Good points worth mentioning! If your enclosure is at the proper ambient temperatures, you have no need to heat the water. As for dechlorination, I do not use anything. As my tap water is safe for me to drink, therefore safe for my lizards. Been working well for 9 years!
Wow I had no idea glass and screen enclosures were so bad. I made mine out of wood just because it was cheaper and I could build a bigger one, but now I see there’s more advantages than I thought.
Fantastic and helpful video. I wish I saw this a week ago! My female dragon has outgrown her baby tank and a family connection is making me a really nice all glass tank with a divider for a huge water source. Had I seen this sooner, I probably would change up the design a little bit. Either way, I'm excited to use every thing I learned here to make an amazing home for her! Great video
Wow... that is the BEST water dragon enclosure I have seen on You Tube. I am always sad so see people keeping them in glass tanks causing the dragon to get really injured and sore looking faces from rubbing their nose on the grass so much.
For now you can easily cover all four sides of the glass with paper to prevent nose rubbing! When I've raised neonates in glass terrariums that worked exceptionally well!
Thanks for the great info. Thinking about a water dragon. I know the cost is up there but, well worth it. Had an Iguana years ago. He was my buddy. Got up to around 4 ft. Gave him up to the local zoo. Great pet!
just saying to some out there, if you have to use a glass enclosure (tank) put paper or something similar around it, I know it takes the fun from seeing them but this is to help prevent them from rubbing their nose. I have a tall closet as my enclosure with a tall screen door and im getting around 70 sometimes more humidity and a 100 to 105 basking spot and the top of the closet averages around 85 90 ambient temp. so if you are going to use a tank cover all sides. also cover a side of the top to keep high humidity, and dont use screen enclosures unless you have a really good humidifier, but thats complicated because you still wont get really high humidity. if you can, follow his guide though it has more info and he knows what he is talking about. but he didnt mention how it is still effective to use tanks (preferably) tall tanks if done properly, but he didnt have to because there are better options, and safer options for your reptile.
I got a turtle water fountain it's a tetrafauna one and that's the whole 1st floor of my Water dragon. I have tree branches going from the water up just all over. Hope my dragon likes it as much as I loved how I set it up. It has his bulbs plus he's on a window so it's nice and warm+ humid. Going to get a fogger though
Hello! Sadly I don't have an "exact" answer because sometimes they will choose to not abide by their "normal" routine. If it's a female she could be seeking out cooler temperatures for a number of reasons, otherwise if she resumes back to her typical sleeping spot in the following days. There isn't much to worry about!
Since water dragons are prone to nose rubbing, I came up with the idea of using glass tint, or mirrored glass film. I havent tried it yet but do you think it would work?
I’ve tried tinting the glass. The issue that occurs (especially with males) is that they can then slightly see their reflection. So they’ll attack said reflection and damage their face more jumping at the glass. I’d imagine such aggression would be worse with mirrored glass.
How do you feel about a fogger system and misting system working together? I have both and the fogger always is running and the misting system is set to run for 30 seconds every 8 hours, I use coconut bark for the flooring and it stays mostly damp sometimes a very little on the wet side, I’m currently just starting to build my own custom tank for Him
If you truly need them, use them. However, I do not use foggers or automatic misting systems cause my cages are built well enough to where they naturally hold 80%RH.
Check out my video “Chinese Water Dragon Setup Costs”. I go over where to buy an enclosure like Ozzie’s, as well as the costs that are needed to pay for everything in a full complete setup like his.
I’m raising a water dragon from its young age, less than 3 months, and i’m using an all glass aquarium due to location and cost and size, should i put some bamboo across the sides of the tank to block the screen? or is it fine since he’s so young??
I would highly suggest covering the front and sides of the enclosure with paper completely. That will orevent any potential nose rubbing for the time being. Definitely prepare an adult enclosure. These guys grow fast and don’t do well in glass habitats!
Looking into getting the animal plastics enclosure. Is there a screen at the top? How did you get the lights and heat lamps inside the tank? Thank you so much...
The T5HO UVB lamps have mounting brackets so they can be installed on the inside. If you call AP Cages. They can get sockets installed on the inside so you can mount heat lamps on the inside.
What I use for my water dragon is an actual humidity machine. You can get them for like 60 bucks, and are super good. they store humidity easily and are super easy to change out. However, I do have one question. For a larger taller tank, how do i gain more heat.
For taller enclosures, it's best to have all your heat mounted on the inside of the enclosure so the heat stays trapped and doesn't escape through the top. Otherwise heat tape controlled by a thermostat under the enclosure can help elevate ambient air temperatures.
Hi there, quick question: glass is to avoid for nuse rubs and injuiries while screen and meshes do not keep humidity right. I live in South FL ad constantly have high humidity and direct sun almosy year-round, would a large screen/mesh custom cage or XL reptibreeze enclosure work or would the animal still rub/hit his face?
I would not suggest any of the commercial screen cage options. Fine mesh will quite literally “cheese grate” the flesh off a Chinese water dragons face as they rub against it. If you live in south FL. A wooden or PVC cage with solid sides and a screen top will prevent excess humidity from building up within the enclosure. As I said in the video: avoid glass, avoid screen, avoid mesh, and avoid the “tank toppers” (mesh cage on top of glass).
