Bearded dragons, just like us, have needs and preferences pertaining to their sleep patterns. If you’ve ever wondered about your pet’s nighttime routines, this article will answer your questions and help you create the best sleeping environment for your beardie.
As diurnal creatures, bearded dragons sleep at night and are active during the day. While wild beardies often burrow in the warm sand to sleep, captive beardies have more diverse sleeping habits depending on the safety of their environment.
The Quirky Ways Bearded Dragons Sleep
Beardies are individualistic in nature, displaying various sleep behaviors unique to their preferences such as the following:
Different Positions
Pet bearded dragons may sleep in different strange positions such as vertically, on their sides, or even hanging from logs. They might also take short naps in uncomfortable poses, just like we sometimes do at our desks.
Comfiest Nooks and Crannies
In the wild, bearded dragons may nap on tree stumps during the day, and at night in caves or buried in warm sand protected from predators. In captivity, they may choose comfortable spots in their tank like underneath a shaded area and sometimes out in the open. It depends on the beardie and how safe it perceives its environment.
Sometimes, pet bearded dragons enjoy napping on their owners, cuddled in warm spots like the crook of the neck. As long as the area is safe and warm, they will find it comfy enough to sleep.
Duration
Bearded dragons typically sleep for about 12 hours a day. When the UVB light goes off, it signals bedtime for them and vice versa. During the day, complementary naps help them digest food properly and conserve their energy, while at night, they rest to maintain their overall body function.
Signs of Inadequate Sleep in Bearded Dragons
Beardies enjoy resting just as they do feeding and basking. You can easily tell if your beardie isn’t sleeping well by the following signs:
Lethargy
A lethargic bearded dragon is more unresponsive and inactive compared to a healthy one. If you notice a decrease in energy from your pet, it might be lethargic from the lack of sleep. Furthermore, beardies may also lose their appetite due to lethargy. Hence, a change in behavior toward food can be associated with a lack of adequate rest.
Aggression
Your beardie may be grumpier and more aggressive than usual due to the lack of proper sleep. Hissing, blackening the beard, and stress marks are all tell-tale signs of aggression in bearded dragons that could be a result of poor sleeping patterns.
Eye Problems
Eye infections can develop from a lack of rest. If your beardie is secreting discharge from its eyes or you notice unusual redness or swelling, it may be from unsatisfactory sleep.
Why Does My Beardie Have Difficulty Sleeping?
If your bearded dragon is not sleeping properly, it could be due to several health or environmental issues such as the following:
Problematic Night Lighting
Some pet stores are notorious for recommending heat-emitting red lights, which only harm your beardie’s eyes and disrupt its sleep patterns. In turn, this can immensely stress your pet and deplete its health. To prevent this, use ceramic heat emitters (view on Amazon) that can warm up the enclosure without the unnatural, painful light.
Connect the heat emitter to a thermostat to activate it when the tank temperature drops below 65°F. Thermostats help deter the tank from excessively heating or cooling by regulating the heating device connected to them. Some smart thermostats (view on Amazon) can be controlled via Wi-Fi using a mobile app making the task easier for you.
Optionally, including rocks in the tank can help retain heat. Rock caves can be effective, providing natural warmth throughout the night without the need for a heat emitter to begin with.
Impaction
Bloating or constipation is uncomfortable to deal with, and can easily hinder rest in bearded dragons. Inspect your beardie’s belly area: if it looks full and feels hard to the touch, it may be restless due to the impaction. Soaking it in lukewarm water for about 10 to 15 minutes can help alleviate the constipation. However, if it persists, consult with your vet for a more effective treatment.
Metabolic Bone Disease
MBD is a painful and discomforting illness for bearded dragons. It affects their bones and posture impeding movement, breathing, and resting. If your beardie has metabolic bone disease, it could be the reason why it doesn’t sleep so well. Consult your veterinarian for better insight on the issue; if your pet is already receiving treatment when the sleep problems begin, a change in prescription may be necessary.
Respiratory Disease
Sleeping with a stuffy nose is highly irritating and uncomfortable for your beardie. If there is an underlying respiratory issue, it may interrupt sleep at the bare minimum. If you suspect an infection, immediately consult your veterinarian for treatment to prevent it from escalating. Respiratory disease in bearded dragons may seem mundane but can suddenly become fatal, sometimes even with treatment.
4 Effective Ways to Help Your Dragon Sleep Better
Bearded dragons require adequate sleep to stay active and healthy. Lack of proper rest can lead to various health complications like stunted growth in juveniles and prolonged inactivity in adults. Here are some tips to ensure your pet gets a good night’s sleep:
1. Consistent Light Cycle
Maintain a consistent light schedule of 12-14 hours of light during the day and 10-12 hours of darkness at night. This helps your beardie distinguish day from night, and retain a healthy circadian rhythm.
2. Provide Safe Spots
Ensure your bearded dragon has hiding spots like huts or caves to provide a sense of security and comfort when resting. Although some pet bearded dragons may choose to sleep in open areas, it’s still important for them to have shaded options to feel comfortable and secure.
3. Correct Temperature
The terrarium temperature is crucial for your pet dragon’s sleep routine. During the day, basking spots should be around 104°F to 107°F, and 85°F to 95°F in shaded or cool areas. At night, temperatures around 70°F to 77°F are ideal, however, beardies can manage colder temps not exceeding 65°F.
I recommend having two thermometers to keep track of the varying temperatures: one that stays inside the tank and another handheld one for taking precise measurements in specific areas, such as the basking spot and sleeping caves. This improves accuracy and reliability, further ensuring your pet’s safety.
4. Healthy Diet
A balanced diet is vital for your beardie’s overall health and directly affects its sleep. Feeding it an improper diet can lead to impaction or malnutrition, and irregularities that may affect its resting periods. Provide your pet with adequate protein and greens appropriate for its age.
Here is a table showing the correct diet for your beardie depending on its age:
| AGE | Fraction in Percent (Bugs & Veggies) | Number of Insects |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 2 months (Baby dragon) | 70/30 | 25 – 50/day |
| 3 to 6 months (Juvenile) | 70/30 | 25 – 50/day |
| 7 to 9 months (Pre-Adult) | 60/40 | 20/day |
| 10+ months (Adult) | 30/70 | 10/day |
Do Bearded Dragons Snore?
Bearded dragons do not snore. If your beardie makes sounds while sleeping, it is probably due to a respiratory disease and should be taken to the vet immediately. More symptoms of this issue in bearded dragons:
- Lethargy
- Heavy breathing
- Discharge from the nose
- Loss of appetite
- Dehydration
- Weight loss
Do Bearded Dragons Dream?
Whether or not bearded dragons dream is highly debatable as there is no scientific study to prove that they do. However, just like us, beardies experience rapid eye movement (REM) and twitch in their sleep, but it may or may not be associated with dreams.
