Bearded dragons are popular pet lizards known for their docile nature, hearty appetites, and endearing personalities. If you’re a bearded dragon owner, you’re likely very familiar with your scaly friend’s feet. But what exactly can their unique feet tell you about their health and wellbeing?
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: A bearded dragon’s feet can indicate issues like infection, retained sheds, overgrown nails, metabolic bone disease, and more if abnormalities or changes are noticed.
In this roughly 3000 word article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about bearded dragon feet including their anatomy and purpose, what healthy feet look like, signs of potential problems, and proper foot care.
Anatomy of a Bearded Dragon’s Feet
Toes and Nails
Bearded dragons have five toes on each foot, each with a sharp claw or nail on the end. Their front feet have larger toes and thicker nails since they use them for digging, climbing, and holding food. The nails help give them grip and traction when moving around.
The nails continue growing throughout a bearded dragon’s life and need to be trimmed regularly to keep them a healthy length. If they get too long, they can start to curl under and become uncomfortable or even painful for the dragon.
Pads and Scales
The bottom of a bearded dragon’s feet are covered in thick, protective scales and pads. These help protect their feet as they walk around on various surfaces, even hot rocks and desert sands which can reach temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 🥵
The pad portion is usually a darker color and is made up of smoother scales. It provides cushioning for the foot bones and joints when walking or landing after a jump. The rest of the underside has rougher, harder scales to prevent wear and tear.
Together, the specialized design of their feet with strong nails, shock-absorbing pads, and durable scales allow bearded dragons to be such successful climbers and diggers in their native arid habitats. Pretty cool! 😎👍
The Purpose of a Bearded Dragon’s Feet
Grasping and Climbing
Bearded dragons have feet specially adapted for grasping branches and climbing in their native arid, rocky habitats. Their toes end in sharp, curved claws that provide traction and grip for climbing rocks and grasping branches.
The undersides of their feet have small, spiny scales that give them additional grip. Their grasping feet allow them to be arboreal and climb trees and bushes up to heights of over 6 feet.
When climbing, bearded dragons will use their prehensile tail along with their feet to wrap around and grasp branches. Their grasping capabilities make them well suited to their rugged habitat in the wild.
Defense and Display
In addition to climbing, a bearded dragon’s feet also serve an important function in defense and display. When threatened, a bearded dragon can stand up on its hind legs and spread its forelegs wide, puffing out the spiny beard under its chin.
This makes the lizard appear much larger and more intimidating to potential predators.
Bearded dragons will also stand up tall and wave their front feet to establish territory and dominance. Their displays reinforce social hierarchy and help avoid unnecessary conflict within groups of dragons.
Digging and Burrowing
Bearded dragons are avid burrowers and spend a great deal of time underground in the wild. Their powerful legs and thick, strong nails on their feet allow them to be excellent diggers. They will burrow under bushes, rocks, and branches or dig holes deep in the ground to escape extreme desert heat.
Females also use their sturdy feet and legs to dig nests in the sand or soil to lay their eggs during breeding season. Digging and burrowing help bearded dragons survive temperature extremes and avoid predators in their harsh native environment.
What Do Healthy Bearded Dragon Feet Look Like?
Toes Positioned Properly
Healthy bearded dragon feet should have properly positioned toes. The toes should be straight and point forward, not curling under or overlapping each other. Curled or overlapping toes can be a sign of metabolic bone disease from improper nutrition.
Clear and Healthy Nails
The nails on healthy bearded dragon feet should be clear, not cloudy or discolored. The nails should also be trimmed to a proper length to prevent overgrowth and curling, which can impair walking. Overgrown nails may need to be trimmed by a veterinarian.
Firm Foot Pads
The undersides of a bearded dragon’s feet have fat pads that should feel firm and supple, not squishy or shriveled. Squishy foot pads can indicate dehydration or improper humidity in the tank.
Intact Scales
The scales on a healthy bearded dragon’s feet and toes should be intact with no signs of blistering, peeling, or inflammation around the nail beds. Missing or irritated scales could indicate a bacterial or fungal infection of the skin.