Hi mate great video, alot of others seem to be quite amateurish. I'm looking at making something like your PVC enclosure, is the entire enclosure PVC or just the front panels? I've not used it before so was just wondering, many thanks
The PVC enclosure was manufactured by Animal Plastics (USA caging company). The front panel is one piece with the areas cut out for viewing. However the glass panes do completely cover the front of the enclosure.
@@AlexsAgamids okay thank you, I live in the UK so won't be able to get it from thay company, I'll go to a hardware shop soon and get some PVC, can it just be put together using aquarium silocone?
Not a big fan of it. When it gets too dry the small particles get stuck in the eyes of the Chinese water dragons when they soak and kick it all up. Hence why I prefer the “chip” since the bigger sizes won’t irritate them.
Can I use a cage that’s the size of those for a baby or adolescent dragon? Just rather it be in an adult sized cage from the jump so I won’t have to make the transition later. But if it’s bad for the dragon then forget it.
For an adolescent that shouldn’t be an issue. However for a freshly hatched neonate: you may have issues getting them to eat and thermoregulate properly.
@@AlexsAgamids thank you so much for the reply! I’ll trying purchasing an adolescent. I’m so hyped. I’ve watched all your videos man. I’m gonna try my best to replicate your set up. Gonna buy everything and have it set up and ready to go before I even buy the lizard.
And I’m glad I found your channel, because I was gonna get the lizard and break all the cardinal rules thinking they’re as easy to take care of as a bearded dragon. Waaaay different i see now.
They are very trustworthy. Between this order I did for the enclosure shown in the video, as well as other orders I’ve done for baby enclosures and orders for the shop I work at. I’ve easily spent $600+ (and over $3,000 for the shop) with this company. Very safe and secure to pay over the phone.
I've been withing 7 years for people to give correct info on cwd I'm still struggling and always improving. Where did you get those huge rounds and what other things can we use as perches?
I buy all of my cork bark from Maryland Cork Company. Give them a call and tell them the exact sizes you need and they’ll take care of you 👍🏻 As for other options. I’ve seen people use large pieces of Malaysian Driftwood, Shelves (as shown in the video), as well as standard wooden boards that are sealed to give more climbing perches.
I took care of chinese water daragon now I have green basilisk. I couldn't usderstand when you talk about humidity. I'm sorry I don't understand English very much. I want to know how do you keep enclosure's humidity? I use supersonic humidifier.
To maintain high humidity, I have all my lighting on the inside so the top of the enclosure is pretty much solid. Then I just spray the enclosure 2-3 times a day and that does the trick just fine 👍🏻
@@AlexsAgamids just spray 2or3 times in a day enclosure can keep humidity around 80〜90%... wow that's very eco! I'm gonna use spray on summer because water is cold for winter. Thanks for telling me. support you from🇯🇵
For this species: no. These guys do not appear to be like monitor lizards or leopard geckos to the point they can thrive without UVB lighting and get all their nutrients from their food. It seems time after time that water dragons (as well as most agamids) truly need the UV radiation to synthesize vitamin D3 for calcium. I personally do a mix and also supplement their diet with D3 because no matter which brand of bulb you use, nothing can mimic the sun. So proper UVB lights, plus a good calcium/vitamin supplement with a light amount of D3 (I use Repashy's Calcium Plus) seems to be the best combo for this sensitive species.
My wooden enclosure was built by me. Otherwise most custom enclosures will be made from PVC. (Which can be purchased from companies like ReptileKages, Scale-box, & AP Cages)
I am looking into getting a pvc enclosure like yours, I went on animal plastic & another site but am afraid I am not looking at the right ones. Could you tell me what model your enclosure is?
@@bethmarsh2465, there are a lot of PVC enclosure manufacturers. I purchase all of mine from Animal Plastics cages (www.apcages.com) The model shown in this video is an A35.
For a trio of Chinese water dragons, I would not do anything smaller than 6’x3’x6’. These are VERY aggressive lizards to one another (that’s why I keep my pair separate aside from the breeding season). So while you’ll want one big enclosure for them. I’d HIGHLY advise you have two other enclosures on hand incase you need to separate them (unless they kill each other first!)
@@AlexsAgamids got it! Thanks! I’m having thoughts about doing a paludarium (with not very much plants) with background from all of the sides and paper in the front. What are you thinking about that idea?
It can be done. I personally would never use glass for Chinese water dragons though. Even if the glass is covered: the screen top (as mentioned in the video) will never hold the 80%RH they need. Even if your enclosure is a paladarium with an all water bottom (which is also not a good idea).
@@AlexsAgamids lol, after your video I have second thoughts on the paludarium. If I will use a glass top? And how the humidity will not be at 80%RH if there is 50G of water down below? And why paludarium isn’t a good idea for CWD? I know they are a good swimmers.
If you choose to use a glass top, then it ‘can’ work. The issue is Chinese water dragons are arboreal, not semi-aquatic. So if you have an all water bottom, you risk the enclosure being too wet (as said in the video). Often to not it’s better to have an easy to clean water section, and provide high air humidity via misting. Just make sure with a glass top that your UVB and heat light is placed in the inside (as UVB doesn’t go through glass)
Water dragons do not understand the concept of a clear barrier. They also require VERY high humidity and heat. So if you have a glass tank with a screen top. The dragon will not be able to comprehend the clear barrier and thus it will destroy it’s face attempting to run through the glass. The screen top will never allow a healthy retention of high humidity. Simply put: you can’t keep a fish tank at constant 80% relative humidity while maintaining heat lamps in top. Fish tanks are best used for what they are: used for fish. But when maintaining a tropical lizard from Indo-China: Wooden and PVC enclosures are necessary for them to thrive in captivity.
