Frilled dragon care. UPDATED

Fluffy Care....

Updated

Housing~ When housing your frilly space is important. Hatchlings could be in a tank 20+ gallons, juveniles should be housed in a 55-75 gallon tank, adults NEED to be housed in a 3’x3’x4’ (lxwxh) enclosure. Your Frilled Dragon enclosures should be easy to wipe down. I find glass works the best. You can use anything that works for you! Because this is for you and your Frilly.

~ Remember ventilation is NEEDED your Frillies home. Along with a door that is easy for you to get your Frilly in and out. Please make sure that you have it so your Frilly CANNOT get out!!! So if need be add a lock! Add branches for climbing, but keep in mind that you will need to keep them away from the heat source! (You don’t want your frilly to burn themselves!!!!)

Lighting~ Correct lighting is VERY IMPORTANT!!!Frillies like most reptiles NEED ultraviolet (UV) lighting both UVA and UVB.

UVA~ stimulates appetite, encourages activity, and helps with breeding behaviors in your frilly...

UVB~ is vital for synthesis of vitamin D3, regulating your frillies calcium, and balancing calcium and phosphorous levels...

I personally use what is called full-spectrum fluorescent to get the benefits of both UVA and UVB. these lights should be changed after nine (9) months. Even if they still work! Full-spectrum fluorescent over time loses the UV output!

FYI~ I find that 12 hours on & 12 hours off will help with your frillies personality/behavior.

~ Some people like use back lights keep in mind they do NOT  put out UVA or UVB! that does not mean you cant use them as a night light. I use them, they do have a nice visual effect.

~Don’t forget a basking spot....

Terrarium/Vivarium Layout~ One thing to keep in mind is a hiding area. Sense frillies like to spend their days in tree as well as ground you will want to put some vertical branches in their home. also frillies do startle easy, so i find it better to cover 3 sides of the enclosure. It is also important to have substrate that goes well with your Frilly. Because that Frillies are forest lizards I would recommend compressed coconut fibers, chopped wood, (it comes in many verities, sizes, and colors). Other thing that you can add for your Frillies enclosure  are branches and plants...

Branches~ Add branches for climbing, but keep in mind that you will need to keep them away from the heat source! (You don’t want your frilly to burn themselves!!!!)

Plants~ Keep in mind that your Frilly may eat your plants or as I found out Fluffy, (Our Frilly) will climb over the plants that we have added. He never goes around them. Do some research before you put plants in some plants are not good for them, ( I’m still researching this for myself.)

Feeding~ There are many types of diets that you can feed your Frilly. I have done some reading and they say that you can feed your Frilly canned cat food but I have not tried this, and it sounds a little fishy to me, (no pun intended). Others have had luck  feeding fruits, and vegetables. Her is a list of safe food.

~ Alfala,

~ Apples,

~ Berries (straw, blue, elder),

~ Broccoli (stems,and leaves),

~  Bok choy,

~ Cabbage (dark green, and red. NEVRE white),           ~ Dandelions,

~ Escarole,

~ Grated roots (carrots, beats)

~ Grated squash,

~ Greens(turnips, collards, mustards, beats),

~ Hibiscus (blooms, and leaves),

~ Leaf lettuce,

~ Melons,

~ Nastrutrum,

~ Okra,

~ Papaya,

~ Peaches,

~ Pears,

~ Romaine,

~ Rose petals,

~ Tofu,

~ Tomato.

When trying this cut them small enough for them to eat. You can tell if they are small enough, by cut them to the with of there eyes. if you have question go a head and email me, and if you think it is still to big then go a head and cut them smaller! If you try to feed look into what you feed him. Thing like rhubarb can not been fed to your Frilly. Other thing you can feed Frillies are meal worms, wax worms, and crickets. They come in many sizes.  keep in mind eyes width. Also try wax worm if your Frilly get sick. The wax worms will help get his appetite back to what it should be. Be careful wax worms are high in fat, so done feed them to often.  or just as a treat. Fluffy only eats gut loaded  crickets. It’s not like I haven’t tried others foods, I have! Fluffy is just a picky eater. I am using re-hydrated vegetable medley mix in there, but the crickets eat that. Don’t worry if Your frilly does not eat fruits and veggies. From what I read it’s not that uncommon.

FYI~ Every other feeding you will want to dust you live food with calcium powder.

General Care~ Frillies may grow to be three (3) feet long, and depending on there age and size you may have to change the way you pick them up. When they are small you may want to lead them into a plastic container. As they grow older/larger use both hands cupped to catch them. If you let your frilly roam free time to time. trying to catch them can be hard, frilled dragons can run fast. you may want to use a blanket to catch them, try not to chase them because chasing can be stressful on your frilly, and it could be fatal.

Shedding~ Frillies do shed, don’t worry about this it’s natural, it’s just old skin need to come off. However they should be handled less during the shedding process. You may be tempted to help them shed by pulling the dead skin off however it is best that they shed on their own. Raising the humidity levels may help the process.Fluffy does get pissy when he sheds, and a temperament change is natural during the shedding process.

Cleaning~ Once a week I take out water bowl, and feeding dishes. Put on gloves and pick up Fluffy poop,and Fill Fluffy’s waterfall. (you may want to remove any dead crickets). Once a month I take branches, vines, and foliage out and and disinfect them (I use the dishwasher). Every three months you need to replace your frillies substrate, and do a deep cleaning.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me at: dont.frill.up@me.com

Thank you to all that have viewed!!!

I told you that I would have fluffycam backup and running! Now you can see fluffy anytime you want! I also want to thank every one who has viewed fluffy's blog. in the next week I'm going to be posting a lot of information about frillies.... Thank you !!!

