Agama - Golden

Other Breeds

Keeshond   |   Palomino   |   Pig – Pot Bellied   |  

Alternative Name

Short Toed Agama, Clown Agama, Painted Agama, Painted Dragon Scientific Name: Laudakia stellio brachydactyla

Basic Info

The Golden Agama is an average sized Agama. They can reach 30 centimeters (one foot) in length at maturity. The more arid their surroundings the larger the Golden Agama gets. The Golden Agama is quite pretty and its brownis -beige scales have some golden to orange highlights. They also have darker brown markings on their backs, legs and tails. The darker markings on the tail often appear as stripes. They have powerful legs, which are quite suited for climbing. Their legs are also quite distinctive due to the presence of beautiful scaling. Each of their fingers possesses long, sharp claws. Their tails are often described as spiny. The Golden Agama may be best separated from some other agamas by its triangularly shaped head and distinctive neck.

Health

Breeding Female Golden Agamas lay a clutch of eggs in June. Clutch sizes will usually range from six to eight eggs. These eggs will incubate for several months and hatch sometime between August and September.

Habitat

Found throughout the Middle East and Africa including Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the Sinai Desert. They may also be seen in the Greek Islands.

Behavior

The Golden Agama is called many different names including "Clown Agama," "Painted Agama," "Short Toed Agama," and "Painted Dragon". The Golden Agama is one of several subspecies of Laudakia stellio. There is some debate as to the exact number of subspecies, however, most of the research indicates that there are five accepted subspecies. All of the subspecies seem to prefer sandy habitats. In the wild they are commonly seen in trees, on rocks and walls, and hiding in crevices. They are generally timid, and will run for cover when startled. Males, however, can be territorial; and when they are in a defensive posture, they will chase opponents while shaking their heads. The Golden Agama is diurnal and is generally described as arboreal, though it will often make its home on rocks. In its native environment this lizard is relatively common and does not seem to be endangered. They are also fairly popular in the pet trade. The Golden Agama is reported to become accustomed to handling fairly easily, and they are generally not as aggressive as some other types of agama. Like many other animals, they usually do not like being approached quickly because they perceive this as threatening.

Origin

Middle East

History

There seems to be some debate as to where the Pyramid Agama makes its home. Some of the debate may be due to the confusion over the number of subspecies of Laudakia stellio. Most of the research suggests this subspecies is found throughout the Middle East and Africa including Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the Sinai Desert. They may also be seen in the Greek Islands. Since its identification, there seems to have been some debate over the correct naming of its genus. They were originally classified as Agama stellio, though today they are more commonly seen as Laudakia stellio.

Common Foods

The Golden Agama is an insectivore that commonly feeds on insects such as beetles, crickets, and spiders in the wild. In captivity they should also be given a diet of insects.They are reported to prefer large insects and flying ants. They have also been