They definitely "don't nose rub" until they do... You're definitely lucky for now. But sooner or later they end up rubbing. Best to avoid the risk of nose rub from the start by covering up any ground level viewing areas 👍🏻
i’m thinking of getting a chinese water dragon and i can’t decide between getting a male and a female. one thing that i’m worried about is if females have periods? i know female chameleons can get them and it is a mess! i’m just wondering if female chinese water dragons get them too?
Yes, female Chinese water dragons will go through times in which they lay infertile eggs. However, as long as you have the proper substrate for them to nest (as mentioned in the video) then you will have no issues with them. Too many keepers "overthink" infertile eggs and water dragons. All it comes down to is simply providing a deep dirt substrate or lay box and they do the rest. Easy peasy, no hard thinking, and your dragon will thrive :)
In my AP enclosure I am using two 24” T5 fixtures that produce 6.4K light. However in my plywood enclosure I have a 30” Zilla ProSol fixture with four 5watt 6.5K LED’s.
@@AlexsAgamids thank you so much. I've got a wooden frame cage for my water dragon I'm putting together. I sadly have him in 3 Chameleon cages put together; with bed sheets and stuff around the sides and front. But that's why I'm rushing this project! Thanks again. You're the very few who knows much about water dragons; I come from Pennsylvania so our reptile hobby up here isn't the best.
If they’re cared for correctly. A hatchling Chinese water dragon can reach 20”-30” (depending on sex) by it’s first year of life. So pretty much: they will need their adult enclosure by six months of age give/take.
Find a good breeder and get on their waitlist. All dragons sold in “big box” pet shops will be wild-caught and you’ll spend a fortune on vet bills and meds. (I am a breeder and am hoping my pair goes this season! If not, message any of my social media pages in the description and I can forward you to other breeders so you can start with a clean, parasite free, healthy water dragon)
Correct! Obviously don't use a "small" water bowl by any means. But a large tub (I've also used cat litter boxes in the past) that offers the dragon a opportunity to completely soak, while also being able to get easily cleaned will suffice.
You can use a Solar Meter to determine the UVI output. Otherwise the company will have labels on the bulb packaging telling you the UVI it gives off based on the intensity of the bulb and the distance it produced the UVI from.
I used either under cabinet T8 fixtures (for my plywood build), and for my PVC cage I used T5 Reptile Basics fixtures that have the screw mounts with them. It8s pretty straightforward and allows the dragons to have unfiltered UVB.
@@AlexsAgamids In my fixture I have the screw holes at the back but one of the holes doesnt allow for the screw to go all the way in like the other does. Do you have any idea why? they're the usual black UVB lights
Unfortunately I would not know. Your best bet would be to simply upgrade from a “black light”, to a actual UVB light such as those made by Zoomed or Arcadia.
Yes. UVB allows the lizard to create vitamin D3 which in turn allows the absorption of calcium. UVA light allows the lizard to establish a direct circadian rhythm and enable it to locate precise basking areas.
OK so I cannot seem to find a captive bred one anywhere do you think it’s OK if I go for a wild caught or should I just keep looking or do you have any suggestions
Best to keep looking. You will save SO MUCH time, money, and stress by going with a captive born & bred Chinese water dragon. I understand the “appeal” of a wild-caught Chinese water dragon because they are “cheap and replaceable”. But you’ll have spent more money going through multiple wild-caught dragons that simply die on you, when you could’ve just spent the extra money from the start on a captive born & bred lizard that’ll thrive.
Captive born & bred dragons will not be "reasonable". You truly pay for what you get. At the end of the day: a Chinese water dragon will cost roughly $1,000+ to setup fully. If money is of concern, I'd suggest looking into other lizards such as crested geckos and leopard geckos as they will be much better for a "budget" friendly lizard. As for "farm-bred" water dragons, they're the same as wild-caught dragons, but simply "held" at a farm before being shipped overseas. There is no legit breeding of them (I have contacts in Jakarta who have confirmed this for me).
@@AlexsAgamids No it’s not I’m worried about the money I know the set up cost that I’m using a grow tent that is 4 x 2 x 5 so I’m well aware of the prices and I’ve set up the entire enclosure just not sure if I should just go with a wild caught because I literally can’t find a captive bred anywhere and OK thank you for clarifying the difference because they were charging $35 more for the farm bread and trust me I already have all the beginner lizards I’ve been in the hobby for five years just trying to work on finding either a captive bred or a long-term captive
While I appreciate the info. There is no evidence that they “need” moving water. Myself and others have been focusing on offering clean water daily for many years of keeping and have had the same success (if not more!) by using easy to clean water basins.
You say that screens and tanks are no good... But it seems there is hardly any air flow at all in your setups. What about oxygen? In nature animals done live in stagnate air.
The AP enclosure has slits all throughout the back of the enclosure. The Plywood enclosure has vents along the front of the doors. Check out my latest video “How to Setup the PERFECT Chinese water dragon Enclosure”. I go over more about ventilation and how to balance things out so there is suffcient air exchange, yet the enclosure can still maintain high humidity.
