Painted Dragon basking in a dry vivarium setup

Lizards · Care guide

Painted Dragon Care Guide

Laudakia stellio brachydactyla

Native to places in North Africa. Very similar in appearance to a Bearded Dragon and can grow to have a similar temperament — dry heat, UV, and a mixed insect and plant diet keep them thriving.

At a glance

Quick facts

Key parameters for day-to-day husbandry. Full detail is in the sections below.

  • Daytime probe

    86–88 °F

    30–31 °C · thermostat sensor

  • Night drop

    ~10 °F

    ~6 °C · about 74 °F / 23 °C

  • Diet

    Insects + plants

    Method of 5 · 4:1 dust

  • UVB

    UV essential

    Match heat schedule · replace when due

01 · Housing

Enclosure & housing

Adult minimum vivarium with branches around the hotspot, foliage for cover, careful heat-bulb and probe placement, and regular cleaning.

Adult minimum size

36″ W × 18″ D × 24″ H

Adult minimum vivarium size (store-confirmed).

Decor

  • Branches around the hotspot for different basking levels
  • Foliage for cover and visual interest

Substrate

  • Use a safe substrate you can fully replace on deep cleans
  • Avoid fine mineral sands that can cause impaction

Cleaning

  • Daily: spot clean to keep the environment fresh and limit bacteria
  • Every ~6 weeks: full clean — throw away old substrate, disinfect decor and vivarium, replace with fresh substrate and clean dry decor

Housing diagram

Enclosure example

Front view 36″ wide × 24″ tall (depth 18″) · hotspot branches · foliage · optional small cool-end water bowl · substrate

Example Painted Dragon vivarium front view at 36 inches wide by 24 inches tall Front elevation of an adult Painted Dragon vivarium at 36 by 24 inch proportions — wider than it is tall. Heat dome on the warm left side of the lid about one-quarter of the way in, UV tube on the ceiling, climbing branches clustered around the hotspot with a vertical branch under the heat leaning about 25 degrees toward the cool side, foliage for cover, substrate across the floor, and an optional small water bowl on the cool-end floor. Prefer morning drip drinks; keep any bowl small so water is not splashed into the enclosure. Depth is 18 inches. ADULT MINIMUM · FRONT 3:2 36″ W × 18″ D × 24″ H 24″ tall 36″ wide · depth 18″ Branches Foliage Water bowl Substrate WARM / BASK COOL
  • Front proportions — 36″ wide × 24″ tall (3:2); depth 18″
  • Branches — around the hotspot for different basking levels
  • Foliage — cover and visual interest on the cool / mid side
  • Heat + UV — heat dome warm end (~¼ in); UV on the ceiling
  • Substrate — avoid fine mineral sands that can cause impaction; daily spot clean, full clean about every 6 weeks
  • Water — morning drip drinks preferred; optional small cool-end bowl only if used (limit splash / humidity)

Setup diagram · 1 of 2

Top-down view

Heat bulb & probe left–right positions · Recommended temps need this layout

Vivarium top-down: heat bulb and thermostat probe positions for Painted Dragon Rectangular vivarium viewed from above. Heat bulb one-quarter of the way from the left side, halfway between front and back. Thermostat sensor one-quarter of the way from the right side, along the back wall. BACK FRONT Heat bulb ¼ from side · mid depth Thermostat probe ¼ opposite · back wall hangs to near floor WARM COOL ≈ ¼ ≈ ¼

Setup diagram · 2 of 2

Front view

Looking into the vivarium · bulb on the ceiling · probe hangs down the back

Vivarium front view: heat bulb and thermostat probe heights and side positions Front elevation of the vivarium. Heat bulb sits on the ceiling about one-quarter from the left. Thermostat probe hangs down the back wall about one-quarter from the right, with the sensor tip a few inches above the floor. CEILING FLOOR / SUBSTRATE back wall (behind) Heat bulb on ceiling · ≈ ¼ from side few inches Thermostat probe hangs down the back ≈ ¼ from opposite side WARM COOL ≈ ¼ ≈ ¼
  • Heat bulb — about one-quarter from one side, halfway front to back (on the ceiling)
  • Probe — one-quarter from the opposite side, hanging down the back, resting a few inches from the floor

02 · Climate

Temperature & UVB

Day/night cycling, a proper gradient, and UVB are essential for metabolism, appetite, and long-term health.

