Dragons are creatures with nearly unlimited life spans. They can survive for long periods of time, and no one has found a dragon that has died of old age. Adolescence is usually marked by the growth of a hatchling's wings, although not all breeds of dragons grow wings and some breeds have other traits that indicate the beginning of maturation. Once they hit adolescence, hatchlings change quickly, maturing to their full forms in only 2 years.

Dragons don't communicate with each other verbally, but they will growl to scare off predators and frighten prey. Young dragons will emit an extremely high-pitched squeal when they are frightened. To communicate, they use telepathy with each other and to speak to other creatures.

Paper dragons are not truly living creatures. They are pieces of parchment enchanted by magic, and as such, are very vulnerable to fire. However, they behave almost like dragons. The only place where their behavior differs is breeding: paper dragons cannot breed.

Flirty Flutterby is a very grateful young man.  Being enchanted parchment, he knows that his lot in life is unsteady, but he is glad to have the chance to have it.  He has become fast friends with Taronga Li, a fire dragon, even though it is very dangerous for him to go near his friend.  In respect to Flirty Flutterby's inability to ever father children and how this is the one huge regret of his life, Taronga Li has decided to also stay abstinent in deference to his friend.  They both will remain the doting uncles of the cave and love all young ones as their own.