I certainly don’t mean to come across in a negative way. I’m merely trying to be real with the husbandry that goes into working with this species in captivity. I get a lot of joy out of working with water dragons! (I’d at least like to think so going on 11 years of keeping them, and as of this comment now owning eleven water dragons!) Not trying to deter anyone from keeping them. But more so wanting to provide a critical and honest explanation of what goes into keeping them! Thanks for watching!
@@AlexsAgamids Honestly it might be smart to deter some people. Just saw a girl selling her waterdragon and she had it in a small exoterra terrarium with a tiny waterbowl. I didn't realise the lack of knowledge people have about this species before i made the previous comment
I'll have to respectfully disagree. Deterring people will only be seen as negative and arguably come across as "gate keeping" (ex: "You shouldn't keep water dragons, but I can!"). Such context and ideologies would be negative, and that is personally not what I am for when it comes to working with water dragons in captivity. I am sorry to hear about your negative experience regarding seeing someone incorrectly maintaining a water dragon and listing it for sale. However, I hope through the content of this channel: education will help further the knowledge, captive husbandry, and respect Chinese water dragons deserve when maintained in captivity giving everyone a fair chance at enjoying these amazing lizards in the reptile-keeping hobby.
If you don't provide a water feature large enough for them to swim you "cannot call it proper. To base it around the idea they survive and breed is pointless.....I can survive in prison but i would rather not
Hey there! My apologizes if perhaps the idea regarding water bowls in the video was confusing. It's been noted by many experienced keepers and breeders of water dragons that this species will thrive with frequent access to clean water as opposed to an excessively large water section which will be soiled rapidly due to the excessive amounts of waste this species produces. The most notable example being Bert Langerwarf of Agama International as he pioneered keeping water dragons in captivity. This species truly thrives better in captivity when given frequent access to a water basin that is easily changed and maintained for cleanliness versus surviving off of a larger water basin riddled with bacteria from their frequent use of it. Hopefully that makes sense! Thanks for watching! ~ Alex
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Alex, this is exactly the channel I was looking for. You explain what these lizards need really well.
I love how you explain every little aspect of the enclosure, not leaving out any details. Great video!🔥
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for watching!
except the detail about water temperature and if he declorinates it when taking water from the sink
Good points worth mentioning!
If your enclosure is at the proper ambient temperatures, you have no need to heat the water.
As for dechlorination, I do not use anything. As my tap water is safe for me to drink, therefore safe for my lizards. Been working well for 9 years!
Thank you for the information Alex I've been doing my research and I have a pvc enclosure ready for my Chinese water dragon! :)
Wow I had no idea glass and screen enclosures were so bad. I made mine out of wood just because it was cheaper and I could build a bigger one, but now I see there’s more advantages than I thought.
Fantastic and helpful video. I wish I saw this a week ago! My female dragon has outgrown her baby tank and a family connection is making me a really nice all glass tank with a divider for a huge water source. Had I seen this sooner, I probably would change up the design a little bit. Either way, I'm excited to use every thing I learned here to make an amazing home for her! Great video
Wow... that is the BEST water dragon enclosure I have seen on You Tube. I am always sad so see people keeping them in glass tanks causing the dragon to get really injured and sore looking faces from rubbing their nose on the grass so much.
Well my son just bought a glass enclosure. Wish we would’ve seen your video before now. We will have to make due.
For now you can easily cover all four sides of the glass with paper to prevent nose rubbing!
When I've raised neonates in glass terrariums that worked exceptionally well!
Thanks for the great info. Thinking about a water dragon. I know the cost is up there but, well worth it. Had an Iguana years ago. He was my buddy. Got up to around 4 ft. Gave him up to the local zoo. Great pet!
just saying to some out there, if you have to use a glass enclosure (tank) put paper or something similar around it, I know it takes the fun from seeing them but this is to help prevent them from rubbing their nose. I have a tall closet as my enclosure with a tall screen door and im getting around 70 sometimes more humidity and a 100 to 105 basking spot and the top of the closet averages around 85 90 ambient temp. so if you are going to use a tank cover all sides. also cover a side of the top to keep high humidity, and dont use screen enclosures unless you have a really good humidifier, but thats complicated because you still wont get really high humidity. if you can, follow his guide though it has more info and he knows what he is talking about. but he didnt mention how it is still effective to use tanks (preferably) tall tanks if done properly, but he didnt have to because there are better options, and safer options for your reptile.
I got a turtle water fountain it's a tetrafauna one and that's the whole 1st floor of my Water dragon. I have tree branches going from the water up just all over. Hope my dragon likes it as much as I loved how I set it up. It has his bulbs plus he's on a window so it's nice and warm+ humid. Going to get a fogger though
Great video!! Will definitely use your content for all my reptile needs!
Glad to hear!
I appreciate the support!
GREAT VIDEO! You know your stuff and have some vibrant dragons
This video with valuable information are fantastic. Thank you!
Happy to share and help!
Thank you so much very helpful
I had one as a kid it passed away it was my first I didn't know much about the uvb
This video was very helpful
awesome video alex thanks for addressing some of the myths of cwd keeping
Thanks Wayne!
I’m glad it was helpful!
Awesome thank you for sharing👍💚💚💚
Great video man
Thank you John!
