Balloon Dragons are so named because they are filled with a gas that makes them almost lighter than air, similar to balloons. However, they are not prone to bursting, as they are covered in tough skin and can deflate themselves if necessary. In addition, they generally are slow moving. They use their gas bladders to float to the tops of trees, where food is more abundant. They can shift their weight from their backs to their fronts, allowing them to reach leaves and fruit.

Dragons are highly-intelligent reptilian creatures that—from a human perspective, at least—appear to live forever. Many different varieties of dragon exist, each with their own unique qualities, habitats, and behavior. Adolescence in dragons 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. In Galsreim, dragons and humans coexist peacefully.

Pudgy likes to snack, but she also likes to float. Snacking too much could mean she couldn't float as high. This idea bothered her for a very long time until the paper dragon of Nadat's cave, Jiraiya, suggested just snacking on things that could fly. After all, they have wings which give them lift. Never one to think too deeply about advice, Pudgy switched her eating habits to follow Jiraiya's suggestion. She might not float as high as possible, but she's not missing out on the joys of snacking or floating.