Southern angle-headed dragon (Lophosaurus spinipes)

Short answers

Southern angle-headed dragon: How big does the enclosure need to be?

100×60×150 cm for a pair.

Southern angle-headed dragon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–27 °C, basking spot 28–30 °C, at night 16–20 °C.

Southern angle-headed dragon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB needed (5–7 %).

Southern angle-headed dragon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 10–15 years.

Southern angle-headed dragon: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–27 °C

Night temperature

16–20 °C

Basking spot

28–30 °C

Humidity

70–85 %

UVB

UVB needed (5–7 %)

Enclosure

Minimum size

100×60×150 cm for a pair

Substrate

Forest soil or coco humus with leaf litter, damp

Feeding

Food

Crickets, roaches, locusts, earthworms, snails

Feeding interval

adults 2–3× a week; mist daily

Key facts

Adult size

approx. 35–40 cm total length

Life expectancy

approx. 10–15 years

Origin

Eastern Australia (New South Wales, southern Queensland), subtropical rainforest

Protection status

Not listed under CITES; no export of wild-caught animals from Australia

Brumation

None

Cohabitation

A pair (1.1) or one male with two females (1.2) is generally possible, males must never be kept together. Little is published on captive social behaviour for this species itself; well documented, however, is strong territorial behaviour of males in the wild, driving off rivals with head-bobbing and threat displays.

Notes

It comes from the subtropical, cooler part of eastern Australia and takes markedly lower temperatures than its tropical relatives — in winter a cooler, drier phase of a few weeks makes sense.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Boyd's forest dragon (Lophosaurus boydii) – Intermediate
• Eared forest dragon (Hypsilurus auritus) – Expert
• Bell's angle-headed dragon (Gonocephalus bellii) – Intermediate to expert
• Borneo angle-headed lizard (Gonocephalus bornensis) – Expert
• Bruijn's forest dragon (Hypsilurus bruijnii) – Expert
• Chameleon angle-headed lizard (Gonocephalus chamaeleontinus) – Expert
• Indonesian forest dragon (Hypsilurus dilophus) – Expert
• Doria's angle-headed lizard (Gonocephalus doriae) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Southern angle-headed dragon (Lophosaurus spinipes) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (100×60×150 cm for a pair), substrate (Forest soil or coco humus with leaf litter, damp), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.