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Status: Protected. Diet in wild: Fish, frogs, snakes, crab, fish, small rodents. Life span in captivity: Up to 60 years. Size: Average 13 feet, but can reach 18 feet in length. Native habitat: Southeastern United States in freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers and wetlands.
Black Pine Animal Park 1426 W. 300 N. P.O. Box 02 Albion, IN 46701 (260) 636-7383
©2008
Professional Animal Retirement Center, Inc.
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Bearded Dragon
"Louie" was a house pet prior to finding a permanent home at Black Pine. Likely bred in captivity to be sold for profit, Louie suffered the unfortunate fate of having his long claws chewed off when too many dragons were housed together. He has been disfigured for most of his life as a result and has some difficulty climbing. Bearded dragons will burrow underground when exposed to extreme heat in their native environment. They can also run on only their back two feet, standing upright as they move, to lift their bodies off the hot desert floor. When threatened, the dragon will flare out the skin around its throat, resembling a "beard". Bearded dragons can grow to nearly two feet in length and live up to 12 years in captivity. Their special dietary and environmental needs make them undesirable as a pet for most people's tastes. Because as many as 90% of reptiles are carriers of salmonella, those who handle them are at risk of contracting salmonellosis, adding to the negative aspects of keeping bearded dragons as pets. To learn more about keeping animals like these as pets, click here. Click here for more information about bearded dragons. Click here to learn how you can help Black Pine's bearded dragon. |
The Animals
The
most common variety of bearded dragon available in the exotic pet trade is
the "inland" bearded dragon. All varieties are native to
the woodlands and deserts of Australia.