Introduction to Chinese Water Dragons
Chinese water dragons are one of the finest reptiles. You will love the way they look and behave. They are hardy creatures and do not cause too much problems to their owners as long as you give them the proper environment .
They can be excellent pets and reptile lovers can keep themselves entertained by keeping some of these reptiles. When they get fragile bodies against the glass which makes permanent damage to their bodies.
Maintain the humidity of the cages. Chinese water dragons are arboreal creatures so there is a huge importance of trees and branches in their lives. Let them climb and be happy.
UVA/UVB light fixtures are also significant. This light helps them to produce the much needed calcium in their bodies. If calcium is not produced sufficiently then your adorable reptile will soon fall sick.
Food for life:
Crickets, mealworms, dead pinkies and dead fuzzies can be given as food to the reptiles. The Chinese water dragons also eat fruits. Though these reptiles never touch vegetables, you need to make them eat a certain quantity of vegetables. It is best if you incorporate them in the mealworms. Brush the dead insects over calcium supplements to make a perfect meal for the little reptiles. Pet owners advise to feed the Chinese water dragons with dead rodents so that they don’t harm the reptiles in any way.
Various diseases of the Chinese water dragons:
Metallic bone disease is a serious sickness in Chinese water dragons. The reptiles become weak and they complain of enlarged bones and humps on the back of their bodies. Many times the symptoms appear at a later stage of the disease. Reptiles may also suffer from respiratory functions and other bacterial and fungal infections. Most of these ailments are caused due to improper lighting and uneven temperature in the shelter. Sometimes even inappropriate diet causes problems in the reptiles.
Read on to find more about these stunning creatures.
Is Your Reptile Complaining? -
Your friend might become inactive. It may look tired. It may stop eating. Well, maybe it is sick. Sometimes due to improper lighting and temperatures the Chinese water dragon is unable to digest the food properly. You may be even providing an inappropriate diet fragile bodies against the glass which makes permanent damage to their bodies.
Maintain the humidity of the cages. Chinese water dragons are arboreal creatures so there is a huge importance of trees and branches in their lives. Let them climb and be happy.
UVA/UVB light fixtures are also significant. This light helps them to produce the much needed calcium in their bodies. If calcium is not produced sufficiently then your adorable reptile will soon fall sick.
Food for life:
Crickets, mealworms, dead pinkies and dead fuzzies can be given as food to the reptiles. The Chinese water dragons also eat fruits. Though these reptiles never touch vegetables, you need to make them eat a certain quantity of vegetables. It is best if you incorporate them in the mealworms. Brush the dead insects over calcium supplements to make a perfect meal for the little reptiles. Pet owners advise to feed the Chinese water dragons with dead rodents so that they don’t harm the reptiles in any way.
Various diseases of the Chinese water dragons:
Metallic bone disease is a serious sickness in Chinese water dragons. The reptiles become weak and they complain of enlarged bones and humps on the back of their bodies. Many times the symptoms appear at a later stage of the disease. Reptiles may also suffer from respiratory functions and other bacterial and fungal infections. Most of these ailments are caused due to improper lighting and uneven temperature in the shelter. Sometimes even inappropriate diet causes problems in the reptiles.
Read on to find more about these stunning creatures.
.MBD
Serious calcium deficiency may occur in the reptile. It is called MBD which is Metallic Bone disease. It may be caused due to excessive amounts of calcium or lesser amounts of calcium in the body. Both the conditions may make the Chinese water dragon unhealthy.
This disease not only affects the bones of the body but also the internal organs of the body. You will see marked swellings in the body of the reptile. The bones also lose shape and increase in size. It results in muscle tremors and even death due to improper functioning of the heart.
Symptoms of MBD:
The jaw softens or swells. Bumps are formed on the back of the reptile. There is a formation of hard knobs on the bones. You should be alert if you find the Chinese water dragon shaking at odd times or crawling with a jerky gait. Sometimes the Chinese water dragons become lazy. They do not even walk properly but just push themselves around.
You have to be careful when you pet a Chinese water dragon. Many a times they don’t show any symptoms of illness. You will realize that your reptile is sick only when the disease reaches an incurable stage
.Respiratory infection
Many Chinese water dragons develop this disease when they do not get adequate heat and light. They will start eating less and will have a bloated body. Sometimes it is accompanied by breathing problems too. If you see your water dragon facing similar difficulties, immediately take it to a vet. He will give some antibiotics to the reptile.
Dont forget that antibiotics can kill good flora in the gut as well as bad, ask your vet if he pescribesYou might be told to increase the coop temperature.
Mite attack
The water dragons suffer from this problem quite often. Mites and ticks generally attack the water dragons during transportation or while they are in pet shops. They may cause problems to your reptile. A severe attack may also cause blood loss of the reptile and it may become ill.