Daytime temperature gradient

When the heat bulb and thermostat sensor are placed as instructed, a probe target of 86–88 °F (30–31 °C) creates this spread. The probe point is not the basking spot.

Daytime temperature gradient by zone, plus night drop
Zone Temperature
Cool side ~84 °F (~29 °C)
Probe point (thermostat probe target) 86–88 °F (30–31 °C)
Middle 94–96 °F (34–36 °C)
Warm side 105–110 °F (41–43 °C)
Basking spot (hottest point under bulb) 110–120 °F+ (43–49 °C+)
Night drop Reduce thermostat by ~10 °F (~6 °C) to approx. 74 °F (~23 °C)

Photoperiod & night

  • Winter: 12 hours light/heat
  • Summer: up to 16 hours
  • Night: reduce thermostat by ~10 °F (~6 °C) to approx. 74 °F (~23 °C)
  • Night drop lets metabolism slow — essential for the dragon

UV lighting

  • UV is essential equipment for this species
  • Match UV on/off to heat schedule (morning on, evening off)
  • UVA boosts appetite & activity; UVB enables vitamin D3 / calcium absorption
  • Replace when due — staff advise on UV bulb/tube lifespan

Climate diagram

Lighting setup

UV on the ceiling · heat dome on the warm side · match UV to heat schedule

Vivarium lighting: UV tube on ceiling and heat dome on warm side Front view of a Painted Dragon vivarium. A UV tube is mounted on the ceiling. A heat bulb in a dome sits on the warm side, about one-quarter from the left. UV and heat follow the same on/off schedule. Photoperiod is 12 hours in winter and up to 16 hours in summer. Replace UV bulbs or tubes when due — staff will advise on lifespan. CEILING FLOOR UV tube / bulb Ceiling · UVA + UVB essential Heat bulb / dome Warm side · ≈ ¼ from end WARM COOL PHOTOPERIOD (HEAT + UV TOGETHER) Winter 12 h Summer up to 16 h
  • UV lighting — essential; UVA supports appetite & activity; UVB enables vitamin D3 / calcium absorption
  • Heat dome — warm side; same on/off routine as UV (morning on, evening off)
  • Photoperiod — 12 hours in winter, up to 16 hours in summer
  • Replace UV when due — staff advise on bulb/tube lifespan; output degrades over time
First power-up tip

Always have the thermostat dial turned down before you plug it into the mains for the first time.

03 · Nutrition

Diet & feeding

Insects and plant matter as described here. Dust every feed and gut-load insects well.

At a glance

Feeding cheat sheet

Method
Offer 5 insects at a time and wait until eaten before adding more
Adults
5–10 crickets often consumed daily once settled
Dust
Every feeding · 4:1 calcium : Nutrobal (store airtight)
Food size
Never larger than the distance between the eyes (choking risk)

Staple insects

Fed regularly

  • Crickets
  • Locusts
  • Calci Worms
  • Mealworms

Occasional treats

In moderation only

  • Waxworms
  • Morios
  • Plant matter (as accepted; dust as for insects)

Supplements — every feeding

Dust every feeding with a 4:1 mix of calcium : Nutrobal (4 parts calcium to 1 part Nutrobal). Store the mix in an airtight container and use it to coat food every time you feed.

Feeding new dragons — “method of 5”

New dragons often sulk and may not eat well for the first few days. This is normal. Once settled, appetite usually increases.

