Water Dragon Owners

CornSnakeMan · 05-01-03, 08:34 PM

Hi!

I'm getting a water dragon soon and I was wondering how big a 5 inch could last in a 10 gallon and how big is your tanks?:w

NewLineReptile · 05-01-03, 08:47 PM

maybe a few months or so but i would think off getting a bigger one before then i have four and they are in a 100 gal but they are much bigger then 5 inches

CornSnakeMan · 05-01-03, 08:59 PM

how long dos it tke to get full length?

NewLineReptile · 05-01-03, 09:52 PM

well these one's range from 2years to a year the one on the bottom is about 2' and the others are about 1 /12 feet

andrea88 · 05-01-03, 09:54 PM

A 10 gallon is not big enough for a 5 inch waterdragon. Start with at least a 33 gallon. They grow very quickly so start planning the final enclosure right away. (Ours is 6 foot tall, 4 foot wide and 2 foot deep, this is minimum size for an adult....)
My waterdragon went from 7 inches to 22 in a year, and then added another 8 inches soon after that.
A good care page is http://www.icomm.ca/dragon

Good luck!

andrea88 · 05-01-03, 09:58 PM

Not trying a personal attack here burmese python, but a 100 gallon is WAY TOO SMALL for 5 dragons!!!! Those poor things need much more room and what you are keeping them in is cruel.
They would look much healthier and do much better if you were to provide proper space for them.
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NewLineReptile · 05-01-03, 10:50 PM

well when i got them they all came in the 100 gal and i did get rid of two of them and they seem to be just fine in the 100 gal i am only guessing on the tank because it is a home made one but it is like 4' L x 2 1/2' W but another thing if you read my reply instead of jumping to post your reply you might of seen i said i have 4 not 5 and the pic i put up does not have the big dragon in it and i might of been wrong on the size of them i dont know to much about them as i only got them a short time ago but as of health they are in good health and i think the enclosure that they are in is just fine and i am far from CRUEL TO MY REPTILES!!!

Tim and Julie B · 05-01-03, 10:55 PM

I have a pair in a 4fthx 4ft L x 16"W. Lots of room to climb! They are pigs! Always hungry!

andrea88 · 05-02-03, 11:43 AM

burmese python,
I am not saying that you are a cruel person, I am saying that the conditions that you are keeping your waterdragons in is cruel.
Waterdragons need 200-400 gallons of personal space EACH. You have given your dragons 25 gallons each. Clearly, you can see the problem.
You say your dragons are healthy. Are they? Have you taken any of them to a qualified reptile vet recently? Because what I see is:
#1 poor coloration. (due to poor living conditions/ improper uv/ stress from having no personal space)
#2 small adult size (due to improper care/feeding or not enough space.)
#3 missing/damaged spikes. (Husbandry errors)
#4 snout dammage (due to to small of a cage/ stress)
#5 frail, small stunted limbs (due to improper excersize and lack of room/ improper diet.)

I truly hope that you will not get all defensive and get angry again. These are serious indications of heath problems and you should get on top of them to treat them right away. A healthy waterdragon has a life span of 15-20+ years. Dont let yours go at 5... you may have recieved them in this state, but do not let them continue to live in this state, please!
Do not let your pride stand in the way of taking proper care of your herps.

NewLineReptile · 05-02-03, 12:13 PM

once again you have not read what i said i said i got rid of two so do the math that means there is only 2 and that would make 50 gal each for space maybe more being that the cage/tank that they are in is 4' L

andrea88 · 05-02-03, 01:19 PM

I am trying to help you care for your herps properly when clearly you are not doing it correctly.
I am giving you care advice when your waterdragons clearly need it.
Since help apparently offends you, I wish your dragons all the luck in the world becuse they will NEED it on order to survive.

NewLineReptile · 05-02-03, 02:04 PM

Well if you got the time you may want to pick up the book i have
called In-depth information on care for Green Water dragons by
Philippe de Vosjoli better yet i will let you read what he say's about cageing
(Selecting An Enclosure)
All glass aquaria with screen tops are suitable for keeping water dragons. A criterion for enclosure size is that an enclosure should be at least twice the length of the animals being kept and perferably larger.
Although a ten gallon aquarium is suitable for a hatchling ,5 - 8 inches for about 18 months. After that time, you should consider purchasing the final vivarium for your animals.
Folllowing the guidelines for size mentioned above this means that a 4-6 FOOT CAGE OR A 100 GALLON TANK!!!! will be required for keeping an ADULT PAIR!! of water dragons

so i guess if it is cruel to keep my NON ADULT! water dragons in a 100 gal tank maybe someone should tell this guy that wrote this book he is wrong. I am not trying to fight with you i am going by what i have read in books on water dragons. As for what they look like to you i can not say why they are in that condition like i said that is the way i had got them. they are water dragons and they dont grow to be very big so i see no point to have them in a cage to house a big Monitor like you are replying so i think i will take the infomation i have got from books and go with it and keep them in what is required the 100 gal tank that they are in.
so my pride standing in my way as you put has not a thing to do with it i am going by books and other herp owners.

andrea88 · 05-02-03, 05:46 PM

That book was written at least 20 years ago.
New, upgraded and better information is now available.
Keep up with current care info on your species, or we'd all still be feeding iguanas lettuce and dog food and keeping them in 20 gallons wondering why they get sick and die.

Water dragons are ABOREAL. They need at least 4 feet of climbing room. Yours don't have this which is why their limbs are stunted.
If you do not actively try to improve the condition of your dragons, they will die.
I can't make you care, but I can quarantee this.

Edited to add:
Any moron can write and publish a book. It does NOT mean, however that they know what they are talking about. Books need only contain OPINIONS, not facts.

reptilesalonica · 05-02-03, 06:19 PM

I had my adult male GWD at a cage (3 times of his total length in width, 5 times in height and 2 times in deep) It was perfect in health and the hight of his enclosure was what he wanted for a perfect exercize. These are arboreals and need high enclosures and not wide. Let's not exaggerate

, we must reconciled with the needs of each other (animal-owner), and these dimensions i have kept my GWD are not small. With all the regards, andrea88, if you consult all your customers for such huge cages, i am afraid you won't found a single customer.
PS In any way don't take my post as an offensive posture, I simply believe that these dimensions you are talking about are the ideal and perfect, but of course these lizards can be happy in a smaller terrarium than that
~Greg~

CornSnakeMan · 05-02-03, 08:00 PM

wow people lets calm down!

we're all cool please dont let one little topic ruin bonding and happiness between users. And thanks for the info you guys and the site.