Depressed Bearded Dragon : 7 Cool Ways To Cheer Up Sad Bearded Dragon

The unique behavior and temperament of bearded dragons lead to many questions. Many people ask a question about depressed bearded dragons. There can be many reasons behind this. They are very sensitive to the external environment. Any change results in the behavior change in bearded dragons.

Can bearded dragons get depressed? Bearded dragons can get depressed. The major reason behind depression is stimulation and lack of captivity. In the wild bearded dragons have plenty of things to make themselves busy such as hunting and predation for food, but when they are in the tank, lack of activity results in bearded dragon depression.

In this article, we will discuss what the reasons for bearded dragon depression are, and why bearded dragon curled up, and many other things related to a depressed bearded dragon. Let’s dive into the details of the depressed bearded dragon.

Can Bearded Dragons Get Depressed?

Yes, bearded dragons can get depressed because of any abnormality in regular behavior. When there is any change in environment or regularity, it may result in depression. A sad bearded dragon can be because of any change in surroundings.

In wildlife, bearded dragons can move easily, and they hunt and prey to get food. But when they are in the tank, then they don’t do these things. That is why stimulation lack is the main reason for depressed bearded dragons.

The bearded dragon seems depressed because of many reasons. When there is stimulation outside or inside the tank, it may result in depression of bearded dragons.  If you see that a bearded dragon shows anxiety, you should fix those problems for the proper growth of bearded dragons. Otherwise, it can cause serious problems. The bearded dragon seems depressed when we change the habitat.

Now, we are going to discuss the four important reasons behind depressed bearded dragons.

Small Tank

When you see that bearded dragon is depressed, then it may be due to stimulation lack. Stimulation is lacking because of the small size of the tank. When there is a small tank, then the beardie becomes bored due to less movement, which leads to depression. A depressed bearded dragon can be due to its small tank size.

When they are in the wild, they roam hunting to get food. When they are in the tank, they don’t do as much movement as they do in the wild. As a result, they get depressed. You need to know the size of the tank or habitat of bearded dragons.

 Not Stimulation In Tank

When there is a small size tank, then bearded dragons cannot move freely in the tank. You need to provide the correct habitat inside the tank.  If the tank is boring and plain, it can be because of under-stimulation and depression in bearded dragons. It would help if you gave them such an environment that closely resembles the natural wildlife.

You should place those rocks, plants, and stones inside the tank for the enjoyment of beardies. Keep in mind that all these things must be free from chemicals and molds. When bearded dragons will move or climb on these rocks, then there are fewer chances of depression in bearded dragons.

No Stimulation Outside The Tank

When you provide stimulation sources inside the tank, there must be something outside the tank that can cause stimulation in bearded dragons outside the tanks. If bearded dragons stay in the tank and don’t go outside, it may result in boredom and depression. It would be best if you gave them playtime to minimize the depression in bearded dragons.

A depressed bearded dragon can be the victim of diarrhea. You can make an enrichment pod that is a space like a playpen with unusual objects and toys. This can be a good source of recreation. You can let bearded dragons hunt food outside the tank if there is safe space.

Losing Bearded Dragons In the Same House

Many owners of bearded dragons reported that their bearded dragons become depressed when there is another beardie in their habitat. When there is more than one bearded dragon in the same tank, this can be because of stress and depression issues. This can also result in behavior change.

If there are separate houses for bearded dragons, but they are connected, it may result in depression. That is why bearded dragon owners need to keep them separate.

How Do I Know If My Bearded Dragon Is Unhappy?

When the bearded dragon is unhappy and sick, then you will see that their eyes would give away. Sick beardies will be lethargic; then, they will not be much curious about the happening around them. Unhappy bearded dragons show symptoms like acting aggressive, breathing heavily, and hiding them. You should consult with your vet for the treatment of beardies.

How Do You Know If Your Bearded Dragon Is Depressed

Many symptoms are there that will let you know that the bearded dragon is depressed. The color of the depressed bearded dragon turns black and darkens. The darkening of color is because of depression. This symptom is almost in all types of bearded dragons. If bearded dragons have black beards, it tells us that recent change is a cause of stress. No matter if it was a good change or a bad change.

Do Wild Bearded Dragons Get Depressed?

Bearded dragons only get depressed in artificial habitats. In the wild bearded dragons will not depress because of the stimulation. In the wild, they will not be depressed because there is a lot of activity like preying and hunting.

They have a lot of time to do physical activities to keep themselves busy. In the daytime, they busy themselves with hunting and finding prey. During the daytime, they also bask to get the optimum temperature. A depressed bearded dragon male may bite the owner in stressful conditions.