I'm looking into getting a Chinese Water Dragon little, looking for a good and safe set up for littles. Thanks ☺️
This video will have all the information you need. 😃👍🏻
Great work, do I only need to maintain humidity and temperature without air circulation? Do I need to install a fan in the PVC box?
The PVC cages are prebuilt with ventilation slots to offer cross ventilation and fresh air exchange 👍🏻
very detailed. I like.
Very good informative video
Hi Alex my water dragon has slept on the bottom of her cage tonight should I be worried as she nearly always sleeps up high xx
Hello!
Sadly I don't have an "exact" answer because sometimes they will choose to not abide by their "normal" routine. If it's a female she could be seeking out cooler temperatures for a number of reasons, otherwise if she resumes back to her typical sleeping spot in the following days. There isn't much to worry about!
Awesome video
Thank you!
Since water dragons are prone to nose rubbing, I came up with the idea of using glass tint, or mirrored glass film. I havent tried it yet but do you think it would work?
I’ve tried tinting the glass.
The issue that occurs (especially with males) is that they can then slightly see their reflection. So they’ll attack said reflection and damage their face more jumping at the glass.
I’d imagine such aggression would be worse with mirrored glass.
Great work ty :)
How do you feel about a fogger system and misting system working together? I have both and the fogger always is running and the misting system is set to run for 30 seconds every 8 hours, I use coconut bark for the flooring and it stays mostly damp sometimes a very little on the wet side, I’m currently just starting to build my own custom tank for Him
If you truly need them, use them.
However, I do not use foggers or automatic misting systems cause my cages are built well enough to where they naturally hold 80%RH.
cool !
Can you tell me where you got Ozzy tank from? I am thinking about getting a water dragon. Can you list everything inside of Ozzy tank?
Check out my video “Chinese Water Dragon Setup Costs”.
I go over where to buy an enclosure like Ozzie’s, as well as the costs that are needed to pay for everything in a full complete setup like his.
Great video
Thank you!
He know what he is doing
I’m raising a water dragon from its young age, less than 3 months, and i’m using an all glass aquarium due to location and cost and size, should i put some bamboo across the sides of the tank to block the screen? or is it fine since he’s so young??
I would highly suggest covering the front and sides of the enclosure with paper completely. That will orevent any potential nose rubbing for the time being.
Definitely prepare an adult enclosure. These guys grow fast and don’t do well in glass habitats!
Looking into getting the animal plastics enclosure. Is there a screen at the top? How did you get the lights and heat lamps inside the tank? Thank you so much...
The T5HO UVB lamps have mounting brackets so they can be installed on the inside.
If you call AP Cages. They can get sockets installed on the inside so you can mount heat lamps on the inside.
What I use for my water dragon is an actual humidity machine. You can get them for like 60 bucks, and are super good. they store humidity easily and are super easy to change out. However, I do have one question. For a larger taller tank, how do i gain more heat.
For taller enclosures, it's best to have all your heat mounted on the inside of the enclosure so the heat stays trapped and doesn't escape through the top.
Otherwise heat tape controlled by a thermostat under the enclosure can help elevate ambient air temperatures.
Hay so is there a better way to ask questions and send you pictures other than UA-cam I’m really interested and want the best for this dragon
You can email me (address in description) or shoot me a message in any of my social media pages listed in the video description as well.
Hi there, quick question: glass is to avoid for nuse rubs and injuiries while screen and meshes do not keep humidity right. I live in South FL ad constantly have high humidity and direct sun almosy year-round, would a large screen/mesh custom cage or XL reptibreeze enclosure work or would the animal still rub/hit his face?
I would not suggest any of the commercial screen cage options.
Fine mesh will quite literally “cheese grate” the flesh off a Chinese water dragons face as they rub against it.
If you live in south FL. A wooden or PVC cage with solid sides and a screen top will prevent excess humidity from building up within the enclosure.
As I said in the video: avoid glass, avoid screen, avoid mesh, and avoid the “tank toppers” (mesh cage on top of glass).
Hi mate great video, alot of others seem to be quite amateurish. I'm looking at making something like your PVC enclosure, is the entire enclosure PVC or just the front panels? I've not used it before so was just wondering, many thanks
The PVC enclosure was manufactured by Animal Plastics (USA caging company).
The front panel is one piece with the areas cut out for viewing. However the glass panes do completely cover the front of the enclosure.
@@AlexsAgamids okay thank you, I live in the UK so won't be able to get it from thay company, I'll go to a hardware shop soon and get some PVC, can it just be put together using aquarium silocone?
You need to make precise measurements and screw the pieces of PVC together. Then you seal the base and sides with silicone.
What are your thoughts on coconut husk?
Not a big fan of it.
When it gets too dry the small particles get stuck in the eyes of the Chinese water dragons when they soak and kick it all up.
Hence why I prefer the “chip” since the bigger sizes won’t irritate them.
Can I use a cage that’s the size of those for a baby or adolescent dragon? Just rather it be in an adult sized cage from the jump so I won’t have to make the transition later. But if it’s bad for the dragon then forget it.
For an adolescent that shouldn’t be an issue.
However for a freshly hatched neonate: you may have issues getting them to eat and thermoregulate properly.
@@AlexsAgamids thank you so much for the reply! I’ll trying purchasing an adolescent. I’m so hyped. I’ve watched all your videos man. I’m gonna try my best to replicate your set up. Gonna buy everything and have it set up and ready to go before I even buy the lizard.
