Sowing dragons’ teeth
The problems and solutions to keeping Chinese water dragons
The Chinese or Asian water dragon (Physignathus cocincinus) is one of the more iconic lizards in a captive setting. Their widespread abundance in the hobby during the early 00s has formulated the idea that they are a great pet species, but is this true?
A close up shot of a Chinese water dragon
History of dragons
The Chinese water dragon is a large species of Agamid lizard found throughout Southeast Asia. Its range stretches through Cambodia, across most of Vietnam and into southern parts of China. They are the only species in the genus Physignathis, although around eight other species were previously categorised within the genus. Like many of the East Asian ‘dragons,’ they have a majestic appearance, with protruding dorsal scales. Both sexes present vibrant green colouration, variable banding patterns and a prehistoric-looking bone structure. Males can exhibit brilliant crests, followed by long spikes stretching all the way down to their tails.
Despite being widespread and locally abundant, this species is now classified as ‘Threatened’ by the IUCN. Being specialists in closed-canopy lowland riparian forests that sit directly on freshwater riverbanks, their habitat is fragile and at serious risk of deforestation. Adults will often lay exposed eggs in sandbanks close to the water’s edge which are easily disturbed by climatic changes. Despite their potential fragility, a growing invasive population has now been established in Hong Kong and this species is routinely bred in-situ in a ‘captive-farmed’ environment with strong genetics. Conservation of prime habitats and natural populations is key, but this may provide a safety net that contradicts the ‘threatened’ label.
The natural history and wild behaviours of the Chinese water dragon made it a prime candidate for early exports to the exotic pet trade in the 1990s. Almost all individuals in the pet trade are ‘captive-farmed’. This is a very broad term that can mean anything from an outdoor captive-breeding situation to the preservation of natural habitats which wild individuals are collected from. Providing this is properly managed, captive-farming offers an alternative to wild-caught animals, with eggs harvested and professionally incubated. Animals which would have typically been lost to average mortality rates in a wild environment can then be exported to fulfil properly managed quotas, without depleting wild populations. However, this method may prevent true captive-breeding projects from flourishing here in the UK as animals are consistently available and usually for a low price.
Last year, the Chinese water dragon became an Appendix 2 listed species under CITES regulations. This prevents any animals being exported unless the country of origin establishes a science-based official export quota. CITES recognises ‘captive-bred’ (having been bred in captivity for two generations), ‘wild caught’ (caught from the wild or affecting wild populations) and ‘ranched’ (meaning captive-farmed). As a species that readily breeds in captivity when given the opportunity, this may result in captive-bred animals replacing the captive farmed individuals, albeit in much smaller numbers. Chinese water dragons are not prolific breeders, producing one clutch of around 12-20 eggs each year. With less availability and increased pricing, it is possible that new keepers will consider more strongly the specialist care and enclosure requirements needed to provide correct husbandry.
Chinese water dragons often have brilliant temperaments and are widely considered to be excellent pets. Although juveniles are often ‘scatty’, adults generally have a docile nature, will tolerate handling and can even recognise their keepers. Couple this with the fact they are a much more manageable size than the green iguana (Iguana iguana) and it is no wonder that they have remained a popular species since their introduction in the early 90s. As a species that has evolved alongside the entire herpetoculture discipline, issues that were previously prevalent in Chinese water dragons such as MBD and ‘nose rub’ are much less common. However, it is pivotal that keepers create and maintain a suitable enclosure, which for most novice keepers seeking a ‘pet’, is not an easy task.
Thinking outside the box
Creating an enclosure for an adult Chinese water dragon can prove challenging. A custom enclosure is necessary to provide the required dimensions and while these can be commissioned, they cost much more than the standardised sizes sold by most high street pet shops. These must also be made from marine plywood or sealed with a waterproof sealant to maintain the correct humidity levels without damaging the enclosure. Large glass terrariums can be used for hatchling/juvenile dragons, but these are quickly outgrown. Creating a naturalistic rainforest set up of this size, with an aquatic section and multiple basking spots can be very rewarding but equally as costly. In this sense, water dragons offer a more specialist ‘pet’ species.
Michaela Betts BVetMed MRCVS is an Exotics Specialist Vet at Suffolk Exotic Vets. She told Exotics Keeper Magazine: “We usually recommend a minimum of 4ftx2ftx4ft enclosure size for a single adult with around 80% humidity, but 6ft height would be preferable to allow for more climbing. Enclosures utilising see-through walls or doors are possible, but they need the bottom section to be opaque so that the dragon cannot see through it. We have some keepers who use glass walls but place markers along them to signal where the glass is for their dragon and some who have a deep lip at the base of their enclosure to clearly show where the edge is. Plenty of cover and hiding spots are really important, so they can tuck themselves away to reduce stress and hide away if they become startled or nervous. They need full-spectrum UV lighting and are Ferguson Zone 2. We usually say a hot spot of around 35°C, cool end of around 30°C, and night-time temperature of 24°C.”
