These outstanding creatures will not be your typical pet lizards, as they’re unusual within the pet commerce. As a result of they’re difficult to boost, we advocate them solely to the skilled reptile keeper.
Philippine flying dragons are frequent within the Philippines area’s coastal coconut tree plantations and plentiful within the Northern Philippines timber. These lizards are recognized for his or her capability to glide from timber utilizing the pores and skin flaps on their sides.
If you wish to personal certainly one of these distinctive creatures, studying easy methods to look after them appropriately is essential, so maintain studying to be taught extra.
Fast Details
| Frequent identify | Flying dragon, Draco lizard |
| Scientific identify | Draco spilopterus |
| Grownup measurement | 8-12 inches lengthy, 26 grams |
| Lifespan | 8-10 years |
| Eating regimen | Bugs |
| Tank measurement | 80-85℉ daytime, 70-75℉ nighttime, 90-95℉ basking space, ≥75% humidity |
| Fashionable options | Flying gecko, basilisk, false Malabar gliding frog |
What Is a Philippine Flying Dragon?
The Philippines is dwelling to this distinctive arboreal flying lizard. These lizards dwell in mango tree trunks, coconut plantations, and dense to decrease density and undisturbed forest branches. In case you ever get an opportunity to see one up shut, you’ll discover they develop to about 8-12 inches lengthy, together with their tail.
These lizards have membranes on their throats, known as dewlaps, and on the edges of their our bodies, known as their wings (or patagium). These membranes fan out to assist the lizards glide from tree to tree, which is how they earned the identify “flying dragon.”
Classification
These creatures belong to the genus Draco, which incorporates all 41 species of flying dragons. The “frequent flying dragon,” scientifically often called Draco volans linnaeus, was the primary species noticed in 1758, with the remaining 40 species labeled as direct kids of the genus.
One of many extra elusive species of the flying dragon is the Philippines flying dragon, categorised as Draco spilopterus. This species was first documented in 1834 and is uncommon to accumulate, including to its attract amongst collectors.
Listed here are a number of the reason why proudly owning a Philippine flying dragon could also be an thrilling selection amongst reptile lovers:
- Watching a flying dragon take flight and simply glide via the air is a panoramic expertise.
- Their habits is one other side that makes them fascinating creatures to check and maintain as pets.
- Their uniqueness, vibrant colours, and putting markings make them a visually interesting addition to any assortment.
The time period “Draco” comes from Latin and means “dragon.” A extremely becoming identify, given this lizard’s look and skills!
Philippine Flying Dragon Care Sheet
This care information serves as a place to begin for Philippine flying dragon husbandry. It’s important to contemplate numerous elements to make sure the well being and happiness of the precise species. As such, conduct extra observations and interventions each day.
Care necessities embody the next:
- UVB lamps and fluorescent or LED plant lamps.
- A combined eating regimen of bugs, primarily ants.
- An unnatural however typical and ample eating regimen contains flyers, mealworms, and crickets.
- Further vitamin dietary supplements.
- It requires a tall and broad enclosure with many branches and leaves.
Tank and Enclosure
The tank may be glass or screened with further misting. It ought to measure greater than two ft deep, two ft huge, and two ft excessive; that’s absolutely the minimal for low-space eventualities. We advocate selecting the biggest measurement doable for these fascinating but delicate lizards.
As well as, there ought to be smooth and compactable floor for females to put eggs and lots of branches and leaves to copy their pure setting higher.
Lighting and Heating
Philippine flying dragons want to be lively through the day, requiring 12 hours of daylight most, preferring the early mornings and late afternoons.
They want a well-lit UVB enclosure with hiding locations to thrive. A UV radiometer can monitor UVB bulbs for substitute. We advocate extra fluorescent or LED bulbs for plant progress and the basking space.
Reptile habitats profit from elevated UVB output, which may stop or reverse metabolic bone illness generally seen in captive reptiles.
Basking and “cool” sides ought to be within the tank, every with totally different temperatures. Use two thermometers to observe and regulate.
- Philippine flying dragons get pleasure from basking within the warmth. The basking space ought to be between 90℉-95℉.
- The remainder of the tank ought to be round 80-85℉ through the day, reducing by 10 levels at evening.
An unrestful Philippine Flying Dragon that doesn’t have interaction in intervals of inactivity for 1-3 hours could require higher situations. Within the wild, the lizard often rests from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. when temperatures are greater.
Basically, temperatures and humidity ought to be comparatively excessive. The moisture within the tank ought to keep narrowly higher than or equal to 75%, which may be achieved by misting the tank frequently all through the day.
Substrate
We advocate utilizing smooth and compactable filth. Males are higher off with a fiber moss substrate since they seldom come into contact with the bottom, making it simpler to scrub and eliminate waste.
Nonetheless, a bioactive substrate is critical for feminine reptiles, particularly for profitable breeding. This substrate ought to be a combination of leaves, bark, and coconut coir and frequently cleaned or changed as soon as bacterial progress is detected.
