This article will explain your query about How long can Bearded Dragons go without Food and why they do so in detail.
Food is the essential element needed for an individual to thrive and grow up. Similarly, in the case of your most beloved pet, food is essential for its survival and healthy growth.
Bearded Dragons sometimes show a lot of self-restraint when it comes to consuming their food. Most pet owners have one question in their mind in this scenario, i.e., How Long Can Bearded Dragons Go Without Food?
The answer is, that these cute creatures can go on without taking in food for as long as 2 months at a stretch. If they have enough body fat to sustain themselves, they can even go without food for 3 to 4 months. In this circumstance, they need to intake ample water to fill in that space.
Bearded Dragons have become one of the most liked pets of people all over the world. Their immense popularity is their submissive nature, less demanding lifestyle, and very long life.
How Long Can Bearded Dragons Go Without Food?
The answer to this very question rests upon two critical factors:
- The age of your Bearded Dragon
- The physical condition of your Bearded Dragon
The fully grown bearded dragons who already consume a lot of food consisting of ample amounts of fat generally survive up to two months without food. This is not a healthy practice for your pet beardy, though. It will lead to a significant amount of weight loss in your pet.
On the contrary, the younger bearded dragons should be looked after very well. They need a lot of care during their formative years for their healthy growth afterward. The diet for your young bearded dragon should consist mostly of protein-based foods so that they are healthy and physically fit.
The Dragons in their Brumation period can probably survive up to some months without consuming solid food. In this scenario, the intake of water must be on a regular and usual basis. The factors on which the survival skills of your Bearded Dragon depend on its age, fitness, weight, amount of body fat, etc.
Still in this condition, the pet owner will think about the same question – How Long Can Bearded Dragons Go Without Food? The answer to this question is not as simple as during the Brumation period of the Bearded Dragon. A completely fit Beardy can survive without food for anywhere between a few weeks up to 3 months without consuming food.
On the other hand, the younger bearded Dragons are not so fit, and hence, they can’t survive without a proper protein-based diet and care for even a single day. They must be fed well.
The question that haunts the Beardy owners in this circumstance is, Why Does my Bearded Dragon not Consume food? I will provide you with this simple answer in the next segment.
6 Reasons Why Your Bearded Dragon is Not Eating
If your Bearded dragon has stopped eating, there must be a reason for it. In all probabilities, the signs have been ignored by you. So, the question is not How Long Can Bearded Dragons Go without Food? On the contrary, the question must be, Why isn’t my Beardy not Consuming its Food? There are several reasons for this:
- Stress
- Environmental Change
- Drastic Dietary Change
- Incorrect Temperature
- Inadequate Diet
- Brumation
We will explore the reasons one by one for a clearer and better viewpoint on How Long Can Bearded Dragons Go Without Food. And the Reason Why do they do so?
1. Stress
Bearded Dragons often encounter stress due to various reasons. The reasons for which they get stressed are enumerated below:
Presence of Another Bearded Dragon
It is never recommended to keep two or more bearded dragons in the same tank or terrarium. If somehow they share the same tank and live together, there is a high chance that one of the pets will be dominant over the other one. This will make the less dominant dragon lose its appetite and eventually cause stress in it. One beardy will not be able to bask under the lamp, and hence it won’t be able to digest the food it ate.
Presence of Other Pets
A prevalent scenario is where a person has other pets at home and the Bearded Dragon, such as cats and dogs. The Bearded Dragon might be stressed due to the presence of these pests. It can never share a home with scary pets around. Your beard can lose its appetite due to this aspect as well. It would help if you kept the pets separate, at least for some days, to make your bearded dragon comfortable.
Presence of Foreign Objects
We often miss the smaller details in our lives. If we paid a little more detail to the smaller objects present around the tank where the pet lives, we could understand why the dragon is not eating. If you keep a doll or a small item near its tank, you can mistake it for predators and stop eating for days. You must be careful not to change your bearded dragon’s surroundings drastically.
