) The other benefit of having multiple females is that they don't get harrased all the time by the male because he's got 3 girls to distract him.
Finally, regarding your question on UVB, yes, try not to let your dragons get directly under the UVB light. Are you using a UVB tube or compact bulb? When you say they are only a cm form the light, are they directly underneath? Or are they to the side? How does your dragons get up to the top of the enclosure anyway to get that close to the light? If you can post a picture of your enclosure, that would be good. It's a bit hard to give you suggestions without seeing what you've done already.
Cheers, hope that helps.
E.
Thanks for your quick reply, yes that does help. I am pretty sure i have 2 females and 1 male with the young ones, but 1 of the suspected girls is still not positive. It took me a long time to work out how to put on a post so dont know how long it would take to get a picture up, unfortunatly im computer illiterate. Are the netteds solitary or do they like company, the young ones are always out playing but Larry spends most of his time hiding, that's why I thought he needed a friend, I wasnt planning on breeding yet, just keeping them happy an healthy. 
Dragon-Nut
Not so new Member
Hi Devomum,
No worries, yeah, posting pics is not the easiest thing! lol. You'll find in the wild, CND's are usually solitary although in captivity, they can happily live together in a "family" group. This family group should only have 1 male in it though, especially if they are fully grown adults. When they are hatchlings, I usually keep mine together for no more than about 3-4 months. Once they start to get older than that, it's best to separate them, especially if there are more than one males in the group.
If Larry is hiding most of the time, it may be because a) he's still coming out of brumation and not quite fully active yet, b) maybe the temperatures are not hot enough in the enclosure, or c) the enclosure is too hot? Do you know what your temperature graidents are between the hot end and the cool end? Where does he tend to hide mostly? Hot end or cool end? My male CND sleeps during the day as well even when all the lights are on and it's 35 degrees.
Devomum, most reptiles tend to be solitary and don't like each other very much. There are exceptions of course, but in general, they are solitary and prefer it that way. CND's are one of the rare species which can live happily together and once you put them together, they'll make babies whether you like it or not! Anyway, best of luck with them and enjoy. They are such awesome dragons! Have fun!
Cheers.
E.
No worries, yeah, posting pics is not the easiest thing! lol. You'll find in the wild, CND's are usually solitary although in captivity, they can happily live together in a "family" group. This family group should only have 1 male in it though, especially if they are fully grown adults. When they are hatchlings, I usually keep mine together for no more than about 3-4 months. Once they start to get older than that, it's best to separate them, especially if there are more than one males in the group.
If Larry is hiding most of the time, it may be because a) he's still coming out of brumation and not quite fully active yet, b) maybe the temperatures are not hot enough in the enclosure, or c) the enclosure is too hot? Do you know what your temperature graidents are between the hot end and the cool end? Where does he tend to hide mostly? Hot end or cool end? My male CND sleeps during the day as well even when all the lights are on and it's 35 degrees.
Devomum, most reptiles tend to be solitary and don't like each other very much. There are exceptions of course, but in general, they are solitary and prefer it that way. CND's are one of the rare species which can live happily together and once you put them together, they'll make babies whether you like it or not!
Anyway, best of luck with them and enjoy. They are such awesome dragons! Have fun!Cheers.
E.
Hey look, i managed the photos. The little ones sleep at the very top of the fake rock, or a the top of the drift wood in the fork, the top of the rock is 2cms above the light and the fork of the driftwood would be 3cms to the side of the light.Larrys enclosure is 24C at the cool end and 31C at the hot end.
GeckoJosh
Almost Legendary
The reason they are sitting so close is their enclosure is way too cold, they need a 37-38 degree basking spot.
Dragon-Nut
Not so new Member
Hi Devomum,
Well done on getting the pics up!
OK, I see what you've done. My suggestions would be as follows:
1. Put a wire light cage over the night bulb.
2. Get rid of the black night bulb and put in a 75W Daylight basking bulb instead.
3. Put the daylight basking bulb on a timer to switch on between 7am - 6pm.
4. Move the fake rock mountain thing away from the UVB tube - it's way too close. Minimum distance away from the UVB tube should be 10cm, that way, there is no risk of your babies being burnt by UVB rays. What strength UVB tube is it? Is it a UVB 10.0? If not, it should be a 10.0 as CND's are an arid desert species.
5. Move the branch to the opposite direction so the top of your branch goes from the left (front) of your tank down to the right (rear). This means your dragons will be able to get closer to the 75W daylight basking lamp by climbing higher on the branch. Don't worry about your dragons getting burnt, they know how close they can get and will move further down the branch as they get warmed up. But, in saying that, the wire cage around the bulb itself will be insurance and that is why it's the first thing I suggested.
