Bearded dragons are unique, robust reptiles, especially when they “puff up”. It looks cool, but sometimes this behavior can be a sign of stress, discomfort, or territoriality, as well as harmless reasons like simply being hungry or starting a shed.
Let’s explore the possible reasons that your bearded dragon may puff up and what you should do about it.
Reasons Why Bearded Dragon’s Puff Up
1. Stress
Reptiles are prone to stress, which can be devastating to their health 1. Stress has a negative impact on everything, including humans, but when reptiles are stressed, it can lead to serious illness or death quickly.
If your dragon is puffing up, it could be feeling stressed because it feels threatened, its environment has changed, or it’s seeing too much activity around its enclosure. For example, is your cat roaming and stalking your beardie?
Sometimes, a stressed dragon’s beard will get darker when it puffs up. Baby bearded dragons are also more prone to stress and, therefore, more likely to puff a lot until they adjust to their new home. Occasional stress is unavoidable, but you don’t want a beardie that’s always showing signs of stress. You also don’t want a defensive dragon that’s more likely to bite when you handle it.
The first step is checking the enclosure to make sure the lighting, temperature, and humidity are correct. You should also make sure there are plenty of hiding spots and “clutter” in the enclosure to give your beardie some natural cover.
In addition, make sure your beardie is kept in a quiet, relaxing place in the house. If you suspect other pets or children are giving your beardie too much attention, try to keep it in a closed room where they can’t access it.
2. Excitement
Bearded dragons are among the most affectionate reptiles, which is part of why so many people enjoy keeping them. Most beardie owners will tell you that their pet has a strong bond with them and choose them over other people.
When you bond with your beardie, you will notice signs that it’s excited to see you, much like the way a dog greets you when you come home. It may come to the glass, paw at it, or jump around, looking forward to eating or being handled. It may also puff up, without darkening, to show that it’s excited about what’s happening.
3. Preparing to Eat
Some owners suggest that beardies puff up before eating to make more room for food, but it’s more likely that your beardie is puffing up to look intimidating to its prey—especially if you feed live feeders. It’s not generally a cause for concern.
4. Shedding
Bearded dragons, like other reptiles, know when they’re about to shed their skin. Puffing up before this process helps to loosen the skin on the neck and body to help it slough more easily.
Not every dragon will puff up before a shed. If you notice that yours does as it comes into a shed consistently, it’s safe to assume that this is part of its individual process.
5. Mating
Male and female dragons can both puff up to attract a mate, though it’s more often the males that display this behavior. The male is displaying dominance and showing the female he’s interested, and the females may puff up to signal their receptivity. Females may also bob their heads or wave their arms,
Bearded dragons don’t have a clear mating season at a specific time of the year. They tend to mate right before brumation, which is a period similar to hibernation that occurs when the season becomes cold and rainy.
6. Territoriality
Bearded dragons can be territorial and don’t like to share their space, especially with beardies that are the same size or sex. These animals are direct sexual competition and invite a challenge.
All bearded dragons should have their own enclosure. While you may have two of the opposite that can coexist peacefully in a very large enclosure, this can lead to territoriality, competition for resources, stress, and other negative experiences. Two male beardies should NEVER share an enclosure, no matter how big it is.
7. Trying to Float
Beardies enjoy baths. A regular part of keeping bearded dragons is bathing them, which may happen because they’re impacted or because they have some stuck shed. If you overfill the bath basin and the water level is above the dragon’s shoulders, it may puff up reflexively to attempt to float.
Final Thoughts: Decoding Bearded Dragon Behavior
Beardies can be just as quirky as other reptiles, including the occasional puff-up. Many of the reasons on this list are harmless and just part of your beardie’s personality, but if you notice other signs of concern like going off food, weight loss, unusual aggression, or puffing up and darkening, it could mean your beardie is stressed. You may need to modify its enclosure to prevent the occasional stressful episode from becoming a chronic issue.
Featured Image Credit: h1r0maty31official, Pixabay