Pogona henrlylawsoni (Dwarf Bearded Dragon)

Origin: In the steppe and savannah of Australia
Length: up to 35 centimeters
Weight: 700 to 100 grams
Age: 10 to 12 years
The dweg bearded dragon is a dragon covered with small spines and colored from brown to light gray. They have a fold of skin under their throat that is richly covered with spines and somewhat resembles a beard. Hence the name bearded dragon.

Care
Experience: Novice lizard keeper
Food: Vegetables and insects
Adult feeding: Several times a week.
Feeding young: Food available at all times
Water bowl: Yes
Water change: daily

Nutrition
Dwarf bearded dragons are omnivores just like us, meaning they eat both plants and meat. One half of their diet consists of insects and invertebrates, including crickets, morio worms, dolas, dubias and silkworms. The other half consists of vegetables, usually leafy vegetables. A few examples are endive, chicory, bok choy, radishes and dandelions. Now, in addition to its varied diet, the bearded dragon also has a real appetite. This is because in nature there is not much food, so if it can eat, it must eat really well. For this reason, you have to keep a close eye on the weight of the bearded dragon and adjust the diet accordingly. Not feeding for a day is also fine.

The diet that we humans offer to the dwarf bearded dragon does not meet its full needs of minerals and vitamins. For this reason, extra calcium and vitamin supplements will have to be given with the food. You can find these at most pet stores and reptile stores.

Water
Despite the fact that the pygmy bearded dragon lives in dry areas, it must have water available daily. You can offer this in a small water bowl, but change the water daily to prevent bacterial accumulation in the water.

Cleaning
As the hungry eaters that they are, they also defecate. For this reason, it is wise to remove the faeces from the enclosure every day, and to remove the dirty bedding once a week. In addition, it is wise to thoroughly clean the entire accommodation a few times a year, this prevents the accumulation of germs and bacteria.

Handling
Dwarf Dragons are one of the easiest animals to handle. This is because they are very tame and can get used to handling with some time. If you are handling the dwarf bearded dragon, pick it up by gently sliding your hands under its body. Support the lower body and lift it off the floor. While handling, keep one thumb on his back so that he can't run away easily. While handling it is recommended to hold it over your lap or over a table. This prevents the bearded dragon from falling from too great a height. Finally, it is recommended to wash your hands before and after handling. Here you prevent the bearded dragon and yourself from getting sick.

Housing
Minimum size stay for two animals: 100*40*50
Surface: 0.5 m2 per bearded dragon
Day temperature: 25-35C
Night temperature: 20-22C
Hours of light: 12 to 14 hours
Humidity: 50% or lower
Ground cover: Sand or bark/beech chips

Design
The dwarf bearded dragon needs a so-called steppe terrarium. This is a bare terrarium with a piece of wood and stone here and there. The pieces of wood and/or stone serve as hiding places for the animal. Make sure it is placed in such a way that it is possible here. In addition, the enclosure should be divided into a warm and cool side, so that the dwarf bearded dragon can regulate its own temperature. The warm part should be between 32 to 35C during the day, you can create this by illuminating one side of the tank with a spotlight. The other side of the tank can be a bit cooler with a daytime temperature of 25 degrees.

In addition to furnishing, the dwarf bearded dragon also needs UV light to stay healthy. They need UV radiation to make vitamin D. To get UV radiation into the accommodation, you can use a UV lamp.

Behaviour
Diet: Omnivore
Lifestyle: Testial & Diurnal
Character
The pygmy bearded dragon is one of the most tame animals in the hobby and is not aggressive by nature. For this reason, this is a good animal if you start with the reptile hobby.

Points of attention
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Cost and Purchase
Legislation: There is no legislation on keeping the animal around the pygmy bearded dragons.
One-off costs: This includes the costs for accommodation, lighting, heating, water bowl and decoration. This can together cost a few hundred euros to a few thousand euros. The final amount depends on the quality and size of the products.
Fixed costs: Fixed costs include the costs for the feed, which is several tens of euros per year.
Unexpected costs: Costs have been incurred when your bearded dragon happens to get sick or your equipment breaks down.