Unique bearded dragons, like the Albino morphs, tend to be very expensive. On top of that, you can’t interact with them very often.
So, what to do if you want an exotic-looking reptile and have it on your hand frequently? Leatherback morph is the answer.
Leatherback bearded dragons are one of the friendliest types of bearded dragons, and they look really unique. Their amazing texture and fewer spikes make them the ideal pet for both enthusiastic individuals and families.
But having them as pets comes with some tasks. You have to ensure proper care of them and know a thing or two about their lifestyle. If that’s what you want, you are in the right place.
Let’s get familiar with the leatherback bearded dragon and learn all you need to know about them.
What Type of Pets are Leatherback Bearded Dragons?
Leatherback bearded dragons are one of the most popular pets for so many reasons, and yet, for many reasons, they are not appropriate for everyone. These morphs (or ‘types’ in layman’s terms) are distinct for their appearance, size, and a very cute, docile nature.
The first thing you notice about a leatherback bearded dragon is that they are very calm and demure. They are very interactive and kind of extroverted. This makes them a suitable companion for both individuals and families.
Another reason they are suitable for families is their response to handling habits. They don’t mind at all if you put them in your hand. In fact, gentle handling from a young age can further enhance their comfort with human interaction.
However, their price is on the expensive side. The initial purchase price can range from $100 to $300, depending on factors like age, coloration, and, of course, the breeder.
The rest of the stuff, like enclosure, lighting, heating, and décor, can cost another $300 to $400. On top of that, the overall monthly expenses, including food, supplements, and electricity, can sum up to $50 to $100.
Overall, I would say they are a bit expensive, but their interactive nature makes them worth the deal.
The fact that they are cute and low-maintenance makes them a good pick for busy, yet enthusiastic, individuals as well. In short, leatherback bearded dragons are good for families and individuals alike, but it comes with a price.
Of course, there are other factors. Take a look at those below,
| The Goods | The Bads |
|---|---|
| Low Maintenance | Specific Environmental Needs |
| Child-Friendly | Space Requirements |
| Longevity | Health Precautions |
| Aesthetic Appeal |
Fun Fact: Leatherback Bearded Dragons can recognize their owners and even respond to their voice or presence. How cute is that!
How Does a Leatherback Bearded Dragon Look Like?
Before you bring a pet home, you must know what they look like. And it’s really easy to tell what a Leatherback bearded dragon looks like because they are very distinct in appearance. Let’s break it down.
Scale Texture
Leatherback bearded dragons are equipped with smoother and comparatively smaller scales. They have less pronounced spikiness. Overall, it gives them a really sleek look.
Body Structure
Just like any other bearded dragon, they have a broad, triangular head and sturdy limbs. Their body is flattened, and it exhibits a robust and agile form.
Coloration
As already mentioned, leatherback dragons have smoother scales. Thanks to these smoother scales, they demonstrate more vibrant and varied color expressions that range from vivid oranges and reds to blues and yellows. It all depends on the morph.
Size
Male ones are typically larger and feature broader heads and darker beards, a feature they flaunt when displaying dominance and during mating rituals.
The female ones, on the other hand, tend to be smaller. However, on average, an adult leatherback bearded dragon ranges from 15 to 20 inches.
Overall, thanks to the scale texture and the coloration, leatherback bearded dragons are pretty unique-looking and are known to add exotic aesthetics to your surroundings.
Fun Fact: Because of their smoother scales, Leatherbacks often appear shinier and more colorful than other morphs, making them a top choice for reptile photographers and hobbyists.
How to Take Care of Leatherback Bearded Dragons?
Your leatherback bearded dragon demands optimal care, and you can’t blame them for that. These delightful and delicate creatures need to be handled with love and care, as it’s something they crave and need.
Fortunately, this proper care isn’t much. Just offering them a suitable habitat, a balanced diet, and regular basic health checkups will do.
Let’s cover these issues one by one.
How to Set Up the Perfect Enclosure?
Setting up the enclosure for your reptile buddy is not as hard as it sounds. Put simply, it’s basically about getting the right things in the right places. We’ll gradually get these things covered.
Tank: The first step is to get the enclosure itself. Considering an average leatherback bearded dragon, the tank should be at least 40 gallons. But if possible, it is recommended to get a tank ranging from 75 to 120 gallons.
Lighting: UVB lighting is something a bearded dragon cannot do without. It offers them the very crucial Vitamin D3 and helps them with calcium absorption. They can suffer from metabolic bone disease without the proper supply of UVB light.
A high-quality UVB bulb, like Zoo Med Reptisun 10.0 UVB or Arcadia Pro T5 works really great. However, you must replace these bulbs every 6 months.
Heating & Humidity: Your reptile pet needs a temperature gradient to survive, and you must ensure that within the enclosure. The same goes for the humidity level as well. Ensure heating with heating lights and humidity with proper ventilation and occasional misting. Here’s a quick glance at what the temperature should look like:
• Basking spot – 95–110°F
• Cooling area – 75–85°F
• Nighttime temperature – 65–75°F
• Humidity – 30 to 50%
Substrate: It is ideal to avoid loose substrates like sand for reptiles, as they can lead to gastrointestinal impaction if ingested. So, in such cases, substrates like reptile carpet, tiles, or paper towels are recommended.
