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My bearded dragon is sluggish, not eating, and has a black beard. Is it sick?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Reptile | Bearded Dragon | Male | unneutered
Hello im jose. My daughter has a bearxed dragon who seems it may be wanting to hybernate but im not sure what the signs are. The BD dont eat has a black beard and seems very sluggish to hold on or even want to adjust itself kinda just laying there are we disturbing its hybernating?
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on December 25th, 2019
Thanks for reaching out about Leo. Hibernation is stimulated by winter conditions (cold temperature, decreased food opportunity). If the environmental temperature is still hot, concerns are that she is ill and a veterinary visit is recommended. Intestinal parasites or infections, metabolic disorders and other possibilities exist. Good luck.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on December 8th, 2018
Thanks for reaching out about Stitch. If your environmental temperatures are consistent, brumation is not the cause. Bearded dragons need to kept in temperatures of 80-100 degrees during the day, but night temperatures should not drop below 60. A diet limited in crickets can lead to dietary deficiencies such as low protein, low calcium and other minerals lacking. A sick reptile should be examined by a reptile-wavy veterinarian for a diagnosis and treatment plan. Good luck.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Training & Behavior
here lately one of my bearded dragons have hiding out in her cage like she hibernating not eating she'll peek her head out every now and then but that's it she won't do much else but lay in her corner
Thanks for reaching out about your bearded dragon. Bearded dragons do not hibernate, so concerns would be around being too cold or being sick. It the environmental temperature is correct, a veterinarian should be visited to aid in the diagnosis and treatment. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi I have a 5 months old bearded dragon. The past two days he hasn't been eating and feels like he is filled with air like a balloon. His beard is also black for the first time. He has been pooping regularly and looks healthy otherwise. Temps are cor
Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites. Monitor Drogon for difficulty breathing, blowing bubbles, lethargy, or odd sounds while breathing. These are symptoms of an upper respiratory infection. Parasites or URI may cause the condition you are seeing. Bump cage temps up by about 5F for a few days. Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte twice daily for 15-20 minutes. Make sure the UVB light source is not older than 6 months and use quality vitamin and mineral supplements. If Drogon gets worse or does not begin eating soon, have him examined by an experienced herp veterinarian.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Our 5 year old Bearded Dragon seems sick. We’ve had him since birth. He’s always loved to eat meal worms crickets and greens. He’s very picky on the greens we’ve never been able to get him to eat any other fruits or veggies. Few months ago he started
Check the temperature in the enclosure. Low temps can affect activity and appetite in reptiles. You can soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for about 20 minutes every few days to prevent or treat mild dehydration. In case he is constipated, you can gently massage the abdomen, front to back, during the soak. You can supplement his diet with Fluker's Repta-Boost ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/flukers-reptaboost-insectavore-and-carnivore-high-amp-boost ). Find it in the local Petco. Continue to offer fresh, chopped greens and prey. Place them in a shallow cup to make it easy for him to eat. Survey the area in and around the cage for any negative stimuli. This may include loud noises, strong vibrations, high traffic or cold drafts. Reduce or eliminate any if found. Consider a tank surround to limit his view in case something he sees is causing him stress or making him angry. If symptoms persist or worsen, he will need to be physically e
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My beardie has a black beard and half of his tail is black. Last night when I got him out he seemed very lazy and he ended up throwing up which is very unusual. It was mostly greens, metal worms and a little veggie mix we give him. I didnt over feed
Check temps in the enclosure first. Low temps can affect digestion which could lead to regurgitation. It can also cause stress resulting in the black beard. Other potential causes include impaction, constipation, overeating (less likely with a decreased appetite) or infection (bacterial, viral, parasites). Survey the area in and around the enclosure for other negative stimuli. Reduce or eliminate if found. Continue soaks in a 50/50 mix of water and unflavored PediaLyte. This will provide supplemental heat and may treat or prevent minor dehydration. Gently massage the abdomen, front to back, during the soak to stimulate defecation. If symptoms persist, have him examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial overgrowth. Your vet may recommend x-rays to rule out or diagnose impaction, tumors or foreign body.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My friends bearded dragon is gaging, had a black beard and isn't eating. They have been feeding him mealworms,superworms, crickets and strawberries. They said it started a month and a half ago They said she's also acting lethargic. They said this
