AUSTRALIA: Home of the Bearded Dragon

In the wild, bearded dragons’ range extends across most of Australia. They typically prefer to stick to warm, arid areas: deserts, subtropical woodlands, savannas, and scrublands. There are 8 species of bearded dragons, with Pogona Vitticeps reigning as the most popular in the US. This amazing animal lives up to every inch of its name. They are often covered in scales and spikes, reminiscent of mythical dragons, complete with a beard that you only get to see when they mean business. It’s also important to note that bearded dragons are terrestrial and can run with speed; they're also adept climbers, scaling trees with ease.

Bearded dragons are found all across Australia. They live in woodlands, coastal dunes, heathland, tropical savannahs, and deserts. The climates of each area vary but in general, their habitat is dry and hot most of the year, with a wet season that ranges from humid to rainy. In the winter temperature can be known to drop below freezing at times. Typical dragon behavior includes a winter hibernation period called brumation.

The opportunity to give care to reptiles is a great privilege that we should not take lightly. At The SHäP we strive to always go above and beyond for our animals. To raise the bar on the love and care we give our bearded dragons, along with the thought and energy we put into raising our hatchlings. Our hope is to inspire others to do the same. To create new standards. In the 1960s Australia banned the export of wild dragons for great reason. These amazing animals exist in great numbers in their natural habitats. But, with banned exports, the idea that we even have access to these contemporary dragons is amazing and should act as motivation for all of us, as keepers of dragons, to excel in our husbandry standards. The SHäP is invested in walking the new paths we would like others in our reptile community and industry to travel.