Tawny dragons (Ctenophorus decresii)

[Sdaji]

Hi all,

I've been thinking about getting some of these for a while. Does anyone have any experience with them? Would you keep them much the same as a small version of a bearded dragon or are there other particulars with them? What are the minimum cage size requirements? Any info on longevity? Clutch sizes and number of clutches per year? Are they basically insectivores or do they eat lots of plant material like beardies? Do they vary in colour much? I've only seen really nice bright red and blue marked ones, but have seen photos of ones with paler yellowy markings, I'm not sure if this is because of the seasonal difference or individual difference.

Anyway, I'd be happy and greatful to hear anything anyone knows about them.

Thanks!

 

[Fuscus]

Very common on Mt Oslen Bagge, so common in fact that if you want to photograph one you need to push three out of the way.
Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating but you'll see 50 plus on the climb (about three hours return).

All Ctenophorus require sunlight, some breeders down here keep them outside in half rainwater tanks all year round (they are local). Females and juveniles are brown while most males are blueish. Breeding males can have an orange throat.

 

[Sdaji]

Thanks Fuscus. I wanted to photograph one a few months ago, I caught it (a really beautiful male with bright red and blue markings) and asked a girl to hold it while I pulled out my camera.... it took me about 45 seconds to fetch the camera, which was longer than the girl managed to keep the lizard from escaping I saw a few more but didn't have time to catch and photograph one. Great little dragons, I'd love to have a colony of them. Not too many going around from what I've seen.

 

[Fuscus]

They are often for sale down here, in fact one of the shops down here "Scales and Tails" has some in stock

 

[Sdaji]

Yeah, I'll probably end up getting them in from SA.
Do you have any advice for a setup?

 

[Fuscus]

As above, if you can't provide regular sunlight for at six months of the year forget it. Wild animals are not that nervous, not like C.pitus which hide when you are 10 meters away. I havn't kept them but would like to.

 

[Sdaji]

Are you saying you can't keep them indoors with a UV tube and supplements? Don't people do this with many Ctenophorus species?

 

[Fuscus]

You proberly could but it would be difficult. UVA tubes only provide a very small fraction of the UVA that real sunlight does and is near useless further than 10 centermeters away, so you need to make sure the lizard can get real close to the light.

 

[Simon_Archibald]

Sdaji,
I have kept Ctenophorus pictus successfully and bred them twice (well technically once while they were here). Their care would be much similar to that of C. decresii. I wrote out a short caresheet on them in this thread: http://www.aussiepythons.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=3789&start=0

You can keep them quite successfully indoors and I recommend you use an "Oz Bright" combined heat/UV lamp - available from URS. These are the best globes I've found for use with dragons (the Painteds responded greatly to them). I also took my guys outside regularly (nearly every day) in summer. Strongly recommend a top-opening enclosure for them - they are FAST if they're anything like the Painteds.

Simon Archibald

 

[Sdaji]

Hmm... I have to say I disagree, but that's okay I won't argue if you don't

I'm a bit sus about the whole UV requirements of reptiles thing, although I can't make any strong statements specifically about Ctenophorus species.

 

[Simon_Archibald]

Just continuing on what Fuscy said, the Oz-Bright globes are amongst the highest UV output globes available, providing more UVB output than the Northern Territory sun!!!! This is of course at certain times and distances and whatnot. Fuscy, try the Oz Brights if you're sceptical...the dragons are totally different underneath them and I'm sure Tim will tell you the same. I've been using the 100 watt and 160 watt models for nearly 12 months with great results.

If you want a fluro style UV globe, buy a NEC T10 Blacklight from a good lighting place and also buy a regular fluro tube (doesn't have to be UV for the regular fluro). The T10 produces excellent amounts of UVA and UVB at different distances, but from 200mm to 400mm is the best results. It does however throw of an awful blue-wash light, which is why you put the second fluro in to counteract that.

Simon Archibald

 

[Simon_Archibald]

Sorry should've mentioned that those results were out of data collected from tests by Greg Fyfe of Alice Springs Desert Park...the results are in the handout we were given.

Simon Archibald

 

[Fuscus]

Thats interesting Simon, I was refering to the neon tubes rather than the basking lights, which I had forgot about. I did notice that you were also taking the animals outside every day.

 

[Simon_Archibald]

HAHAHA...smarty pants...the water dragons and 3 bearded dragons I raised under the lamps were not taken outside and did equally well

Simon Archibald

 

[Simon_Archibald]

Hold on, did I just call a grown man "smarty pants"??????!!!!!! WTF???

Simon Archibald

 

[Fuscus]

"Smarty Pants" here My original post said "All Ctenophorus require sunlight". I think that thier sunlight requirements are greater than EWD and beardeds

 

[Simon_Archibald]

I didn't read other posts

Simon Archibald

 

[Fuscus]

I also have to point out that most of my knowleadge on captive dragons is second hand. But I have seen the effects of too little sun and it is not pretty.

 

[Simon_Archibald]

Yeah I have seen the bad effects of NO sun on 2 little eastern beardies and it was pitiful. Though I think that Sdaji would have no problems keeping them inside with the globe and regular outdoor sun exposure.

Simon Archibald

 

[hugsta]

With the blacklite Simon mentioned before, if you team it up on a double batton fluoro with a 6700K Tri Phospher Globe you will have the virtual sunlight in your enclosure. This is the closest you can get to daylight and is vitrtually the same providing your animals can get close enough to the uv source.