Fun Mountain Horned Dragon Facts For Kids

There are a total of 17 species of horned lizards. The mountain horned dragon is one among the same family.

Their scientific name is Acanthosaura capra, and common name, mountain horned dragon. The mountain horned dragon (Acanthosaura capra) is a non-venomous reptile that inhabits tropical forests and is seen in countries including northern Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, southern Vietnam, and Burma. They are also kept in an enclosure.

Mountain horned dragons (Acanthosaura capra) are an insectivore and they love earthworms as snacks. Keeping this species as a pet is also popular as long as they are fed and taken care of properly.

It is essential to ensure the legalities associated with owning them as pets. They will eat as much as they are fed, and so it's essential to give them food timely. Males and females are more or less similar in size but differ in length.

Males tend to mate with multiple females post-mating with one. The juveniles are expected to be independent and find shelter themselves.

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Mountain Horned Dragon Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a mountain horned dragon?

The mountain horned dragon is a type of lizard that belongs to the kingdom Animalia and order Squamata.

What class of animal does a mountain horned dragon belong to?

Mountain horned dragons belong to class Reptilia, the family Agamidae, and the genus Acanthosaura.

How many mountain horned dragons are there in the world?

Mountain horned dragon distribution and exact population are not known. Mountain horned dragons are classified as a Near Threatened species in the IUCN Red List.

Where does a mountain horned dragon live?

The mountain horned dragon range includes forests with humidity. Mountain horned dragons live in tropical rainforests and other similar forested regions. They are seen in countries including northern Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, southern Vietnam, and Burma. They are also kept as pets in an enclosure.

What is a mountain horned dragon's habitat?

The mountain horned dragon habitat includes tropical to semi-tropical climates, meaning they enjoy living in humidity. They cannot survive in extreme climates. Mountain horned dragons take shelter in trees and are effective climbers. During the night time, they bury themselves a little under the sand to keep warm while resting and come out once the sun rises.

Who does a mountain horned dragon live with?

Mountain horned dragons live with other species of their own kind as well as with people as pets where they are legal to be owned. While adopting them as pets, its best to keep them solitary as a pet in an enclosure towards the beginning since they take time to adapt towards others as well.

How long does a mountain horned dragon live?

The mountain horned dragon life is dependant on their lifestyle, if they are in the wild or kept captive. In the wild, they can live for five to 10 years, and while held captive, they can survive up to eight years.  

How do they reproduce?

Mountain horned dragons, both males and females, reproduce sexually. Males become competitive during the breeding season and fight other males to showcase dominance. Male mountain horned dragons are known to mate with multiple females.

The females lay their first clutch post mating consisting of 10-30 eggs. This happens post four months. They may lay four clutches per year.

The eggs laid each time are buried under the soil to protect them from possible predators. Females and males are not involved in raising the young. The young grow up independently and also have to find shelter.

What is their conservation status?

Mountain horned dragons are classified as Least Concern species by the International Union For Conservation Of Nature (IUCN).

Mountain Horned Dragon Fun Facts

What do mountain horned dragons look like?

Mountain horned dragons are small to medium-sized lizards. They have an overall gray appearance and certain parts are orange and red, while other parts tend to be yellow. They have small spines which run along their back, reaching to the end of their tail.

They are addressed as 'pricklenape' owing to these small spines. They have mostly dry scales on their body.

They have a large eye that stands out distinctly on their face. Similar to a chameleon, they have the ability to change color, although not to a great extent. This species uses their color change as a fight instinct to hide from possible predators.

How cute are they?

This lizard species is extremely cute and adorable. Their skin constitutes dry scales and they are exotic beings.

When raised in captivity, they also adapt towards human interactions in the wild however, they are seldom seen out in the open. They stay away from heat as much as possible and bury themselves under sand if they don't find any tree.

How do they communicate?

These exotic beings communicate primarily through movement. They are seldom seen communicating verbally. They engage in fights prior to courtship and also communicate to other species their own kind. If it's legal in your region, you should consider adopting this species and also installing decorative plants and light while keeping them in captivity.

