Species (binomial nomenclature): Hydrosaurus amboinensis
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Agamidae
Genus: Hydrosaurus
Species: H. amboinensis
General Information
Status in Wild: ND
Characteristics: Sailfin dragons have a lifespan of around 25 years and can reach lengths of up to 80cm to a meter long and are the largest of the agamid family. (Burnie, 2001) (Miller, 2018) (Species Information Network, 2006). Adults are a mottled greenish-grey and have a well-developed crest of tooth-like scales running from the nape of the neck down the back (Burnie, 2001) (Australian Reptile Park, 2006). However, adult males have the most distinctive feature; an erect ‘sail’ of skin at the base of their tail that can get to be up to 8 cm high. This sail provides propulsion through the water to help the lizards swim, and most likely play an important role in display for courtship and territorial reasons and thermoregulation (Burnie, 2001) (Australian Reptile Park, 2006). Another adaptation this water-loving lizard has to aid them when swimming are large flattened toes. They even enable it to ‘run’ across the water’s surface, observed particularly in the lighter juveniles, to help them escape from predators and danger (Bristol Zoo, 2006) (Oregon Zoo, 2006) (Arkive, ND) (Reptiles Magazine, ND).
Sailfin dragons are omnivorous, thus will consume a variety of food sources; from meat, to insects, and fruit and vegetables. Babies and juveniles will feed on insects and other small invertebrates. Crustaceans are also a favourable food item for them as they do not require much energy to hunt. Adults will feed on anything from larger crustaceans, small mammals, birds, fruit and vegetables if they’re available, and insects etc. (Miller, 2018) (Reptile Talk, 2018)
Diet: Sailfin dragons are omnivorous, thus will consume a variety of food sources; from meat, to insects, and fruit and vegetables. Babies and juveniles will feed on insects and other small invertebrates. Crustaceans are also a favorable food item for them as they do not require much energy to hunt. Adults will feed on anything from larger crustaceans, small mammals, birds, fruit and vegetables if they’re available, and insects etc. (Miller, 2018) (Reptile Talk, 2018)
Habitat: This species of sailfin lizard is endemic to Indonesia, where it is found throughout the various islands (Species Information Network, 2006) (Malampaya, 2006). This semi-aquatic species is at home equally both in water and in trees and are usually found basking in or near mountain streams (Malampaya, 2006) (Reptiles Magazine, ND). Their flight response consists of them running bipedally into the water to avoid predators/danger. Their ability to hide underwater for up to an hour helps them stay undetected when predators are present. (Reptiles Magazine, ND). These lizards spend their time in vegetation of the Indonesia’s tropical rainforests, dropping into the water and swimming to the bottom at the first sign of danger, staying submerged for 15 minutes or more until they believe the coast is clear (Australian Reptile Park, 2006) (Bristol Zoo, 2006) (Malampaya, 2006) (Arkive, ND). Sailfin dragons are a group of large-bodied lizards from the tropical regions of eastern Indonesia, New Guinea and the Philippines. (Reptiles Magazine, ND)
Reproductive Strategies: Sailfin dragons are oviparous and lay between 2-3 clutches a year; approximately 50 clutches in their lifetime. Females are capable of laying several clutches of eggs in a good season (Australian Reptile Park, 2006) (Bristol Zoo, 2006) (Miller, 2018). Each clutch typically contains four to eight eggs, which are buried in a shallow hole dug into the soil close to the waterside (Australian Reptile Park, 2006) (Bristol Zoo, 2006) (Miller, 2018).
They breed during the spring and summer, just before the start of the wet season. It is more common in captivity to have 100% successful hate rate, thus a female can have around 350 babies in her lifetime if she lives up to 25, however, it is hard to guarantee these animals will survive when they’re young. It is even more unlikely for babies to survive their first year in the wild due to the abundance of animals that predate on the offspring.
Females will lay clutches all year round but the females chose when to fertilise them which is dependent on her body condition and the weather. She is preferable of high air pressures as these ‘push’ oxygen rich air into the egg shell membrane which help the development of the embryo. She also needs to be fit and healthy herself in order to produce healthy eggs. She will lay her eggs in soft dirt, where she will incubate them for 95-100 days.
