Most people, when they think about the bearded dragon, imagine a sandy-colored reptile. Most people do not know that bearded dragons come in different patterns, colors, and something called morphs or mutations. The morphs or the mutation is about describing what a bearded dragon looks like instead of just explaining the color. The Morph also seeks to explain more about a dragon in terms of body type or size look alike. For instance, the different morphs of the bearded dragons may have different colors and may also have different spikes, scales, head shapes, patterns, nail color, and others.
It is important to do thorough research about the bearded dragons before purchasing them from a breeder since some morphs may be more expensive than others. It is important to consider the Morph you want and be able to determine whether it is within your budget or not.
Types of Morphs
The bearded dragons exist in several morphs’ forms. However, they all may have different colors. The difference between morphs is their body size, shape, and whether their bodies have spikes and patterns. Despite these differences in spikes, scales, head shapes, nail colors, and patterns, there is something common among these dragons; they are all beautiful for a pet.
The following are the types of morphs of bearded dragons.
Scalation – This difference is centered on the types, sizes, and shapes of the scales.
Pattern – This focuses on the physical attributes of the body patterns.
Color – These majors on the color variation they have, which is influenced by the environment they are in, the level of melanin in their bodies, or their natural genetic makeup.
Classic/Standard Morph
The Standard ones are also recognized as basic bearded dragons, and they are a type of bearded dragon that looks like the other dragons in the wild. The Standard morphs backs are covered with some small spikes and have a large triangular head with a beard. These dragons have different colors, such as tan, red, yellow, and have black and orange markings. The standard morphs are the most common types of bearded dragons, and they are the most affordable for a person who wants to keep a dragon.
Hypo melanistic Morph
The word Hypo melanistic means below normal color, and it is used to describe the breaded dragons that look somewhat pastel in coloration. These kinds of birded dragons are unable to produce dark patterns and colors. The nails of the Dragons in this Morph appear clearer compared to other morphs. When they are compared to standard morph morphs, they look like they are muted in color. Like the standard Morph, this type has a body that contains spikes, and it is more common.
Dunner Morph
This Morph was named after a breeder who created them. It looks similar to the standard Morph, but it has no obvious pattern to its scales. The marking in the body of this Morph seems to go in any direction instead of the normal stripes that are found symmetrical in other types of bearded dragons. The Dunner morph as scales and spots that are not organized, but they can be used to identify this bearded dragon. The Dunner morph has more scales compared to the rest of the morphs.
Sometimes this type of dragon can have a solid color, and this makes it difficult to know which king of Morph they are. Additionally, there are some features that can be used to identify this dragon. The first is the direction of gather scales. Most of the bearded dragons have their scales.
Silk back Morph
The silk back morphs one of the unique types of bearded dragons that completely lack the normal speaks that are common to many bearded dragons. They have a smooth body with vibrant colors because no scales are impeding them. The silk backs are sometimes referred to as the silkies because of how soft their bodies are. It is a bit difficult to take care of the silk backs compared to other types.
Translucent Morph
This bearded dragon is named Translucent due to its almost see me through spikes and scales. These dragons are generally; light in color and therefore can also be categorized as hypo melanistic. The young translucent Morph has a nearly clear belly, and it is blue in color like that of a leopard gecko. On the other side, the adults have solid dark eyes with no visible iris and occasionally blue eyelids. The unique eyes are what differentiates this Morph from the rest. Some of the Translucent is known to change the eye coloration back and forth from one kind to another as they grow within their lifetime.
Myths about the Translucent Morph
Most people believe that these bearded dragons are at a higher risk of getting health problems as they grow than other morphs, but this has not been proven to be true. Many people have successfully bred the Translucent Morph for many years with no health problems.
Leatherback Morph
This Morph contains a soft back that can easily be used to identify it. This type of bearded dragon does not have spikes on their backs, but they are there at the side of the head. These dragons have vivid colors, which is made so due to the lack of scales that are not part of their body, making them popular. Compared to the standard Morph and the hypomelanotic Morph, they are rarer.
Paradox Morph
The Paradox morph is a uniquely pattered bearded dragon that was created by different interbreeding morphs. His type of bearded dragon can easily be identified due to the blotches of bright colors throughout their bodies. They look as if they were splattered with paint on their body with no obvious pattern.
Zero Morph
This is among the rarest types of bearded dragons. The Zero morph completely lacks patterns or colors. They are white in color, but presently they are gaining popularity, and people are starting to know them,
Witblits Morph
This type of bearded dragon might be confused for a Zero morph but not. It is more muted than a hypo melanistic. These bearded dragons are very pale-colored with no patterns. They sometimes come in different solid colors.
Wero Morph
The Wero bearded dragon morph was produced from a combination of the Willits and zero morphs. However, this Morph resembles a zero except where it contains splotches of darker colors near the tail.