What Does a Philippine Flying Dragon Eat?
These creatures are stealthy and aggressive insectivorous hunters, attacking their prey when it’s close by. Whereas ants ought to make up most of their meals (50-99%), captive-bred dragons can be fed different protein-rich bugs reminiscent of mealworms, waxworms, flies, or plump crickets as a complement or main supply.
Within the wild, flying dragons eat ants, leaf beetles, ladybugs, millipedes, caterpillars, moth larvae, and termites.
Feeding ants each day to wild-caught juvenile dragons is crucial to assist them acclimate to captivity. Later, incorporate a combined eating regimen by offering smaller bugs each different day and monitoring their preferences. It’s finest to incorporate calcium and vitamin dietary supplements a number of instances every week.
Maintain Them Wholesome
Inexperienced keepers could wrestle with protecting captive-bred infants alive, and wild-caught specimens typically arrive in poor situation and have problem acclimating. Certainly, these species require fixed monitoring to make sure they eat, drink, and alter.
As well as, these delicate creatures are vulnerable to dehydration, making it important to supply them with a suitably moist habitat. Except you propose to buy a big group of them to breed in captivity, newbies shouldn’t tackle the problem.
Cleansing Their Tank
Substitute the first fiber and bio combine substrates each week or two and some other substrates requiring consideration. And conduct spot cleansing each day to take away outdated meals, feces, or soiled water.
How Lengthy Do Philippine Flying Dragons Reside?
Within the wild, wholesome adults attain 8-10 years. Nonetheless, in captivity, that quantity can lower relying on the keeper’s expertise stage. Understanding what an unhealthy flying dragon seems to be like may also help you catch and deal with any diseases earlier than they overwhelm your lizard pal.
A wholesome Philippine flying dragon is calm when resting, has regular consuming and consuming habits, strikes round between totally different areas of its tank, and is reactive to being dealt with.
Conversely, in case your dragon is sick, it might seem agitated, refuse to eat or drink water, and be randomly lively at evening.
Conduct
The species is territorial in its pure habitat, sometimes residing in 2-3 timber, and males fascinated by the identical space turn into aggressive. The dominant lizard often drives away the loser and accepts a further one or two females within the space.
When feeling threatened, they prolong their dewlap to look intimidating and use their patagium to look larger whereas bobbing their physique up and down.
By no means home males collectively, as doing so results in deadly accidents.
Dealing with
Earlier than and after dealing with your Philippine Flying Dragon, wash your fingers to forestall the unfold of dangerous micro organism. Be forewarned that they don’t seem to be keen on being dealt with by people. When grabbed, they sometimes lash out and try and chunk you with their tiny fangs.
Look
They’ve a definite sample overlaying their total patagium. Their heads are slim, slim, and triangular. The dewlap is shorter on females. Moreover, the edges of their neck stretch horizontally to type a pair of smaller “wings” round their head, known as throat lappets.
Additionally they have a wattle of their neck that helps launch extra warmth.
Dimension
An grownup Philippine flying dragon is between 8 to 12 inches lengthy. It will likely be round 25.58 g and may attain this weight inside 24 months.
Colours
The next are distinctive options of the Philippine flying dragon:
- The dewlap varies from inexperienced to a yellow or whitish-blue hue.
- Brown or inexperienced physique.
- The wing base is orange-yellow.
- Uniformly dispersed black spots on the wing.
- A darkish patch on the wingtip (thoracic ribs).
- In some circumstances, the wings could lack their base hue.
Philippine Flying Dragon Infants
Philippine flying dragons are likely to draw back when being watched. Nonetheless, when a male is fascinated by courting a feminine, he’ll typically circle her and fan out his membranes, subtly or in a relaxed method, to impress her.
Within the wild, these creatures mate between December and January. Then, the feminine digs a small gap within the floor together with her head to create a nest the place she lays her eggs. Sometimes, a clutch incorporates about 5 eggs, which the feminine covers again up with soil utilizing her head.
The feminine flying dragon will guard her nest for about 24 hours earlier than abandoning it. After that, the eggs will want round 32 days to incubate.
How A lot Does a Philippine Flying Dragon Price?
In case you handle to trace one down, count on to pay a premium for the Philippine flying dragon species. However, the frequent flying dragon (Draco volans) goes for round $40-65 for infants and $200 for adults.
Care Information Abstract
These lizards are wanted for his or her distinct dragon aesthetic, making them a favourite amongst fantasy lovers. Nonetheless, whereas Philippine flying dragons are calm when saved undisturbed in captivity, they’re distinctive reptiles requiring skilled handlers resulting from their delicate nature.
They’ve particular heating, moisture, and lighting situations and thrive on an insect eating regimen. The flying gecko could also be extra appropriate for these new to reptile possession.
In case you’re fortunate sufficient to carry a Philippine Flying Dragon to your property, it’s important to look after it like a child.
