Green Mountain Horned Dragon
Acanthosaura capra
This stunning arboreal agamid lizard is native to Southeast Asian rainforests. It demands a tall, cool, and highly humid enclosure with thick vertical climbing branches to thrive in captivity.
Environnement
Terrestre
Humidité
60 - 80 %
Température diurne
24 - 28 °C
Température ambiante
24 - 28 °C
Température nocturne
20 - 22 °C
Point de repos chauffant
32 °C
Taille adulte
30 cm
Enclos minimal
>= 250 L
UVB
Ferguson 1
UVI
0 - 0,7 UVI
Description de l'espèce
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Acanthosaura capra is native to the mountain rainforests of Indochina, primarily found in Cambodia and Vietnam. It spends most of its life on lower tree trunks and thick branches in shaded forest environments near streams.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belongs to the Agamidae family. The genus Acanthosaura is distinct for its prominent occipital spines and crests. Population genetic research indicates adaptations to micro-climates in high-altitude moist forests.
Behavior and Habits: Diurnal and strictly arboreal. They use a sit-and-wait ambush hunting style, remaining motionless on trunks for hours. They are shy, easily stressed, and do not tolerate frequent handling, often hiding behind branches when approached.
Morphology: Characterized by long spines above the eyes and a high, spiked nuchal crest. Coloration can shift from bright green to dark brown or yellow depending on stress and temperature. Males possess a larger, more colorful gular pouch than females.
Soins, reproduction et cohabitation
Terrarium Setup: A vertically oriented enclosure is required, with minimum dimensions of 24x18x36 inches (60x45x90 cm). Furnish with thick vertical climbing branches, cork bark tubes, and dense broad-leafed foliage to provide cover and visual barriers.
Lighting and Heating: Keep ambient daytime temperatures at 24-28°C (75-82°F) with a localized basking spot of 32°C (90°F). Night temperatures should drop to 20-22°C (68-72°F). High-quality 5.0 UVB lighting is mandatory on a 12-hour cycle.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain high humidity levels between 70-80% through twice-daily misting or an automatic rain system. They rarely drink from standing water, relying instead on licking water droplets from leaves or wood.
Feeding and Supplementation: Insectivorous. Feed a variety of live, gut-loaded insects such as crickets, dubia roaches, silkworms, and hornworms. Dust food with pure calcium powder three times a week and calcium with D3 once a week.
Compatibility: Solitary animals. Housing multiple males together will lead to severe fighting and stress. A male-female pair may be housed together only in very large enclosures, but individual housing is strongly recommended to prevent stress.
Health and Common Diseases: Prone to heat stroke if temperatures exceed 32°C (90°F) for extended periods. Commonly suffer from internal parasites if wild-caught. Dehydration and Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) are major risks if care parameters are neglected.
Origine et répartition géographiques
Acanthosaura capra is native to the mountain rainforests of Indochina, primarily found in Cambodia and Vietnam. It spends most of its life on lower tree trunks and thick branches in shaded forest environments near streams.
Origine
Asie du Sud et du Sud-EstAsie de l'Est
Profil de reptile
- Régime alimentaire
- Insectivore
- The Green Mountain Horned Dragon is predominantly insectivorous, sustaining itself on a varied diet of invertebrates native to the forests of Southeast Asia. It actively hunts for crickets, roaches, earthworms, and caterpillars that traverse the damp forest floor or lower tree trunks. They require live, moving prey to trigger their feeding response, aggressively snapping up their meals with sudden, rapid lunges.
- Taille adulte
- 30 cm
- Mode de vie/microhabitat
- Arboreal
- They are an arboreal species that favors the trunks of large trees rather than thin branches, moving remarkably fast when hunting.
- Cycle d'activité
- Diurnal
- These lizards are diurnal, spending their daytime hours perched vertically on tree trunks waiting to ambush passing insects.
- Sociabilité
- Solitary
- It is a visually striking, semi-arboreal lizard that prefers the dense, humid environment of tropical highland forests. Their iconic horn-like scales above the eyes and vibrant green coloration offer spectacular camouflage among the mossy branches and leaves. While generally docile, they can be highly territorial, bobbing their heads and inflating their throats to establish dominance or ward off perceived threats.
- Reproduction
- Oviparous
- This species is oviparous, with females engaging in the typical agamid behavior of excavating a secluded nest in the humid soil to lay their eggs. Clutches usually consist of a moderate number of eggs, which are left unguarded to incubate under the ambient heat of the tropical forest. The brightly colored hatchlings emerge fully formed and quickly disperse into the surrounding vegetation to avoid predation.
- Tolérance aux manipulations
- Display only
- They are very skittish and prone to panic. Handling should be avoided as it leads to stress and potential injury from erratic jumping.
- Brumation
- Non requise
- There is no brumation period necessary. They require stable, tropical temperatures and a consistent photoperiod year-round.
- Mue
- Periodic
- High ambient humidity is essential for them to shed correctly. Spikes on their dorsal crest are particularly prone to stuck shed if conditions are too dry.
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