Bearded Dragon Laying Flat | 3 Reasons

Nowadays, there are so many pet owners who want to have bearded dragons as their pets. Pet bearded dragons are adorable, easy to tame, friendly, and entertaining. However, they need food like mango and an environment to make them healthy and happy. 

Bearded dragons are fun and fascinating to watch. They are very calm pets to keep. But handling them can be a bit stressful as they are moody pets. Some guidelines are that pet owners must take care of the substrate, handling technique, lighting temperature, etc.

There are so many behaviors in bearded dragons that their pet owners are often curious about. One of the curious behavior pet owners is always looking up to know the reason behind why bearded dragon laying flat. Is there any scientific reason behind this behavior of bearded dragons? Should pet owners get worried about this thing? And there are so many queries related to this. Let’s understand the reason behind these queries.

3 Reasons Why do Bearded Dragons Flatten Out

1: Feeling Scared 

One of the most common reasons pet bearded dragons go flat is because they feel scared of something and uncomfortable with it. In return, they flatten their bodies. Bearded dragons do this act to defend themselves from the situation or environment, and when they flatten their bodies, it makes them look more mighty. 

Most of the time, pet owners will notice their bearded dragons hiding when they feel scared, and this behavior is something that everyone is aware of. And they do this when they are intimidated by some huge animal. However, they also go flat when they are afraid when they come across any predator or huge animal. 

2: Sickness 

Another reason bearded dragons flatten their stomach is that they are not feeling well and cannot move their bodies. Due to this, bearded dragons have to make their body flat. It can be a concerning case for pet owners; in this case, they should look after their adorable pet bearded dragons. 

They can feel sick because they are not getting enough food, and even when they feed with the right amount of food, they are not getting the proper nutrition. It can also happen when bearded dragons are not getting enough calcium in their diet, which causes them to go flat. 

 3: Regulate the Temperature 

The next reason is to regulate the temperature pet bearded dragons often go flat. Bearded dragons are known to be cold-blood animals, and they originally come from hot deserts. 

They are known to be exothermic, and they often look for outer heat sources to maintain the temperature of their body and function well. If they do not get the proper amount of heat from their surroundings, they will behave very slowly and feel weak, making them go flat. 

When it comes to digesting food, it depends on the temperature in which pet bearded dragons are living. When bearded dragons stay in a very cold environment, the food given to them will not digest properly in their stomach.

Eventually, that food will rot inside the bearded dragon’s stomach. For this, pet bearded dragons will go flat, and it will help them in keeping them warm. 

Should I Worry If My Bearded Dragon Is Laying Flat?

Pet owners should notice that their adorable pet bearded dragons are showing this act of going flat when they come across other pet animals, such as cats or dogs. If such, they should avoid the confrontations of their other pets with bearded dragons. 

If there are some new pet owners, it is natural for their new pet bearded dragons to get scared of them. In this case, pet owners should not hurry to be friends with their pet dragons. Pet owners should first make them feel comfortable around their new surroundings, and they should also provide them with a comfortable and heated tank that contains enough sand in it.

Another thing that pet owners can do is spend their time with their bearded dragons. It will make bearded dragons aware of their new pet owners, and they will slowly get comfortable around them and keep their fear aside.

There are also times when bearded dragons get scared of some toys and objects. In this case, pet owners should avoid those toys and not take them near their bearded dragons. Once they get comfortable and used to being around those toys and objects, they will not feel scared. 

However, pet owners should worry when their bearded dragons are laying flat because their bodies are deprived of enough heat, and because of this, they are unable to digest their food, and the food is rotting inside their bodies. It is when pet owners should provide their bearded dragons with some heat source, take them out in the sun, provide them with enough sand in their tanks, and much more.

Pet owners should also get worried and take their bearded dragons to the vet when laying flat on the surface. It shows that their bearded dragons are not getting enough calcium, making them sick, and their stomach goes flat, affecting their body functions. 

Conclusion 

There are so many reasons why bearded dragons flatten out. Sometimes they feel scared of the situation or environment, so they go flat. There can also be some situations when they are sick and can’t move their bodies, and they flatten their bodies. Another reason pet owners can notice their bearded dragon laying flat is to regulate the temperature. 

Pet owners should provide their bearded dragons with a safe and secure environment and good food and look after their bearded dragons’ behavior. 

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