Bearded Dragon Temperament and Behavior
If owning a bearded dragon is a new experience for you, its temperament and behavior is something you may want to become familiar with. Bearded dragons display many characteristics unique to their breed, some of which indicate aggressiveness or agitation. Some behaviors of a bearded dragon include:
Bearded dragons are considered both predator and prey in their natural environment. They hide, camoflage themselves to the habitat, and remain alert to all threats. For protection, if a bearded dragon feels mildly threatened or anxious, it will remain completely still. When the perceived threat increases, it will either scamper away or puff its beard in order to intimidate the threat. Bearded dragons will bite as a last resort.
Bearded dragons aren't generally aggressive by nature. Even a bearded dragon who is approached in their natural habitat will allow you to hold it without showing any signs of aggression. However, if a bearded dragon becomes stressed with someone's behavior, it can be provoked to respond with defensive and aggressive behaviors. Some of these include:
- Arm waving can show submission to another larger animal or simply show awareness of another dragon's nearby presence.
- Head bobbing is used as a sign of dominance and aggression. While mating, males often bob their heads to show dominance over the female bearded dragon. They will also bob their heads as a territorial response to another dragon. Usually, the faster they move their head, the more aggressive they are. If a bearded dragon is bobbing its head very slowing, it can be another sign of submission to another dragon.
- Fluffing its beard is a defensive mechanism of the bearded dragon. Both males and females have "beards" and display this behavior when they feel threatened by something or if they get upset with something you are doing. Bearded dragons also have been known to fluff their beards before mating.
- Mouth opening is used as a form of temperature regulation in the bearded dragon. Since, they do not sweat, they will hold their mouths gaping open to maintain a suitable temperature within the body, similarly to a panting dog. This is often used when they are basking under lighting once they are warm enough and don't wish to get any warmer. This is a completely normal behavior, however, if your bearded dragon does this too often, it could mean it is too warm. If this happens, you may want to consider installing a lower wattage bulb within its enclosure.
- Tail twitching isn't something all bearded dragons do, but it is considered and indication of its mood when this occurs. Tail twitching may occur when the bearded dragon is hunting prey, is becoming stressed with your behavior, or possibly while mating.
- Burrowing is also a normal behavior bearded dragons use in their natural habitat. In their enclosure, bearded dragons will burrow themselves under substrate or accessories within their habitat when they get too warm. It is another method of helping to regulate their internal body temperature. Sometimes bearded dragons will burrow themselves to sleep and prior to their brumation cycle. Many females dig and burrow when getting ready to lay eggs. When a bearded dragon burrows itself, it may be slightly covered or entirely covered. Again, this is completely normal as long as your bearded dragon comes out to bask and warm up periodically.
Bearded dragons are considered both predator and prey in their natural environment. They hide, camoflage themselves to the habitat, and remain alert to all threats. For protection, if a bearded dragon feels mildly threatened or anxious, it will remain completely still. When the perceived threat increases, it will either scamper away or puff its beard in order to intimidate the threat. Bearded dragons will bite as a last resort.
Bearded dragons aren't generally aggressive by nature. Even a bearded dragon who is approached in their natural habitat will allow you to hold it without showing any signs of aggression. However, if a bearded dragon becomes stressed with someone's behavior, it can be provoked to respond with defensive and aggressive behaviors. Some of these include:
- Fluffing its beard. As stated before, this is a sign of defensive behavior the dragon uses when it feels threatened. The theory is to make itself seem larger and more threatening that the perceived threat it is experiencing. The dragon's beard may turn very dark when fluffed.
- Hissing is another sign of aggressive behavior in the bearded dragon.
- Biting. Of course, if your bearded dragon starts to bite, you should leave it alone to calm down. Don't continue to handle your dragon, which will stress and irritate it further, as well as delay bonding between owner and pet.
- Head bobbing. As stated previously, head bobbing is a common sign of territorial aggression and dominance over another animal.
Brumation is a type of hibernation cycle experienced by bearded dragons. Each bearded dragon experiences brumation differently. They may take long naps, become less active, and lose their appetite, or they may sleep through the entire cycle without waking. Generally, the brumation cycle occurs during the winter and lasts about two months. Some owners try to wake their bearded dragon to eat and bathe, but it is recommended not to disturb it during its brumation cycle. Waking your bearded dragon during its hibernation cycle can cause brumation to last much longer and stress the dragon out. Usually, not eating during this cycle is completely normal and your bearded dragon should not lose any weight during this process.
Shedding skin is something many reptiles experience. Infant and juvenile bearded dragons will shed much more often than adults because they are still growing. Adult bearded dragons will shed their skin once or twice each year. During the shedding process, it's important to keep your bearded dragon's skin hydrated and clean. Regular bathing is important as well as misting it several times each day. Never pull the skin off unless it is clearly unattached and ready to be removed. The skin shouldn't be moist and you should not meet any type of resistance. Bathing can help speed up the shedding process and is very soothing for the bearded dragon. Be sure to monitor problem areas such as the tip of the tail and the toes. Make sure the skin isn't stuck on in these areas, which can affect their tissue circulation, causing necrosis (tissue death).
Shedding skin is something many reptiles experience. Infant and juvenile bearded dragons will shed much more often than adults because they are still growing. Adult bearded dragons will shed their skin once or twice each year. During the shedding process, it's important to keep your bearded dragon's skin hydrated and clean. Regular bathing is important as well as misting it several times each day. Never pull the skin off unless it is clearly unattached and ready to be removed. The skin shouldn't be moist and you should not meet any type of resistance. Bathing can help speed up the shedding process and is very soothing for the bearded dragon. Be sure to monitor problem areas such as the tip of the tail and the toes. Make sure the skin isn't stuck on in these areas, which can affect their tissue circulation, causing necrosis (tissue death).