Painted's!

[Pyror]

Just thought i'd share some piccies of the newest members of my ever increasing family.

They're (on the verge of adulthood) Painted Dragons (Ctenophorus pictus) for those unsure. I picked these little fellas up from the airport last Friday, and i've been to busy with uni exams to snap a couple of shots of them up until now. They're both great little characters, constantly head bobbing and communicating with one another, and can you believe it, i've already observed them mating 4 or 5 times now!

Many thank you'se to Simon_Archibald for putting me onto the breeder .

 

[Greebo]

RE: Painted

They are way cool. How often do you have to paint them?

 

[Pyror]

RE: Painted

How often do you have to paint them?

Only before you take photos like this, and just before you sell them

 

[dobermanmick]

RE: Painted

:lol: Greebo
What type of paint is safe to use with them ?

Seriously how big does their enclosure have to be ?

 

[westhamsc]

RE: Painted

don't these guys only live a few years?

i love these guys who's breeding them this year?

 

[Fuscus]

RE: Painted

In the wild C.pitus can last up to seven years. However, in coastal areas they rarely make it past one.

 

[Pyror]

Seriously how big does their enclosure have to be ?

I keep these guys in an enclosure with floor space that measures approx. 90cm x 50cm. This should be adequate for a trio. They don't do alot of climbing, but i have a few rocks that they like to bask on, i also have a higher branch in there that the male uses to display from.

don't these guys only live a few years?

The breeder that i bought these guys from has kept them going for 7+ years (and counting) and has bred from a single pair for over 5 years running. As fuscy mentioned, in the wild they tend to "live fast, die young". They reach sexual maturity in only 8 - 9 months and will breed constantly given the chance.

These two are only at that 8 - 9 month mark, as can be seen from the males' colouration. In his full peak, that yellow colouration will extend right up under his chin, and will encompass most of his face and head. His front legs and lower flanks will also become a much more vivid blue.

Here's a pic of another male pictus (not mine) that is a cross between a red and yellow phase.

 

[Gabe]

I'm pretty sure i bought mine from the same breeder. Mine are red phase

Sorry for the poor pic. The male has still alot of colouring up to do.

 

[Guest]

Oh very nice. good choice!

 

[Simon_Archibald]

i love these guys who's breeding them this year?

By the looks of that female, Pryor is breeding them this season. Looks very promising. Richard Walker, who is the breeder, has kept them for 5+ years, he knows people who have kept them for 7+ but remember these keepers have them housed outdoors in South Australia.

Simon Archibald

 

[dobermanmick]

Okay im interested in them now !
So whats the cost of a pair ?
And do they have any special requirements in husbandry ?

 

[dobermanmick]

How long do they live on average ?

 

[Guest]

5 min once u get hold of them mick :twisted:

 

[dobermanmick]

Why Mate what will i do ? feed them to my bhp's ? :wink:

 

[Pyror]

So whats the cost of a pair ?

Average cost is around $300 a pair, i've seen them for less and i've seen them for more. I was prepared to pay upto around $400 for a pair. The biggest problem i found was that as soon as a pair became available for sale, they were sold before i could make an offer...

do they have any special requirements in husbandry ?

Like any other species of dragon they require high output UVA/B. At the moment i'm trying to work out a means of setting up an outdoor sunning enclosure so that i can give them 1 or 2 hours of the "real stuff" a couple of times per week. But i am installing a UVA/B fluoro in their enclosure for the times where i won't be able to get them outside (i only wish they sold "OZ Bright" MVB's in lower wattages b/c 100W+ would cook the poor buggers in the enclosure that they're in...).

They also like reasonably high temps, their basking site is in the range of 40-45C and the cooler end of the enclosure sits at around 27-30ish.

The other thing is that they eat heaps! I was completely surprised at how much such a small dragon can get down. I can feed them 3 or 4 times per day and they'll eat 4 maybe 5 small sized SFR's/crix/mealies every time, along with a bit of vegie mix. Although there would definately be no need to feed them this often, i'm just trying to fatten up the female with hopes in mind that she'll fall gravid (if she hasn't already) in the next month or so.

Any more questions? fire away... More than happy to answer, otherwise theres a good care sheet that simon typed up somewhere around here, just search the forums for "painted dragons".

 

[africancichlidau]

By the look of that female mate I reckon shes already cooking

 

[diamond_python]

I don't know much about painted dragons but they look awesome. How big do they grow???

 

[africancichlidau]

Depends if they are the Dulux or the Taubmans morph.

 

[westhamsc]

i like the british paint type :lol:

 

[Pyror]

Depends if they are the Dulux or the Taubmans morph.

The wattyl morph is the largest and mmost colourful (and most expensive).

How big do they grow???

Their average size is about 6cm SVL. Roughly double that to include the tail. They are very small dragons!