Keeping a Frilled Dragon: My Dino Pet Experiment

InfoThis is a summary of the following YouTube video:

I Got a Pet Dinosaur (kinda)

TerraGreen

Aug 10, 2024

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Pets & Animals

Frilled dragons as pets require complex care

  1. The video discusses a rare species of lizard called the Frilled Dragon, which resembles and behaves like a dinosaur. Despite its dangerous appearance, the narrator decides to purchase one as a pet for $800.
  2. The narrator plans to build a suitable home for the Frilled Dragon, acknowledging the challenges of keeping such a creature as a pet. The video aims to evaluate how well a dinosaur-like creature can be domesticated.
  3. The process of building the Frilled Dragon's habitat involves creating a naturalistic environment. The narrator starts by constructing a glass enclosure to mimic the lizard's natural forest habitat.
  4. The first step in building the habitat is creating a background using foam and wood to simulate a forest environment. This is essential as Frilled Dragons live in forests in the wild.
  5. To enhance the natural look, the narrator covers the enclosure with dirt and wood chips, although it initially appears brown and lifeless.
  6. The floor of the enclosure is made using compressed coconut fiber bricks, which expand when water is added, providing a cost-effective way to create a forest-like ground.
  7. The narrator adds various types of moss to the enclosure, starting with carpet moss, which is a living organism that will grow over time, enhancing the terrarium's appearance.
  8. Different types of moss are used to add variety and vitality to the enclosure, making it look more like a natural forest environment.

Building a frilled dragon habitat

  1. The narrator aims to create a habitat resembling a dinosaur's natural environment for their pet frilled dragon. This involves acquiring plants with leaves and flowers to mimic the ecosystem.
  2. The narrator visits a local plant store, specifically Walmart, to purchase a variety of plants. Despite previous criticism for buying plants from Walmart, they appreciate the store's selection.
  3. In addition to real plants, the narrator buys a plant-themed Lego set for fun, but later regrets the purchase, finding it impractical for the enclosure.
  4. The real plants are arranged inside the tank, enhancing the habitat's appearance. The narrator is pleased with the progress but notes the need for additional elements.
  5. A large piece of wood is required to allow the frilled dragon access to a heat lamp. The narrator searches for a suitable branch outside, emphasizing the need for strength and thickness.
  6. After finding a suitable branch, the narrator cleans it and fits it into the tank, completing the naturalistic setup with additional wood at the bottom.
  7. Technological enhancements are added to the enclosure, starting with an automatic humidifier to maintain the necessary humidity levels for the frilled dragon.

Frilled Dragons require specific care and setup

  1. The enclosure for the Frilled Dragon includes a humidifying system that sprays water to maintain humidity levels, essential for the lizard's well-being.
  2. A water bowl is provided, but Frilled Dragons typically do not drink from it, using it instead as a bathroom. A water pump system is set up to create a flow of water that the dragon will drink from.
  3. To recreate the sun's environment, a heavy-duty heat lamp and a top-quality UV bulb are installed to provide necessary heat and UV rays. The temperature in the basking spot reaches 100°F, ideal for the dragon.
  4. Aluminum foil is used on top of the enclosure to retain heat and humidity, ensuring a stable environment for the Frilled Dragon.
  5. The Frilled Dragon arrives in a package labeled 'live animal,' and the owner is cautious about handling it due to its potentially ferocious nature.
  6. The dragon is placed in its enclosure, and the owner plans to observe its behavior, including feeding and taking it outside, to determine if it makes a good pet.
  7. The dragon's frill, a distinctive feature, is not always visible and only appears on special occasions, adding to its dinosaur-like appearance.

Frilled Dragons are fascinating but not friendly

  1. The narrator describes using a water pump to create a gentle shower for the Frilled Dragon, which the lizard enjoys by sipping water and basking, showing a less ferocious side.
  2. To feed the Frilled Dragon, the narrator uses crickets, which are a favorite food of the species. The dragon's hunting behavior is highlighted as it energetically chases and captures the crickets.
  3. A professional nature documentary narrator is hired to describe the hunting scene, emphasizing the dragon's precision and ancient lineage, making the feeding process appear dramatic and engaging.
  4. The narrator rates the Frilled Dragon's care requirements highly, giving it a 9 out of 10, due to the enjoyment of watching it drink and eat, indicating it is relatively easy to care for.
  5. Friendliness and handling are assessed, with the narrator noting that unlike dogs, Frilled Dragons are not typically friendly and can be challenging to handle without protection.
  6. The narrator attempts to pet and handle the dragon, initially with caution and protection, and eventually manages to move it by lifting the log it sits on, showing the challenges of direct interaction.

Frilled Dragon makes a surprisingly good pet

  1. The narrator observes the Frilled Dragon outside its cage, noting its calm demeanor. The dragon's frill, which usually appears when it's angry, remains retracted, indicating its comfort with the narrator.
  2. The narrator decides to take the Frilled Dragon outside to explore. The dragon basks in the sun and blends in with a log, a natural behavior to avoid predators like birds of prey.
  3. The narrator introduces the Frilled Dragon to chickens, observing that the chickens are scared and run away. The dragon remains calm, and the narrator decides to bring it back inside.
  4. The narrator rates the dragon's friendliness as 7 out of 10, admitting some fear in handling it, but noting the dragon's calmness throughout the interaction.
  5. The narrator plans to show the dragon to their mother, mentioning a statistic about YouTube subscriptions to encourage viewers to subscribe.
  6. The narrator's mother sees the dragon in its enclosure, initially mistaking it for a dinosaur. She is surprised by its $800 cost and humorously suggests naming it 'Mr. Prehistoric.'
  7. The mother rates the dragon a 10 out of 10, indicating her approval and affection for the new pet.

Frilled Dragons make excellent pets

  1. The video evaluates the Frilled Dragon, a lizard species resembling dinosaurs, as a pet. The overall score given to this pet is 8.7 out of 10, indicating it is a very good pet option.
  2. The narrator humorously notes the high cost of owning such a pet, mentioning that not many people would spend $800 on a lizard, highlighting the financial consideration involved.
  3. An attempt was made to provoke the Frilled Dragon into displaying its neck frill by showing it scary images on a phone, but the lizard remained indifferent, suggesting it was not stressed or threatened.
  4. The lack of reaction from the Frilled Dragon is interpreted positively, as it indicates the lizard is comfortable and not stressed in its environment, which is a desirable trait for a pet.
  5. The video concludes with the affirmation that Frilled Dragons are indeed good pets, encouraging viewers to subscribe and watch more content.