A paper published back in 1999 outlined the necessity to provide ‘choice’ in water dragon enclosures and still provides relevant information today. Roger Meek writes: “Continuous observation of P. cocincinus showed that by thermoregulating carefully, this species is active (i.e. able to remain abroad and vigilant) throughout even the hottest weather. Excessive heat loads are dealt with by microhabitat selection (e.g. by moving within the canopy or by entering water) and behavioural adjustments; primarily, partial basking and shade seeking.” It is therefore vitally important that keepers provide a wealth of shade opportunities and microclimates. For a large, robust lizard, establishing this can be difficult, but lots of overlapping branches, cork bark tubes and sturdy plants can support this. In the wild, juveniles will often bask much higher in the canopy than their adult counterparts. Although a juvenile water dragon will live comfortably in a large, arboreal vivarium, it is worth considering creating a custom enclosure with a foresight of the lizards’ adult size.
A Chinese water dragon basking on the water’s edge
Defence mechanisms and medical issues
When creating an ideal environment for an animal, it is important to consider not just their temperature and humidity requirements, but the elements of their surrounding which help them feel secure. Chinese water dragons require a good-sized body of water to plunge into if they feel threatened. Recreating this in captivity requires either great DIY skills or daily water changes of an enormous water bowl. Whilst keepers are quick to ensure specialist species like Chinese crocodile lizards (Shinisaurus crocdilurus), Mertens monitors (Varanus mertensi) or plumed basilisks (Basiliscus plumifrons) have a deep aquatic element to their enclosure, common species are much less likely to receive this provision.
Chinese water dragons can also be very flighty. In the wild, they will leap frantically from their resting place into the water. In captivity, this can sometimes lead to trauma of the face known as ‘nose rub’ where startled or even just curious lizards cannot understand the parameters of the glass enclosure. Michaela continued: “Whilst we do still see "nose rub" in practice, the prevalence of these cases seems to be reduced. The frequency of appropriate husbandry set-ups/diet compared to inappropriate has also improved. With the introduction of the internet, where owners can access care sheets and advice with more ease, we hope this is due to overall improved husbandry and the needs of this species being met.”
Throughout the years, Chinese water dragons have faced several commonly occurring issues which are slowly being combatted with advancements in herpetological understanding. Nowadays, many of the issues that historically affected Chinese water dragons are much less common. Holistically correct husbandry is key to maintaining the species.
Michaela continued: “The most common ailment that we see with Chinese water dragons specifically would be facial abscesses. This is often in relation to dental disease on clinical examination. Whilst I don't think necessarily preventable, inappropriate husbandry can predispose them to stress resulting in immunosuppression. I also think the activity levels of Water Dragons can sometimes make them more inclined to escape attempts or trauma in the enclosure if it's inappropriate, which could provide a route of infection. Broadly speaking, juvenile reptiles are likely going to be more susceptible to encountering issues due to their developing immune system, the higher demands on their body as they are growing, the development of the sexual and copulatory organs, and the fact that they are more likely going to be kept in higher density groups so there's a higher risk of disease transmission or trauma from fighting. Adequate space, UV lighting, and dietary supplementation are always crucial, but particularly so during these developmental stages.”
When to see the vet
In the UK, Chinese water dragons are still widely kept. Now, they are presented as much more of an advanced species compared to when they first arrived in the hobby many decades ago. However, keepers should always be ready to visit a vet at the first sign of ill health. Naturally, this makes Chinese water dragons a better pet for someone who can afford to insure their animal and cover any unexpected vet bills. Whilst it’s likely that good husbandry will prevent medical issues, the potential costs of emergency treatment may be many times that of the animal. For some keepers, that will be negligible, but others may be falsely influenced by the price of an imported juvenile water dragon.
Michaela concluded: “Emergency situations where owners should seek immediate veterinary attention would be for: seizures, cloacal prolapse, active bleeding/severe trauma, collapse, any damage to the eyes, breathing difficulties, or if toxicity of some kind is suspected. Less urgent symptoms that would still warrant a vet visit would be changes to appetite or droppings, failure to grow at a normal rate, swellings or masses, trauma, lameness, weight loss, signs of MBD (such as not holding themselves up properly, rubbery limbs/jaw, tremors), nasal/ocular discharges, and showing active symptoms of something being amiss like coughing or regurgitating. I would recommend seeing a vet for a general health check (along with faecal sample) at least once a year for an assessment.”
An adult male Chinese water dragon that has not recovered from “nose rub”
So, are water dragons good pets?
Recognising our own limitations as herpetoculturists is extremely important in establishing good animal welfare. The initial draw of Chinese water dragons, with their brilliant crests, intelligent behaviour and docile nature suggests that these animals make excellent pets. However, financial and spatial limitations that the majority of people will face at some point throughout a dragon’s fifteen-year lifespan mean they are not appropriate for everyone. Even the most advanced enclosures will undoubtedly need updating or replacing over this time period and many hobbyists, regardless of their level of experience may find this difficult. With such an eclectic mix of captive-bred animals available to us here in the UK, keepers can find and care for the perfect species for them. For some, a Chinese water dragon will tick every box. For others, opting for a smaller agamid or an entirely different species altogether may provide a more fulfilling herpetoculturist experience.
A female Chinese water dragon
