What Do You Need To Know Before Renting A Komodo Dragon?

If you need a large lizard to be in your film, your best bet is to rent one from an animal rental agency rather than buy your own. The Komodo dragon is the type of lizard most people will choose when they want a large lizard. These reptiles are the largest lizards alive today — some are up to 10 feet long. When you rent a Komodo dragon, the rental company will usually send a person along to manage the lizard. Still, it's nice to know a bit about these lizards beforehand.

What do they look like?

Although male Komodo dragons are about 10 feet long, females are about 6 feet. So there is some variety in length if you want a large lizard for your set — but not one that stretches across an entire room! They have scaly skin, and most are a grayish color. Some have hints of blue, green, or purple in their skin. If you are looking for a reptile with skin of a certain color, you can tell the reptile agency that. They may be able to accommodate you if they have dragons with multiple skin colors.

What do they eat?

You should not have to worry about feeding the Komodo dragon while it is on your set. They only eat every couple of days when they can catch prey in the wild. They can eat a whole pig, small deer, or baby water buffalo. In captivity, they may be fed pieces of meat or small rodents. 

Do they have to be kept cool?

Like all lizards, Komodo dragons are cold-blooded. In other words, they need to move to warm areas to warm up their body temperature, and cooler areas to reduce it. This is something you'll need to be aware of if you have a lizard on your set. The handlers may need to call for you to stop filming temporarily if the lizard needs to be warmed up or cooled down. If the set is in the sun or outside on a really cold day, this may have to occur more often.

Renting a reptile to be in your film is easier than you might think, even if you rent a large lizard like a Komodo dragon. Since these lizards can be aggressive and do have specific temperature needs, the rental company will watch over them carefully while they are on the set. Call your local reptile rental company like Reptiles 4 Film to see what reptiles are available to you.