Painted dragon (Ctenophorus pictus)

Short answers

Painted dragon: How big does the enclosure need to be?

100×50×40 cm.

Painted dragon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 30–36 °C, basking spot 48 °C, at night 16–20 °C.

Painted dragon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 10.0–12 %).

Painted dragon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 4–7 years.

Painted dragon: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

30–36 °C

Night temperature

16–20 °C

Basking spot

48 °C

Humidity

25–40 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 10.0–12 %)

Enclosure

Minimum size

100×50×40 cm

Substrate

Sand-loam they can dig in, flat stones, dry twigs

Feeding

Food

House crickets, crickets, roaches, flowers

Feeding interval

4×/week

Key facts

Adult size

12–16 cm total length

Life expectancy

4–7 years

Origin

Central and southern Australia – semi-desert

Protection status

Export from Australia is prohibited – only European captive-bred animals

Brumation

A cooler dry spell of 8–10 weeks

Cohabitation

Harem (1,2) – Männchen strikt getrennt. Der Grund: mehrere Männchen kämpfen um Revier und Wärmeplatz, bis eines verletzt ist oder dauerhaft in der Ecke sitzt. Weibchen vertragen sich meist, brauchen aber je eigene Wärme- und Versteckplätze; bei Größenunterschieden getrennt füttern.

Notes

In the mating season the male turns brilliant red, orange or blue depending on the population. Very active and fast; a short life expectancy, but annual breeding.

Do you keep this species?

Add your animal to Reptoria – Reptoria reminds you about feeding and shedding. Add your animal for free →

Look for Painted dragon (Ctenophorus pictus) in the marketplace →

Related species

• Ring-tailed dragon (Ctenophorus caudicinctus) – Intermediate
• Military dragon (Ctenophorus isolepis) – Intermediate
• Western netted dragon (Ctenophorus reticulatus) – Intermediate
• Lake Eyre dragon (Ctenophorus maculosus) – Intermediate
• Central netted dragon (Ctenophorus nuchalis) – Intermediate
• Oriental garden lizard (Calotes versicolor) – Intermediate
• Spotted butterfly lizard (Leiolepis guttata) – Intermediate
• Common flying dragon (Draco volans) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Painted dragon (Ctenophorus pictus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (100×50×40 cm), substrate (Sand-loam they can dig in, flat stones, dry twigs), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.