Bearded Dragon (High Colour Hypo Dunner)

Scientific Name: Pogona vitticeps
Common Name: Bearded Dragon (High Colour Hypo Dunner)

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Species Overview

Size: Adults typically reach 18 to 22 inches (46 to 56 cm), with males often slightly larger and broader-headed.

Appearance: High Colour Hypo Dunner Bearded Dragons exhibit enhanced visual colouration (reds, oranges, yellows, or citrus tones) along with the genetic potential for Hypo and Dunner traits. While the animal is visual for High Colour and Dunner, the Hypo gene is het, so no melanin reduction is expressed. Patterns may appear cleaner or partially reduced due to Dunner expression, but overall appearance is highly variable. Scale structure, body size, and overall morphology remain standard for the species.

Distribution: Native to central Australia’s arid interior.

Habitat: Wild Bearded Dragons occupy desert margins, scrublands, rocky outcrops, and semi-arid woodlands. In captivity, they thrive in spacious, dry enclosures with strong basking sites, climbing opportunities, and proper ventilation.

Behaviour: Bearded Dragons are diurnal, active, and alert. They display natural behaviours including basking, digging, climbing, arm-waving, and head-bobbing. The High Colour, Hypo het, or Dunner traits do not alter normal behaviour.

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Captive Care

Enclosure: Provide a terrestrial enclosure at least 48 inches × 24 inches × 24 inches (120 × 60 × 60 cm). Use a soil–sand substrate mixture that is dry on top but deep enough to retain some moisture in the lower layers, supporting natural digging behaviour. Include basking platforms, branches, rocks, hides, and open floor space.

Temperature & Humidity:

• Basking area: 110 to 115°F (43 to 46°C)

• Warm side: 88 to 95°F (31 to 35°C)

• Cool side: 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C)
  Night temperatures may drop to 68 to 72°F (20 to 22°C). Humidity should remain 30–40%.

Lighting: Provide strong full-spectrum lighting and high-output UVB (10–12%) for 12–14 hours daily. Proper UVB and heat gradients are essential for healthy metabolism, calcium absorption, and natural behaviours.

Diet: Feed a balanced omnivorous diet including crickets, roaches, silkworms, hornworms, black soldier fly larvae, leafy greens, vegetables, and occasional fruits. Juveniles require daily feeding; adults eat every 1–2 days. Dust prey with calcium and multivitamin supplements.

Behaviour in Captivity: These dragons are active, exploratory, and responsive. They bask regularly, dig, climb, and interact visually with their environment. Proper care ensures healthy expression of natural behaviours.

Special Considerations: Ensure secure enclosures, correct UVB exposure, appropriate basking temperatures, and substrate depth. Overfeeding or insufficient lighting can lead to metabolic issues.

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Taxonomy Note

The Bearded Dragon belongs to the genus Pogona, a group of hardy Australian agamids adapted to arid landscapes. Pogona vitticeps is the most widely kept species due to its hardiness and engaging personality.

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Genetics Note

High Colour (polygenic):
High Colour refers to polygenic selective breeding that enhances reds, oranges, yellows, or citrus tones. Expression varies widely due to multiple contributing genes.

Hypo (recessive, het):
Hypo is a recessive gene that reduces melanin when visual. As a het animal, no Hypo effect is expressed.

Dunner (co-dominant):
Dunner is a co-dominant gene that reduces pattern contrast and clarity when expressed visually. This animal is visual for Dunner, so some pattern reduction is observable.

Genetic Combination Summary:
This Bearded Dragon combines polygenic High Colour, heterozygous Hypo, and visual Dunner. The Hypo gene may be passed to offspring, while Dunner expression is visible. Colouration and pattern may vary due to the combination of polygenic High Colour and Dunner influences.