The lizard pictured above is my pet bearded dragon Merlin. He is about 6 months old. In our animal science classroom we have a bearded dragon named Glitter. Bearded dragons are very intelligent reptiles that come from Australia. They are ectothermic which means they are cold-blooded. They eat insects, plants, and sometimes even small reptiles or rodents. Bearded dragons predators include dingoes, other large lizards, and birds of prey. They have rough tan or beige skin that helps them camouflage in their natural habitat, the arid woodlands or deserts of central Australia. Bearded dragons became popular household in the 90's and can now be found in almost any pet store around. They can grow up to about two feet or 24 inches in length. In captivity they live around 10 years while in the wild they have shorter life spans. There 8 types of bearded dragons. This includes Pogona Vitticeps, Pogona Barbata, Pogona Minor Mitchelli, Pogona Minor Minor, Pogona Nulabor, Pogona Henrylawsoni, Pogona Minor Minima, and Pogona Microlepidota. Glitter is a Pogona Vitticeps or Inland Bearded Dragon which is by far the most common type kept as pets. They are known for being smart and docile and for not attacking humans. In the wild when approached by a predator a bearded dragon puffs its spiky "beard" up and turns different colors. Overall bearded dragons are great lizards with cool features that makes it one of the most popular pets in the United States.