Wild beardies are often forced to burrow in dumps to avoid predators and midday sun. These activities repeat regularly. In the wild, bearded dragons live a happy life because of a lot of work and recreation, but this life is full of threats, and there is a hectic routine because of hard work. But they consume ready-made things in the tank, and this life is easy for beardies because of no work. But no regular work results in depressed bearded dragons.

We learned from all the above points that bearded dragons in wildlife might not depress, and there is no chance of getting depression in the wild.

Do Unhealthy Bearded Dragon Poop When Depressed?

Depressed bearded dragon, it can be because of stimulation lack. When bearded dragons suffer from diarrhea or other stomach issues, it may result in unhealthy bearded dragons pooping. There can be many reasons like excessive temperature, unsanitary cages, watery bowls, malnutrition, spoiled food, adenovirus infections, intestinal infection, bacterial infection, parasites, and stress, etc.

When the bearded dragon is depressed, then there can be improper digestion. Stress can cause improper digestion in bearded dragons. When there is any change in the regular life of a beardie, then it may result in improper functioning, and it can lead to diarrhea and other stomach issues.

How Do You Cheer Up A Depressed Bearded Dragon?

Many ways to cheer up bearded dragons. You should make your bearded dragons happy with many things. When bearded dragons become aggressive, then they may bite their owners. In this situation, you should calm your beardie. There are many methods to calm bearded dragons. Not all methods are the same for all dragons.

Bearded dragons are lazy when they are unhappy. You should know about the strategies to calm bearded dragons when they are in depression. The following points are worth considering to calm bearded dragons.

Bath Time

Fill the bathtub or sink with warm water. The height should be one to two inches. The water should be at 90 to 93 degrees Fahrenheit. Let bearded dragons rest in water. It would be best if you rubbed the head, back, and belly of the beardie. Let him calm down.  Don’t allow water to reach in the mouth or eyes of bearded dragons. As the bearded dragon is a dry-weather organism; and they are not tolerable to high water amounts.

Remove Sensory Burden

You should remove the extra burden from beardies to cheer them up. You can cover the habitat or enclosure with blankets or other things. It may be helpful for a calming beardie. It is because the covering removes the overloading sound and light. It would help if you warmed the tank of beardie. When you cover them, then turn off the lamp to save them from overheating.

Less Handling

Relocation may result in a depressed bearded dragon. Most reptiles get depressed because of relocation. You should know the handling method for depressed bearded dragons because they may bite and harm you.

Make Them Familiar To Your Scent

You need to familiarize your bearded dragons with your scent, then they will recognize you very quickly. Place your hand in the tank. The hand should be in front of the bearded dragon face with palm up. Follow it with your hand if the bearded dragon runs away.

You can repeat this method several times. Then they can be familiarized with scent, and then they will calm down. It is because of familiarity and trust with you. It is very difficult for the owner to make them familiar with when the pet is new. When there is a new pet, they feel very stressed and threatened when there is something near them.

Regular training is very necessary to train bearded dragons. You can train multiple times in a day but don’t disturb the sleep cycle of bearded dragons. It is because disturbance in the sleep cycle may result in stunted growth.

Feed Your Bearded Dragons From Hand

You should feed bearded dragons with your hand if you want to make them more familiar with you. When you feed with the hand, they will be familiar with the scent, which results in good relations with beardies. If there is a depressed bearded dragon and you have a treat or green in hand, you can calm him.

Talk With Pet Calmly

Like humans, bearded dragons respond in the same way as other living things. Talking with bearded dragons results in bearded dragon calmness. You can talk to them in a soothing, low, and calm voice. When you talk in this way, then its body calms down.

Stroke Head Gently

These are common things that owners do for bearded dragons. Take a finger and gently rub the head of the bearded dragon. Rubbing from nose to crown results in calmness, but you should not touch his eyes. This method is only for mild type depression. For aggressive bearded dragons, this method would not work.

Bearded Dragon Too Cold Symptoms For Depression

Excessive cold temperatures are not suitable for bearded dragons. Bearded dragons become completely immobile and still when they are exposed to cold temperatures. When there is a shortage of energy in bearded dragons, they cannot get energy. As a result, they aren’t able to move. When there are too many cold symptoms, then they are not willing to show movement.

Final Verdict On Depressed Bearded Dragon

Many reasons are there for a depressed bearded dragon, like when there is a small size habitat or tank, then it can be the reason for depression. If there is more than one beardie in the tank, it may be the reason for depression. It would be best if you separated them in the tank.

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️