Meet Our Animals

Inland Bearded Dragon

Pogona vitticeps

Names and Personal History:
Pablo: Pablo was donated to us by an individual who was moving to New Zeland to start a bed and breakfast. Pablo is male and was born in 1999. We have two other bearded dragons: Thorny, male, born in 2002 and Tiki, female, born in 2002.

Native Habitat:
Bearded Dragons range throughout the central part of Australia, mostly in semi-arid regions or dry open woodlands.

Environment:
Bearded Dragons are fully diurnal and can often be found out basking in even the hottest part of the day. Living in arid regions, they have adapted an interesting way of getting a drink even when there is no rain: a bearded dragon will stand on a sunward-facing slope in the morning, with its head facing downhill.  As dew forms on its body it trickles down into its mouth for a refreshing morning drink!

Physical Characteristics:
Bearded Dragons can grow to be 16-22 inches in length from head to tail and are typically yellow in color. Male dragons have slightly larger heads and thicker tails than females. When threatened, they expand the spiky area under their chin which turns black, giving the appearance that they are larger and stronger.

Diet:
Bearded Dragons are omnivores, eating a mixture of insects, vegetables, fruit and, once in a while, small mice.