How big is a mountain horned dragon?

The male mountain horned dragon size is 12 in (30.5 cm) and female size is 10 in (25.4 cm). This is 10 times bigger than a Texas horned lizard which is 2.7-4.5 in (6.9- 11.4 cm).  

How fast can a mountain horned dragon run?

Mountain horned dragons run at relatively good speeds. These lizards are capable of swimming as well. Basilisks are considered to be the fastest lizards among all similar lizard species.

How much does a mountain horned dragon weigh?

A mountain horned dragon weighs 30 lb (14 kg). Their weight depends on their environment and diet. Komodo dragons are the largest lizards in the world.

What are the male and female names of the species?

Male and female lizards species are not addressed differently. These lizards differ in length, with males being longer as compared to females. These lizards also differ in reproductive functions.

What would you call a baby mountain horned dragon?

A baby mountain horned dragon can be addressed as a juvenile, young, or a baby lizard. They are a small-sized reptile. Baby dragons learn to live independently. Baby dragons are also raised in captivity or in an enclosure.

What do they eat?

This lizard consumes carnivorous food. The mountain horned dragon diet consists of worms, locusts, spiders, and crickets. They tend to become drained out due to lack of water, hence when kept as pets in captivity, its a good idea to keep a water dish near them.

A water dish will help them have access to water at all times and not face scarcity. They stay away from heat as much as possible and prefer humidity rich environments. They cannot survive in extreme heat.

Are they poisonous?

No, this lizard is not poisonous or harmful to humans. A wild lizard is less approachable than one which is kept in an enclosure.

They prefer staying as solitary beings in their own habitat, so they are neither friendly nor dangerous. If kept out of their habitat, they need to be kept in appropriate light and an environment and fed food timely.

Would they make a good pet?

These lizards need to be kept in appropriate temperature and heat regulations. They become approachable gradually. They cannot survive in extreme heat conditions and prefer humidity. Too much humidity is also not ideal.

This lizard requires 70-80 percent humidity. They feed on insects mostly and can be fed different kinds of insects with ample gaps in the middle. Installing a light at night times is ideal so the=is species don't face difficulty moving around in their shelter at night.

They tend to consume as much as they are provided with, so feeding needs to be regulated. Their diet should consist of all nutrients, including protein and calcium. Calcium and vitamin deficiency are something that can impact their health.

Did you know...

Each horned lizard is named after its features, for example the mountain horned dragon has horns on top of its head, with the ones in the middle of the head being the tallest similar to the round-tailed horned lizard.

As a pet, its best to provide them with a moving supply of water than offering them water in a bowl or a dish as they tend to ignore it. If there is a flow of water, they tend to drink water easily.

A water dish can be placed to allow them to cool their bodies. During hotter climates, these lizards tend to be more active, and hence it makes them want to eat more food.

How do you take care of a mountain horned dragon?

To begin with, they should be kept in an enclosure suited to their size, and you should also ensure if its legal to keep similar species in your region. In addition, you need to ensure the humidity and temperature are maintained properly.

Extreme climates can impact their health greatly. Apart from this, its essential to ensure they have a proper diet and access to clean drinking water placed in a small dish which they can use both to drink as well as to soak themselves in.

Feeding them constantly is dangerous for their health. Lastly, attaching appropriate plant fittings that can be real or artificial in their enclosure will be the perfect last touch. You could consider treating them with worms in between meals on certain occasions. Their price might be $20-$45.

What is the correct mountain horned lizard tank size?

Mountain horned lizard tank size should be tall in height as compared to the length. One-horned lizard might require a tank of 3-4 ft (0.9-1.2 m) in height and 1.5-2 ft (0.5-0.6 m) in width.

Depending on how many you decide to adopt, the space will have to increase as keeping them in close proximity to other species of their own kind can cause conflicts.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these monitor lizard facts and lava lizard facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable lizard mask coloring pages.