Males sexually mature between the ages of two and two and a half years old, whereas females sexually mature at around the age of three. Females’ gestation period is 35-40 days and then she will lay between 4-8 eggs and incubate them for 95-100 days. After the eggs hatch, there is no parental involvement or nurture, however, the babies are fully formed and well developed so are able to fend for themselves and escape danger.
In captivity, the eggs should be incubated at 29℃ to get a mix of male and female offspring. Females need a dirt-like substrate to lay eggs and they should be incubated at around 28-30 depending on what gender you wish to hatch (82-85 degrees F). (Miller, 2018) (Fish Pond Info, ND)
Captivity
Legislations That Apply:
Animal Welfare Act 2006: Establishes standards and specifications that the facility must follow and adhere to in order to house a sailfin dragon in captivity. It establishes the standard of care required when handling, housing, or transporting sailfin dragons and other reptiles.
CITES - Appendix 2: Sailfin Dragons are threatened in the wild and their trade may not be regulated. International trade is monitored through a licensing system to ensure that it can be sustained without damaging wild populations of these lizards from Indonesia and their native lands. Trade is subject to permit.
There is currently little legislation covering sailfins because they’re such an abstract species that scientists know little about. We aren’t completely sure what they need in captivity or even how many subspecies there are; some believing 2, some 3, and others even believe that there are 4. As long as keepers can provide all 5 welfare needs for their animals then they should be able to thrive in captivity and reproduce.
You should also provide a hot spot in the enclosure of 35-37 ℃ and a UVI ambient of 1 but that drops down to 0 so that there is a gradient, allowing your animals to make a choice of what temperatures and conditions they want to experience. You don’t want to have a high UVI index as this can be very detrimental for your animal’s health. The humidity must also have a drop of around 60 and which also peaks at 80 in order to replicate the natural conditions they would experience out in the wild. This can be done through daily misting of the enclosure. Position the basking bulb above a favorite branch or high shelf. Night time temperatures should drop to somewhere between 75 and 80 degrees.
Sailfins need to be spot cleaned every day to check for any faecal matter, that will usually be in the water source, and for any leftover food that has been left around the enclosure. Keepers will only need to do a full clean once a year because the dragons are bio active; the majority of their faecal matter is constantly being recycled back into the environment as other animals consume their waste and put it back into the soil to start the cycle again. They should have a pool change once/twice a week depending on how dirty it is due to the fact they defecate in it often. (Reptiles Magazine, ND) (Miller, 2018)
Being omnivorous animals, they should be fed a varied diet of both fruits/veg and meat. The dragons should be fed three types of fruit and mixed weed vegetables every other day. Twice a week, keepers should feed them meat/invertebrates. This can consist of rodents, cockroaches, mealworms, crickets, locusts, and chicks etc.
You must also do regular health checks and full body examinations to make sure each individual is developing well, behaving normally, and hasn’t developed any abnormalities, injuries, or parasitic infestations. (Miller, 2018)
It is also a good idea to consistently check the environment your dragons are living in as any subtle changes can be detrimental to the health of your sailfin dragons. You must make sure you are providing your animal with both UVA and UVB as both these things help your animal develop normally and live a healthy lifestyle. Firstly, check with a UV meter that the IV index is between 3-5 in their favourable basking zones. Exposure to UVA light through bulbs promotes foraging, feeding, digestion, social behaviour, reproduction, basking, and other healthy and natural behaviours to be exhibited. Exposure to UVB is the most important out of the two as it is needed to maintain vitamin D3 and calcium levels, which are important to maintaining the animals’ health. However, if you can provide you animal with natural sunlight then this would be ideal as it provides both UVA and B naturally. (Vet Learn.com, 2011) (Miller, 2018)
You should also provide a hot spot in the enclosure of 35-37 ℃ and a UVI ambient of 1 but that drops down to 0 so that there is a gradient, allowing your animals to make a choice of what temperatures and conditions they want to experience. You don’t want to have a high UVI index as this can be very detrimental for your animal’s health. The humidity must also have a drop of around 60 and which also peaks at 80 in order to replicate the natural conditions they would experience out in the wild. This can be done through daily misting of the enclosure. Position the basking bulb above a favourite branch or high shelf. Night time temperatures should drop to somewhere between 75 and 80 degrees.
