As pet lovers, if we see our bearded dragon bloated suddenly, it can be shocking for us. We never want our pets in trouble, so let’s help them get rid of it. Bloating can occur due to many reasons. We will discuss this in detail, which will help you greatly.
Why is my bearded dragon bloated?
These are the 6 major reasons bearded dragons are bloated.
- Bathing
- Basking
- Egg binding
- Impaction
- threatened
- Not popping
1. bathing
No doubt bath is good to make your bearded dragon hydrated and healthy.
They can soak water; it’s especially good for them in hot weather. Bathtime is playtime for them.
When you put your beardie in the water, you will notice they bloat themselves to float in water, and it happens mostly when the water is too deep.
So if you experience bloating in a bearded dragon after a bath, the problem is deep water and bathing for a long time.
Bath time should be less than 30 minutes in good, and make sure water covers his legs only it prevents bloating.
2. Basking
Bearded dragons enjoy basking through natural sources and heat lamps. Naturally, they are exothermic pets and need a good source of light to consume heat in the body.
These natural sources of light and UVB help to prevent metabolic bone disease. But you may observe bearded dragon open their mouth while basking because they want to consume as much as possible.
Secondly, their belly looks bloated. Don’t worry. They just did it to absorb light as much as needed. So if you see a bearded dragon look bloated after basking, then no problem. After some time, it will be normal.
3. Egg binding
Egg bind (Dystocia) means a female beardie cannot pass its eggs and retain them in the oviduct.
It’s a disorder, and the eggs easily break, which causes severe infection.
When a bearded dragon suffers from this situation, its belly looks bloated. You can check this by putting little pressure using your finger and even feel the stuck eggs but be careful eggs should not break.
If you have a female adult beardie that looks swollen, consult the best vet because it’s life-threatening and can damage the internal system. If you want to know more about eggs in bearded dragons click here how to tell if bearded dragons are dead?
Causes of Egg Binding in Bearded Dragons:
• Nutritional deficiency
• Infection in the oviduct
• Insufficient nesting space
4. Impaction
Another reason bearded dragons are bloated is impaction.
In impaction, the digestive tract is completely blocked by eating something wrong, not digesting properly, and failing to poop.
In this soft creature, impaction may be worse than in humans.
Causes of impaction:
• Wrong selection of substrate
They consume it by mistake and are unable to digest it, so it’s better to use solid substrates like paper towels, carpets, and newspapers.
• Diet problem
When they try to eat food more than the size of their eye, it can get stuck in their digestive tract and cause severe problems.
• Inappropriate Temperature
We know very well they need proper heat to digest the food.
Impaction can be the reason for bloating in bearded dragons.
Symptoms:
- Difficulty in walking
2. difficult to move
3. Lethargy
4. Refuse to eat
5. Self Defense
The danger of anything in bearded dragons can be a reason for bloating.
When they feel any fear because of a new place or pet, they start bloating, which means they try to look bigger.
It’s normal behavior of every pet and a sign of aggression if you are new to him or see something that bothers him.
6. Not popping
This occurs when they eat too much but not pooping for a few days.
It’s an obvious situation, just like humans. If we are eating too much but are unable to poop can cause belly bloating and pain.
Keep an eye on the time of eating and pooping. If there is a sudden change and the beardie looks abnormal, this is the major issue. That’s why the bearded dragon is bloated.
Try to avoid feeding in this situation. Give them water continuously and consult a vet.
Conclusion:
After reading this, you better understand the reason for bloating in bearded dragons. Things are different for male and female bearded dragons. You have to act according to the symptoms in your beardie. Please share your experience with us by commenting below.
FAQ
Mostly it’s a sign of stress and aggression in bearded dragons due to any threat.
Because they are eating food full of fats and proteins, they need fat but reduce the amount of fat in their diet.
Some major signs of overeating are refusing to eat, being unable to move, and having a bloated belly.