AboutPam Expertise I can answer 98% of all questions regarding the husbandry of most desert to temperate climate omnivore and herbivore lizards. This would include bearded dragons, and skinks. I can also answer questions regarding iguanas. I can not help with snakes,amphibians,crustations or arachnids.
For tortoises I will only refer you to the World Chelonian Trust.
I am not a vet, but I've had enough medical (human) training to know that when a reptile is showing symptoms he needs definitive care. That means a vet, period. I can help with a few conditions, such as prolapse, so that the animal has the best chance at the vet to treat and recover.
The answer to having two species sharing the same habitat will always be no.
Just because you don't like my answer does not mean I'm wrong.
As for breeding animals, especially bearded dragons who already have a weak gene pool as it is, you will get all the reasons why you shouldn't. There are enough inexperienced breeders out there, filling pet stores with undersized sickly babies, I will not add to their number.
If you need a lizard identified, please give me an idea of where you live and a description of the animal.
Experience I own and breed bearded dragons (pogona vitticeps). I've been a member of several e-mail lizard care groups, I am both a forum chat moderator for Reptilerooms.com, and forum moderator for Pogona and Babyiguana Yahoo Groups. I have soaked in the knowledge of some of the best researchers, rehabbers, and herp veterinarians from those groups
Organizations Long Island Herpetological Society
International Reptile Conservation Society
Education/Credentials SUNY @ Farmingdale - Animal Science
Univ. of GA - Pre-Vet
Question every morning my dragon puffs up. Is it possible that they do this as a means of stretching too instead of just when they are mad or startled? Also, I believe that my dragon is a german giant but I am not sure. He his brownish, slightly yellow on the head and slightly orange spikes. Also, do you know why they are called german giants and what part of australia they are from? thanks
bekah
Answer Puffing up the beard in the morning after his basking lights are on for a while is a very normal routine. Many berdie owners, including myself refer to it as "morning exercises".
German Giants refer to Inland or Central bearded dragons that were taken from Australia and bred for siza and hardiness. American breeders went for high color, resulting in a range of colorful morphs, but became weaker genetically from inbreeding and line breeding. The American beardies became very small in comparison. Nowadays, American breeders have imported dragons from Germany to beef up American stock.
All Inland Bearded Dragons come from the semiarid and forest areas of Australia. They are one of nine species of Pogona identified so far. In the US, so far only two other species have been imported. Pogona Lawsoni, or Lawson's dragons, also incorrectly known as Rankin's Dragons, and The Coastal Bearded Dragon, Pogona Barbata.