Fungal/ bacterial infections
They are not uncommon in water dragons. Brown patches develop and the scales become dark. Let a vet check the reptile. They generally prescribe skin creams to be applied on the affected areas. If you want your reptile to recover quickly then scrub the enclosure and clean it with a bleach solution. Don’t forget to scour the branches. If it’s necessary then reinstate all the things in the cage. You can put drops of betadine in the water tub. This will prevent spreading of infection.
Defecation
Proper defecation is important in a reptiles life. If your Chinese water dragon is not defecating properly then you need to consult a vet immediately.
If the reptile consumes some of the substrate material it may stop defecating. Bedding stuffs, bark, shaving moss may block the insides and the reptile may stop passing stools. The reptile will right away fall sick.
Shedding:
Shedding may cause problems in the Chinese water dragon. If the shedding is not proper then it may get struck to the end of the tail or foot. The blood circulation in these areas may reduce thus affecting the reptile. Don’t get scared if the tail suddenly falls off.
A Chinese water dragon drops off its tail suddenly when it gets scared or faces danger.
Take your reptile to the vet regularly. Let the vet check it for parasites and other infections.
Many times a diseased reptile doesn’t show any symptoms. So as soon as you find some changes in the behavior of the reptile, visit a vet.
What are Chinese Water Dragons?
A Chinese water dragon is also called Asian water dragons or green water dragons. Some people also call it as Thai water dragons. What is in a name? These various names are used to identify a particular species of dragons. The scientific name is a bit difficult to pronounce, its Physignathus cocincinus.
This is an interesting species to the reptile lovers. Many people keep these entertaining organisms in their house as pets.
Colourful Chinese water dragons:
The Chinese water dragons are generally found in shades of green. It may be light green or dark green. Diagonal stripes can also be located on their bodies. The throat is the most colourful part of a water dragon. Chinese water dragons having yellow, orange or peach coloured throats are not that difficult to find. Sometimes there are stunning stripes on the throat too instead of a single colour. The inside of these reptiles are coated with pale shades. Some common colours are pale yellow, off white, pale yellow or very pale green. The tail can be coloured too. They can be striped or can be banded with pastel shades.
Size of the Chinese water dragons
The Males and the females are of different sizes. The males may be three feet long but the females are never longer than two feet. The head of a male Chinese water dragon looks almost like a triangle. The crest is also bigger in the case of a male adult Chinese water dragon. The tail is the most important part of their bodies. It is almost more than half the size of the body. The tail assists them in swimming. Reptiles use it to protect themselves too.
The third eye of the Chinese water dragons
Many water dragons have this special feature. They have a photosensitive spot just between their two eyes. This spot helps them to understand the differences of light. They realize it is day or night because of the spot. These reptiles generally like basking under the sun. They run to their shelters as the sun goes down. The spot or the pineal gland (more appropriately) makes them alert. The gland can also signal them to hide instantly. Thus they are able to protect themselves from birds or other aerial predators.
A Chinese water dragon can live up to twenty years.
They have a life span of ten to twenty years on an average.
These reptiles are known for their hardy nature. They don’t cause huge problems to their owners. This is simply so because they don’t need much care. They make lovely pets and your kids will just adore them when these colorful creatures will start crawling on their little fingers. But before you keep them as pets make sure you know everything about them.
These reptiles have specific diet requirements. You cannot expect it to have a bite of sausage from your hand. The Chinese water dragon needs a special home in your house if you have decided to keep it as a pet.
So that is how a Chinese water dragon is.
Lodging for the Chinese Water Dragons
If you want to build a special house for your little friend keep few things in mind. The first thing that you have to do is speak to the reptile owner. If you are buying the reptiles from a shop then talk to the owner to know about its requirements. They will tell how to make an extraordinary dwelling place just for your Chinese water dragon.
Chinese water dragons need large places to live. It is better if you keep one dragon in one enclosure. Water dragons of same sex never get along too well. They show hostile behavior towards each other and may even end up fighting wit each other. An ideal enclosure is generally six feet long and 3 feet deep. It has to be made up to a certain height. You cannot whine about the costs involved because the boxes have to be tailor made.
Choosing the substrate:
Reptiles like ingesting anything that they feel are edible.
You cannot guard the reptiles at all times of the day. So sterilize the potting soil. Don’t use chemicals. Try sphagnum moss instead. Cypress mulch, paper and Astro Turf can be used as substrate.
The Chinese water dragons love to climb. Provide branches in their shelter. Keep them in diagonal and horizontal positions. Make them feel at home. Add live plants like hibiscus, dracaena, etc.
Pools
The Chinese water dragons are pretty extravagant. If you take a keen interest in reptiles then you will know that the water dragons cannot live without water. Keep a tub full of water so that they can submerge at least half of their bodies. Apply disinfectants to the water tub if you notice them using the water tub as a toilet. (After al, where will they excrete?) inclusion by Bella " The Chinese water dragons are comfortable in a place that has a humidity of 80%.
