The Australian Water Dragon is an arboreal species of lizard that is native to parts of Australia. It is a relatively popular species in captivity.
They have muscular limbs, sharp claws and a long powerful tail. These traits help the lizard to be both strong at climbing and swimming.
Australian Water Dragon Taxonomy
In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup.
Family
The Australian Water Dragon belongs to the Agamidae family of lizards. These lizards are commonly called Agamids and are often referred to as ‘Dragons’.
The Agamid family is a very large family of lizards with over 300 recognised species. They are native to Africa, Asia and Australia while a few species can also be found in Southern Europe.
Agamids are part of the infraorder Iguania which contains other popular families of lizards including Iguanas, Chameleons and Anoles.
The species in this family often have a somewhat similar appearance to iguanas and usually have strong powerful legs.
They also often share characteristics with chameleons such as the ability to slightly change color to regulate their body temperature.
Genus
The genus that this lizard belongs to is called Intellagama. The Australian Water Dragon is the only species in the genus.
Species
The scientific name for the Australian Water Dragon is Intellagama lesueurii and there are currently two recognised sub-species.
The nominate sub-species Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii and Intellagama lesueurii howittii which is also known as the Gippsland Water Dragon.
Australian Water Dragon Description
The Australian Water Dragon is a relatively large species of lizard, although their tails can make up around two thirds of their overall length.
Males can reach a little over 3 foot in length while females are typically smaller, usually growing to around 2 feet long.
They have a typical ‘agama appearance’ with their long bodies, powerful legs and long tails. They also have very sharp claws which aid in climbing.
They have a row of spikes that run from the lizards head, down along its back to the base of the tail. The spikes get smaller as they extend along the tail.
The tails of these dragons are laterally compressed. This helps to propel them through the water when they are swimming.
Sub-species can be identified by examining the lizard’s head. The nominate sub-species typically has a large dark band that runs from the back of its eye.
This isn’t present in the Gippsland Water Dragon who instead has dark bands on either side of its throat.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
As its name suggests, the Australian Water Dragon is native to parts of Australia. This lizard can be found all along the Eastern Coast of the country.
It can be found as far North as Cookstown which is North of Cairns in Queensland. Its range then extends Southwards along the coast.
Its range does not extend far inland but remains unbroken and extends as far South as Melbourne in Victoria.
The Gippsland Water Dragon sub-species is only found in the Southern part of the lizard’s range, extending from Sydney to Melbourne.
As their name suggests, these lizards are often found bear bodies of water. They typically live near rivers, lakes and creeks.
They will often be seen basking on overhanging trees. This offers them a level of security as the can drop into the water for a quick getaway if they feel threatened.
Australian Water Dragon Housing
As the Australian Water Dragon is a relatively large species that is quite active, they will need a large enclosure. This is the only major stumbling block when it comes to caring for these reptiles in captivity.
You will need an enclosure that is at least 4 foot long and 2 foot wide for these dragons. As they like to climb, you should also aim for a height of around 3 feet.
If you are going to house more than one dragon in an enclosure, you will need to increase the dimensions accordingly to ensure they have enough space.
You will need to include plenty of climbing branches that your dragon can move around on. They will also rest and bask on larger branches.
You should include a large basin of water that the dragon can submerge in. This will also help keep humidity levels high.
Substrate
The Australian Water Dragon likes high levels of humidity so this will need to be considered when selecting your substrate.
You will need a substrate that can hold humidity well without moulding.
Some good naturalistic options for this include things like coco fibre or a mixture of organic soil and sand.
Light and Heat
You will need to provide a temperature gradient in your Australian Water Dragon enclosure so that they can thermoregulate.
Living in Australia, these lizards like it hot. You will need to provide them with a basking spot of around 100F.
These basking bulbs will produce a lot of heat so it is vital that the lizard can’t come into direct contact with it as they could receive a severe burn.
As the lizard moves away from the source of the heat the temperature will naturally start to decline. This is what allows them to thermoregulate.
The ambient temperature in the cool side of the enclosure should be around 80F. It should remain at this temperature throughout the night also.
Ceramic Heat Emitters are a good choice when it comes to the heat source. They produce a lot of heat and don’t need to be turned off at night as they don’t let off any light.
These lizards will also benefit from UVB lighting. A 10% UV tube can be used for this. Ensure that the lights are turned off at night to allow them a proper day/night cycle.
Water and Humidity
It is no surprise that the Australian Water Dragon loves water. It is even in their name. In the wild, they are always found near some source of water whether it’s a river, lake or creek.
In captivity you will want to include a large clean water dish in your enclosure. They will often bathe in this or even swim if it is large enough.
In the wild, these dragons will bask on overhanging branches out in the open. If they sense a threat, they will drop into the water below.
They can stay submerged for large periods of time. Some reports suggest that they can hold their breath for well over an hour.
You should aim for a humidity level of around 70% in their enclosure. This will naturally fluctuate a bit throughout the day .
You will need to mist the enclosure a couple of times a day to keep the humidity around this level. Try to avoid it from falling below 50% between mistings.
You also need to be careful not to saturate the substrate. Stagnant water building up on the substrate will create swampy conditions that are a breeding ground for bacteria.
Australian Water Dragon Diet
In the wild, the Australian Water Dragon is an opportunistic feeder and will eat a wide variety of different things.
They are omnivorous, meaning they will eat both plant and animal-based food.
In the wild, the bulk of their diet comes from insects which should be replicated in captivity. Adults are even known to feed on small rodents.
Juveniles will need to be fed every day. The bulk of their diet will consist of insects such as crickets, locusts, roaches, super worms etc.
Fully grown adults can be fed every second day or so. You should monitor your lizard’s bodyweight and adjust your feeding accordingly.
Their diet can be supplemented with things like dark leafy greens, dandelion greens and sweet potatoes.
You should also use a good vitamin and calcium supplement to ensure they are getting all their nutritional needs.