6. I would highly recommend getting a thermometer installed. I use the Reptile One dual probe thermometer which has 2 temperature probes in the one unit. I place one probe close to the hot basking spot and the other on the opposite cool end. That way, I can monitor the temperatire gradient. You should try for at least a 10 degrees C difference betwen the two sides.
7. Like Goldmember said, the basking hot spot should be at least 37 - 38 degrees. If it's getting much hotter than that, then use a 50W or 60W daylight bulb instead.
8. Put the water bowl right down near the cool end and make sure you give them plenty of fresh, cold water each day.
9. I'd also put the fake log ornament underneath, fairly close to the basking light so that it ca absorb heat when the light is on and once night time comes, it will hold a little bit of heat for your dragons to go sleep inside.
10. Finally, ideally, you should also have a thermostat fo the daylight basking lamp. Not sure if you're using one already as I can't tell from the photo. If you are, graet stuff, put the probe about 1-2 inches above the ground height and within 2 - 3 inches from the heat bulb. Set the thermostat to about 38 - 40 degrees and you should be right.
Hope the above helps!
Cheers,
E.
Hehehe, sorry about the typos, just noticed them once I clicked post. My fingers are not keeping up to speed as my brain....plus it's getting way past my bedtime!!
Cheers.
Well done on getting the pics up!
OK, I see what you've done. My suggestions would be as follows:
1. Put a wire light cage over the night bulb.
2. Get rid of the black night bulb and put in a 75W Daylight basking bulb instead.
3. Put the daylight basking bulb on a timer to switch on between 7am - 6pm.
4. Move the fake rock mountain thing away from the UVB tube - it's way too close. Minimum distance away from the UVB tube should be 10cm, that way, there is no risk of your babies being burnt by UVB rays. What strength UVB tube is it? Is it a UVB 10.0? If not, it should be a 10.0 as CND's are an arid desert species.
5. Move the branch to the opposite direction so the top of your branch goes from the left (front) of your tank down to the right (rear). This means your dragons will be able to get closer to the 75W daylight basking lamp by climbing higher on the branch. Don't worry about your dragons getting burnt, they know how close they can get and will move further down the branch as they get warmed up. But, in saying that, the wire cage around the bulb itself will be insurance and that is why it's the first thing I suggested.
6. I would highly recommend getting a thermometer installed. I use the Reptile One dual probe thermometer which has 2 temperature probes in the one unit. I place one probe close to the hot basking spot and the other on the opposite cool end. That way, I can monitor the temperatire gradient. You should try for at least a 10 degrees C difference betwen the two sides.
7. Like Goldmember said, the basking hot spot should be at least 37 - 38 degrees. If it's getting much hotter than that, then use a 50W or 60W daylight bulb instead.
8. Put the water bowl right down near the cool end and make sure you give them plenty of fresh, cold water each day.
9. I'd also put the fake log ornament underneath, fairly close to the basking light so that it ca absorb heat when the light is on and once night time comes, it will hold a little bit of heat for your dragons to go sleep inside.
10. Finally, ideally, you should also have a thermostat fo the daylight basking lamp. Not sure if you're using one already as I can't tell from the photo. If you are, graet stuff, put the probe about 1-2 inches above the ground height and within 2 - 3 inches from the heat bulb. Set the thermostat to about 38 - 40 degrees and you should be right.
Hope the above helps!
Cheers,
E.
Hehehe, sorry about the typos, just noticed them once I clicked post. My fingers are not keeping up to speed as my brain....plus it's getting way past my bedtime!!
Cheers.
Last edited:
bigi
Very Well-Known Member
i havent read all the post here but will add some points if they are covered here or not
the uv is too close to were they can get too, allow say 150mm
the heat globe is fine, there is no need for a "day light" just make a basking spot say 150-200 below of around 40 degrees, the rest of the enclosure will regulate itself and be fine
a cage to the heat lamp is a good idea but probably not all that necessary at 150mm+ away from it
those netteds are of adult size and can be introduced to the other one you have, watch the males, they will tear each other apart
they will breed this year if introduced however i prefer to hold them back to the second year
good luck they are awsome
the uv is too close to were they can get too, allow say 150mm
the heat globe is fine, there is no need for a "day light" just make a basking spot say 150-200 below of around 40 degrees, the rest of the enclosure will regulate itself and be fine
a cage to the heat lamp is a good idea but probably not all that necessary at 150mm+ away from it
those netteds are of adult size and can be introduced to the other one you have, watch the males, they will tear each other apart
they will breed this year if introduced however i prefer to hold them back to the second year
good luck they are awsome
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