Why is My Bearded Dragon Not Eating? – 10 Reasons and What To Do

Is your bearded dragon not eating? If so, you’ve come to this right place! In this post, I’m going to explain why bearded dragon’s stop eating and what you can do to get their appetite back!

 

 

Why Is My Bearded Dragon Not Eating?

There is a whole range of reasons your beardie might not be eating. Some of these are completely normal and require no action. However, in some cases, you need to act. 

So here is the list of reasons for why a bearded dragon might stop eating, as well as what you, the owner, should do.

 

9 Reasons Your Bearded Dragon’s Not Eating

 

1. Bearded Dragon Not Eating Due To Temperature or Lighting Issues:

One of the most common reasons bearded dragons refuse to eat is because they aren’t warm enough. So, first things first, make sure to check the temperature of your beardie’s tank.

Lighting and temperature are two significant factors that impact a dragon’s comfort. If your bearded dragon feels chilly or cold, it will likely stop eating. While, lighting regulates their day-night cycle, improves their digestion, and triggers their appetite.

If you’re confused about bearded dragon lighting and temperature, read Bearded Dragon Lighting and Temperature Guide. It will fill in the blanks for you!

 

2. Stress Has Decreased Your Beardies Appetite

If your bearded dragon is stressed they won’t want to eat. The easiest way to tell if they’re stressed is to take a closer look at your dragon’s beard. If it’s black or has started to turn black, your bearded dragon is stressed. To figure out what is creating this stress, I’d recommend reading Bearded Dragon Black Beard – 11 Reasons This Happens and What To Do.

Once you know what is causing your beardie to stress, fix it! Shortly after you do, your bearded dragon will start eating again.

 

 

3. Ageing 

 Eating patterns for Bearded Dragons change as they approach maturity. As bearded dragons age, their stored fat and weight can be subject to a gradual decline. If your beardie has slowly been eating less and less, it is probably due to ageing.

In dragons reaching adulthood, it is recommended you feed them more vegetables and fewer insects. If you think ageing could be the reason for your beardie’s lack of appetite, I suggest you have a look at Bearded Dragon Diet. Skip to the section on “Diet Requirements of an Adult Bearded Dragon.”

 

4. Impaction

Impaction is the blockage of your dragon’s digestive tract due to the accumulation of solids in the gut or intestines. Natural digestive movements and contractions cannot remove this blockage. Impaction is known to cause a decrease in appetite and can also lead to severe fatigue.

If you think you’re beardie has been impacted, go straight to the vet!

 

5. Brumation – It’s Normal For Your Bearded Dragon To Not Be Eating

It’s a period very similar to hibernation. Many reptiles like bearded dragons conserve their heat and energy by slowing their actions and sleep through most of their time in colder seasons. During brumation, bearded dragons are known to eat much less. Their metabolism slows down, and they don’t require food as much as normal.

Figuring out whether your bearded dragon is brumating can be a real challenge. In this article, there is a list of signs which can be used to determine if your bearded dragon is in brumation. Give it a read, and you’ll be able to tell if brumation is causing your bearded dragon to not eat.

If it’s brumation which means your bearded dragon is not eating, there’s nothing you need to do. Let them sleep, and when they wake up, they’ll start eating again!

 

6. Shedding

Shedding a common process that most reptiles go through. As their bodies grow, their skin becomes thinner and weaker. Shedding removes this old skin, making room for a new, stronger layer.

Shedding not only affects your bearded dragon’s skin but also it’s appetite. It’s a completely normal process and does not affect the dragon’s health.

Once they have shed, their appetite will return, and they’ll be munching on insects as if their life depends on it!

 

7. Illness

Similar to humans, a sick bearded dragon may not want to eat. To find out if an illness is causing your beardie’s loss of appetite, read How To Tell If Your Bearded Dragon is Sick . 

If your beardie is sick, you should take them to the vet as soon as possible!

 

8. Injuries

Bearded dragons can get injured just by being bearded dragons! If they do become injured, this explains why your bearded dragon is not eating. They are likely in pain and will not have much of an appetite!

Give them some time to recover. Once healed, they will likely start eating again. If they don’t get their appetite back within a week, take them to the vet.

 

9. A Change of Diet

I hate Salmon. If someone replaced my bacon sandwich with Salmon, I would probably still eat it. However, if I was a bearded dragon, I definitely wouldn’t. 

Bearded dragons won’t eat food they don’t like. So, don’t go changing their meals every week. 

If you have recently changed your beardies diet and now they’re not eating. Guess what? They don’t like this new food!

Once you’ve found some meals your beardie will eat, just stick with them. It’s easier for you, and it’s better for your bearded dragon!

 

Bearded Dragon Not Eating? Now you know why!

You’ve learned why your bearded dragon is not eating, and you know what you need to do. Not bad for 10 minutes on the internet!

If you found this post useful, why not give it a share? Someone you know might be having the same issue!