Frilled Lizard

Scientific Classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Lacertilia
Family:	Agamidae
Subfamily:	Agamidae
Genus:	Chlamydosaurus
Species:	C. kingii
Binomial Name:	Chlamydosaurus kingii

We can call the frilled lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii any number of names including frill-necked lizard and frilled dragon. The frilled lizard is a large species of lizard that are arboreal in nature. It spends most of its lifetime up on the treetops. 

Anatomy

The  rather large  folded skin, up against the  frill necked lizard’s  head and neck gives it the name Frilled Lizard.   When it senses a threat, this folded skin fans out   making  the animal seem bigger and more threatening than it actually is.  Frilled-neck lizard is basically a rather large species.  An adolescent may grow  one meter long.  These lizards  differ in color and size from region to region.   On an  average, the larger adults grow to  about 3 feet  or 0.9 meters in  length  from head to tail and  weigh  up to 1.1 pounds  or 0.5 Kilos.

Behavior

Frill-necked is omnivorous as many other lizard species.. This means that the lizard will consume almost everything  it finds. In spite of this, this lizard species will consume  meat  when and as as it preys on  a variety of insects, spiders, rats or even  small reptiles.

Habitat

Frill-necked lizards are native to the jungles of Australia and surrounding islands. You can find this fairly large species in humid climates like tropical jungles and forests, across the Australian continent and in Papua New Guinea. Frilled Lizard is certainly a strong icon in Australian culture and appears on their currency. It is also the mascot of many Australian teams and organizations.

As a Pet

Breeding

The frill-necked  lizard species mate by the  commencement  of the rainy season.  The  males are always slightly bigger than the females.   Female lizards lay  as much as  25 eggs  in burrows before   covering them up . The lizard eggs  hatch within months.

Housing

Frilled lizards are arboreal creatures.  They spend the major portion of  their life time in trees. When you want to create an enclosure for these lizards, you must consider height as a factor of vital importance. You can make use of artificial stones, vines ,  branches, cascades, misters as well as artificial and real plants for decoration.  When you make use of real plants, you must consider edible plants and those that can potentially harm your pet.  

Like most lizards the frilled dragon loves to bask.   Exposure to UVB radiation is essential for it to synthesize vitamin D3 and for the proper metabolism of calcium. Commercially available fluorescent, compact fluorescent, and mercury vapor bulbs can provide this.  Mercury vapor lamps have the added advantage of providing heat along with  UVB. These lights also give out   UVA radiation that many experts consider can help your pet see its prey better and also regulate its emotional health.

Food

Frilled Dragons are basically carnivorous.  They eat a wide range of insects, spiders, and small vertebrates in the wild.  Crickets, wax worms,  mealworms and even frozen mice in captivity. To ensure maximum nutrition. You should arrange to provide insects along with a small amount of dark leafy greens.

Dust the insects that you feed with a calcium supplement many times a week as well as a  multivitamin supplement once or twice a week.

You would do well to provide an open pan of water large enough for your lizard to soak as well as defecate.  Misting the cage many times a day also creates ‘dew’ for your lizard to consume greedily.

Handling

Scoop up your dragon lizard from behind. Hold it gently but with a firm grip in your hands. Do not try to catch it by the tail or limbs.