German Giant Morph
The German Giant morph is a very large bearded dragon that looks like a standard morph. During the early stages, it is quite difficult to realize that you have a German Giant morph. Due to their size, they require a larger enclosure compared to the rest.
White Bearded dragons
The white-bearded dragons are sometimes referred to as the bearded snow dragons. They are rarely found, and they lack color and pattern. The average cost of one white-bearded dragon is 400 dollars. The color of the white-bearded dragons varies with temperature;
Whenever the climate is cooler, they are gray in color while they are white in color when the climate is hotter. This type of bearded dragon is created from a crossbreed between Fitbit and a bearded snow dragon. They have a similar look to that of a snow species, but the blotches and dark spots are smaller.
Black Bearded Dragons
The bearded dragon can have a darker pigment in its skin and can therefore appear darker than the rest. It is, however, rare to find a completely dark bearded dragon. The reason behind their black appearance is the environment they live in or the aggression. Most of the reptiles are ectotherms, and this means their colors differ depending on the temperatures around the environment they are in. When it becomes too cold, they turn darker to be able to absorb more heat. Whenever they feel threatened, ill, or stressed, Black bearded dragons turn their heads black.
Albino Bearded DragonS
An Albino bearded dragon is described as one that does not produce melanin, and its eyes are red. The Albinos can be born naturally from normal bearded dragons, but they do not last for long, probably a few weeks, since they are not able to absorb the UVB rays and process the calcium properly.
Mostly when breeders advertise an Albino bearded dragon, they are likely to be confusing it with the leucitic, snow bearded, or a white-bearded dragon.
Orange Bearded Dragon
The orange bearded dragon is created by interbreeding a red-bearded dragon and a yellow bearded dragon. This type of beardies is among the brightest and striking Morph that is domesticated. There are four common oranges morphs—; Orange, sand fire, sunburst, and tangerine.
The Orange bearded dragons are solid orange, and they do not have vivid colors that are found in the tangerine, sand fire, and the sunburst. Tangerine bearded dragon morph contains a very different bight orange body with some yellow highlights. Some contain a neon orange appearance. The sand fire red morphs have a body that is red in color with some orange and yellow highlights.
Yellow Bearded Dragon
There are four other yellow morphs above the standard yellow one. The amount of yellow pigment and the patterns that are associated with each can vary among these species. The species include; citrus, green, lemon fire, and sand fire gold.
The most popular species of yellow Morph is the citrus, and they have a darker orange-red stripe down the center of their back and along the sides of their body. They also have a horizontal gray-blue marking between their vertical orange stripes. The freshly hatched citrus morph is green or olive in color. Some of these young citrus morphs retain their green color, and they are called the green bearded dragons.
The lemon fire dragons are less popular compared to citrus species; therefore, they have a yellow color that is very bright and vivid that is different from the rest of the morphs. Th sand fire gold bearded dragons have an appearance that is tan-like with some stripes across their bodies.
Red Bearded Dragons
It is difficult to find a completely red species of the breaded dragons in the wild, but some species have some specks of red highlights. The entirely red species of the bearded dragon are only found in captivity. The red-bearded dragons were for the first time bred in the 90s when they first entered the reptile category.
The red-bearded dragons come in different shades of red; some have a vivid red, while others come darker with brown shades of red. There are other red-bearded dragons that are darker and deeper in red, and they are known as the ruby red beardies. The red and ruby bearded dragons are along with the highly sought species, and this makes them very expensive compared to the rest of the species.
Genetic Stripe Bearded Dragons
The Generic stripe is a dominant mutation that makes the dragon display stripes down each side of its spine. These stripes have no color, and they run down the neck to the tails of the bearded dragon. This is the only striped raced dragon that is a true morph that displays the traits that are strictly caused by a certain genetic mutation.
Silverback Bearded Dragons
The silver-back bearded dragons were the only patternless dragons that were known before the witblits, and zero morphs were discovered. These dragons are off-white, beige, or brownish in color. The patterns are visible when they are freshly hatched, but as they grow, they disappear. This bearded dragon type is very uncommon across the United States, and it will be hard to find it among the breeders. The reason why they are rare is that witblits produces more desirable features than these beardies.
Pogona vitticeps
The pogona Vitticeps are commonly known as the Yellow-headed, and it is the most popular among many. They are mostly found in dry shrublands, deserts, and forested areas. This is the most popular species, and it makes up the majority of the bearded dragons because of its mild temperament and easy attitude towards human beings. These bearded dragons come in different colors, from dull gray to bright orange, white, and many more. Their appearance can vary depending on the Morph and the quality of care they are receiving. A mature Pogona Vitticep can grow up to a maximum length of 24 inches. In the wild, they live up to 6 years, while in captivity, they can live longer for up to 18 years due to the proper care they receive.
These dragons are generally gentle, and they are active during the day. They enjoy climbing most of the time, and this is why the enclosure should have a high wall so that they do not escape.
