Description:
Scientific name: Chlamydosaurus kingii
Life span: 20 years
The lizard species known as the frilled lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii), commonly referred to as the frill-necked lizard or frilled dragon, belongs to the family Agamidae. It features a long neck to fit the frill, a very large and wide head, long legs, and a tail that accounts for the majority of its overall length. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with males being larger and having proportionately larger frills, heads, and jaws than females. The rounded nostrils and sharp eye corners of the frilled lizard face away from one another and point downward. The majority of the lizard’s scales have a ridge down the middle and are keeled. The scales on the backbone and sides alternate between small and big.
Native Region/Habitat
Northern Australia and southern New Guinea are home to the frilled lizard. Its distribution in Australia extends from Western Australia’s Kimberley region eastward to the Top End of the Northern Territory to Queensland’s Cape York Peninsula and the neighboring islands of Muralug, Badu, and Moa, and south to Brisbane. It is found in New Guinea’s Trans-Fly environment, which is shared by the Indonesian and Papua New Guinean portions of the island. Generally speaking, the species lives in savannahs and sclerophyll forests.
Behavior:
The lizard species known as the frilled lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii), commonly referred to as the frill-necked lizard or frilled dragon, belongs to the family Agamidae. It features a long neck to fit the frill, a very large and wide head, long legs, and a tail that accounts for the majority of its overall length. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with males being larger and having proportionately larger frills, heads, and jaws than females. The rounded nostrils and sharp eye corners of the frilled lizard face away from one another and point downward. The majority of the lizard’s scales have a ridge down the middle and are keeled. The scales on the backbone and sides alternate between small and big. During wildfires, frilled lizards would seek shelter in big trees and termite mounds. The lizards choose trees with more continuous canopies after a forest has been burned.
Care As a pet/In captivity:
Enclosure:
Because frilled lizards are arboreal lizards, a vertically inclined cage is preferable to a horizontal one for adults in order to promote a healthy, long life. A single 12-inch-long pair of juvenile frillies can be kept in a 20-gallon “tall” habitat.
Lighting and Temperature:
As basking lizards, frilled lizards need a good UVB source (mercury vapour or fluorescent) as well as basking bulbs for heat. A branch in the upper quadrant of the cage should be the focal point of the basking area, which should be heated to about 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid placing it too close to the branch since frillies can easily burn the tops of their frills by spending an extended period of time beneath a hot light.
The rest of the cage should remain at an ambient temperature of 85 to 90 degrees. The temperature should decrease to between 75 and 80 degrees at night.
Humidity and water:
The rainy season is when frilled lizards flourish in the wild, and the daily rains keep them hydrated. The humidity level in a pet frilled lizard’s enclosure should be around 70% to prevent dehydration. During feeding, mist young animals about three times each day. Those who are healthy can experience everyday rain. Employ a pump sprayer or misting device to create the impression of rain.
Lizard Food:
Insects like crickets, roaches, hornworms, silkworms, army fly larvae, superworms, and canned grasshoppers should make up the majority of a pet frilled lizard’s diet (available in some stores that sell reptile supplies). It is recommended to provide a high-quality calcium and vitamin D3 supplement to all insects. Depending on the lizard’s size, an occasional pinky or fuzzy mouse can also be provided.
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