Bearded Dragons

Bearded Dragons

This lizard is a bearded dragon.

Can you see how it got its name?

It puffs up its beard to look fierce.

It is not really fierce, but gentle.

Many people have these as pets.

Photograph © [2007] Jupiterimages Corporation

There are seven different kinds of bearded dragon, all of them Australian lizards. Lizards are part of the reptile group of animals.

Habitat and Distribution (where they are found)
Bearded dragons are found in dry woodlands and deserts in the central and eastern parts of Australia.

Appearance
Bearded dragons grow to about 45-60 cm from head to tail. Their tails are
almost as long as their bodies. Their broad heads are triangular in shape, and their bodies are flattened. Being reptiles, they are covered in scales. They have spines running down their backs from head to tail. These are special scales. Their colouring is tan to brown, depending on the colour of the soil where they live, with touches of black, red or gold. Their colour can change a bit depending on the mood or the temperature.

Males and females are similar in size.

Photograph of Western Bearded dragon by Mike Dyson, with permission

Behaviours
Bearded dragons get their name from the beard-like spiny pouch under their chins that they can puff up when they are threatened. This makes them look bigger and more fierce. They will open their mouths wide to look even fiercer. They also bob their heads in a show of dominance.

Young ones spend a lot of time in trees. Adults spend most of their time on the ground, but can climb to bask or catch prey. When it is very hot, bearded dragons burrow underground to keep cool. They are diurnal, which means they are active during the day.
Reptiles cannot keep the inside of their bodies warm like mammals can: they need a heat source outside of their bodies, such as the sun, to warm them and get their energy going. Bearded dragons can be seen basking on rocks, and sometimes in trees.

Diet
Bearded dragons are omnivores: they eat plants as well as meat such as insects and worms.

Life Cycle
Females lay about 20 eggs after mating with a male, and the eggs hatch in 55-75 days.

Conservation Status
They are not threatened or endangered.
They are popular pets around the world, but must be bought from registered breeders. It is illegal to catch native animals in the wild and keep them as pets.

For more information, click here:
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Inlandbeardeddragon.cfm

If you use any part of this in your own work, acknowledge the source in your bibligraphy like this:
Sydenham, S. & Thomas, R. Bearded Dragons [online] www.kidcyber.com.au [2008]

Back to Animals
See 'Reptiles' or look for specific reptiles & amphibians listed by name in the Animals index