And I’m glad I found your channel, because I was gonna get the lizard and break all the cardinal rules thinking they’re as easy to take care of as a bearded dragon. Waaaay different i see now.
Your video has alot of information! Its great. Where did you get your cork wood at?
I buy all of my cork bark through Maryland Cork Company.
@@AlexsAgamids can I ask how did u order them on this website? Did u just email/ call them and tell them the measurements?
Yes. I called them directly and asked for specific pieces to ensure I got everything I wanted.
They did not disappoint 👌🏻
@@AlexsAgamids is it trustworthy? Because we have to give our card info threw the phone, and thx for helping
They are very trustworthy.
Between this order I did for the enclosure shown in the video, as well as other orders I’ve done for baby enclosures and orders for the shop I work at.
I’ve easily spent $600+ (and over $3,000 for the shop) with this company.
Very safe and secure to pay over the phone.
I've been withing 7 years for people to give correct info on cwd I'm still struggling and always improving. Where did you get those huge rounds and what other things can we use as perches?
I buy all of my cork bark from Maryland Cork Company. Give them a call and tell them the exact sizes you need and they’ll take care of you 👍🏻
As for other options. I’ve seen people use large pieces of Malaysian Driftwood, Shelves (as shown in the video), as well as standard wooden boards that are sealed to give more climbing perches.
I took care of chinese water daragon
now I have green basilisk.
I couldn't usderstand when you talk about humidity. I'm sorry I don't understand English very much. I want to know how do you keep enclosure's humidity? I use supersonic humidifier.
To maintain high humidity, I have all my lighting on the inside so the top of the enclosure is pretty much solid.
Then I just spray the enclosure 2-3 times a day and that does the trick just fine 👍🏻
@@AlexsAgamids just spray 2or3 times in a day enclosure can keep humidity around 80〜90%... wow that's very eco!
I'm gonna use spray on summer because water is cold for winter. Thanks for telling me. support you from🇯🇵
Where did you get the A35 pvc tank?
It’s the model A35 by Animal Plastics.
Hey, just had a quick question about the lighting, is it possible to just supplement them with D3 vitamins and not provide uvb?
For this species: no.
These guys do not appear to be like monitor lizards or leopard geckos to the point they can thrive without UVB lighting and get all their nutrients from their food.
It seems time after time that water dragons (as well as most agamids) truly need the UV radiation to synthesize vitamin D3 for calcium. I personally do a mix and also supplement their diet with D3 because no matter which brand of bulb you use, nothing can mimic the sun. So proper UVB lights, plus a good calcium/vitamin supplement with a light amount of D3 (I use Repashy's Calcium Plus) seems to be the best combo for this sensitive species.
Hey alex where can I get a good wooden enclosure
My wooden enclosure was built by me.
Otherwise most custom enclosures will be made from PVC.
(Which can be purchased from companies like ReptileKages, Scale-box, & AP Cages)
I keep my enclosure at 95 basking spot, the rest of habitat ranges from 80-85, except the feeding area stays around 77
I’m sorry I’m like really having a hard time finding the UVA lights you’re pointing out !
Reptile Basics sells them with their T5 Lamps. The 6.4K UVA lamp is already installed with it.
Do you have just 1 mini halogen dome in there or 2? I’m building an enclosure now
I have two. One on each side to offer multiple basking spots.
I am looking into getting a pvc enclosure like yours, I went on animal plastic & another site but am afraid I am not looking at the right ones. Could you tell me what model your enclosure is?
This cage is an A35!
I had a few customizations added onto it.
@@AlexsAgamids where would I find one?
@@bethmarsh2465, there are a lot of PVC enclosure manufacturers.
I purchase all of mine from Animal Plastics cages (www.apcages.com)
The model shown in this video is an A35.
hi
can you keep them together, or u need to keep them separated?
cheers!
They are best housed alone.
Chinese water dragons are very aggressive to each other (especially when they are not breeding!)
Hi! Loving your videos! What is your pvc cage dimensions? What dimensions do you recommend for 3 CWD? (Male and 2 females)
For a trio of Chinese water dragons, I would not do anything smaller than 6’x3’x6’.
These are VERY aggressive lizards to one another (that’s why I keep my pair separate aside from the breeding season).
So while you’ll want one big enclosure for them. I’d HIGHLY advise you have two other enclosures on hand incase you need to separate them (unless they kill each other first!)
@@AlexsAgamids got it! Thanks! I’m having thoughts about doing a paludarium (with not very much plants) with background from all of the sides and paper in the front. What are you thinking about that idea?
It can be done.
I personally would never use glass for Chinese water dragons though. Even if the glass is covered: the screen top (as mentioned in the video) will never hold the 80%RH they need. Even if your enclosure is a paladarium with an all water bottom (which is also not a good idea).
@@AlexsAgamids lol, after your video I have second thoughts on the paludarium. If I will use a glass top? And how the humidity will not be at 80%RH if there is 50G of water down below? And why paludarium isn’t a good idea for CWD? I know they are a good swimmers.
If you choose to use a glass top, then it ‘can’ work. The issue is Chinese water dragons are arboreal, not semi-aquatic. So if you have an all water bottom, you risk the enclosure being too wet (as said in the video).
Often to not it’s better to have an easy to clean water section, and provide high air humidity via misting.
