The 3 Things You Need To Know Before Bringing Home A Chinese Water Dragon
- Chinese Water Dragons Lizards
Jade Messieh- 0
- 5 minutes read
Are Chinese Water Dragons easy to take care of?
Chinese water dragons are small, beautiful, and friendly creatures that require a lot of intensive care. They also need special housing conditions in order to live a healthy 10 to 15 years.
1. Temperament
Chinese water dragons can be very friendly to their owners if they are handled regularly. Safe handling will help make a water dragon feel more comfortable with their owners holding them and prevent aggression.
Scared or threatened water dragons can still bite and whip their tails. Water dragons are similar to iguanas because they both use tail whipping as a defense.
Overall, these creatures are very social and enjoy being with other water dragons. They are happiest in pairs. A male and a female together will be less likely to show aggression than two that are the same sex.
2. Housing Requirements
The housing requirements for these animals is one of the most difficult parts of having a Chinese water dragon. A small aquarium will not provide enough space for them to swim. They need large enclosures for plenty of swimming space and basking.
The minimum size tank for an adult is 6 feet long and 6 feet tall. The minimum amount of water use is 2 to 3 feet deep.
The tanks need to be large if you are housing more than one dragon because they grow to be 2 to 3 feet long. They need room to swim and still have some space from one another.
The probability of having a custom made tank is very high if you want a proper enclosure. The custom made tank is going to be very expensive too. You’ll need to buy a lot of branches, rock, substrate, and other supplies to give them a healthy environment.
The tank will require a filtration system and regular maintenance for the water to stay clean. Any leftover food or feces will need to be cleaned immediately because you will want your dragon to swim in clean water. They spend most of their time in the water as well.
The humidity of the tank needs to stay at 80%. This means that you will need to mist the tank every day and keep the temperatures of the tank around 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. You can always purchase a digital thermometer that can accurately tell you the temperature and humidity.
3. Diet
Chinese water dragons have a large range of food. They eat crickets, waxworms, earthworms, butter worms, small feeder fish, and occasionally pinkie mice. Keep all insects gut loaded and store-bought.
They can also eat chopped fruits and vegetables. Vegetables that are safe to give them are mustard greens, carrots, sweet potato, and squash. Fruits can be given occasionally. Mangoes and raspberries are a tasty treat.
Babies need to eat every day and adults can eat once every two or three days.
Wrapping Up
Chinese water dragons are very inexpensive by themselves, but the supplies you need for them are costly. Water maintenance is a daily occurrence and they need a lot of socialization to prevent aggression. A water dragon is a perfect pet for you if you have the space to place their large enclosures and the time to keep the tanks clean.
