Genetic change in response to environmental changes is often slow and thus when faced with human induced environmental change, such as global warming,  the immediate response of an animal is often behavioural.

​

The aim of this project was to determine the consequences of subtle differences in incubation environment on the behaviour and cognition of bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps). We found that egg incubation temperature affected the foraging behaviour, personality and social cognition of bearded dragon. In doing so we designed and implemented a novel technique for testing the foraging ability of bearded dragons, used novel object and environment experiments to test the boldness of bearded dragons and conducted gaze following and social learning experiments to determine how egg incubation temperature effected the social cognition of bearded dragons. 

​

The results ultimately show that egg incubation temperature affects a wide variety of different cognitive and behavioural traits and thus could allow oviparous reptiles to adapt to a changing environment.

​