If your bearded dragon feels cold to the touch, it likely means something is wrong with its ability to regulate its body temperature. Bearded dragons are cold-blooded reptiles that rely on external heat sources to maintain their preferred body temperature between 85-95°F.
A bearded dragon that feels cold requires immediate attention to avoid health complications.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: A bearded dragon that feels cold likely has an issue regulating its body temperature due to improper heating, gastrointestinal blockage, brumation, or illness that requires veterinary attention.
Causes of Cold Body Temperature in Bearded Dragons
Improper Heating
One of the most common reasons for a bearded dragon to feel cold is improper heating of their enclosure. Bearded dragons are reptiles that need consistent access to a basking spot ranging from 95-110°F to properly regulate their body temperature.
Without adequate heat, they can quickly become too cold. Some potential causes of improper heating include:
- The basking bulb wattage is too low to reach the proper temperature range
- The heat bulb is burned out and needs replacing
- The tank is too large for the existing heat source to warm it sufficiently
- The room itself may be too cold for the tank’s heating elements to compensate
Gastrointestinal Blockage or Impaction
Another potential reason for low body temperature is a gastrointestinal blockage or impaction. Symptoms include lack of appetite and lethargy. When digesting food, bearded dragons utilize a process called thermal substitution to help regulate their internal temperature.
If the dragon is unable to pass food properly through the digestive tract, this can disrupt their ability to maintain proper body heat. Potential causes include:
- Swallowing substrate or other foreign objects
- Dehydration resulting in overly compacted stool
- Undigested insect exoskeletons
Brumation
Brumation is the reptile version of hibernation. It is triggered by seasonal changes and decreased daylight hours. While brumating, a bearded dragon’s metabolism will slow significantly, and it will spend the majority of its time sleeping. Body temperature often drops to 60-70°F during brumation.
Desktop heat lamps are generally unable to counteract this natural process. Brumation typically lasts 1-3 months during the winter season.
Illness or Health Condition
Various illnesses can also result in a bearded dragon feeling abnormally cold due to decreased metabolism and energy levels. Potential health problems include:
- Respiratory infections
- Mouth rot
- Parasites
- Fungal or bacterial infections
- Metabolic bone disease from poor diet
If an underlying health issue is suspected, veterinary examination is recommended. Blood tests, fecal tests, and x-rays can help diagnose many common reptile illnesses.
Signs Your Bearded Dragon is Too Cold
Low Body Temperature
One of the most telling signs that your bearded dragon is too cold is a low body temperature. Bearded dragons are cold-blooded and require external heat sources to maintain their optimal body temperature of 95-110°F.
If the tank temperature drops below 75°F at night or below 80°F during the day, your dragon may struggle to warm itself enough to properly digest food and carry out other bodily functions. Carefully monitor its tank temperatures with reliable thermometers placed at both the cool and warm ends.
Lethargy and Weakness
Lethargic behavior like moving slowly or laying in one spot for long periods can signal that your bearded dragon is chilling out…literally! These cold-blooded reptiles need adequate heat to remain active and alert.
Dramatic lethargy, weakness, or loss of appetite may indicate a more severe problem like brumation or illness, so contact your vet if these signs persist. Providing a nice warm basking area around 100-110°F gives your buddy the get-up-and-go it needs.
Loss of Appetite
Appetite loss frequently accompanies lethargy when bearded dragons get too cold. Low body temperature prevents proper digestion and nutrient absorption, so your beardie won’t feel hungry. Make sure the warm end of the tank reaches 95-110°F to stimulate your pal’s appetite again.
Dehydration, lack of exercise, stress, parasites, and health issues can also suppress appetite, so rule out other causes if problems persist.
Darker Color
Some beardies will temporarily darken their skin when too cold as a way to absorb more heat. This is most noticeable in younger dragons. Adults tend to simply get lighter coloring over time. Sudden darkening can signal your buddy is a bit chilly.
