# Southern forest dragons



## Magpie (Jun 20, 2003)

Also known as Angle-headed dragons. :? 
I bought a trio of these little beauties on wednesday (photo's will be in gallery soon.)  
They are sort of a 'practise' for when I get my Boyd's forest dragons in 15 months. Also, got them because they are fantastic little critters.  
I know the basics of husbandry for them and had a good chat to the guy I bought them off.  
If anyone has any Info on them or tricks they have picked up regarding their care, please reply to this post with the info. :wink: 
From what I know of them, I'd thoroughly reccommend them to anyone who wants a 'pet' dragon. They need no heating and can be kept in a glass tank in your living room. Some UV should be provided but they do not bask. They are very placid and friendly, more so than most beardies. Diet is mostly insects (woodies, crix and worms.) They cost about $120 each for hatchies but seeing that no heat is required, the enclosures are a lot cheaper to set up then for a beardie.


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## sarahbell (Jun 20, 2003)

why do you have to wait that long for a boyds :?


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## Magpie (Jun 20, 2003)

NSW - they are class 2. :? I can't get my class 2 till then (need to have class 1 for 2 years first.)
Not quite sure of the logic there, care is meant to be pretty similar to angle head's and they are not endangered...


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## africancichlidau (Jun 20, 2003)

You lucky boy Mags!!! I love the Angle Heads, they are just gorgeous. Unfortunately I don't think they are on the list down here in Vic  Please someone prove me wrong on this!?!
Were they the ones on Herp Shop Mags?


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## NoOne (Jun 20, 2003)

I think the main reason dragons like boyd's and frillies are on class 2 is because wild caught specimans don't adjust to captivity well. 
When the were originally being collected they were seen as hard species to keep therefore they were listed as an advanced reptile.

Captive bred specimans are generally very hardy and easy to care for provided they are setup properly.
I know a few people who have boyd's and they all say that they are easy to care for.

I've been keeping frillies for about a year and they are no harder to keep than a beardie. Just a bit warmer temps.


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## Magpie (Jun 21, 2003)

Yep, the ones on herp shop. Just happened to be in sydeny this week, only 15 minutes from where the guy who was selling them was located. Was talking to Simon_Archibald in chat and we decided it must have been fate so I'd better get some. Unfortunately, they guy was busy on the day I was there so I had to hang around sydeny for 3 hours. Boring!! I wasn't even near any of the APS people that I know so couldn't drop in for lunch.
Anyway, they are doing well so far, eating woodies and worms (they love worms!)
BTW (put that in just for you Greebo) if I have a trio of angle heads, does that mean I have a triangle head? :? 
Have you contacted your version of NPWS directly and asked them afro?


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## africancichlidau (Jun 21, 2003)

Actually Maggie I checked the list and can keep the angles on an advanced licence so I am upgrading when renewal comes up  It is the Boyds that you can't keep in Victoria  sob.
Hey mate, did you see my post about PM'ing me regarding the Monitor Magazine?


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## Magpie (Jun 21, 2003)

http://www.aussiepythons.com/module...ery&amp;file=index&amp;include=view_photo.php

http://www.aussiepythons.com/module...ery&amp;file=index&amp;include=view_photo.php

http://www.aussiepythons.com/module...ery&amp;file=index&amp;include=view_photo.php

http://www.aussiepythons.com/module...ery&amp;file=index&amp;include=view_photo.php

Some pics of my babies....


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## Greebo (Jun 21, 2003)

You have a triangle of angles?
What have you named them?
I know pythagoras is taken.
What about obtuse or hypotenuse or isosceles?


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## Nicole (Jun 21, 2003)

If not isocolese, how about seven or soda?
Greebo will know what I'm on about if no one else does...


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## Magpie (Jun 21, 2003)

Hmmm, if it's a Simpsons reference, I must have missed that episode (haven't seen any new ones for about 3 years now.) 

They have no names at the moment as I can't even tell the apart yet.


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## Nicole (Jun 21, 2003)

Nah, That one's a Seinfeld reference Mags.  
BTW (!) Congrats. They are very distinctive looking little guys. Very cute.


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## Magpie (Jun 21, 2003)

Well I won't be using those names then, I hate Seinfeld.


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## Whaa (Jun 21, 2003)

You said in your first post that they do not require an artificial heat source.
Why is this?
Is this because the temps in tanworth are quite warm (I know squat about geography) where are the dragons naturally found?


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## sobrien (Jun 21, 2003)

Scalene, quadrilateral and isosceles?


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## Nicole (Jun 21, 2003)

I think you mean equilateral Sobby


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## sobrien (Jun 21, 2003)

Thats it, thanks Nicole :roll: :roll:


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## ad (Jun 22, 2003)

Hi Magpie,
I have kept both boyds and angle heads and it is 100% the same care.
They do not bask, but they do like humidity. Sphagnum Moss wrapped in a pillow of shade cloth or even loose can keep it that way for them. In brisbane thats easy, it gets harder the further south you are I guess
Cheers,
Ad


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## cyber_crimes (Jun 22, 2003)

Do they have high UV requirements?
Shaded UV of course,being a forest dweller.


