Bearded dragons are less vocal than many domestic pets, often communicating their feelings through body language. One notable method is their ability to darken certain body parts, particularly their beards. This color change can occur for several reasons, which we will explore shortly.
Bearded dragons often turn areas of their bodies black when they are stressed or annoyed. A darkened beard is a sign of aggression, while the darkening of other body parts may indicate internal issues, such as illness or discomfort, similar to how humans might have a high temperature during a fever.
As a bearded dragon owner, understanding your beardie’s behavior is essential for building a strong, healthy relationship. This guide will help you interpret your pet’s signals, allowing you to meet its needs and provide appropriate care. Let’s dive in!
How Bearded Dragons Actually Darken Their Scales
Bearded dragons can darken specific areas of their body by diminishing circulation to those regions. When blood flow is restricted, the affected scales become more pigmented, resulting in a darker appearance. This change can occur for various reasons; some dragons may darken their scales in response to stimuli, while others may experience gradual, prolonged darkening due to illness.
7 Reasons Why Your Bearded Dragon Is Turning Dark
Several factors can cause your bearded dragon to appear darker than usual. When this occurs, it is most likely due to one or more of the reasons listed below:
1. Signs of Aggression
Angry bearded dragons communicate their displeasure by puffing up and darkening their beards. This instant and noticeable change makes the beardie look more threatening to its aggressors. If your pet is darkening its beard in your presence, it might be perceiving you as a threat and signaling you to leave it alone. In such cases, other behaviors may accompany the dark beard such as hissing, flattening the body, and head bobbing.
2. Stress
When bearded dragons feel uncertain or uncomfortable, they can become stressed, as they rely on familiarity to feel safe. Significant changes to their enclosure or exposure to new sights and sounds can cause stress streaks or a blackened beard. However, this response varies among individual dragons as some are naturally more fearful or skeptical of their surroundings. From my experience with bearded dragons, I have witnessed my lizards get spooked and turn dark due to:
- Seeing its reflection
- Loud sounds from the lawn mower
- Another bearded dragon sighted from across the room
- A falcon poster that I briefly hung on the wall
- Sudden vibrations around the enclosure
- My nieces and nephews cooing around the tank
- One beardie didn’t like her hiding cave
- The vet visit that led to excessive handling
3. Heat Regulation
Bearded dragons may darken their scales to enhance heat absorption when they don’t receive adequate heat. If you notice unusual dark patches on your dragon’s skin, check that the temperature in its enclosure hasn’t dropped below 71°F. Note that heat lamps lose effectiveness over time, so they should be replaced every six months. In fact, some flimsily produced lamps may malfunction and stop emitting heat unexpectedly, which can instantly drop your beardie’s tank temperature without you noticing.
By regularly monitoring your pet’s equipment—such as thermometers, thermostats, and lighting—you can easily identify faulty supplies. That being said, investing in durable heat lamps and reliable thermometers can help avoid sudden temperature drops due to faulty equipment preventing their associated risks.
4. Assertion of Dominance
Bearded dragons are solitary and territorial creatures. When two adult dragons are kept in the same space, it usually ends in a brawl. The dominant dragon will darken its beard, stomp, and bob its head, while the weaker dragon may wave its arms in submission. In some cases, they may physically fight resulting in various injuries or even death.
This is why separating adult bearded dragons is necessary unless they are brought together for mating purposes. If you’d like to learn more, read my article on how bearded dragons mate.
5. Shedding
Shedding entails peeling off the outgrown skin of the bearded dragon revealing a new one underneath. It can be a challenging process that involves gradually restricting blood flow to the old skin causing it to darken and dry. Shedding can cause discomfort and stress which may in turn lead to your beardie getting darker around the belly and beard.
6. Symptoms of An Illness
When beardies fall ill, they may look paler than usual with darkened beards, bellies, and limbs. If you notice this happening more frequently despite your pet’s properly maintained habitat, visit your vet immediately. Your dragon may be suffering from internal injuries, parasites, or other health issues.
7. Discomfort from Impaction
Impaction is a condition in which the intestinal tract gets blocked by undigested food causing constipation. This highly uncomfortable and somewhat painful condition can happen to bearded dragons at any time causing a darkened belly and beard, along with stiffness, bloating, and infrequent stools.
What to Do When Your Bearded Dragon Turns Darker
If your bearded dragon is appearing darker than usual, here are some immediate steps to address the situation:
Check the Temperature
Ensure that the enclosure temperature is appropriate. The basking area should be between 104° and 107° Fahrenheit, while shaded areas should range from 71° to 73° Fahrenheit. Use a stick-on thermometer (view on Amazon) to track temperature in the enclosure and a gun thermometer (view on Amazon) for precise basking site measurement. If temperatures drop due to seasonal changes, consider adding a ceramic heating lamp or upgrading to a more efficient basking bulb (view on Amazon).
Relocate Your Dragon
Some beardies feel stressed when they’re near a lot of activity. If this is your pet’s setting, move the enclosure to a quieter, more stable environment to help it relax. Bearded dragons can be easily spooked by outdoor noise, including moving vehicles.
Avoid Housing Multiple Adult Beardies Together
Do not keep two adult bearded dragons in the same space unless they’re breeding. They will fight over resources, injure themselves, and cause shortages for the weaker dragon. This will result in both dragons appearing darker from the sheer stress.
Eliminate Reflections
If your dragon is darkening its beard near the glass of its enclosure, it may be perceiving its reflection as a threat. Cover three sides of the tank with wallpaper to minimize reflections, or add decorations around the walls to help it feel safer.
Check for Injuries
Observe your dragon for any signs of discomfort or unusual activity. Pay attention to its movement; if it’s walking awkwardly or unable to relax comfortably, your pet may be in pain. Report this to your vet immediately for appropriate treatment.
Can Female Bearded Dragons Darken Their Beard?
Darkening of the beard or other parts of the body can occur in both sexes as it’s a natural response in bearded dragons. Male bearded dragons may darken their beards more frequently to assert dominance, but an agitated or frightened female beardie may also darken her beard in response.
Can Bearded Dragons Camouflage?
Bearded dragons are not known to actively camouflage. However, the Eastern Australian bearded dragon cleverly rests on logs matching its complexion to blend in. This species is distinctly darker with scales that are nearly all-black and has a more streamlined body compared to the Central bearded dragons.
How Long Will My Beardie’s Beard Stay Dark?
Your bearded dragon’s darkened areas will return to their normal color once they recover. For example, if your pet is annoyed, simply leaving it alone or removing the visible threat can reverse the dark beard in about 10 minutes. However, if the darkening is due to an illness, it may persist until the dragon feels better, which could be anything from days to weeks.
