World of the Bearded Dragon Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pogona

Pogona is a genus within the Amphibolurinae subfamily, which is a subfamily of the Agamidae family. The Agamidae family contains over 300 iguanian lizards, with many of them being named "dragon" in the name of their species. One example is the Chinese water dragon.

Answer: Australia

Bearded dragons are found in the wild throughout most of Australia. As bearded dragons are cold-blooded, meaning that they rely on external sources to keep their body safely heated, they prefer warm, dry areas, such as deserts, scrublands, savannahs etc.

Answer: 8

All eight species of bearded dragon are called 'Pogona' but with a variant at the end, for example, Pogona barbata - commonly known as the 'Eastern bearded dragon' and Pogona henrylawsoni - commonly known as 'Rankin's dragon.'

Answer: Forehead

The Eastern bearded dragon is dark in colour, from grey to brown, with younger Eastern bearded dragons being lighter than their older family members. The Eastern bearded dragon is also regularly mistaken for the frill-necked lizard, which is found in the north of Australia, not in the east where the Eastern bearded dragon is typically found. The Eastern bearded dragon makes an impressive display with its beard, although it does not surround its head completely like the frill-necked lizard, it is expansive enough to be mistaken for it.

The Central bearded dragon, Pogona vitticeps, is native to Central Australia. Unlike the Eastern bearded dragon, which is usually grey to dark brown, the Central bearded dragon includes shades of red, brown and yellow.

Answer: False

Both male and female bearded dragons have beards, and it is a vital part of how they communicate. While feeling threatening, a bearded dragon will expand and puff its beard out, in an effort to appear larger, and more formidable. Head bobbing is also seen in males and females.

Answer: Brumation

Brumation is the term for the state a bearded dragon goes into, similar to hibernation. The lizard will sleep more, eat less and go into a somewhat catatonic state. It is so still that some bearded dragon owners have feared their pet is dead, rather than being in brumation. The bearded dragon is not the only cold-blooded animal that goes through brumation.

Answer: True

It was thought until 2005 that bearded dragons were non-venomous. Fortunately, the venom of a bearded dragon is not very potent, and is only efficient at killing small animals. Their venom is harmless to humans.

Upon studying the venom of a bearded dragon, scientists were fascinated to discover that it had similarities with the venom of rattlesnakes. It does not however, share a similar potency.

Most bearded dragons have a single venom gland, except for the Eastern bearded dragon, which has two. Despite this, the venom of an Eastern bearded dragon is still harmless to humans.

Pet bearded dragons are very unlikely to bite, and are happy to be handled if cared for correctly. In the unlikely event of being bitten by a bearded dragon, the salmonella bacteria in the mouth of a bearded dragon, rather than their venom, that could make a human seriously ill, or even kill them. It is advised to wash your hands, after handling a bearded dragon, and to avoid making contact with their saliva.

Answer: Vitticeps

Pogona Vitticeps, also known as, the Central bearded dragon, is the most popular breed of bearded dragon among pet owners. The average lifespan of an inland dragon, as a pet, is 8-10 years.

Answer: Submissiveness

Bearded dragons wave as a sign of submissiveness either to their owner, or a larger bearded dragon it has encountered. They stand on three legs, whilst lifting one of their front legs in the air, bringing it down slowly in a circular motion.

Bearded dragons also wave out of fear, for example at a bigger house pet than them that could make them uneasy. They have also been known to wave out of confusion upon seeing their own reflection, thinking another bearded dragon is nearby.

Answer: False

Bearded dragons prefer to be alone. They are always sighted alone in the wilds of Australia. If a pet owner wishes to keep two or more bearded dragons in one enclosure, it is paramount to only include one male. Male bearded dragons cannot live together, under any circumstances, and there is a chance, although slightly lower, of the females fighting to the death, when enclosed together.