How Long Can Bearded Dragons Go Without Food?

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The duration at which your bearded dragons can go without food depends on their size, health, age, and the reason for not eating. If you have an adult bearded dragon with extra weight, at optimum, they can go for up to 2 months or longer to lose weight without food.

Young bearded dragons are growing, and therefore they need nutrients from food for their growth and staying healthy; hence, they cannot go for a long duration without food. Bearded dragons can go for only a few days to a week without food at the juvenile stage. When bromating, your bearded friend can co week or months without eating any food.

 

Reasons A Bearded Dragon May Go Without Food

 

There are multiple reasons why your bearded friend may go without food. Some of the reasons include: –

 

  • Wrong temperatures

 

Incorrect enclosure temperatures may have an impact on your beardie eating habit. Beardies evolved in the Australian desert, and therefore they need high heat from a basking lamp to help them with digestion. Bearded dragons can lose their hunger if their cage isn’t heated enough (basking temperature should be between 95 and 105 for adults, 100 and 110 for babies). They require heat for efficient digestion, and if they do not have it, their body will not sense the urge to feed. Also, make sure your dragons have access to a cool side of the tank, around 80-85 degrees, to relax. Low temperatures in your beardies cage may lead to them becoming lethargic and refusing food. Maintaining the optimum cage temperature is vital for their digestion and eating.

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  • Home changes

 

Beardies’ cages and territories are essential to them. Anything out of the ordinary in their environment can irritate or upset them, resulting in a lack of appetite or a refusal to eat. If you’ve moved your bearded dragon’s enclosure, it’ll be agitated and stop eating. Furthermore, immediately changing something in their environment will agitate them, as they detect changes far too rapidly. In both circumstances, try to arrange the items in the new enclosure the same way as they were in the old one. You can also put the old stuff back for a while to observe how the beardie reacts. Finally, if you’re going to make a change in the beardies’ enclosure, take it carefully, so you don’t bother them.

 

  • Stress

 

Stress can cause various issues for your bearded dragon, including a loss of appetite or an unwillingness to eat. In this case, look around the terrarium or outside to see what’s causing the stress. Even seemingly insignificant things might cause tension in your bearded dragon. So be careful not to overwork your bearded dragon. A change in the terrarium, loud noises around the bearded dragon, or something in the environment that makes your bearded dragon feel intimidated are all possible causes of stress.

 

  • New diet/foods

 

The beardie’s appetite may be suppressed when introduced to a new diet. These reptiles are distinct in their lifestyles and are well-known for being notorious and obstinate. Furthermore, kids can be picky about the food you provide them and will most likely refuse to eat it if it isn’t what they want or wants to consume. You should not, however, give up. Because providing only one type of food can cause the bearded dragon to gain weight, it’s essential to switch up the diet now and then to balance the nutrients. Once your dragon becomes hungry, it will return to the food. Keep your cool and hold your ground till then. Should your bearded friend persist and start losing weight, you should try feeding them their favorite food.

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  • Brumation

 

Brumation is the bearded dragon’s hibernating period. Bearded dragons cannot adapt to cold weather because they are native to warm and dry climates. In cold temperatures, their metabolism slows, making it difficult to digest food and conduct strenuous activity. This will cause the bearded dragon to slow down, allowing them to exist on less food. Bearded dragons go into a profound slumber in a hole deep within the ground for brumation. During this phase, the bearded dragon requires no food or water; nonetheless, even during brumation, make sure enough water is available.

 

  • Sickness

 

In some circumstances, your bearded dragon stops eating when it’s sick or going through various medical difficulties. Check for distinct symptoms; try feeding your beardie using a spoon or a syringe. To protect your bearded dragon’s health and safety, have it examined by a veterinarian.

 

Can you force-feed your bearded dragon?

 

Yes, but only on the veterinarian’s advice. It is not recommended to force-feed your bearded dragon unless essential. Additionally, force-feeding should be done according to the vet’s instructions; otherwise, it can be dangerous and harm the bearded dragon’s health.

 

How to force-feed your bearded dragon?

 

Bearded dragons like to eat on their own; nevertheless, when they refuse to eat, the only option is to force-feed them, as recommended by the veterinarian. The procedure is easy but difficult: you must maintain a tight grasp on the bearded dragon, gently draw their jaws open, and then introduce the food using a syringe or a spoon.

 

Conclusion

 

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Bearded dragons are adorable and active pets. Seeing them going without food may affect you if you are used to them eating and playing around. There are various reasons as to why your beardie may not be eating. Therefore, it is good to pay keen attention to them and why they may not be eating and try to fix where possible.

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