SpeciesChinese water dragon
Chinese water dragon
Physignathus cocincinus
A large, sociable lizard that swims and climbs. It needs an enclosure closer to a room than a terrarium. Otherwise it runs against the glass until its snout is raw.
- Group
- Lizard
- Level
- Intermediate
- Origin
- Southeast Asia
Where the species comes from
- World region
- Southeast Asia
- Countries
- Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, southern China, Thailand
- Habitat
- Banks of tropical forests, always near water
The app does not yet hold an origin entry for this species. The distribution given here comes from the specialist literature.
The natural habitat is the yardstick for how you furnish an enclosure. Knowing where an animal comes from is knowing why it needs heat zones, hides and a particular humidity.
Husbandry at a glance
The same details appear in the animal’s profile inside the app.
- Enclosure
- A large water section for swimming, plus climbing height.
- Temperature
- Basking spot at 38 °C, ambient 26–30 °C, 22–24 °C at night.
- Humidity
- 70–80 %, mist several times a day or use a rain system.
- Lighting
- UV-B above the basking spot, twelve hours.
- Substrate
- Soil-sand mix with leaf litter, kept clean.
- Furnishings
- Sturdy sloping branches, large leafy plants, visual cover. Mask the lower front pane while the animals are young.
- Water
- A large basin, at least body-deep, with a filter and weekly change.
- Feeding
- Insects, occasionally fish and fruit. Adults every two to three days.
- Behaviour
- Diurnal, climbs and swims. When startled it leaps into the water. Which must therefore be deep enough.
- Handling
- Only when necessary. The animals get used to people but remain powerful and fast.
- Cohabitation
- One male with one to two females. Never males together.
- Health
- Rubbed-raw snouts from enclosures that are too small are the commonest sight in this species.
- Seasonal cycle
- No winter rest: Tropical South-East Asia. A drier phase of six to eight weeks with a night-time drop to 20–22 °C and shorter lighting matches the monsoon rhythm. Afterwards, consistently high humidity again.
- Safety
- Water dragons do not fall under Art. 89 of the Ordinance. Among agamas, only sailfin lizards (Hydrosaurus), flying dragons (Draco) and the thorny devil (Moloch horridus) require a permit.
Legal position in Switzerland
No permit foreseen
No permit required. The species does not belong to any of the groups listed in Art. 89 of the Swiss Animal Welfare Ordinance
No certificate of competence foreseen
No proof of competence required. It is only demanded for the animals named in Art. 89 of the Ordinance
Species protection applies
CITES Appendix II: Import and transfer only with papers. When buying, ask for proof of origin and captive breeding
Minimum enclosure dimensions
Annex 2, table 5 of the Animal Welfare Ordinance does not prescribe centimetres but multiples of body length. For this species, item 19 (Water dragons): land section 5 × 3 body lengths, height 5 body lengths, plus water section 2 × 2 at 1 body length depth. The floor area applies to at most two animals; each further animal requires an additional 2 × 2 body lengths.
For this group, body length means the snout-vent length, without the tail. The largest animal in the enclosure is what counts. The enclosure may not be smaller even if fewer animals live in it than the table names.
| Snout-vent length | At least |
|---|---|
| 15 cm | Land section 75 × 45 × 75 cm, plus water section 30 × 30 cm, 15 cm at the deepest point |
| 20 cm | Land section 100 × 60 × 100 cm, plus water section 40 × 40 cm, 20 cm at the deepest point |
| 25 cm | Land section 125 × 75 × 125 cm, plus water section 50 × 50 cm, 25 cm at the deepest point |
Animals may temporarily be kept in smaller enclosures: for quarantine, for the treatment of illness and injury, for acclimatisation, for breeding and rearing, and for winter or cold dormancy or aestivation (preliminary remark D on reptiles).
This is the legal lower limit, not a recommendation. An enclosure that meets exactly these dimensions is permitted, but not good for that reason. The details under “Husbandry at a glance” describe how the enclosure should be furnished, not how small it may be.
What the enclosure must provide
Provide species-appropriate heat and light zones, UV-B where needed, suitable substrate, retreats, climbing or digging options, water and natural rest periods.
Paperwork
Keep the purchase contract and proof of origin. Use the scientific name to check CITES and import status reliably.
These details are a guide, not legal advice. Binding information comes from the cantonal veterinary office; the text of the ordinance is what counts. More on the legal position
