Frilled Dragon — care sheet

Intermediate. Not a beginner lizard. The care itself isn't exotic - it's a hot, tall, humid, high-UVB setup - but frilleds are big, fast, often flighty, and unforgiving of thermostat, UVB, or humidity mistakes. Expect a large custom enclosure and a lizard that would rather flee-then-frill than be cuddled.

Primarily insectivorous. Base the diet on gut-loaded, varied feeder insects: crickets, dubia and other roaches, black soldier fly larvae (calciworms), locusts, plus occasional hornworms, silkworms and (sparingly) waxworms/superworms as treats. Many adults also nibble some greens/soft fruit, and occasional vertebrate prey (e.g. a pinky) is a rare extra, not a staple. Feed hatchlings/juveniles daily; adults roughly every 2-3 days / several times a week.

Tall and arboreal. Treat 4 x 2 x 4 ft (L x D x H, ~120 x 60 x 120 cm) as a realistic adult minimum, and go taller/bigger where you can - many keepers aim for ~4 x 2.5 x 5-6 ft. Vertical space and climbing branches matter more than floor area for this species. Babies do better started in smaller enclosures so they can find prey and warmth.

A genuinely hot basking surface of about 105–115°F (40–46°C) directly under the lamp. Aim for the middle of that band and verify with a probe/temp gun at the branch, not a guess.

Warm-side ambient in the mid-to-high 80s°F (~29-32°C), grading down to a cool end around 75-80°F (24-27°C) so the animal can thermoregulate.

A natural nighttime drop to about 70-78°F (21-26°C) is fine and healthy; try not to let it fall below ~68-70°F (20-21°C).

High UVB need. Use a high-output T5 HO tube (Arcadia 12% / Zoo Med 10.0 or similar) spanning roughly the warm two-thirds of the enclosure, positioned to give a basking-zone UV Index of about 3–5 (Ferguson Zone 2, the standard classification for this species). Distance depends on the fixture and whether there's mesh in between — measure with a Solarmeter if you can. Replace the tube on schedule (about every 12 months for quality T5 HO), not when it stops glowing.

Moderate: aim for roughly 50-70% average, allowed to swing (drier by day, higher overnight/after misting). Provide good ventilation and let it dry out between mistings - chronically damp, stagnant air above ~75% is linked to respiratory infection.

A moisture-holding, naturalistic mix works well for adults - cypress mulch, coconut fiber, or a soil/organic-topsoil blend - deep enough to hold humidity (and for females, a deeper lay-box area). Skip loose sand-only setups, cedar, and pine. Very young animals are often kept on paper towel to reduce impaction risk and make prey easy to find.

Dust feeders with a phosphorus-free calcium (plain calcium most feedings; a calcium + D3 product where UVB coverage is uncertain, less often), plus a reptile multivitamin about once a week. Gut-load insects for 24-48h before feeding. Don't over-supplement - variety plus real UVB does most of the work.

Around 85-90 cm (33-35 in) total length, most of that tail; males noticeably larger and heavier-built than females, reaching roughly 600 g+. New Guinea-locality animals stay smaller, often closer to 60-65 cm (~2 ft).

Commonly 10-15 years in captivity with good husbandry; females can run a little shorter due to reproductive stress.

See a reptile or exotics vet if you notice: Soft, bendy, or bumpy jaw/limbs, tremors, or trouble climbing/standing - classic signs of metabolic bone disease from poor UVB or calcium; see an exotics vet.; Open-mouth breathing, wheezing, mucus/bubbles at the nose or mouth, or lethargy - possible respiratory infection (often from cold or chronically-damp, stagnant air).; Refusing all food for an extended period alongside weight loss, sunken eyes, or hiding constantly - especially in a new or previously-eating animal.; Straining, or a female that seems gravid but can't pass eggs (egg-binding) - this is urgent.; Stuck shed (especially around toes, tail tip, or eyes), swelling, wounds, discoloration, or bite injuries from an attempted cohabitation..