Description
- Common Name: Southern Forest Dragon
- Scientific Name: Lophosaurus spinipes
- Locality/Morph: Wild Type
- Sex: Sexed Pair
- Age: 2025
- Source: Captive bred in EU
- Native Range: Eastern Australia – Queensland and New South Wales rainforests
- Natural Habitat: Tropical and subtropical rainforests, often in mid- to upper canopy, and along forest edges
- Diet: Mostly insectivorous – predominantly insects, as well as small vertebrates. May take some greens, fruits, and flowers
- Basking Temperature: 28–32°C (ambient rainforest gradient)
- Ambient Temperature: 22–28°C (night drop to ~18–20°C)
- Average Adult Size: 50–70 cm
The Southern Forest Dragon (Lophosaurus spinipes) is a large, arboreal agamid native to the rainforests of eastern Australia. It is characterised by a distinctive elongated, angular head and crest. This species is both visually striking and behaviourally interesting, displaying territorial head-bobbing, dewlap extensions, and regularly perches in the open on tree branches. A similar species in terms of size, as well as care to the Boyd’s Forest Dragon (Lophosaurus boydii), as well as Angle Headed Forest Dragons (Hypsilurus sp.).
In the wild, these dragons occupy forest canopies and understory, where they bask on branches, and hunt insects. They are diurnal, spending their days active and highly alert, using their colouration to blend seamlessly with foliage and bark.
In captivity, L. spinipes requires a tall, vertically oriented, rainforest-style enclosure with abundant climbing structures, branches, and hiding spots. Ambient temperatures should remain moderate, around 22–28°C, with basking microclimates of 28–32°C. High humidity (60–80%) is essential, along with regular misting and a well-ventilated enclosure. Full-spectrum UVB lighting is critical to support calcium metabolism, overall health, and natural behaviours.
Their diet is omnivorous, including gut-loaded insects (crickets, roaches, locusts), small invertebrates, fruits, and edible flowers. Calcium and vitamin supplementation is strongly recommended, especially for juveniles and breeding adults.
Southern Angle-headed Dragons are best suited for intermediate to advanced keepers, due to their size, humidity requirements, and rarity. While not typically handled, they are fascinating to observe and make excellent display species. With proper care, they can live 10+ years in captivity.
Livestock Delivery:
Livestock is delivered in our own heated reptile courier vans. Delivery time from ordering will depend on your location and when we next have a van in your area, this will usually be a maximum of 2 weeks. You will receive a date and time slot by phone or email, so please ensure you enter these correctly at checkout. Delivery fee for livestock depends on location, prices start at £45. Livestock orders over £500 (+VAT) are delivered free of charge.
Livestock Sale Terms:
If multiple animals are in stock then not all will be pictured, so the photo above may not be exact animal available.
All prices are per individual unless otherwise stated. All livestock is subject to availability, whilst we try to keep the website as up to date as possible errors may happen, in this situation you will be contacted to arrange a refund/alternative.
Errors can happen with sexing and morph identification. Should this be discovered before leaving us you are entitled to a refund. After the animal leaves us it is the customers responsibility to inform us within 48 hours of the animals arrival. Failing to do so may lose the customers eligibility for a refund.
It is the customers responsibility to have the correct setup available and ready for the animal, if you need any advice please do get in touch. We have the right to request proof of setup at any time, failure to provide an image of an appropriate setup or any image at all, may result in a full order cancellation and refund.
Guarantee for all inverts & amphibians is 24 hours. All other livestock is 48 hours. If issues/concerns are notified upon delivery, then this may be extended. All health related queries will be subject to a full investigation should an issue arise. Failing to provide us with the information we request may void any form of guarantee. If we find reason from the information that its injury or death was caused by negligence or incorrect husbandry then the guarantee may be void. Should death or abnormalities occur then you must inform us as soon as possible. In the unlikely event that an animal passes away please photograph the dead body and freeze until you have heard from us. If death or illness occurs after 7 days, and no health issues were reported, then Ridgeway will not be held responsible.
We have the right to refuse any sale, refund or guarantee at any time if we feel it is necessary.
Livestock sales are for customers aged 18+, if under this age you must have prior parent permission. If we have any reason to suspect this is not the case we will contact you before the animal is released.
When purchasing an animal from us you automatically agree to these terms of sale.
