Bearded Dragon General Information
- The most common species of the bearded dragon's scientific name is Pogona Vitticeps. They are medium sized lizards naturally found in Australia's desert regions which grow 12 to 24 inches from head to tail at adulthood.
- In the 1960's Australia banned exportation of these lizards, therefore bearded dragons in the United States now are all grown in captivity, unlike their native ancestors.
- Their size depends on many factors such as its species/breed, environment, diet, and gender. For example, if a baby bearded dragon is placed in a cage that is too small while it is still growing, it will stop growing and won't reach its full size potential. Malnourished and unhealthy dragons won't grow as fast or as big as healthy bearded dragons. Also, like many other animals, males usually grow larger than females.
- Bearded dragons reach sexual maturity around 8 to 12 months of age. At this time, you can distinguish their gender.
- The life span of a well cared for bearded dragon in captivity reaches up to 12 to 14 years. In the wild, they live to be about 5 to 7 years old.
- Bearded dragons are friendly by nature and enjoy being held and stroked.
- Unlike some lizard species, if a bearded dragon loses its tail, it will not grow back.