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## olivaceus71 (Jun 22, 2003)

*re southern forest dragons*



ad said:


> Hi Magpie,
> I have kept both boyds and angle heads and it is 100% the same care.
> They do not bask, but they do like humidity. Sphagnum Moss wrapped in a pillow of shade cloth or even loose can keep it that way for them. In brisbane thats easy, it gets harder the further south you are I guess
> Cheers,
> Ad



I have had a trio for the past 2 years and one thing I find they appreciate is a big fern they like to hide in the foliage and appreciate being misted, my oldest female also likes to lie in her water bowl.
In summer I keep mine outside in a mouse wired large cocky cage, under a pergola so they can still get natural uv, but not too much heat, winter they are kept in my reptile room.
My female did get a lump on her jaw when I first had her as she was kept inside, no extra heat but I don't think she got enough uva/b. I got rid of it by putting her outside and dipping roaches in calcium for her. 
I also brought a male as an adult that had the same problem, and had lost most of his teeth, and unfortunately he passed away.
They are lovely animals but a bit temperamental with their feeding, my female will only eat if I had feed her roaches, probably be a bit easier if I lived further up the coast.

I also have spaghnum moss on the floor with real moss taken from rocks on top which I keep moist

ps they like to play dead, so if you think one has passed away wait a while as I know someone that disposed of theirs only to find out it was still alive.

cheers
meg


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## Magpie (Jun 22, 2003)

They need no heat source if kept inside. In warmer climates, they can be kept outside year round, probable even up here really as they are found in the Barrington Tops region and it gets flamin' cold up there. They do not thermoregulate, rather they just let their body temp be the same as ambient with preferred temps of 19-32C.  We get down to -7C and up to 44C here at times so I'll be keeping them inside.  

Mine like to lie in their water bowl also, one was in there for 3/4 of an hour this morning.  Interestingly, they hate being misted so far, really really hate it. :? 

When I get my Boyds, I want to put them in my 6x2x2 aquarium and plant birdsnest ferns, maidenhair, moss and staghorn ferns in there with several tree fern trunks to hang on.  Should look fantastic I hope. I might even do this with the angle heads in 6 months or so when they are bigger. Could they be housed together does anyone know? I've been told that numerous angle heads in a single cage is not a problem as it can be with beardies.

UV wise, similar to a beardie I think, maybe a bit less. I will be putting a UV flouro in with mine. Will also be using calcium supplement for them.

My fact for the day - Gold costs $15 per gram, platinum $25 per gram and the angle heads cost me $60 per gram. Hmmm, worth their weight in gold you might say....but you'd be wrong.


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## cyber_crimes (Jun 22, 2003)

I had this discussion last night in repchat and was told that a friend of a regular member in the chatroom,keeps Boyd's and Angle heads together year round in an outside aviary.So I guess they could but I honestly dont know much about it.I'd be concerned with hybridisation myself (not sure if they would or not but it may be an issue).


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## Magpie (Jun 22, 2003)

Oh yeah, never even though of hybrids. I'd reckon they probably could, they are about as closely related as vitties and barbs. Maybe I could just put males in the display cage? I used to do much the same thing with my cichlids.


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## ad (Jun 22, 2003)

They don't mind the cool either, atherton table lands gets very cold as does lamington park area of brisbane.
I found that like beardies a dominant hatchling will emerge and they do beat each other up
and like meg said somtimes they make your heart miss a beat, you see them there looking dead, I know Ive picked them up to have them 'wake up' and start wiggling flat out.
They are great lizards with good characteristics, stretching out their legs and lifting the body and general postures.
I took some bizare photos of my males boyds today, have a check out in my personal photos - they are amazing animals!


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## Whaa (Jun 22, 2003)

do the southern forrest dragons not need very high temps to digest their food like other dragons do?


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## Magpie (Jun 22, 2003)

No, anywhere above 19C and they will eat just fine. I'd imagine the digestive process is faster at warmer temps.


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## Whaa (Jun 22, 2003)

I'll be keeping a close eye on the house temps this winter to see the variation.
Since your intitial post I've suddenly developed a need to get some southern forest dragons


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## Magpie (Jun 24, 2003)

Meg, what sort of fern do you have with yours? I've been looking around and thinking one of the smaller tree ferns (Dicksonia) will probably go well.

Another thing I've been looking at is those ultrasonic mister / foggers. They turn about 300mL of water into mist per hour. Am thinking about getting one ond putting it on timer so it is on for 1/2 an hour or 1hour, 3 or 4 times a day. Any ideas / comments on this idea?  :?


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## africancichlidau (Jun 24, 2003)

That sounds like a rather splendid idea Maggie!! I wish I'd thought of it when I was breeding the white lips, they would have just thrived on it 
300 ml an hour? That seems like a high turnover, do you meen the ceramic disc type misters?


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## Magpie (Jun 25, 2003)

Yep, them's the ones  
You used to breed white lipped pythons?????? :twisted:


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## africancichlidau (Jun 26, 2003)

No mate, I should have been more specific as I meant White Lipped Tree Frogs, Littoria Infrafrenata. Oh how I wish it was the Pythons!!


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## Magpie (Jun 29, 2003)

They are fast growers. They have grown a noticable amount in the last two weeks and have gone from 2g to 4g by the scales (2g resolution.)


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## Magpie (Jul 9, 2003)

I decided to get the fogger, only problem is, it is way too efficient. I put it on for 15 minutes four times a day but 15 mintues is too long really. But that's the minimum my timers will go to. Heres a pic of what happens when it's on.


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## Guest (Jul 9, 2003)

That looks awsome how much do hey cost?


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## Magpie (Jul 10, 2003)

$50


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## Guest (Jul 10, 2003)

Sweet what can they be used for?


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## africancichlidau (Jul 10, 2003)

Fogging 

Hey Maggie, that looks awsome!


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## africancichlidau (Jul 10, 2003)

Don't look too safe around those electrics though! Try a digital timer as they can be set for anything from one minute up. And multiple programming so you could have it on for, say, 2 minutes 4 or 5 times a day. JAT.


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