Why is Your Bearded Dragon Sleeping Weirdly?

Bearded dragons need to sleep almost 8 to 12 hours a day like  humans. Further, since bearded dragons are diurnal reptiles, they will only sleep during nights. They won’t sleep during the day. If you find your bearded dragon sleeping during the day then make sure you consult your vet. But how do bearded dragons sleep? In other words, what is the body position of beardies when they sleep? 

Well, bearded dragons sleep in a very weird position. At times, you will also find them sleeping while hanging loosely. But is it normal for bearded dragons to sleep in this weird position? Well, yes. Bearded dragons do sleep in  weird positions. In fact, you may find them sleeping with their arms by their sides. Keep in mind that this is how bearded dragons sleep. But as long as your bearded dragon is healthy and active, nothing wrong will happen to them. 

What are Some Weird Sleeping Positions for Bearded Dragon?

Bearded dragons, unlike humans, don’t sleep in one straight line. They have weird positions when they sleep. Some weird positions in which you’ll find your bearded dragon sleeping include:

1. Hugging a stick and placing back legs behind them.
2. Legs dangling 
3. Angled sleeping
4. Head down sleeping
5. Stretched legs

Surprising Facts About Bearded Dragon Sleeping

Bearded dragons aren’t only beginner-friendly reptiles, they are also one of the amazing creatures. Following are some fascinating facts related to bearded dragons that have been observed over the years. 

1. Weird Sleeping Positions 

As mentioned before, bearded dragons are one of those reptiles that have weird sleeping positions. Further, most bearded dragons sleep while lying on their stomachs. But there are also dragons that prefer sleeping in varying different positions. Moreover, there’s nothing wrong if you find your bearded dragon sleeping while being attached to the wall. Your beardie sleeping position can change a lot later on. 

2. Long Sleep Periods

Bearded dragons like most reptiles go into hibernation. During this time, they stop eating and drinking. They sleep a lot during the whole day. So, if you find your bearded dragon sleeping the whole day,  then know that they are in brumation. In this state, just make sure that your bearded dragon is healthy. That’s because if your dragon is already unhealthy then during brumation, they can even die. Why? They don’t eat when they are in hibernation. 

3. Changing Colors When They are Sleeping 

You may have heard of chameleons changing colors to match the colors of their surroundings. But have you heard of bearded dragons changing their colors? I’m sure you haven’t heard of this. But as per a research, during sleep bearded dragons do change their color. Although the reason behind this is unclear. But researchers are still working on this. One hypothesis is that this change in color is due to the sleep-wake cycle of bearded dragons. At night when bearded dragons are sleeping then melanin pigment contracts in a way that it gets close to the centre of skin cells. On the contrary, during the day the pigment is distributed on the surface. 

4. Burying themselves Under Sand

Unlike humans, there are some bearded dragons that often cover themselves in sand when they are sleeping. Is it weird? No. But you may find it weird because you’re a human. Sure. You must make sure to find out the reason behind this. That’s because this shows that bearded dragons are hiding. 

Keep in mind that in normal conditions bearded dragons don’t hide. In other words, if your bearded dragon is tamed, they won’t hide. That’s because they won’t consider you as a predator. They are comfortable around you. But if your bearded dragon is hiding then that means you need to work on taming them.

5. Slow Breathing 

When bearded dragons sleep, their breathing becomes dangerously low. In fact, they slow their metabolic and respiratory rate when they are in deep slumber. It’s also possible that you may think that beardies aren’t even breathing. But hey, don’t worry. Just know that it’s normal. 

Do Bearded Dragons Dream Like Humans?

Short answer: yes and no. That’s because there is some research that shows that bearded dragons have slow-wave and REM sleep – dreams come only during REM sleep. Bearded dragon’s sleep cycle is shorter as well as regular. Their 80-second cycle can be split between slow-wave and REM sleep. 

Do Bearded Dragons Sleep With Their Eyes Closed?

Yes. Bearded dragons sleep with their eyes closed. But since they have three eyes – two on the front and one on the back of their head- they are sensitive to light. You may find them opening their eyes when the lights are turned on. 

Further, pet owners who think that bearded dragons sleep with their eyes open are mistaken. In case you find that your bearded dragon is sleeping with their eyes open, then you need to consult the vet. 

How Do I Know If my Bearded Dragon is Uncomfortable?

You may think that if bearded dragons are sleeping weirdly, then they are uncomfortable. But that’s not true. Maybe you find this shocking. But if your bearded dragon is sleeping – no matter what weird sleeping position they have – they are comfortable. Bearded dragons only become uncomfortable when they have any of the following symptoms:

1. Diarrhea
2. Not basking
3. Not eating 
4. Sluggish
5. Open mouth
6. Glass surfing
7. Stress marks
8. Black beard 
9. Head bobbing

How Can You Make Your Bearded Dragon Comfortable?

Making your bearded dragon comfortable isn’t  a difficult task. It’s an easy job. Further there are lots of things that you can do to make your beardie comfortable. Following are some easy and simple steps. 

1. Give your beardie a spacious and high-quality habitat that has no toxic substrate. Further, although it’s preferred to keep adult bearded dragons in a 40-gallon tank, if you have a big budget, then you can buy an even bigger enclosure. 
2. Try to spend at least 10 minutes with your bearded dragon every day. Let them know that you are someone special for them. 
3. Feed your bearded dragon both veggies and bugs. Make sure you don’t give them garlic, onion, and chives. That’s because bearded dragons are toxic to these veggies. 
4. Use marble or tiles as a substrate. Don’t ever use sand as the substrate. Reason? Well, bearded dragons like to explore their surroundings. What’s problematic is that sometimes while exploring their surroundings they consume a little bit of substrate. So, if you use sand as a substrate then there’s a high chance that bearded dragons will become impacted after eating sand. 
5. Include decoration pieces like small branches, and stems that are normally present in Australian deserts – their native land. Make sure there’s a proper basking spot as well where bearded dragons can bask whenever they feel cold. 
6. Never ever hold your bearded dragon when they are stressed. That’s because at times you can also stress them. Some signs that show that bearded dragons are stressed include: stress marks, black beard and sluggishness. 

Conclusion 

Why is Your Bearded Dragon Sleeping Weirdly? Well, there isn’t a single reason behind this. In fact, most of the time you will find your bearded dragon sleeping weirdly. That’s because unlike humans, bearded dragons don’t sleep in one straight line. There are times when they sleep while their hands are hanging loosely. Another time you may find them sleeping even when their legs are stretched. So, in short you don’t need to worry about their sleeping positions.