Many of you may have problems with humidity,your water dragon enclosure needs to be quite dry before you spray if spraying manually, try to achieve these figures for a more naturalistic environment:-
60 - 70% Dawn, 20 - 40% Midday, 70 - 80% Dusk therefore mimicking what would happen in the wild , your enclosure does not have to be soaking wet, this will lead to illness and respiratory problems ".
Light requirements:
A basking area in the pet-house is a must. The Chinese water dragons have a peculiar habit of basking under the sun at particular times of the day. You will find your pet extremely unhappy and melancholic if you do not provide it with this facility. The temperature of the shelter is generally kept near 30 degrees. Provide a temperature gradient. At night you can drop the temperatures to around 24 degrees. Use under-tank heat pads and heat tape wherever necessary. Natural unfiltered light works best for the reptiles. But as an alternative you can also fix a UVB/UVA light source in their dwelling place. Don’t forget to switch off the light after every twelve hours.
If you think you do not have a good memory and you don’t remember things too well then set a timer along with the light fixture. The timer will automatically switch on and switch off the light. Check the wattage of light before you install in your pet house. Higher wattages give higher temperatures.
You can use ceramic bulbs as basking lamps. They get very hot. You will not want your reptile to get roasted. Make sure they are put on a thermostat or dimmer. Ceramic heaters can be used easily in the night because they won’t disturb the reptiles (they don’t produce light).
The exact distance:
The Chinese water dragon shouldn’t be too far way from the light source. To be precise, the light source should be just ten inches away from the reptile. The distance is important because when the reptile basks under it produces vitamin D3. It will not be able to absorb calcium if there is no vitamin D3. Thus basking is one of their survival strategies. Do not place any glass or plastic cup between the Chinese water dragon and the light source.Diet of Chinese Water Dragons
Get some food for your skinny friend. After al, that is what it needs. This small three feet long reptile has various feeding requirements at various stages of its life.
Chinese water dragons don’t eat too much at a time. But don’t starve your water dragons. Give them food at regular intervals. Maybe they will just eat a bit every time. Insects, worms and vegetables can be included in their diet.
Insects:
The Chinese water dragons love eating this. Insects have a high amount of phosphorus which is good for the dragons. Don’t feed them with large amount of insects. Insects have a hard exoskeleton which becomes almost indigestible to the reptiles if they have too much of it. Pet owners are clever so they gut load the insects with generous contributions of vegetables. They also stuff it with calcium and vitamins before feeding them to the reptiles. Crickets, mealworms, king mealworms, Super worms and wax worms can be given to them as food.
You can buy them from pet stores or order them. If you want to breed insects to reduce costs you can do that do. But there are some typical methods to do that so make sure you consult an expert. There is a common question of all the reptile lovers. Maybe you have already understood what the question is. The answer is you cannot feed the Chinese water dragons with insects that you find in your garden. They might be carrying diseases or may be laden with pesticides. They will do no good to your reptile except making it ill.
Earthworms:
When you are making the diet chart of your little pet then how can you forget the earthworms? Earthworms are nutritious and so they will keep your reptile happy. They are soft and so they are easily digestible.
Whole prey:
You can give pinkies (new born pink mouse) or fuzzies (a little older mouse) to your reptiles. Fishes especially gold fishes can be given as food to the Chinese water dragons. Feeder fish can be an alternative too. Don’t give live prey to the reptiles. The fight is not only scary to watch but it may also cause serious damage to your little dragon. The rodents generally carry infections in their teeth. Your Chinese water dragon may fall sick or even die if it gets bitten by the rodent. Sometimes the reptiles get wounded during the fight. There is no reason as to why you will let your reptile get wounded.
Live prey Fruit and Veg
If crickets, worms are becoming a headache to you then start off with vegetables and fruits. Chinese water dragons may nibble some fruits such as figs, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. They generally stay away from vegetables.
You can try vegetables like sweet potato, green beans and carrots.
Every reptile has a different eating capacity. Keep a close watch on your reptiles. Note the amount they eat everyday. Increase the amount of food if you think they look hungry. But don’t make them overeat. They will become overweight and will fall sick. Of course, you will not feed your Chinese water dragon with dog food or cat food.
They may prove to be harmful. The size of the food items matter. Tear the food into pieces that are no bigger than the size of their heads.
Shedding may cause problems in the Chinese water dragon. If the shedding is not proper then it may get struck to the end of the tail or foot. The blood circulation in these areas may reduce thus affecting the reptile. Don’t get scared if the tail suddenly falls off. A Chinese water dragon drops off its tail suddenly when it gets scared or faces danger.
Take your reptile to the vet regularly. Let the vet check it for parasites and other infections. Many times a diseased reptile doesn’t show any symptoms. So as soon as you find some changes in the behavior of the reptile, visit a vet.
If you are not sure about the way it lives and survives then do visit the internet. There are various websites which will give you ample information about the care of a reptile. Stick to the food items listed here. They will keep your little friend healthy and active.