Boosting temperatures, providing a warm bath, and increasing exposure to UVB light may help them lighten up! However, skin or scale discoloration may also indicate a health issue, so observe your dragon closely.
Staying in One Spot
An immobile, unresponsive bearded dragon camped in one area of the tank needs some cozy heating, stat! These active lizards normally spend their days exploring, basking, and watching the action outside their habitat. Cold-blooded critters rely on warmth from their environment to remain active.
Make sure your heating pads, lamps, and basking bulbs cover about 2/3 of the tank so your buddy can warm up properly in multiple areas.
How to Warm Up Your Bearded Dragon
Adjust the Heat Sources
The most important way to warm up your bearded dragon is to adjust the heat sources in their enclosure. Reptiles like bearded dragons are ectothermic, meaning they rely on external heat to regulate their body temperature.
Check that your heat lamp is at the proper wattage (75-100 watts) and positioned at the right distance from your dragon’s basking area (8-10 inches for adults). The basking area surface temperature should be 95-110°F. You can use a thermometer probe or infrared temp gun to check this.
Increasing the wattage of the heat bulb and moving it closer can raise the basking temperature. Just make sure not to have it too close as to risk burns.
Give a Warm Bath
Giving your bearded dragon a warm bath can quickly raise their body temperature. Fill a small plastic tub or sink with a couple inches of 86-90°F water. Put your dragon in the tub and let them soak for 10-15 minutes. The warm water will transfer heat to their body.
You can gently pour or sprinkle water over their back with a cup to further warm them. Just monitor the water temp with a thermometer and don’t let them get chilled when taking them out. Dry them off before returning them to their habitat.
Offer Warm Water
Hydration helps regulate body temperature in reptiles. Offer your bearded dragon a drink of warm water to ingest. Use a oral syringe or dropper to slowly drip 86-90°F water onto their nose/lips. They will lick it up. The warm water can provide internal heat.
Just give a little at a time to prevent overhydration. Also mist the tank daily as moisture helps heat transfer.
Increase Ambient Temperature
In addition to a heat lamp, your bearded dragon relies on ambient air temps of 75-80°F on the cool end and 88-95°F on the warm end. If your dragon is too cold, try raising the ambient temperature a few degrees. First check that heating devices are working properly.
You can also use a space heater, heat emitter, or ceramic heat emitter to safely increase air temps. But supervise carefully and avoid thermal burns. Proper temps are crucial for digestion and immune function.
Use a Heating Pad Temporarily
For short-term emergency warming, a heating pad under the tank can help. Make sure it is designed for reptiles and offers low level heat. Place a towel between the tank bottom and heating pad to buffer the temperature. Keep an eye on the temperature gauge and your dragon’s behavior.
Heating pads are not meant for long term use as they only heat from one direction. But in a pinch, they can provide supplemental warmth if your bearded dragon is chilled.
Preventing Cold Body Temperatures
Maintain Proper Heating
Ensuring your bearded dragon enclosure has proper heating is crucial to preventing low body temperatures. The basking area should be 95-110°F to allow proper digestion and healthy activity levels (BeardedDragonCare101.com).
Use overhead heat lamps on one side to create a temperature gradient so your dragon can self-regulate by moving closer or farther from the heat source. Check temperatures with a quality digital thermometer at the dragon’s basking level to maintain ideal warmth.
Monitor Temperatures Daily
It’s important to check your bearded dragon enclosure’s temperature gradient at least once per day. Both the warm and cool side temperatures can fluctuate based on room temperature, bulb age and output, etc.
Use digital probe thermometers to check the warm area under the basking lamp and cooler hide area to ensure the gradient allows proper thermoregulation. Adjust heat output up or down to maintain ideal temperatures of 75-80°F on the cool end and 95-110°F under the basking lamp (TheBeardedDragon.org).
Watch for Signs of Illness
A cold or lethargic bearded dragon may indicate an underlying health issue causing problems with thermoregulation. Symptoms like lack of appetite, light coloration, flaky skin, and asleep in the cool end can signify illness.
