Rankin's Dragon Care Sheet
Lizard
10 - 12 inches long
8 - 15 years
Omnivore
Diet & Nutrition
Rankin's Dragons are omnivores, although they eat mostly insects. Offer a variety of live insects including crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and cockroaches.
Vegetation includes turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens, and some fruit in small amounts.
Feeding Schedule
Feed babies twice daily. At 2 months of age you can reduce to once daily.
Adults should also eat daily. Dust food with calcium powder daily & a multivitamin once a week. Feed them the amount they will eat in 10 minutes.
Housing & Habitat
Rankin's Dragons are from the deserts of Australia. The environment should be kept hot and dry. Provide hiding places along with flat basking surfaces. Rankin's Dragons may be kept alone or in pairs. If housed together
Rankin's Dragons should be of similar size to avoid injury. Never house two males together in the same tank. Two females generally get along well. A male and female will likely breed if housed together.
Enclosure Size
An adult must have a minimum cage size of 30" Long x 12" Deep x 12" High.
A larger cage size of 36" Long x 18" Deep x 16" High is recommended to prevent stunted growth and allows ample room to explore and accommodate their active lifestyle.
Substrate
Acceptable substrates are ground walnut shell, sand, or cage carpet.
The main concern with walnut shell and sand is the possibility of impaction. If the dragon consumes large amounts of the substrate, it could cause intestinal blockage. Cage carpet is the safest option, however, it is difficult to clean easily.
Ground walnut is the preferred substrate of The Tye-Dyed Iguana.
Temperature & Lighting
Temperature
A Rankin's Dragon's basking spot should be 95°F. The cool end of the tank can be as cool as 70°F.
Lighting
Since this is a diurnal species, it requires two light bulbs. One is the heat lamp which also emits UVA. The second is a UVB lamp. The UVB lamp will specifically say UVB on the box. If the box doesn't say UVB, it's not UVB.
Plant and Fish bulbs are not UVB bulbs.
Humidity & Watering
Humidity
Some keepers mist their dragons once to twice a week with a spray bottle or allow to soak in a shallow bath. Humidity levels should be between 35% - 40%.
Watering
Provide a bowl of fresh drinking water at all times. Rankin's Dragons don't drink often, however providing a water bowl is recommended.
Shop Rankin's Dragon Supplies
Frequently Asked Questions
What do Rankin's Dragons eat?
Rankin's Dragons are omnivores, although they eat mostly insects. Offer a variety of live insects including crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and cockroaches. Vegetation includes turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens, and some fruit in small amounts. Never Feed Lettuce! It contains no nutrition, only water and cellulose.
What size enclosure does a Rankin's Dragon need?
Rankin's Dragons are from the deserts of Australia. The environment should be kept hot and dry. Provide hiding places along with flat basking surfaces. Rankin's Dragons may be kept alone or in pairs. If housed together Rankin's Dragons should be of similar size to avoid injury. Never house two males together in the same tank. Two females generally get along well. A male and female will likely breed if housed together. An adult must have a minimum cage size of 30" Long x 12" Deep x 12" High. A...
What temperature and lighting does a Rankin's Dragon need?
A Rankin's Dragon's basking spot should be 95°F. The cool end of the tank can be as cool as 70°F. Since this is a diurnal species, it requires two light bulbs. One is the heat lamp which also emits UVA. The second is a UVB lamp. The UVB lamp will specifically say UVB on the box. If the box doesn't say UVB, it's not UVB. Plant and Fish bulbs are not UVB bulbs. Humidity: Some keepers mist their dragons once to twice a week with a spray bottle or allow to soak in a shallow bath. Humidity levels ...