If all these environmental factors are perfect, then you are more likely to have healthy animals that are willing to breed. These temperatures are ideal for the female as she will only produce fertile eggs if the air pressure and humidity are at preferred levels (the levels stated above are ideal). (Miller, 2018)
General Health and Welfare:
In order to meet the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, sailfins in captivity must have their five needs met up to an acceptable standard in order to make sure that they are healthy and thriving. Meeting all these requirements is also necessary if you wish to breed sailfins. These animals will not breed if they feel stressed, unhealthy, or are ‘unhappy’ (not to anthropomorphosis). This is how they meet all their needs:
· Providing appropriate accommodation to suit each species – sailfins are semi-aquatic so need to be provided with a large water source to bathe in (Miller, 2018). however, they also need a semi-arboreal enclosure as they are just at home in both environments. The enclosure must be very large in order for them to move around freely, swim, and climb. They measure 3 feet long in captivity and large adult males reach up to 4 feet in length so it is vital that there is plenty of room for them as they are big animals that are rather active. A 30- to 40-gallon aquarium is adequate for a single young lizard up to 16 inches long. Recommend a visual barrier on all sides of the tank except for the viewing side to stop them banging into the glass and causing rostrum damage, and even then a 4- to 6-inch-tall barrier across the front is a good idea. A single adult sailfin dragon should have an enclosure measuring at least 5 feet long, 2.5 feet wide and 5 feet tall. Pairs or trios should have an enclosure with dimensions each extended by a few feet.
It is crucial to have all sides visually blocked and a 1-foot-tall barrier across the front. Your dragon will feel more secure, and the cage will hold higher heat and humidity, which is important for proper growth and shedding. This will also reduce the chance of rostrum banging and rubbing against glass as they won’t be able to see any. Large branches of various diameters (nothing thinner than the girth of their bodies) should be placed throughout the enclosure, specifically under heat bulbs and also on the other side of the enclosure away from the heat bulbs. Make sure to leave some room on the ground for a large water basin, food bowl and also possible egg-laying site if you're keeping females.
SailfiSailfin dragons are omnivorous, thus will consume a variety of food sources; from meat, to insects, and fruit and vegetables. Babies and juveniles will feed on insects and other small invertebrates. Crustaceans are also a favourable food item for them as they do not require much energy to hunt. Adults will feed on anything from larger crustaceans, small mammals, birds, fruit and vegetables if they’re available, and insects etc. (Miller, 2018) (Reptile Talk, 2018)he lizard to submerge, is also a vital part of a sailfin enclosure.
· Providing appropriate dietary needs to suit each species – Invertebrates such as crickets, cockroaches and locusts should be fed in the morning, and dust insects with calcium and vitamin D3. Using ready-made substances, such as Nutrobal, is an easier option as all the vitamins and minerals are ready made and only have to be sprinkled over prepared food or insects. Toward evening try feeding more dusted, gut-loaded insects. When not feeding your animals meat, you can feed them finely chopped fruits, vegetables and edible flowers, and leave them in all day. Commercial bearded dragon pellets are an excellent addition. You can add more of a variety with animals how have been in captivity longer or who are older, such as small mice, rat pups, clean fish, crustaceans, shrimp and crawfish etc. Increase the calcium if keeping ovulating females and vitamins added once to twice weekly to the diet. (Reptiles Magazine, ND) (Australian Reptile Park, 2006) (Arkive, ND) (Miller, 2018).
· Providing appropriate social needs to suit each species – These are relatively social animals and can be kept in small collections. Males should not be kept together as this can cause vicious attacks and fight for females, food, and territory which will result in one even killing the other and winning dominance over the others. A male can be kept with several females as long as the tank/enclosure is big enough.
· Protecting the animal against diseases, pain and harm – daily health check and physical examinations should be done, as well as observing and monitoring the animals’ behaviours weekly in order to catch illnesses early and prevent them from taking a hold. New animals are quarantined to protect the individual, other animals, and the staff.
