POGONA VITTICEPS - MALE AND FEMALE

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They are easily recognizable by their broad, triangular head and flat body. They have rows and clusters of spines under their throats, which they can blacken or enlarge to scare off enemies. These spines, also present along their sides and behind their heads, are actually intimidating; they are soft and composed mostly of fat. They can change color when they encounter rivals and to react to environmental stimuli, such as temperature changes; for example, they can darken to absorb more heat. Males can grow up to 60 cm and females up to 50 cm. Their color ranges from red to brown with lighter or yellowish spots or streaks.

Adult bearded dragons are highly territorial animals; as they grow, they establish social hierarchies based on aggression and reconciliation. Although both sexes have beards, males use them much more frequently, especially during mating rituals, while females only use them as a sign of aggression. When threatened or stressed, they puff up and blacken their beards to appear larger, sometimes even opening their mouths. A common behavior in both sexes is headbobbing , which is a rapid head movement—the male faster than the female—sometimes blackening and inflating their throats to show their dominance. A submissive response to headbobbing is arm-waving , which consists of a circular motion of a forelimb. Arm-waving can also be a sign of recognition between the species, and is generally performed by males and females to avoid an attack from a large male. During mating, the male will headbob and then jump on the female's back, biting her neck (usually without causing injury, as their skin is very tough). A female in heat will arm-wave and raise her tail. A female who doesn't want to mate will also headbob .

While a young bearded dragon bases nearly 80% of its diet on insects, an adult will tend to eat more green leafy vegetables, berries , and in some cases even small vertebrates . Insects eaten by bearded dragons include crickets , black soldier fly larvae , locusts , zophobas morio , wax moths , silkworms , grasshoppers , tobacco leafhopper larvae , and some species of cockroaches . Mealworms should be considered a snack for bearded dragons, as they contain a lot of fat, which can lead to health problems.