Bearded Dragon - Hiro

In the wild, Bearded Dragons live in semiarid desert, scrublands, and dry forests of central and eastern Australia and forage for food such as insects, small lizards and mammals, fruits, flowers and other plant material which they use their stick tongue to pull into their mouth. They are diurnal which means they are most active during the day. They love to bask and are commonly seen perched on rocks, fallen branches, fence posts and even picnic tables. They are not only skilled burrowers, but also skilled climbers even though they are considered a terrestrial lizard.

Bearded Dragons get their name from the spiky “beard” on their chin and neck that they can expand and darken and use to showcase a variety of moods. Head bobs and arm waves are also ways bearded dragons may communicate. When threatened, they will open their mouth wide, darken and puff out their beard and may even hiss! They have spikes that run along the edge of their belly which are usually soft (ask to touch Hiro’s spines), but can be tightened into stiff spines if threatened. They also have a parietal eye on the top of their head which helps them detect predators.

Our Bearded Dragon, Hiro, arrived in April 2022. Bearded dragons are very popular pets, which is what Hiro was before he became an animal ambassador at Sarett Nature Center. Naturalists had to work with him for a few months before he was ready for programming. It is wise to allow an animal 2-4 weeks to adjust to a new environment before handling them to make sure they settle in well and are consistently eating and making waste. Now, Hiro adores attention and getting to participate in education programs. The average lifespan of a bearded dragon is 10 to 15 years, but some can live over 20! They range in length from 18-24 inches (45-61 cm). They are mature and mostly full-grown by 2 years old.

He enjoys eating crickets, dubia cockroaches, and salads with a variety of greens, vegetables, and some fruits with vitamins. Sometimes he will chase his feeder insects across the floor or poke them around in a see-through ball with his nose for enrichment. He also enjoys hanging out in his enclosure under his heat lamp and taking in his surroundings. Sometimes Hiro gets jealous if he sees naturalists or visitors giving attention to the other animals and will walk towards you and scratch the glass with his claws.