Eight species of Australian lizards named for the spiny "beard" under the throat, which darkens and puffs up when they are stressed, threatened or courting. They live in deserts and shrublands and bask by day. The central bearded dragon is one of the most popular pet reptiles.
Quick answers
What is it?Reptile
Carnivore?Omnivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?Yes
In cool weather they brumate, a hibernation-like state in which they go months without eating.
Kept as a pet?Commonly
One of the most popular pet reptiles in the world, and the most kept reptile in the US in a 2021 study.
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inAustralia
HabitatDesert, Scrub
ColoursTan, Orange, Brown
SizeSmall
LengthUp to 60 cm (males), 51 cm (females)
WeightCentral bearded dragon: up to about 550 g
Legs4
Covered inScales
Lives alone
Lives for8–15 years
Can swim
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Throughout much of Australia.
- What it eats
- Central bearded dragon: in summer, about half plants and a quarter termites by volume.
Did you know
Waves one arm slowly at other dragons to signal that it is not a threat.
In one experiment, bearded dragons learned to open a door to reach food by watching another dragon do it.
They do not call, apart from a soft hiss; they talk with colour, posture, arm waves and head bobs.
Often confused with
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