Cleaning: Make sure the enclosure always remains clean so as to prevent diseases and parasite attacks. It’s not difficult, though.
Just clean out any food or fecal residue often and clean the glass of the enclosure with a vinegar and water solution once a week. Yes, that’s all it takes.
What to Feed Them?
Ensuring a proper diet ensures proper health for these delicate reptiles.
Omnivorous Diet: Leatherback bearded dragons need both leafy greens and insects. In terms of vegetables, they enjoy collard greens, dandelion greens, and mustard greens. For protein, offer them insects like crickets, dubia roaches, and mealworms.
Proper Schedule: Feed the little ones 2 to 3 times a day. In their case, focus more on protein to facilitate growth. As for adults, feeding them once a day will do. And in their case, create a diet consisting of 70% veggies and 30% bugs.
Supplements: Supplements keep leatherback dragons healthy. Dusting foods with calcium and vitamin D3 supplements several times a week helps them battle deficiencies, and it supports proper bone health.
What Are the Health Concerns?
Leatherback bearded dragons are generally known as healthy pets, but they often fall victim to certain common health issues.
Metabolic Bone Disease: Lack of calcium and vitamin D3 can cause this issue. It weakens their bones and causes deformities. However, offering a balanced diet full of calcium and ensuring access to proper UVB lighting can prevent such issues.
Respiratory Infections: Improper humidity and inconsistent temperature can result in respiratory issues for the reptiles. In these cases, you may find symptoms like wheezing, nasal discharge, and lethargy.
Nothing to worry about, though. Just design the optimal environment for them with the appropriate temperature and humidity, and that should do the trick.
Parasite Attack: Both internal and external parasites can cause the bearded dragon to lose weight, along with other digestive issues. However, maintaining a proper cleaning habit should prevent such conditions.
What About Shedding?
Shedding is a natural and routine process for all bearded dragons and most reptiles. While it’s nothing to worry about, you certainly can help them ease the process.
Firstly, it’s important to know how often they shed. Juveniles shed quite frequently, like twice a month, due to their rapid growth. Adults, on the other hand, shed less often.
However, you should let it happen naturally and never try to remove the shedding skin forcibly. Otherwise, you can damage their skin.
So, what can you do?
Maintain the humidity level at 30 to 50% and provide rough surfaces in the enclosure to facilitate shedding. It also helps if you soak your pet in a shallow container full of warm water. It really helps loosen up the shedding skin.
Fun Fact: Leatherbacks often puff up their beards and bodies to aid in shedding and regulate body temperature—like a tiny dragon balloon!
What are the Breeding Habits of Leatherback Bearded Dragons?
Now let’s get nosy and take a quick tour of the sex life of the leatherback bearded dragon.
A bearded dragon lives around 8 to 12 years, while some may live longer with proper husbandry. However, they reach the age of sexual maturity at 6 to 15 months, which means they can breed quite a lot. Their mating seasons usually occur during the spring and early summer months.
You’ll know it’s the season by the increased behavior of the males, such as head bobbing, beard darkening, and arm waving to attract females (typical men!). Females, on the other hand, show subtle cues to communicate consent.
In the next step, courtship takes place, where the male approaches the female with displays of dominance and interest. The mating lasts for a few minutes. Following this mating, the female begins to develop eggs. In the world of reptiles, it’s known as gravidity.
A healthy female can lay multiple clutches in a single breeding season. In her first year, a female lays 2 to 3 clutches.
The following years may see up to 4 to 6 clutches, depending on her health, age, and the surroundings. Each clutch can contain around 10 to 30 eggs. Again, the variation depends on her size, age, and health condition.
These eggs need to be incubated in a controlled environment, with a temperature ranging from 80°F to 85°F (27°C to 29°C) and humidity levels around 75%. The duration of this incubation period is 60 to 90 days. And then the hatchlings follow.
Fun Fact: Female Leatherbacks can store sperm from a single mating and produce multiple clutches without re-mating!
FAQ
What’s the difference between a leatherback bearded dragon and a standard bearded dragon?
It is the smoother scales and absence of a spiked appearance that makes leatherback bearded dragons different from their cousins.
Are leatherback-bearded dragons suitable for beginners?
Yes. Being docile and extroverted, a beginner can very well handle these friendly pets. In addition, they don’t require intensive care, which is a bonus in this case.
Can I house multiple leatherback bearded dragons together?
Well, it is recommended to house them individually because the males can be quite territorial.
What are the colors that leatherback bearded dragons come in?
Leatherback bearded dragons come in red, orange, gray, brown, and citrus colors.
What keeps leatherback bearded dragons happy?
An ample amount of space and proper food at the right time is all they need to be both healthy and happy.
Final Thoughts
There are very few bearded dragons as friendly as the leatherback morphs.
If you want a friendly reptile pet for yourself but don’t have much time for it, then this pet is for you. You can interact with it whenever you want, but it won’t demand much as long as you offer it proper food and shelter.
But it also means that if you need to leave for days very often, then these are not for you, as they require very scheduled care. The same goes for those with minimal space at home.
However, if you can offer it the space and the timely care, then you and your family will enjoy this friendly little creature. Give it all the care it needs and see how it grows into a member of your family.