2. Environmental Change
If there is a change in the environment of your bearded dragon, it can stop eating due to anxiety. If you have changed the location of the tank or terrarium from a smaller one to a bigger one or vice versa, your pet may react in the affirmative, or there is a high chance that it may stop eating food. Therefore, the question is not How Long Can Bearded Dragons Go Without Food? But How can the Environmental change affect the Beardy, and How can you make it eat?
The answer is pretty simple You need to give your own time to adjust to its new surroundings. This will make them eat their food again.
3. Drastic Dietary Changes
Bearded Dragons will fast if they are not satisfied with the food served to them. If you make drastic changes in your pet’s diet, it’s obvious that it will not eat. Bearded dragons even starve themselves to death if they don’t like the new food. This happens when they feel ill from within. It is best not to alter their diet completely to get the best nutrition and taste out of their everyday food.
4. Incorrect Temperature
A Bearded dragon needs an optimal body temperature to function on its own. If it does not get that ideal temperature, he will stop consuming its food. It needs its normal body temperature to aid it in its digestion process.
I will provide you with the correct temperature guide for your beardy below :
Bearded Dragon Tank Temperature Guide
- Heat Basking Area – 95-100 Degrees Fahrenheit
- Colder Area – 75-80 Degree Fahrenheit
- Night Time Temperature – 70-75 Degree Fahrenheit
5. Inadequate Diet
If your Bearded Dragon is worried about its new diet, it may face issues like runny stool and severe diarrhea. Feeding it a lot of Lettuce or plant-based Food can be problematic and can eventually result in stomach problems as lettuce has very little food value and a lot of water content. Keep the tank clean and maintain its ideal temperature. If still, your Beardy still has diarrhea, you should take it to your nearest vet to perform a regular check and a fecal exam.
6. Brumation
If your Bearded Dragon is not eating properly, it can be preparing for Brumation. If you have no idea about that, I can provide you with a rough synopsis of Brumation. It is a state of Dormancy that some reptiles go through to conserve energy. During this period, Bearded Dragons do not move, eat, defecate, or even drink. They might even move to a cold and secluded part of the tank.
You might want to consult our article on what to do during a bearded dragon Brumation period for further information on this.
How Often Should a Bearded Dragon Be Fed?
A Bearded dragon must be fed according to its age. If the pet beardy is a juvenile one, it should be fed quite frequently, and if he is old enough, his diet must be maintained. Therefore, the query How Long Can Bearded Dragons Go without Food? Should be supplemented with How often can they be Fed?
A Guide on How Often Can a Bearded Dragon Be Fed
0-3 Months old – 3-5 Times a day
3-8 Months Old – 2-3 Times a day
Above 8 Months – 1 Time a day
What To Do When Your Bearded Dragon Stops Eating?
There is a list of things you can do when your Bearded Dragon Stops eating.
- Do not keep your bearded dragon with another bearded dragon or around another pet.
- Increase the space of Its tank to facilitate its free movement.
- Do not touch your Bearded Dragon often if you see that it is fasting.
- Do not keep unfamiliar objects in the tank.
- Regulate the tank’s optimum temperature.
- Provide your Beardy a comfortable mild hot bath.
- Keep noises down in your apartment to a bare minimum.
- Try Force Feeding it as a Last Resort.
Therefore, the query How Long Can Bearded Dragons Go without Food? It is a basic one when it comes to taking care of your Beardy. It is not that complex but must be supplemented with other queries.
Force-Feeding Techniques for Your Bearded Dragon
When your beloved pet refuses to intake food, you must take this as a caution. It can be due to the reasons mentioned above. As a last resort, it is essential to force-feed your bearded dragon if it is becoming alarmingly weak and thin.
Open your Dragon’s mouth with a good grip, drag the lower chin down, and then gently put food deep into the mouth.
Please take it to a good vet often to ensure that it’s doing well and have regular checkups.
Conclusion
I hope you found this article helpful! I will be back in a jiffy with the next one. Till then, stay safe and enjoy your time with your favorite beardy!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.