  1. Offer 5 insects at a time

  2. Wait until they are eaten before adding more

  3. Prevents dumping 15–20 insects that go uneaten — reducing stress and insect-related injuries

Adult intake

  • 5–10 crickets commonly consumed daily once settled
  • Hand feeding can help bonding — excessive hand feeding can lead to obesity
  • Hunting and chasing food provide exercise and enrichment

Water

  • They rarely drink from bowls — bowls are often omitted
  • If used, keep the bowl small so splash does not raise humidity dangerously
  • Morning drink: drip treated water on the nose (spray bottle or syringe); stop when they finish licking
  • Weekly warm bath (~10 min, chest height) helps rehydration; gentle head dunks often prompt a long drink
  • Reptisafe or bottled water only — not untreated tap water

Gut-load insects before offering — variety matters for calcium-to-phosphorus (Ca:P) and vitamins.

Why gut loading matters

Feeder insects must be well fed before offering. In the wild, lizards eat insects that themselves ate a wide variety of foods — providing complete nutrition and a better calcium-to-phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio.

  • Use commercial gut-load foods with quality ingredients
  • Add fresh reptile-safe vegetables for variety
  • A single piece of carrot or potato is not enough — poor Ca:P and limited vitamins/minerals

Hand feeding can help bonding, but excessive hand feeding can lead to obesity. Hunting and chasing food provide exercise and enrichment.

Speak to a member of staff for more feeding advice.

04 · Behaviour

Handling & behaviour

Patience first. Settling and regular feeding come before handling.

  1. Step 1

    Settle first

    Allow the dragon to settle in the new enclosure and begin eating regularly before handling. Adapting is stressful; early handling can make it worse.

  2. Step 2

    Short sessions

    Initial sessions: 5–10 minutes only. Lengthen as the dragon becomes more comfortable.

  3. Hygiene

    Wash hands

    Always wash or disinfect hands before and after handling to prevent bacteria transfer both ways.

  4. Warning

    No aerosols

    Do not use aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure — the chemicals can harm your dragon.

05 · Welfare

Health & welfare

Prevention starts with correct husbandry — heat, UVB, hydration, and supplementation working together.

Best prevention: good husbandry

Correct temperatures, supplementation, hydration, and UVB keep the immune system and gut working well — supporting essential physiological processes.

Inert substrates Paper, lino, carpet — pros & cons

Pros

  • Lower impaction risk

Cons

  • Limit natural behaviours such as digging
  • Remove natural digging behaviour
  • Can increase faecal contamination (waste less absorbed; insects may contact waste)

Questions

FAQ

What size vivarium does a Painted Dragon need?

Adult minimum is 36″ wide × 18″ deep × 24″ tall. Include branches around the hotspot for basking levels and foliage for cover. Position heat and probe using the one-quarter / opposite-quarter method so the published temperature gradient is valid.

When can I start handling my Painted Dragon?

Allow the dragon to settle and begin eating regularly before handling. Initial sessions should be 5–10 minutes only; lengthen as they become more comfortable. Always wash or disinfect hands before and after handling. Do not use aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure.

What UVB do Painted Dragons need?

UV lighting is essential. UVA supports appetite and activity; UVB enables vitamin D3 so calcium can be absorbed. Match UV on/off to the heat schedule (morning on, evening off). A staff member will advise on the lifespan of your UV bulb or tube — replace when due.

What is the method of 5 for feeding?

Offer 5 insects at a time and wait until they are eaten before adding more. This prevents dumping large numbers of uneaten insects, which can stress the dragon and cause insect-related injuries. Once settled, it is relatively common for 5–10 crickets to be consumed daily.

Do Painted Dragons need a water bowl?

They rarely drink from water bowls, so bowls are often omitted. Prefer a morning drip drink (spray bottle or syringe) of Reptisafe or bottled water onto the nose, stopping when they finish licking. If you use a bowl, keep it small so splash does not raise humidity dangerously. A weekly chest-height warm bath for about 10 minutes also helps rehydration.

Next steps

Ready to set up your Painted Dragon?

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