SORRY

I'm trying to fix the web cam sorry about that! Fluffy cam will be back on soon!!!!

Fluffy LePore HamLyons

I have given Fluffy his full name. It is Fluffy LePore HamLyons! It has taken a long time to come up with, but I think it fits... Fluffy cause he is so cute... LePore after Amanda LePore, she is a wonderful lady who is true to herself. And HamLyons for his two dads...  Let me know what you think!!!

New substrate and plants!

I know Fuffy"s blog has been down, but good news is that is back up and running! The Fluffster has grew!!! Here are some pictures!

And this is Bo, Fluffy's cousin...

 

 

Now I am posting some pictures of his new set up! iI have removed the sand, as cool as it was to have glow in the dark sand and a black light, it just was not the right type of substrate for a high heat and humidity... Now i'm using a compressed coconut fiber...  It has helped with the temp and humidity. I am really impressed with it! I took two blocks of the compressed coconut fibers and added water, and was that is it. It was so easy! I have also added two more live plants. I took the waterfall and let the substrate go around it. so it is now it is at ground level. I like it better that way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frilled dragon care info

Because information on the internet seems sparse in regards to Frilled Dragons, I'm going to post what I believe is correct for maintaining one of these creatures in an indoor enclosure. I'm in Iowa where it's dry and cold in the winter and warm and humid in the summer. Keep in mind where you're located because when the humidity changes in your area it's important to adjust your Frilly's humidity and temperature to keep it comfortable for him or her.


Temperature & Humidity
Temp. 100 degree F, in the basking side of the enclosure.  70-80 degrees on the cool side.  Humidity 50- 70%. It's important to have a large gradient (warm air in one part of the cage room temperature in another) It's also important to have a gradient in regards to humidity, the lower end of the thank can be more humid and the top of the thank can be dry.

Your Frilly will pick a spot to sit based on where it's most comfortable to him or her. These animals live in trees where it's natural to have temperature and humidity gradients. They're also similar to bearded dragons which live in deserts so it's important to have dry humid air. Because there is a lot of information out there on temperature and humidity and there are no authoritative resources regarding caring for these creatures we believe that it's best to setup a habitat that offers different areas for all climates and humidities. But keep in mind that your Frilly will also hang out where he or she tends to feel the most secure, as loving as they seem they become scared and frightened very easy. For that reason we have wrapped the back and side of his cage with black paper to make him feel more secure. We have also placed faux vegetation in front of his cage to allow him to hide which makes him more comfortable and secure.

In talking with many people who have kept Frillies as pets the common problem for mortality in juvenile frilled dragons is respiratory infection. Many believe that this is cause by excess humidity. We've seen authoritative resources state that these animals are from jungles and forests where there is a moderate uniform level of humidity towards the floor of the echo system. Unfortunately in a tank it's very hard to reproduce that environment because it's a very small echo system, we try to deal with this by minimizing the fog and humidity and we augment the humidity with water falls and standing water under infrared  light. This causes a more diffused and natural humidity. The problems with humidifiers from pet stores and the spray bottle method is that it introduces larger droplets in the air. This problem will cause respiratory infections get in to the tiny lungs of these creatures and cause infection. That's why we avoid misting, only use a humidifier or fogger on it's lowest setting and use heating lamps to evaporate water. This will end up with smaller particles of water in the air and will help avoid death from respiratory failure caused by excessive fogging or spraying while maintaining an acceptable level of water particle density that isn't harmful to the frilly.

Heating & Equipment
I use two day heat lamps during the day and a night heat lap on 24/7. I also have two full spectrum lights and a black light that i run at night for a cool night light for fluffy it doesn't seem to bother him. So it working and it aids in the web cam. I will post a video of the lighting and the set up at a later date.
Diet
Im having the best luck with the crickets, I also put Healthy Herp Veggie Mix Instant Meal reptile food. it beats cutting fresh veggies up every day Fluffy has not o my knowledge eat any yet but the cricket have and it keeps them alive so it is worth the $20. Other food you can try are wax worms in small doses,cause of the fat content. as the get older you can try baby mice and rats even pinkies. For veggies you can try collard greens,red leaf lettuce, mustard greens, turnips greens, dandelions greens. stay away from spinach, cabbage, large amounts of kale. You can also try carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, peas, corn, and fruits in small doses. Keep in mind not all frilled dragons will eat veggies!!!
when feeding your frilly crickets dust them with a calcium d3 dust you can get that at any pet store. when you feed crickets gutload them. Don't feed them insects from outside cause of pesticides that they may carry. they may kill you frilly!!!!
Substrate & Water Needs
I use a waterfall and I have a water dish for him to soak in, he does drink out of the water fall i find that neat. Substrate can be news paper, wheat brand, and cyprus mulch or soil. once again keep in mind of chemicals. will be dangerous and deadly to your frilly.
Lighting & UVB
Brighter the better. Full spectrum UV source are the best for your frilled. that is why i have two of these bulbs. if the weather is at idea temp &humidity you can let them out to play let them get the real thing it truly is the best.
Sexing & Characteristics
Ok this is not easy to do. as a rule of thumb. Male are larger and and have more color. frills are also larger, and males are less skittish.
Cleaning & and Maintenance
I clean fluffy cage once a week and deep clean once a month, water every day. When you first get your frilly take him to the vet don't just take your pet store a ok on his health. I found that out the hard way!!!


Tomorrow i will try to find out behavior and personality on the frilled dragons!

How to Feed a Australian Frilled Dragon