Signs of Potential Foot Problems in Bearded Dragons
Infections
Bearded dragons can develop infections in their feet for various reasons. Look for swelling, redness, discharge, foul odor, and abnormal shedding around the feet. Bacterial and fungal infections are common and can spread quickly without treatment.
Some causes include unsanitary housing, skin damage, retained shedding skin, etc. If you notice signs of infection, take your bearded dragon to an exotic vet for diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics or antifungals.
Retained Shedding Skin
Healthy bearded dragons shed their skin regularly as they grow. However, sometimes the old skin doesn’t fully come off their feet and toes. This can cut off blood circulation and cause tissue damage. Check for pieces of stuck shed skin between the toes and around toenails.
Provide a humid hide and mist your dragon to help loosen the skin. Gently remove any retained shed with a moist cotton swab. Avoid pulling on stuck skin that won’t come off easily.
Overgrown Nails
Bearded dragon nails can overgrow if not trimmed regularly, especially in dragons lacking proper climbing and digging opportunities. Overgrown toenails may curl under the feet, piercing the skin. Signs include visible long nails, limping, decreased activity, and swollen or red toes.
Use sterilized nail clippers to carefully trim each overgrown nail just before the quick. Provide tiles or textured surfaces to help naturally wear down nails.
Metabolic Bone Disease
Metabolic bone disease (MBD) is a common problem seen in bearded dragons with calcium/vitamin D3 deficiency and improper UVB lighting. MBD causes weakened bones and joint deformities. Signs in the feet include swollen joints, twitching, tremors, and deformed bent toes.
MBD requires veterinary treatment, but prevention involves proper supplementation, lighting, diet, and husbandry from a young age.
Injuries and Parasites
Bearded dragon feet are vulnerable to injuries. Cuts, abrasions, and broken toes/nails can occur from falls, rough surfaces, or accidents in the habitat. Inspect feet routinely and look for limping, swelling, cuts, bloody nails.
Foreign objects like sand and stuck shed can also irritate and injure feet. Parasites like mites can infest feet and cause crusty skin, inflammation, and excess scratching. Seek medical care for suspected foot injuries or parasites.
Caring for Your Bearded Dragon’s Feet
Proper Enclosure Temperatures and Substrates
Keeping your bearded dragon’s enclosure at the right temperature is crucial for healthy feet and preventing issues like blisters or cracking. The ideal gradient is 75-80°F on the cool side and 95-105°F on the warm side (measured using a reliable thermometer).
The basking area surface temp should reach 110-115°F.
Loose particulate substrates like sand can cause abrasions or trap bacteria next to delicate toe scales and pads. Instead, use paper towel, textured tile, repticarpet, or a 50/50 organic top soil and play sand mix. Smooth substrates can lead to painful blisters and sores.
Soaking for Shedding Aid
Offer 10-20 minute lukewarm water soaks 2-3 times a week. The water helps soften the old skin around the toes and feet to make shedding easier. Gently scrub with a soft baby toothbrush if skin is already peeling. Never forcefully pull off stuck shed.
Nail Trimming
Overgrown nails can snag and rip off painfully. Use sterilized trimmers to snip each nail just in front of the quick every 2-6 weeks depending on growth rate. Styptic powder stops bleeding if you trim too short. Apply an antibacterial if you do nick the quick to avoid infection.
Cleaning Dirty or Injured Feet
Gently clean debris off using lukewarm water or a 50/50 water and Betadine solution and cotton balls or soft paper towels. Bandage wounds with antibiotic ointment and nonstick pads until healed. Keep any injured dragon off loose substrates to prevent substrate entering wounds.
Conclusion
A bearded dragon’s feet play an important role in their health and wellbeing. By staying observant of any changes and providing proper care, you can help keep your beardie’s feet in top shape.
Knowing what to look out for and implementing good foot hygiene practices can prevent more serious issues down the road. Healthy and functional feet allow your bearded dragon to thrive.