The first thing I don’t want to do is offend anyone in any way.



As you already know I do many things differently then what most keepers do, this is not because I am a num head or any such thing, I do what works for my lizards period.

If it doesn’t correlate with what experts says, I don’t care this is there problem not mine.



Your cage is more like 1/3 the size of Ryan’s cage, I like them because they are easy to manage, sure in the wild they have a zillion more space, but they also have the sun to control there environmental needs, our captives on electricity. The challenge reside in balancing usable energy and avoiding wasted energy.



The main problem with Ryan’s cage is wasted energy, it flows out from the open top and sides, to compensate this energy lose higher wattage is needed, this increases the vacuum effect, heat raises and brings water vapours out with it, this make it hard to control the temps on the lower part of the exhibit, these are farther affected by radiating cold from the floor. This type of set up leads to slow chronic dehydration.



Correcting this is easy by insulating the floor and closing the top, the use of 3 low wattage lamps set at different levels will allow a more usable gradient.



Apart from the above territoriality is a main concern in larger cage, male soon claim the upper part where all the heat is, this leaving females to slowly perish, multiple level bulbs really helps prevent this.



Plants; I love them but working with reptiles, its better to use plants outside your cages then inside. In nature reptile use plants to conceal them from predatory.



In captivity concealment offers no benefits, it nourishes a basic behaviour that slows your animals progression, they will often prefer to stay hidden then feed, in most cases they will go in hiding when you enter the room, this make it hard to make observations.



In open cages they soon see the cage as there safe heaven and lose the fear of keepers, in no time they see us as food provider and start showing behaviours you’d never see otherwise.



Yesterday I saw the exact same situation with an other group of different specie, I enjoy being able to witness these events, it make my work more enjoyable.



All in all if it wasn’t for temp and hydration control id love to house my lizards in walk in enclosure.



Also when you think about it, these dragons are quit sedentary, space is not an issue.



But pleas don’t fool yourself, only reptiles in prim conditions reproduce consitently, this has nothing to do with being a breeder or not, its about good husbandry.

rgds

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