· Allowing the opportunity for an animal to exhibit natural behaviours – make sure to provide a large water source in an enclosure for lizards to swim and bathe in, just as they would in the wild. The enclosure must also be semi-arboreal so they can climb and rest higher up if they choose to. This is a good place to put heat and UV bulbs for them to bask under. The pool should be lower down and cooler to give them the option of what condition they’d rather be at. Giving them substrate for the females to bury her eggs in is also important as she would naturally do this in the wild, even if her eggs aren’t fertilised. Scatter feeding of insects is also encouraged as this can promote hunting behaviours.
Heating: You want to create a hotspot of around 105 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit in the enclosure, placing a heat lamp/bulb at one end of the enclosure. The ambient temperature should rest around 70 to 80 degrees in the rest of the enclosure. Red light or ceramic heat emitters can be used at night to keep the temperature up if it drops too low. Make sure the heater is set up to a thermostat to control or check the temperature within the enclosure; making sure your animals are getting the proper temperature gradient helps their general health and can prevent several health issues. (Indiviglio, 2014) (Reptiles Magazine, ND) (Reptile Talk, ND)
The basking spot should be between 109-118 degrees Fahrenheit and placed directly above your Sailfins’ favoured resting spot.
Lighting: All animals much have a source of UVA and UVB to help them absorb Vitamin D and ingest many vitamins and minerals, and these lizards will not thrive without it. This can be provided in a form of a bulb or natural light placed across the top of the enclosure. A 12:12 hour day-night cycle should be maintained to replicate the wild and allow the animals to rest. Be aware that natural light will be filtered out through plastic and glass. Animals should be able to bask within 6-12 inches of a florescent bulb; Mercury vapor bulbs can also be used over greater distances, providing beneficial UVA radiation as well. (Indiviglio, 2014) (Reptiles Magazine, ND)
Humidity: Spray the enclosure once or twice every day, depending on the size of the enclosure, by hand to maintain humidity of around 75 to 80 percent. You want to do this until the enclosure is damp but not drenched with water. Provide a large water source to aid in keeping it at an acceptable level. A correct humidity percentage will help keep your animals hydrated, helping with shedding. If the humidity is not correct it can cause internal damage to the animal such as kidney failure and respiratory infections etc. (Reptile Talk, ND) (Reptiles Magazine, ND) (Indiviglio, 2014)
Diseases
Endoparasites and Ectoparasites: Wild caught specimens often carry parasites, so it’s very important to get a faecal samples examined immediately, quarantine new arrivals, and give each animal regular physical examinations and health checks to check for any endo and ectoparasites. It is recommended that you give sailfins a faecal examination every 6 months in order to check if they are carrying any parasites they may have acquired from live foods. (Reptile Talk, 2018)
Rostrum Damage: Rostrum damage is a prolific incident among captive lizards, especially larger species; taking years for the rostrum to fully grow back and develop if the issue goes untreated or is left for a long period of time. It is caused by the animal banging into glass or rubbing its nose against it prolifically as it is unaware of the glass preventing it from going any further. They will keep trying to ‘get out’ of the enclosure if glass is there as they most likely believe that "I can see through this I can get through it if I just keep trying".
Abrasions and infections can be treated but if the underlying cause of the snout rubbing isn't fixed the problem will become an atypical behaviour and will happen repetitively until the animal causes itself serious damage; infections then incredibly likely to take hold.
Treatment: antibiotics can be fed orally or creams can be applied to the affected area to try and prevent infections from taking hold and to ease the discomfort. Unfortunately, only time and maintaining appropriate housing conditions will help treat this non-pathogenic issue. Make sure you give regular health checks and physical examinations so you are able to catch any underlying issues early on and tackle issues as soon as they arrive.
Prevention: Water dragons do best in large enclosures that are made of non-transparent sides, such as wood or melamine. The front of the cage can be glass but all of the rest should be a solid non transparent material to try and avoid rostrum rubbing. A screen or barrier at the glass can also disguise the glass, or one-way glass can be used so the keepers can view the animals but the animals will not be able to see out of it. A thick wall of plants along the inside edges of the enclosure; this can be done along with the paper or instead of the paper on the outside. The plants will also hide some of the reflections on the inside of the glass to stop the animals seeing themselves and trying to attack ‘another animal’ for territorial reasons (also causing abrasions on the snout). Make sure climbing branches are not too near the glass walls because the dragons will repeatedly jump at the glass from the branch or lean over and rub their faces against the glass from a branch if they’re too close.