Just make sure with a glass top that your UVB and heat light is placed in the inside (as UVB doesn’t go through glass)
Just a quick question why are fish tanks not good for water dragons?
Water dragons do not understand the concept of a clear barrier. They also require VERY high humidity and heat.
So if you have a glass tank with a screen top. The dragon will not be able to comprehend the clear barrier and thus it will destroy it’s face attempting to run through the glass. The screen top will never allow a healthy retention of high humidity.
Simply put: you can’t keep a fish tank at constant 80% relative humidity while maintaining heat lamps in top. Fish tanks are best used for what they are: used for fish.
But when maintaining a tropical lizard from Indo-China: Wooden and PVC enclosures are necessary for them to thrive in captivity.
When I got my water dragon I was definitely super concerned about the nose rubbing but he’s actually never even done it guess he’s just different lol
They definitely "don't nose rub" until they do...
You're definitely lucky for now. But sooner or later they end up rubbing. Best to avoid the risk of nose rub from the start by covering up any ground level viewing areas 👍🏻
i heard grow tents are good housing ?
Yep! Grow tents are another good way to house water dragons!
They are soo tame and not freaking on you
Thanks!
I’ve put years of work into my dragons.
i’m thinking of getting a chinese water dragon and i can’t decide between getting a male and a female. one thing that i’m worried about is if females have periods? i know female chameleons can get them and it is a mess! i’m just wondering if female chinese water dragons get them too?
Yes, female Chinese water dragons will go through times in which they lay infertile eggs. However, as long as you have the proper substrate for them to nest (as mentioned in the video) then you will have no issues with them.
Too many keepers "overthink" infertile eggs and water dragons. All it comes down to is simply providing a deep dirt substrate or lay box and they do the rest. Easy peasy, no hard thinking, and your dragon will thrive :)
okay, thank you!
Where Can i buy this terrarium
Look up Animal Plastics online.
This model is the A35 (72”x24”x48”).
Hey Alex; what is that 6.4kelvin UVA light you have? And are they 10in' fixtures or 14'? I've been researching and can't find anything.
In my AP enclosure I am using two 24” T5 fixtures that produce 6.4K light.
However in my plywood enclosure I have a 30” Zilla ProSol fixture with four 5watt 6.5K LED’s.
@@AlexsAgamids thank you so much. I've got a wooden frame cage for my water dragon I'm putting together. I sadly have him in 3 Chameleon cages put together; with bed sheets and stuff around the sides and front. But that's why I'm rushing this project! Thanks again. You're the very few who knows much about water dragons; I come from Pennsylvania so our reptile hobby up here isn't the best.
@@AlexsAgamids one more question for you. Did you use dry lock or a poly based coat for the waterproofing of your wooden cage?
Yup!
I used 100% water based polyurethane.
But Drylock would work 10x better!
@@AlexsAgamids awesome thank you. What are your thoughts on the "Liquid Rubber?".
What about repta bark
That can “work”. But it doesn’t absorb water as well as ReptiChip (ReptiBark is more expensive than ReptiChip)
How long does it take for a young baby one to become full grown?
If they’re cared for correctly. A hatchling Chinese water dragon can reach 20”-30” (depending on sex) by it’s first year of life.
So pretty much: they will need their adult enclosure by six months of age give/take.
WHERE DO I GET LARGE CORK BARK LIKE THIS
Maryland Cork Co.
If I was to buy a Chinese Water Dragon, what would be your recommended place to buy them?
Find a good breeder and get on their waitlist.
All dragons sold in “big box” pet shops will be wild-caught and you’ll spend a fortune on vet bills and meds. (I am a breeder and am hoping my pair goes this season! If not, message any of my social media pages in the description and I can forward you to other breeders so you can start with a clean, parasite free, healthy water dragon)
@@AlexsAgamids Okay, thanks!
@@AlexsAgamids where could I find good breeders?
You can look for them online via social media and of course on classified forums.
Do you sell any of the babies
Yup! Whenever I produce any of course!
Where can I get the uva light??
Reptile Basics.
Do these rules apply to Australian water dragons as well?
Nope!
Austrailian water dragons are cared for differently.
@@AlexsAgamids dang thank you're. Doesn't seem like many ppl have them here on UA-cam. I want to build a self sustaining eco system for mine
Give me some time. I do plan to work with Austrailian water dragons in the future! :D
@@AlexsAgamids awesome
@@AlexsAgamids new sub
so I can go without a big pool or pond to swim in and just have a container of water and just change it all the time
Correct!
Obviously don't use a "small" water bowl by any means. But a large tub (I've also used cat litter boxes in the past) that offers the dragon a opportunity to completely soak, while also being able to get easily cleaned will suffice.
How do you check for uvi between 2 or 3
You can use a Solar Meter to determine the UVI output. Otherwise the company will have labels on the bulb packaging telling you the UVI it gives off based on the intensity of the bulb and the distance it produced the UVI from.
Man I can’t afford that😞😞😞
Are you breeding them still
Yup!
how do you mount your UV lights to the ceiling?
I used either under cabinet T8 fixtures (for my plywood build), and for my PVC cage I used T5 Reptile Basics fixtures that have the screw mounts with them. It8s pretty straightforward and allows the dragons to have unfiltered UVB.
@@AlexsAgamids In my fixture I have the screw holes at the back but one of the holes doesnt allow for the screw to go all the way in like the other does. Do you have any idea why? they're the usual black UVB lights
Unfortunately I would not know.
