Dragons that are madly in love with each other in Ladysmith
Bearded Dragons are known to show their romantic interest by bobbing their heads up and down at prospective mates
Ladysmith residents Mr and Mrs Joubert have two lovely Bearded Dragons that are “so in love with each other”.
The female is a year and six months, while the male is just a year old. They have another year to go before they can breed.
The Jouberts originally bought two Bearded Dragons in January of last year, but one passed away in April 2017 after eating strawberries. They are very picky eaters and as juveniles, their diet must be 80% live prey (crickets, meal-worms, super-worms, cockroaches) and 20% veggies.
Bearded Dragons are supported by four stout legs and they have well-muscled, flat bodies with a row of spikes that runs down each side of the abdomen. Their tail is generally half the length of their body and unlike other lizards, the tail will not fall off and regenerate when threatened. The Bearded Dragon’s head is triangular-shaped and contains rows of spikes that resemble thorns. Beneath the head are rows of spiked scales which, when puffed up, resemble a beard. These scales can also change colour, turning darker when breeding.
Mrs and Mr Joubert’s Bearded Dragons are in and out of their “hide” (hibernation) at the moment, so they only eat about once to twice a week.
To sustain their meat supply, the couple have three meal-worm farms.
They told the Ladysmith Gazette that their set-up is expensive, as specific heating lamps and UV lamps must be used. The enclosure temperature and humidity must be perfect. The lights must be timed during the day and night, taking the seasons into consideration.
The couple often take their beloved reptiles out for rides in the car. They love sitting on their owners’ shoulders during shopping trips, but can only be out of the enclosure for one hour at a time. They get weekly baths and tummy massages, as this helps them to digest food and clear up any blockages. They evidently love swimming around in the bath.
“Our Bearded Dragons are so in love that they are inseparable. They eat and do everything together,” smiled Mrs Joubert.
Bearded Dragons are known to show their romantic interest by bobbing their heads up and down at prospective mates. The male bobs his head rapidly and the female responds with a slower head bobbing. They will also “wave” at each other to show interest.
In a year’s time, baby dragons should be on the way!
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