Thanks Trish......didn't think of the CSIRO but I've called to National
Parks office and identified the dragon via their books, but there wasn't
too much info. My own Reptiles book has limited info too...hence my
post here. ;-)

Trish Brown wrote:

HC wrote:

G'day all

At various times I've had baby Water Dragons in the garden that
borders the pergola attached to the back of the house......they are so
ugly, but oh so cute!!! Each time when a baby appears I get it used
to me coming and going, then introduce tiny pieces of meat to
supplement his/her diet, but also to get them a little quieter.
Unfortunately, thanks to a neighbour's cat, they don't get past being
6 rows of bricks in length.....I measure them by this method as they
climb the brick wall. Of course, the last one disappeared about a
month ago, much to my disgust, then had those tiny 'acid' ants
invading the ensuite and main bathroom, because the baby dragon
usually sits on the windowsill in the ensuite and I didn't realise how
many ants he/she was eating. Anyway last week ago I had no
alternative but to spray the ants because they started invading the
lounge room too.....but.....while spraying I found a tiny (about
100mm, or 4 inch) dragon and yes, he/she had been sprayed. Naturally
I rushed inside and got the ironing spray bottle of water and doused
the poor little thing, but he/she survived so I didn't feel quite so bad.

Now today from the kitchen window I could see a dragon on the ensuite
windowsill as well as something else??? but what??? so I sneaked
outside (because this little guy is still VERY shy) and I soon found
out what he was up to. I can now say HE because you guessed
it.....he was 'otherwise engaged' with a smaller, darker (brown) water
dragon. In my haste to get the camera I disturbed them....maybe it
was a shock that a human saw what they were doing....anyway I missed
the photo opportunity, but it started me thinking that at what age do
these little darlings start to reproduce??? I would have thought they
should have been older.....or is that what I used to tell my kids many
years ago??? LOL

A quick search didn't give any answers, so I'm hoping that someone can
enlighten me (to their reproductive age), I know about the other, LOL
;-)) I'll watch them again tomorrow morning as the sun hits the
windowsill and keep the camera closeby in the hope I can 'catch them
in the act' again!!

In the meantime I need to work on the b*****y cat, trouble is that it
only comes into my yard when I have dragons or lizards feeding. Think
I'll have to take to wearing hob-nail boots, but it can run faster
than I can kick.....any other suggestions?

HC ;-)

The CSIRO has a *wonderful* site which involves identifying all sorts of
insects, animals, plants and stuff. Google it (I'm sorry, I haven't got
my bookmarks handy) and see if the Reptiles page at CSIRO can help you.

HTH