When it comes to reptiles, there’s nothing better than learning new things. Bearded dragons are no exception and that’s why we’ve created this list of bearded dragon facts for you to enjoy!
We always try to provide posts that are as thorough as possible, but if we miss something, please leave a comment or send us a message. We’re always looking to improve your experience on our site!
Table of Contents
Bearded dragon fact #1:
When a bearded dragon gets scared, they puff up their spiny beards and open their mouths in order to look big and tough. Luckily, this move doesn’t cause the mana-decrease to humans as it does to other animals.
Even though their spikes look very sharp, they aren’t actually that sharp. If your beardie puffs up though, remember that you or something else is stressing it out.
Fact #2:
Bearded dragons can run a whopping 9 miles per hour! This obviously depends on if they feel like moving from their basking rock and whether or not they are nice and hot.
There are even instances where bearded dragons have been known to run on two legs!
Since they are cold-blooded, you’ll notice that your bearded dragon moves a lot faster when it has spent sufficient time basking. When they are still cold, beardies don’t move as quickly.
Fact #3:
Even though bearded dragons originally come from Australia, it is currently illegal for these animals to be exported out of the country.
It’s thought that all bearded dragons currently in circulation in Europe and the US are actually illegal immigrants!
Back in the day, exporting beardies outside of Australia was less of a problem, and thus many captive-bred individuals are probably descendants of these globetrotters.
Fact #4:
Bearded dragons bob their head to show dominance. Males do it to each other to intimidate one another, but also to attract females they might come across.
Actually, you may notice your bearded dragon head bobbing everywhere they go. This isn’t a bad thing and will generally settle down once they get used to their surroundings.
Let’s be honest, there’s not much competition…
Fact #5:
Bearded dragons can actually flatten themselves out slightly to catch more of the sun’s rays to warm up. This helps them increase their body temperature quickly which is useful for escaping predators or digesting their food.
It looks kind of strange when you first see it as they look like a dragon-pancake hybrid, but you’ll soon get used to it!
Fact #6:
Bearded dragons can actually eat vegetables and other plant-based foods as well as insects!
As bearded dragons get older they need more vegetables and plant-based foods and fewer insects. They also have an extremely broad diet compared to most other reptiles.
Fact #7:
You can walk your bearded dragon on a leash once they get used to you. Just be careful when going outside as there may be unhealthy pesticides on the grass!
To take your beardy outside safely, make sure you don’t spray anything on the grass in your back garden and only allow them to roam around there. Keep their makeshift enclosure away from the edges of your garden as you don’t know if your neighbours have sprayed their garden.
Fact #8:
Bearded dragons will actually wave at each other, or even at you!
We don’t really know why bearded dragons wave but it is thought to be a way of showing that they are submissive. It seems to be like them telling you (or each other) that they aren’t a threat.
Unfortunately, google translate doesn’t speak reptilian yet so we’ve yet to find out what exactly it means… It looks funny though!
Fact #9:
Bearded dragons actually have a third eye!
On the top of their heads, there a small third eye used for spotting threats from above. This isn’t a fully developed eye like the ones on the sides of their head, but it helps them notice when the light from above is blocked off.
This is very useful for them to spot birds of prey or other larger predators and to help them escape on time.
Fact #10
Bearded dragons have teeth!
They’re difficult to spot, but bearded dragons have teeth. The teeth at the front of their mouth are used for prey animals while those in the back are used for eating fruits and vegetables.
These teeth can cause a nasty bite when your bearded dragon is older. Luckily, cases of bearded dragons biting are few and far between. A bite also isn’t dangerous; it just hurts slightly and may draw some blood.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of things we don’t know about bearded dragons. Even if you have one as a pet, there may still be things you don’t know about your pet bearded dragon. This is the fun of keeping reptiles as pets.
Remember to enjoy your pet bearded dragon and to keep herping!