Your best bet would be to simply upgrade from a “black light”, to a actual UVB light such as those made by Zoomed or Arcadia.
Uba and uvb?
Yes.
UVB allows the lizard to create vitamin D3 which in turn allows the absorption of calcium.
UVA light allows the lizard to establish a direct circadian rhythm and enable it to locate precise basking areas.
where can i get a healthy Chinese water dragon?
A good breeder!
Definitely check classified forums and such.
OK so I cannot seem to find a captive bred one anywhere do you think it’s OK if I go for a wild caught or should I just keep looking or do you have any suggestions
Best to keep looking.
You will save SO MUCH time, money, and stress by going with a captive born & bred Chinese water dragon. I understand the “appeal” of a wild-caught Chinese water dragon because they are “cheap and replaceable”. But you’ll have spent more money going through multiple wild-caught dragons that simply die on you, when you could’ve just spent the extra money from the start on a captive born & bred lizard that’ll thrive.
@@AlexsAgamids Do you have any places where I could find them captive bred for a reasonable price
@@AlexsAgamids I found one farm raised that’s the closest can’t find nothing captive bred
Captive born & bred dragons will not be "reasonable". You truly pay for what you get. At the end of the day: a Chinese water dragon will cost roughly $1,000+ to setup fully.
If money is of concern, I'd suggest looking into other lizards such as crested geckos and leopard geckos as they will be much better for a "budget" friendly lizard.
As for "farm-bred" water dragons, they're the same as wild-caught dragons, but simply "held" at a farm before being shipped overseas. There is no legit breeding of them (I have contacts in Jakarta who have confirmed this for me).
@@AlexsAgamids No it’s not I’m worried about the money I know the set up cost that I’m using a grow tent that is 4 x 2 x 5 so I’m well aware of the prices and I’ve set up the entire enclosure just not sure if I should just go with a wild caught because I literally can’t find a captive bred anywhere and OK thank you for clarifying the difference because they were charging $35 more for the farm bread and trust me I already have all the beginner lizards I’ve been in the hobby for five years just trying to work on finding either a captive bred or a long-term captive
A little aggressive and sarcastic but good video details either way
Sometimes you gotta be a little moody to get a point across ;)
How the hell are people keeping lizards in grow tents? Can they not get out?
Excellent question,
But alas I do not use grow tents. So I have no clue!
Please I need some help please please
If you have any questions.
Feel free to email me at hydrosaurinae@gmail.com and I’ll do my best to get back to you as soon as possible!
- Alex
they need moving water
While I appreciate the info.
There is no evidence that they “need” moving water. Myself and others have been focusing on offering clean water daily for many years of keeping and have had the same success (if not more!) by using easy to clean water basins.
You say that screens and tanks are no good... But it seems there is hardly any air flow at all in your setups. What about oxygen? In nature animals done live in stagnate air.
The AP enclosure has slits all throughout the back of the enclosure.
The Plywood enclosure has vents along the front of the doors.
Check out my latest video “How to Setup the PERFECT Chinese water dragon Enclosure”. I go over more about ventilation and how to balance things out so there is suffcient air exchange, yet the enclosure can still maintain high humidity.
90-95 temps is what I’ve read and exotic veterinary reiterated
Second
first
Third
You always talk about everything like it's a hassle, where is your joy in keeping these animals?
I certainly don’t mean to come across in a negative way.
I’m merely trying to be real with the husbandry that goes into working with this species in captivity.
I get a lot of joy out of working with water dragons! (I’d at least like to think so going on 11 years of keeping them, and as of this comment now owning eleven water dragons!)
Not trying to deter anyone from keeping them. But more so wanting to provide a critical and honest explanation of what goes into keeping them!
Thanks for watching!
@@AlexsAgamids Honestly it might be smart to deter some people. Just saw a girl selling her waterdragon and she had it in a small exoterra terrarium with a tiny waterbowl. I didn't realise the lack of knowledge people have about this species before i made the previous comment
I'll have to respectfully disagree.
Deterring people will only be seen as negative and arguably come across as "gate keeping" (ex: "You shouldn't keep water dragons, but I can!"). Such context and ideologies would be negative, and that is personally not what I am for when it comes to working with water dragons in captivity.
I am sorry to hear about your negative experience regarding seeing someone incorrectly maintaining a water dragon and listing it for sale.
However, I hope through the content of this channel: education will help further the knowledge, captive husbandry, and respect Chinese water dragons deserve when maintained in captivity giving everyone a fair chance at enjoying these amazing lizards in the reptile-keeping hobby.
If you don't provide a water feature large enough for them to swim you "cannot call it proper. To base it around the idea they survive and breed is pointless.....I can survive in prison but i would rather not
Hey there!
My apologizes if perhaps the idea regarding water bowls in the video was confusing.
It's been noted by many experienced keepers and breeders of water dragons that this species will thrive with frequent access to clean water as opposed to an excessively large water section which will be soiled rapidly due to the excessive amounts of waste this species produces.
The most notable example being Bert Langerwarf of Agama International as he pioneered keeping water dragons in captivity.
This species truly thrives better in captivity when given frequent access to a water basin that is easily changed and maintained for cleanliness versus surviving off of a larger water basin riddled with bacteria from their frequent use of it.
Hopefully that makes sense! Thanks for watching!
~ Alex