Aww... It’s a cute baby dragon. It likes to perch on the high branches of the taller trees and look longingly up at the sky.

And look! It has grown wings! It must be close to maturing.

Young dragons are relatively defenseless. They are born with relatively soft scales, which are shed and replaced with harder ones as the hatchling matures. Once a hatchling’s wings grow in, it typically marks the beginning of maturation. At this point they are often capable of hunting on their own and are usually left alone by their mother.

Percheroff likes to sit as far out on tree branches as she possibly can. Unfortunately, her weight slowly weakens the branches she is on, until it gives way—especially if she moves. She has mastered the art of spreading her wings in a split-second to avoid crashing down to the forest floor.