Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi i have recently bought a water dragon and he is in a 10 gallon set-up which is plenty for now because i know the tank should be two times the size of the lizard. I have been holding him a little while every day to get him used to it and he uses the water dish sometimes to soak in. I tried putting a dish in for him to swim in and it was a little bit deeper than he was and he didn't like to go in it and was never in it. As i continue to hold him just recently he has been constantly opening his mouth but it doesn't seem like he wants to bite because he does this inside of his terrarium too so does that mean he is hungry because i was told to feed him like a dozen medium crickets a week and he has just eaten like 2 days ago. Any other tips or comments would be appreciated thanks.

if this is happening on a regular basis (and from your post you indicate it is) it is a condition called "mouth gaping". There could be several causes:
1. Humidity in environment too low
2. Temps in environment either too high (above 88F) or too low (below 80F) on a consistent basis
3. Respiratory infection (usually caused by temps too low for too long a period). This condition is serious and usually requires antibiotic treatment from a qualified exotic vet.

You should do a search on "mouth gaping" and read up on it's causes and treatments.

BTW, the 10 gallon aquarium was a waste of money. I hope the pet store gave you a care sheet mandating UVB lighting, diurnal lighting and temps of 84-88F (70-75 at night). Save up, unless you are planning to build an enclosure in the next 30-60 days, you should purchase at least a 60 gallon tank which should last till your dragon is 18 months or so. Also remember, these guys are arboreal lizards and like to climb so he needs lots of branches and climby things!
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dianedfisher@yahoo.com

My 3 CWD-Avanyu, Tripod and Drago

I agree, a ten gallon tank is good for a very tiny hatchling for about a month, maybe. It is not big enough for any dragon over that size, these lizards stress very easily and should be provided with a large enclosure with plenty of foliage.
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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican kingsnake
1.0.2 Leopard Gecko's
0.0.1 Rose Hair Tarantula
1.0 BTS
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats

Well i have the temp usually around 82- 84 during the day and it goes down to about 75-80 at night. I spray the tank 2 times a day and he likes to climb inside his water dish which is about a 1/3 his hieght. I am new to reptiles in general and the guy at the pet store said that there is a reptile specialist that works there and he will live for a while inside the ten gallon aproximetly a year and then i will need to get a 40 gallon tank which they had for 100$, but it isn't a very high tank so no climbing there and he is a hatchling i believe about a 1/3 the length from snout to tale of the 10 gallon tank. since he is suppose to have an enclosure 2 times the size of himself i thought that is fine. I tried putting a water dish in for him to swim but i think it was too high for him to get in so i took it out it was only in for a couple of hours and he has nothing to climb on except a rock to bask, not a heat rock because i know those are bad. Is there anything i can do to tell for sure what is causing the mouth gaping if it is that. I am concerned as it seems the pet store may have lied considering it seems you guys are saying it will grow quickly and what size in closure will he need full grown. Thanx for the help. (sorry i wrote so much i am just concerned about Draco's health)

I started my hatchlings in a 55 gallon tank, and wouldn't start out with anything smaller. By a year old your dragon could be 24 inches long or longer. They do grow fast. Stress can cause the mouth gapin too, especially if you are handling him a lot.
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A mans got to do what a mans got to do. A woman has to do what he can't.

Mom to:

1 little boy born 7/19/04
2 male RES, born 1999
1 ribbon snake, age unknown
3 FBT, ages unknown
1 female bearded dragon, born 5/2002
1 male lab mix, born 5/24/03
1 female calico cat, born 6/7/04

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sig file edited 1/29/05 [phw]

Yea thanx for you help guys looks like i have lots to learn and a lot of questions could anyone post thier aim adress so i could instant messege and try and solve my problems it seems to be too much to type back and forth i am afraid i may lose my water dragon if the pet store has not sold me the proper stuff and the conditions are too stressful for my water dragon. the temps during the day is around 80 and he is always in the water as if it seems he is cooling down when he should be basking i thought but i am not sure. I can also provide picture through im if you need to see pictures of draco and his set-up i think the set-up is wrong to the more i read the more i realize lots of pet stores lie even when you think they are good.

yeah, the guy at the store was full of BS, you cannot keep a water dragon in a ten gallon tank for a year! A month, two MAYBE, but after that you are just stunting their growth. Even a 40gallon is too small for an adult, you are looking at more like a 75 gallon tank. But for right now i would buy the biggest tank you can afford and be prepared to move him into an even bigger one.

Considering they gave you that kind of information im sure they told you lots of other incorrect information as well. What is your set up like? How is the tank heated? Do you have a UVB bulb? What kind of supplements are you using?

Pet stores give a lot of awful advice, but hopefully we can help you get everything sorted out.

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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican kingsnake
1.0.2 Leopard Gecko's
0.0.1 Rose Hair Tarantula
1.0 BTS
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats

One thing I forgot to add...you keep saying "the tank should be twice the length of the lizard." Broad generalizations are dangerous when it comes to animals because not only is every species of animal different, but each individual is as well. Rules are not set in stone when it comes to animal care. Instead of thinking a tank should be a certain length compared to the length of your animal think about their comfort level. Water dragons are pretty active lizards and a cage should be large enough for them to run, swim, climb, and generally live. Larger is always better than smaller, especailly since these lizards have a history of not faring well in cramped conditions.
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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican kingsnake
1.0.2 Leopard Gecko's
0.0.1 Rose Hair Tarantula
1.0 BTS
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats

You can IM me on Yahoo or email personally to the email address on my website anytime. I think I have most of the requirements listed on my very brief website. The pet store most definitely did not provide you with the information required to properly house and raise your new reptile. Read up and teach yourself FAST, the little dragons can get sick very quickly. Right now your heat is fine. What type of UVB lighting did they sell you? Of course, almost everything they sold you will have to be replaced for a larger set-up. You should be mad at the duplication of expense that you're going to have because of their incompetence. If I were you I'd complain to the manager and see if you can get a hefty discount on the set-up required to actually raise your dragon.
My Dragon Kingdom

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dianedfisher@yahoo.com

My 3 CWD-Avanyu, Tripod and Drago

I'm not sure how big your dragon is, but I had one for many years. She recently died, and I purchased another one. When I got her, she was about 2 inches from snout to vent. She actually ate close to a dozen gut-loaded crickets a day (dusted in cricket dust). Young dragons should be fed daily. She also likes to eat waxworms. I sometimes feed her crickets in the morning and waxworms in the afternoons. When they're young, food is important. Good luck!