Can *adult* water dragons live in aquariums?

Question

What size aquarium? What do i need if they cant? What kind of thing do they need?

Answer 1

Look here:
http://www.anapsid.org/waterdragons.html

It has info about adult sizes and cage sizes.

I wouldn't recommend an aquarium. They get big enough to easily break the glass. A big enough aquarium would be extremely expensive as well.

Hold on, there's a cool site for proper cages.
http://www.cagesbydesign.com/

Answer 2

well how many do you have? yes, they can live in an aquarium.

You will need a large enclosure, one larger than most people think will be needed by a lizard of this size. The reason most are missing much of their faces, rubbed off from the snout back past the front teeth, is that water dragons will literally rub their flesh off and break their jaw bones trying to get out of a too small enclosure. They need space at least 2 x their total length - so you are talking min 6 ft long (side to side), at least 2-3 feet deep and 4-6 feet high to do it right.

Water dragons can be kept together, with one to three males in a room-sized enclosure. Some females can be domineering and may not want any other females around...others can co-habit with 3-4 females. You must monitor them all the time to assure all are feeding and basking properly throughout the year. If any aren't, you are most likely seeing the results of intimidation and will need to increase the number of basking and feeding areas and/or increase enclosure size or separate them.

Water dragons are semi-arboreal but also need enough water to submerge and swim comfortably in, as well as branches for climbing, and plenty of ground area for roosting and feeding. They also need the appropriate thermal gradients, photoperiods, and a UVB light.

Substrate
Mixture of 2/3 peat soil + 1/3 clean sand with areas of bark. Can also keep on fake Astroturf. Very active digestive systems so lots of messy poop if they don't go in their water.

Branches
Placed on the diagonal for climbing, horizontal for roosting.

Plants
Suggestions for suitable live plants include dragon plants (Dracaena), pothos (Scindapsus aureus), Ficus benjamina trees, Monstera deliciosa (philodendron) and staghorn ferns. Plants will need to be replaced as they are shredded by claws or eaten.

Temperature
Day time: 84-88 F with drop to 75-80 F at night. Must have a basking area going up to 90 F during day at one side of tank. Use thermometers! No hot rocks - use overhead basking lights and an under-tank heat pad or one under the indoor/outdoor carpeting substrate.

UVB Lighting
Must have direct sun or a suitable UVB-producing fluorescent (Vitalite by Durotest or Zoo Med's 5.0+ Iguana or Reptile lights). Plant grow lights do not produce UVB and most so-called 'full spectrum" lights do not either. Must produce wavelengths in the 290-320 nm range.

Water
Must be available at all times for full body immersions up to at least 1/2 their height. Must be cleaned and disinfected daily...two days okay if they don't poop in it! If they dive into their water from a shelf or branch, you need to make the tub deeper so they do not injure themselves.

Answer 3

No, they need tall cages for climbing. Lots of hiding places (safe plants) so they don't stress and rub their noses. A big pool (keep water spotlessly clean). A heat lamp, UVB reptile bulb, a variety of vegies and insects, vitamins, calcium, etc. Here's another excellent WD site:

http://www.triciaswaterdragon.com/