Pogona Barbata
These bearded dragons are mainly found in dry woodland areas. They are related to the Pogona vitticeps, only that they resemble n angrier version of the vitticeps, which are known to be very friendly. These dragons are not friendly to human beings, and this explains why they are rare to find in captivity, although there are those few who choose them as pets. These bearded dragons are dark grey to black with bright orange mouths, and this dark valor are used to scare away the predators. The male version of these dragons can grow to a maximum length of 24 inches while the female grows to a less size compared to the male. These animals are omnivores, and this means they feed on plants and insects, and they live for 7 to 9 years. They are not generally kept as pets.
These dragons are active during the day, and they enjoy climbing and moving around on the ground. Whenever they are around other dragons, they can be territorial.
Pogona Henrylawsoni
These bearded dragons are mainly known as the Lawsons dragons. These dragons look like the P. Vitticeps, but they have brighter colors than the Barbara, but their beards are smaller in size and can grow to a maximum length of 12 inches. These dragons are not mainly kept in captivity, but they require the same care as the Vitticeps. They seem to be aware of their small size since they act submissive to human beings, and they love using the submissive waving gesture.
It is important to note that some bearded dragons can appear small in size when they are not well taken care of, and that is why the vitticeps are often confused for this species when they are poorly taken care of. These dragons are active during the day, and they love climbing.
Pogona Microlepidota
These bearded dragons are mainly found in coastal regions and dry woodland areas. These species are not popular, and this is the reason why they are least known. These dragons have smaller scales and spikes compared to other species, and they mainly feed on insects. They are smaller in size than the Pogonias, and they grow up to 6 inches.
Pogona Minor Minor/ Dwarf Bearded Dragon
These Bearded dragons are mainly found in scrublands, woodland, desert, and rocky areas. These dragons are mainly confused with the Mitchells and Western dragons due to the similarity in appearance. They are smaller in size and dark in color, and they have long legs and tails with a very small head with almost no beard. These dragons grow to a length of between 14 to 18 inches. They are omnivores that feed on insects and plant matter.
Pogona Minor Minima
The Pogona Minor are mainly found in dry wooded areas, and they look almost similar to the Pogona Minor Minor in terms of appearance, and they also have longer nails. These dragons grow up to a maximum lent of 12 inches, and they mainly feed on plants and insects.
Pogona Minor Mitchell
These bearded dragons are mainly found in the semi-tropical woodland and the arid deserts. They grow up to a maximum length of 18 inches, and they are easily identified by the large conical spikes that are not found in other species of the pogonas. These dragons are insectivores since they mainly feed on insects and plant matter.
Pogona Nullarbor
These bearded dragons are mainly found in flat arid sparse shrublands. They grow up to a maximum length of 18 inches. These dragons are uniquely identified by banding on their back, and that is why they are also known as the Banded Bearded Dragons. They also have a large white stripe on their back. They feed on insects and plant matter. These dragons are not popular since they are rare to find.
Other things to know about the Bearded Dragon Morphs
The best and easiest way to become the best-bearded dragon keeper is to get as much information as possible regarding your pet. Before buying a bearded dragon from a seller, ensure that they are reputable sellers who have quality pets and enquire to get information about them and the pets they are selling. Below are some things to note about bearded dragons;
- The colors and patterns of the bearded dragons may change as it grows. The coloring might become duller, or may become more vivid, and the patterns may become more or less defined in the dragons as they age.
- Breeding bearded drains are so interesting, but it needs some expertise. The process of breeding dragons is not as simple as it appears since it requires some education. It is important to have proper knowledge about breeding if dragons. If you fail to take good care of the dragons, you might raise unhealthy animals that will have difficulty thriving.
- The bearded dragons may look different in various lighting. Some bearded dragons might appear more attractive under different lighting. It is, therefore vital, to get more photos from the breeder as the animal is under different lightings.
- Breeders sometimes use funny descriptions for patterns on different bearded dragons. Whenever you are buying dragons, you will hear of different names, for instance, a tiger, and you might prefer it due to the name. This does not mean that this is the actual Morph but just a simple adjective to describe and make them more appealing to potential buyers.
- There is no Pygmy bearded dragon. Sometimes people label small dragons as pygmies, but in a real sense, there are no such morphs that produce small dragons. In an instance that you come across a pygmy name among dragon just know that it just means that the animal is small in size and not a genetic morph.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a unique and unusual pet outside the normal pets, then the ideal choice should be the Bearded dragon. These animals are not your ordinary reptile, they pose some docile tempers, and they are active and much engaging, thus bringing the fun of a pet. Whenever a bearded is healthy and well taken care of, it appears much active in its environment.
A bearded dragon is the ideal hypoallergic starter pet for someone who is ready to be a responsible owner. However, it is important when you to have proper information whenever you are choosing a dragon to keep since some are delicate and others can be a bit aggressive. Do your research and choose whichever fit your needs.
