Even-scaled earless dragon (Tympanocryptis uniformis)

Short answers

Even-scaled earless dragon: How big does the enclosure need to be?

80×40×40 cm (floor area and structure matter more than height).

Even-scaled earless dragon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 28–33 °C, basking spot 40–45 °C, at night 18–22 °C.

Even-scaled earless dragon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB needed (Ferguson zone 3–4, UV index 4–7; an open-country heliotherm).

Even-scaled earless dragon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: Not documented for this species; related earless dragons reach 4–7 years in the terrarium, and 9 years or more under good conditions.

Even-scaled earless dragon: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

28–33 °C

Night temperature

18–22 °C

Basking spot

40–45 °C

Humidity

40–60 % (higher seasonally in the rainy season)

UVB

UVB needed (Ferguson zone 3–4, UV index 4–7; an open-country heliotherm)

Enclosure

Minimum size

80×40×40 cm (floor area and structure matter more than height)

Substrate

A sand-loam mix with stones, tussocks of grass, pieces of bark and a ground-level hide

Feeding

Food

Small insects: ants and termites (the natural staple), small house crickets, firebrats, small roaches, springtails

Feeding interval

adults every 1–2 days, juveniles daily (small portions)

Key facts

Adult size

approx. 10–14 cm total length (SVL ~5–6 cm) including the tail

Life expectancy

Not documented for this species; related earless dragons reach 4–7 years in the terrarium, and 9 years or more under good conditions

Origin

Northern Australia: the Kimberley (WA) and the Top End (NT), tropical savannah and grassland with a pronounced dry and wet season

Protection status

Protected: CITES Appendix III, EU Annex C - proof of origin required at purchase and resale. However, as Australian native wildlife, commercial export is banned under the EPBC Act - practically unavailable legally in the EU trade; proof of origin required.

Brumation

No real winter rest (tropical); possibly a cooler, drier rest period in the dry season

Cohabitation

Keep them singly. A territorial agama; NEVER keep males together (territorial fights and stress). A pair only temporarily for breeding, with plenty of space, visual barriers and supervision.

Notes

Not established in herpetoculture and not in the legal trade; the husbandry figures are derived from the genus's biology. A ground-dwelling heliotherm that hides in tussocks of grass and cracks in the soil. A common mistake would be a wrongly assumed specialisation on ants and termites without matching food on offer.

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Related species

• Inland earless dragon (Tympanocryptis intima) – Expert
• Condamine earless dragon (Tympanocryptis condaminensis) – Expert
• Long-tailed earless dragon (Tympanocryptis tetraporophora) – Intermediate
• Pebble-mimic dragon (Tympanocryptis cephalus) – Expert
• Fortescue earless dragon (Tympanocryptis fortescuensis) – Expert
• Lined earless dragon (Tympanocryptis lineata) – Expert
• Smooth-snouted earless dragon (Tympanocryptis parviceps) – Expert
• Grassland earless dragon (Tympanocryptis pinguicolla) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Even-scaled earless dragon (Tympanocryptis uniformis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (80×40×40 cm (floor area and structure matter more than height)), substrate (A sand-loam mix with stones, tussocks of grass, pieces of bark and a ground-level hide), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.