Rankin's Dragon — care sheet

Beginner–Intermediate. Hardy, calm, and forgiving — genuinely one of the friendlier first lizards. What bumps it above "pure beginner" is the same thing every arid basker needs: real overhead heat, strong UVB with the right mounting distance, and a big enough enclosure. Get the lighting and space right up front and the day-to-day is easy.

Omnivore that shifts with age. Juveniles (roughly 3–12 months) lean insect-heavy — about 60–70% gut-loaded feeder bugs, 30–40% greens, bugs offered 1–2x daily. Adults flip to plant-forward — about 20–30% insects (2–3x/week) and 70–80% leafy greens and veg daily. Staple insects: dubia roaches, crickets, black soldier fly larvae. Staple greens: collard, turnip, mustard greens, dandelion, endive. Always offer fresh water.

Minimum 36 x 18 x 18 in (roughly a 40-gallon "breeder"-footprint) for a single adult — bigger is better. A 48 x 24 x 24 in front-opening enclosure gives far more room to thermoregulate and forage, and is required footprint if you ever consider a pair.

Basking surface 105–113°F (40–45°C) directly under the lamp. Rankin's are a full-time basking species — this is a real, measured hotspot from an overhead halogen/incandescent flood, not a stick-on gauge guess.

Cool end 77–85°F (25–29°C), giving a true warm-to-cool gradient across the enclosure

Night drop is healthy — down to 65–72°F (18–22°C) is ideal, and brief dips to ~55°F (13°C) are tolerated with no supplemental heat. All lights off at night; no colored "night bulbs."

High UVB — same requirement as a bearded dragon (Ferguson Zone 3–4, target UVI ~3.0–4.5 at the basking spot on a Solarmeter 6.5). Use a linear T5 HO tube (Arcadia Desert 12% / Dragon 14% or Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 HO 10.0) running about 1/2–2/3 the enclosure length, in a reflector. Mount over the basking end: roughly 11–12 in above the basking surface if over mesh, or 16–18 in if inside with no screen. Replace T5 tubes every 12 months.

Low/arid — 30–40% average is the sweet spot (fluctuations up to ~50% are fine). This is a dry-country species; chronic damp invites respiratory infection.

Loose, diggable, arid substrate at least 2 in deep — a washed play sand + topsoil mix (~60/40), or a commercial desert-soil blend. Skip pure calci-sand and loose walnut shell. Bare tile or paper towel works for quarantine/hatchlings but a naturalistic dig substrate lets adults burrow and thermoregulate.

Lightly dust feeder insects with calcium. Simplest modern approach: an all-in-one like Repashy Calcium Plus LoD on every insect feeding (it supplies calcium + low-dose D3 + vitamins). If using plain supplements instead, alternate plain calcium (most feedings) with a reptile multivitamin (about once weekly) — proper UVB does the heavy lifting on D3, so avoid over-dosing D3.

10–12 in (25–30 cm) total length including tail; occasional large females to ~14 in

8–15 years in captivity with good care; most well-kept dragons reach 10–12 years

See a reptile or exotics vet if you notice: Not eating for more than a week or two outside of brumation, or clear weight loss you can feel along the spine/hips.; Any open-mouth breathing, mucus, wheezing, or puffing at the throat when not basking — possible respiratory infection.; Weak, jerky, or trembling limbs, a rubbery jaw, or a dragon that can't lift itself to walk — classic signs of metabolic bone disease (UVB/calcium failure).; Straining, no droppings for an unusually long stretch, or a swollen firm belly — possible impaction, an emergency in a dragon on the wrong substrate/temps.; Sunken eyes, thick stringy saliva, wrinkled skin, or sustained lethargy — dehydration or systemic illness; see an exotics vet, don't wait it out..