Her diet is not nutritionally balanced. An adult beardie (12 months and older) should be eating mostly fresh greens and vegetables, about 75-80% of the diet with the remainder comprised of protein (crickets, dubia roaches, etc). For juveniles, the percentages are reversed. All food should be appropriately sized to make eating easier. The rule of thumb is to offer no greens or prey that is bigger than the space between the eyes. A multivitamin and a calcium supplement are also critical to good health. A bearded dragon also need appropriate temperature and UVB lighting. There should be a cool side, warm side and a basking area. The UVB light should be unobstructed and no more than 14-16 inches from th3e surface of the tank. You can find specifics for diet and environment here: http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=17+1796&aid=2730 The gagging may be diet related or not. The black beard is a sign of stress. These symptoms could be nutritional, en
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Bearded Dragons tail and neck has turned black today. He has become very lethargic and will not move from his corner. He is not usually a fan of being handled or touched as he is still young however he will not bat an eye while we touch him. He is ju
Although a picture of it would help to determine the underlying cause more specific advices, these signs are quite concerning. A skin rot in his case is on top of differential list and I would recommend immediate check up as antibiotic may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hello! My bearded dragon has been acting very lethargic and hasn’t been eating. This has been going on for about a couple months now. What should I do?
Thanks for reaching out about Bonita. Check and correct husbandry including temperature gradient (daily high and lows, warm and cool ends), UVB exposure and diet. Since this has been going on a long time, a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide diagnostic/treatment plan. Try offering water and food via a syringe prior to the vet appointment. Intestinal infections or parasites, metabolic disorders (liver, kidney), other infections and more are all possible. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I have a bearded dragon I got from the let store about a week and a half ago. He has all the right lighting and the lady told me hes 3. He refuses to eat veggies and ever since I've gotten him his beard has been black. He doesn't puff up at me and le
The black beard Is indeed an indication of stress or anger. It may be due to his new surroundings or something could be wrong in his environment.
You can review care and feeding here: http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html
Confirm proper temps and humidity. Also, provide a hide large enough for him to enter on each side of his enclosure.
As long as Boris is at least 16-17 inches long, superworms are fine to feed. Gut load them for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. For variety, you can offer appropriately sized crickets, dubia roaches or phoenix worms.
Try offering greens in the morning about an hour or two after the heat lamp comes on. He may be hungrier at this time. Once he eats his greens, you can offer prey. Sometimes, a sprinkle of dried mealworms on the greens will stimulate the appetite.
Since he is "new" to you, an exam with your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles would be recommended to confirm good health or to diagnose and t
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I have a bearded dragon and yesterday he was very sluggish until I fed him and today he's sleeping and when he woke up I fed him crickets but now he is going back to sleep. Could he be going into brumation or is he sick?
Thanks for reaching out about Stitch. If your environmental temperatures are consistent, brumation is not the cause. Bearded dragons need to kept in temperatures of 80-100 degrees during the day, but night temperatures should not drop below 60. A diet limited in crickets can lead to dietary deficiencies such as low protein, low calcium and other minerals lacking. A sick reptile should be examined by a reptile-wavy veterinarian for a diagnosis and treatment plan. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My beardie LJ seems kinda depressed. How can I help him?
Confirm proper environmental parameters first. Make sure his enclosure is warm enough. Low temps will make a beardie appear sluggish or lethargic. Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte. This will warm him up and treat or prevent mild dehydration. If he hasn't defecated recently, you can gently massage his abdomen, from front to back, during the soak to stimulate defecation. Make sure he is getting adequate UVB lighting and vitamin and mineral supplementation. If his behavior persists, have him examined by your veterinarian to diagnose illness or injury.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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