Have your dragon examined by an exotic veterinarian to check for issues like parasites, infections, or metabolic bone disease. Treating health problems can help restore normal behavior and heat regulation.
Adjust for Seasonal Changes
As seasons change, monitor your bearded dragon enclosure’s temperatures closely. One study found ambient temperature drops of just 5°F can significantly impact digestion and healthy gut flora (J. Thermal Biology 2015).
When your home cools in winter, the enclosure may too, so boost heat lamp output by 5-10°F. In summer, increased AC can also lower temperatures, so reduce lamp output to prevent overheating yet maintain proper gradient.
Provide Proper UVB Lighting
Adequate UVB exposure is important for bearded dragons to properly synthesize vitamin D3 to regulate calcium metabolism. Without healthy calcium regulation, bone density and nerve/muscle functions suffer.
Choose UVB bulbs providing correct wavelength and intensity for vitamin D3 synthesis like ReptiSun 10.0 or Arcadia 12% bulbs. Replace bulbs every 6 months and ensure proper distance to allow healthy exposure (Reptile.Guide).
Proper lighting supports nerve/muscle function aiding in movement to warmer areas.
When to See a Veterinarian
Cold Body Temperature Persists
Bearded dragons are cold-blooded creatures, meaning they rely on external heat sources like the sun to regulate their body temperature. A healthy bearded dragon’s body temperature should range between 95-100°F when warm.
If your dragon feels cold and lethargic despite having access to proper heat and lighting, it could signal an underlying health issue. Persistently low body temperature is a common symptom of illness in reptiles.
You should take your bearded dragon to the vet if its body temperature stays below 95°F for more than a day or two.
Lethargy or Weakness
Bearded dragons are typically active pets, especially when warm. If your dragon is unusually lethargic or weak, refusing to move around even when warmed up, it’s a sign something may be wrong. Reptiles often act lethargic when sick as a way to conserve energy for healing.
Take note if your bearded dragon sleeps all day or has trouble climbing and holding itself up. Weakness and lethargy combined with appetite loss can point to a serious health problem.
Loss of Appetite
A healthy bearded dragon should have a strong appetite and eagerly eat daily. Loss of appetite is one of the most common and earliest signs of illness in bearded dragons. Food refusal for over 2 days is cause for concern.
Your dragon may be dealing with mouth pain, gastrointestinal issues, infections, or other problems that sap its appetite. Make sure proper temperatures and UVB exposure aren’t the issue. Seek veterinary care if appetite loss persists more than 2-3 days.
Vomiting or Diarrhea
Reptiles don’t vomit often, so vomiting is always an abnormal sign in bearded dragons. It can indicate gastrointestinal disease, internal parasites, infections, or obstructions. Diarrhea or watery stool is another abnormal symptom pointing to possible illness.
Viruses, bacteria, parasites, or poor diet can cause diarrhea. Take your bearded dragon to the vet if you notice vomiting, diarrhea, or abnormal feces. Prompt treatment is important to prevent dehydration.
Visible Signs of Illness
Some health problems in bearded dragons produce visible symptoms you shouldn’t ignore. Look for eye discharge, swelling, unusual spots or discoloration, limping, or the presence of external parasites. Labored breathing, fluid leaking from the nose or mouth, and abnormal shedding are also problematic signs.
Weight loss despite normal appetite can indicate chronic disease. Don’t delay – call your exotic vet if your bearded dragon displays any abnormal physical symptoms. Early treatment leads to better outcomes.
Conclusion
In summary, a bearded dragon that feels cold requires prompt attention, as it likely indicates an issue with thermoregulation. Causes can include improper heating, brumation, gastrointestinal blockage, or illness. Take steps to gradually warm your bearded dragon and address any husbandry issues.
If signs persist, seek veterinary care, as low body temperature can quickly become life-threatening. With proper heating and lighting, as well as vigilance for signs of illness, you can maintain your bearded dragon’s optimal temperature and prevent chill.
