Common flying dragon (Draco volans)

Short answers

Common flying dragon: How big does the enclosure need to be?

60×60×150 cm (very tall).

Common flying dragon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–32 °C, basking spot 35 °C, at night 21–24 °C.

Common flying dragon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0).

Common flying dragon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 3–6 years.

Common flying dragon: Is it suitable for beginners?

No – better suited to experienced keepers (difficulty: Expert).

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–32 °C

Night temperature

21–24 °C

Basking spot

35 °C

Humidity

70–85 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 5.0–10.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

60×60×150 cm (very tall)

Substrate

Coco humus, several vertical trunks spaced apart, planting

Feeding

Food

Ants, termites, small house crickets, firebrats

Feeding interval

daily

Key facts

Adult size

20–22 cm total length

Life expectancy

3–6 years

Origin

South-East Asia – the canopy

Protection status

Not listed under CITES; mostly wild-caught animals

Brumation

None

Cohabitation

Keep in pairs (1.2) or as a harem (1.3); never house two males together. The reason: males fight over territory and the warm spot until one is seriously injured or spends its life in a corner. One male with several females works reliably, provided there are enough warm spots and hides and animals that differ in size are fed separately.

Notes

It glides between trees on deployable rib membranes. Specialised on ants and termites – without this food source, keeping it usually fails. It needs several vertical trunks with a gliding run between them. Only for very experienced keepers.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Blanford's flying lizard (Draco blanfordii) – Expert
• Five-banded flying lizard (Draco quinquefasciatus) – Intermediate
• Spotted flying dragon (Draco maculatus) – Intermediate
• Black-bearded flying dragon (Draco melanopogon) – Intermediate
• Oriental garden lizard (Calotes versicolor) – Intermediate
• Spotted butterfly lizard (Leiolepis guttata) – Intermediate
• Painted dragon (Ctenophorus pictus) – Intermediate
• Green crested lizard (Bronchocela cristatella) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Common flying dragon (Draco volans) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (60×60×150 cm (very tall)), substrate (Coco humus, several vertical trunks spaced apart, planting), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.