Respiratory Infections (Pneumonia): Sailfins are also prone to respiratory infections and kidney failure if the humidity or heating isn’t correct. Pneumonia is caused by bacteria, however, viruses, fungal infections, or parasites may be the cause. In severe or untreated cases, bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause septicaemia, which could be fatal. (PETMD, ND)
Signs and Symptoms: Typical symptoms of a respiratory infection include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Mouth held open while breathing
- Unusual wheezes, crackles, or other sounds while breathing
- Discharge from the mouth and/or nose
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
Causes: Respiratory infections are very common when reptiles are kept in dirty environments or do not have access to proper temperature gradients and/or humidity levels. Poor diet, parasitism, illness, and in turtles, a lack of vitamin A in the diet, can be main causes to. (PETMD, ND)
Treatment: Treatment varies depending on the microorganism involved, so take your pet to an experienced reptile veterinarian for diagnosis if it begins to exhibit signs of a respiratory infection. Determining the severity of a lizard’s condition during diagnosis will depend on which types of microorganisms are involved, and the appropriate treatment regimen may require blood work, X-rays, faecal exams, and bacterial sample taken from the reptile's respiratory tract.
Antibiotics given by mouth, injection, or via inhalation are an essential part of treating bacterial respiratory infections. If parasites or fungi are involved, different medications will be prescribed. In all cases, an area within the terrarium should be heated to the upper end of the species’ normal temperature gradient and any husbandry issues addressed, such as making sure that the humidity and UVI ambient is at the right levels. (PETMD, ND)
Prevention: A well-functioning immune system is necessary if a reptile is to avoid infection with the bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses that it can come in contact with throughout its life. The combination of stress from improper diet, humidity levels or temperature gradients, and a dirty environment will often weaken and overwhelm a reptile’s immune system, which can lead to respiratory infections and other disorders. Therefore, provide the animals with their appropriate dietary requirements and keep the reptile's environment clean and habitable; all their heating, humidity, and UV needs met. (PETMD, ND)
Shedding issues: If the humidity is inadequate you should notice your lizard having trouble with shedding. Increasing misting around this time can help with any stubborn sheds and by making sure the humidity is at the appropriate levels will hopefully mean your animal will be able to shed naturally again. This is a non-zoonotic disease/non-pathogenic and is completely caused by the animal’s environment.
Harvard Reference
1. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (2018). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. [online] Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].
2. Burnie, D. (2011). Animal. London: Dorling Kindersley.
3. N/A
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5. N/A
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7. N/A
8. Indiviglio, F. and Indiviglio, F. (2018). Sailfin Dragon Care and Conservation: a Zookeeper’s Notes. [online] That Reptile Blog. Available at: http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2014/11/25/sailfin-dragon-care-conservation-zookeepers-notes/#.W-GByUx2uUk [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].
9. Arkive. (2018). Sail-fin lizard videos, photos and facts - Hydrosaurus pustulatus | Arkive. [online] Available at: https://www.arkive.org/sail-fin-lizard/hydrosaurus-pustulatus/ [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].
10. Reptilesmagazine.com. (2018). Sailfin Dragon Care Sheet. [online] Available at: http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Lizards/Sailfin-Dragon-Lizard/ [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].
11. petMD, L. (2018). Respiratory Infections in Reptiles | petMD. [online] Petmd.com. Available at: https://www.petmd.com/reptile/conditions/skin/c_rp_pneumonia [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].
12. Triciaswaterdragon.com. (2018). Snout Rubbing - Effects of, and Prevention - Chinese water dragon lizards (nose, face, lip, damage). [online] Available at: http://www.triciaswaterdragon.com/snout.htm [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].
13. ReptileTalk NET. (2018). Sailfin Lizard (Hydrosaurus) | ReptileTalk NET. [online] Available at: https://www.reptiletalk.net/sailfin-lizard/ [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].
14. Fishpondinfo.com. (2018). Robyn's Sailfin Lizard Care Page. [online] Available at: http://www.fishpondinfo.com/sailfins/sailcare.htm [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].
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