Rankin's bearded dragon (Pogona rankini)

Short answers

Rankin's bearded dragon: How big does the enclosure need to be?

100×50×50 cm for one animal (from 120×60×60 cm for a group).

Rankin's bearded dragon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 28–32 °C, basking spot 40–45 °C, at night 20–22 °C.

Rankin's bearded dragon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB needed (Ferguson zone 3–4, UV index 4–6).

Rankin's bearded dragon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 8–12 years.

Rankin's bearded dragon: Is it suitable for beginners?

Yes – it is considered suitable for beginners (difficulty: Beginner).

Climate

Daytime temperature

28–32 °C

Night temperature

20–22 °C

Basking spot

40–45 °C

Humidity

40–50 %

UVB

UVB needed (Ferguson zone 3–4, UV index 4–6)

Enclosure

Minimum size

100×50×50 cm for one animal (from 120×60×60 cm for a group)

Substrate

A loam and sand mix, a firm floor they can dig in; not pure sand

Feeding

Food

Insects (house crickets, crickets, roaches) plus wild herbs and vegetables; about 50 % plant food as adults

Feeding interval

adults 2–3×/week, juveniles daily

Key facts

Adult size

approx. 25–30 cm total length (the smallest bearded dragon)

Life expectancy

approx. 8–12 years

Origin

Central Queensland (Australia), dry steppe and clay soils; syn. Pogona henrylawsoni

Protection status

Not listed under CITES; well-established captive-bred stock in the trade

Brumation

An optional slight winter rest of 4–8 weeks at about 15–18 °C (it encourages breeding)

Cohabitation

Keeping them singly always works; since Rankin's dragons are considered noticeably more sociable than other bearded dragons, a harem of one male with several females or an all-female group can also succeed in a correspondingly larger enclosure with visual barriers and several basking spots. Drawback of a group: rank order is settled through head-bobbing and occasional pushing away from food, and biting can occur if space is short. Never keep two males together, they will not tolerate each other.

Notes

Pogona rankini = the trade name for P. henrylawsoni (Rankin's dragon). Suitable for beginners, robust and diurnal. Avoid pure sand. A common mistake is too little space or UV.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Eastern bearded dragon (Pogona barbata) – Intermediate
• Central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) – Beginner to intermediate
• Kimberley bearded dragon (Pogona microlepidota) – Intermediate
• Mitchell's bearded dragon (Pogona mitchelli) – Intermediate
• Nullarbor bearded dragon (Pogona nullarbor) – Intermediate
• Western bearded dragon (Pogona minor) – Intermediate
• Rankin's dragon (Pogona henrylawsoni) – Beginner to intermediate
• Egyptian spiny-tailed lizard (Uromastyx aegyptia) – Intermediate to expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Rankin's bearded dragon (Pogona rankini) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (100×50×50 cm for one animal (from 120×60×60 cm for a group)), substrate (A loam and sand mix, a firm floor they can dig in; not pure sand), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.